“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and wasn’t happy”

Ernest Hemingway

Our ranger Corne is sitting opposite of us at the lunch table at the sundeck of our lodge Tintswalo at Lapalala, telling us passionately about the conservation efforts of the 48.000 hectare Lapalala Game Reserve, its status as an UNESCO biosphere reserve, it’s efforts to maintain a healthy bio-system and the story about two passionate men and the African bush.

About Lapalala
Dale Parker & Clive Walker who were connected trough their love to the wild and their enthusiasm for conservation. Two men sharing the love for the rhino and who initiated Lapalala at the Waterberg region in 1981 for the purpose of protecting these magnificient beasts.

What is the most beautiful thing about being a ranger?
The protection and conservation of the ones that need it the most, the animals. Working in harmony with nature instead of sitting the whole day in front of a laptop gives meaning to your life. And every day is different in the bush.

Why Lapalala?
After working in many different reserves, many extraordinary lodges and having seen many exciting sights it is time for something more purposeful. Something that combines a safari experience with the protection of this beautiful peace of nature. Lapalala does exactly that. Only 3 lodges will be run in total on that huge area of land, thus ensuring limited impacts on the animals and exclusivity for the guests. And in specific Tintswalo at Lapalala, a truly sustainable oasis.

What makes Lapalala sustainable?
For many reasons. From a social, an educational and an environmental perspective. The reserve is home to the Lapalala Wilderness school. A school that teaches children from all around the world as well as local, underprivileged children about the necessity of wildlife protection since more than 30 years. Socially, the reserve supports local communities by offering them jobs, buying their products and maintaining a mutual beneficial relationship. And not to speak about their environmental efforts. Lapalala has been at the forefront of private rhino conservation in South Africa since its establishment. Due to its species diversity it has been features as a UNESCO biosphere, including rare animals such as the roan. And it runs its own breeding project in order to maintain healthy populations of buffalos, roans and other species.