After a month-long filming trip across United States, South African YouTube sensation and wildlife crusader, Dingo Dinkelman, is excited to be back in the African bush. And for the next few months, Dingo will be sharing conservation techniques, wildlife insights and Africa’s incredible beauty with international visitors from 12 countries through ‘Voluntourism: Dingo’s Africa Experience’.
“It’s amazing how being away from Africa made me realise, once again, how fantastic our wild spaces and indigenous creatures are, and I’m so excited to share this with foreign visitors who’ve never experienced Africa before,” said Dingo, commenting on the Voluntourism programme. “Following the pandemic and lockdown, there’s a huge need for the South African tourism economy to recover, and considering the massive needs that exist in the conservation, this programme is able to benefit Africa on two fronts, while empowering visitors who will share what they’ve learnt back home.”
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the tourism sector supports one in 10 jobs globally, and provides livelihoods for millions in developing and developed economies. In a tourism-dependant country like South Africa, where the unemployment is currently nearing 35%, the impact of Covid-19 has been significant, not only for people, but for conservation. The fall in tourism cut off funding for biodiversity funding – accounting for 7% of global tourism – with poaching, looting and the consumption of bushmeat spiking. This has been particularly evident in the rhino population where more than 100 rhinos have been poached in KZN in 2022 alone, as reported by Save the Rhino.
“Never before has there been a greater need for collaborative effort in tackling conservation, and this voluntourism programme seeks to do just that,” continued Dingo. “By bringing the reality of African wildlife directly to visitors, we’re able to spread this message and make much more of an impact at a time when it’s really now or never.”
The latest programme will give 50 to 60 international visitors ‘Dingo’s Africa Experience’ – a close-up look at what’s happening on the ground in conservation. Coming from Botswana, Angola and as far as the United States, Canada, Belgium, Germany, the UK and Israel – with ages ranging from 16 to 68 years – these visitors will participate in weeks of wildlife-focused initiatives. Some of the upcoming adventures include animal care, dehorning rhino for conservation projects, school demonstrations, vital bush clearing, giraffe relocation, walking pangolin in a soft release programme, diving with sharks and more.
The voluntourism programme started on Friday, 1 July with the minimum stay of 1 week at the Hillcrest-based bush camp. To find out more about this authentic African experience, visit www.dingowild.com or email bookings@dingowild.com.
Check out Dingo’s videos and adventures by following ‘Dingo Dinkelman’ on Facebook, Instagram, Rumble, Patreon, and ‘Dingo Dinkelman Reloaded’ on YouTube. Dingo Dinkelman is proudly sponsored by Toyota.
