It took a few more years, but Jacob eventually found some land at the gateway to the reserve and scraped together enough resources to make his dream a reality. Today, people can experience the pristine rain forest of southern Belize at the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE), a scientific field station that welcomes curious visitors of all types.
Most Belizean visitors are drawn to the coastal regions and the attractions of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which stretches along the entire coast. But given that much of its original rain forest is intact, Belize’s interior is seeing increasing ecotourism activity. Several high-end lodges (like Chaa Creek) provide a more pampered jungle experience. While the amenities may be more modest at BFREE, the access to Belize’s rain forest wonders is just as impressive. “The 1,150-acre property has an extensive trail network through a variety of habitats,” Jacob explained. “The life blood of the area is the Bladen River [technically the Bladen branch of the Monkey River], which flows out of the Maya Mountains through BFREE. It’s so clean, you can drink from it while you’re swimming. And it’s so clear, you feel as though you’re drifting in an aquarium. Nearby there’s an oxbow lagoon that’s home to nesting Morelet’s crocodiles as well as agami and boat-billed herons. We have a 112-foot-tall observation tower that takes you into the forest canopy to observe some of the 350 species of birds that have been recorded here, as well as black howler monkeys. Many larger mammals—tapir, jaguar, ocelot, margay and puma—are seen at BFREE. The coffee and cacao farm is a great place to see cats and tapir at night, as the understory is not as dense as you find in the wild forest, and there are trails throughout.”
A camping trip to BFREE begins with a six-mile ride (or walk, in the rainy season) up the Bladen Nature Reserve entrance road. There’s no camp store at the other end, so you’ll need to bring all your gear. Eventually you’ll reach the Bladen River; the BFREE compound is on the other side, with the Maya Mountains rising in the distance. If a canoe isn’t waiting and the river is flowing clear, you can wade or swim across and grab a canoe and paddle back across to pick up your gear. (Calling ahead is recommended so someone can be there to assist.) There’s no strictly defined campground once you reach BFREE; most campers choose to pitch their tent by the river. Such a site provides an ideal vantage point from which to spy wildlife heading to the river to drink at dusk. Some might opt for a hammock with requisite mosquito netting. (A simple bunkhouse is also available with twenty-four beds provided in four rooms.) Meals are prepared communally and served in a thatched-roof dining room. Showers (serviced by a rainwater collection system) are available in the bunkhouse.
While exploring the rain forest environs of BFREE and Bladen Nature Reserve on your own will be an eye-opening experience, it’s even more fulfilling to tour the area with someone who understands the intricacies of this fecund ecosystem. Most of the staff members at BFREE are local Mayans who have expertise in different areas—from ornithology to making chocolate—and are happy to share their wisdom. BFREE offers field courses on the flora and fauna of the region with resident and guest biologists throughout the year. Courses combine lectures, guided hikes and participation in some of the scientific projects underway at the foundation. Participants need no formal scientific background, just a passion for the outdoors.
* * *
JACOB MARLIN found a passion for the natural world at a young age, with a focus on reptiles and amphibians. In his early twenties, Jacob traveled to Belize to explore the country and its wild places—soon after, he co-founded and established the Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (BFREE). The nonprofit’s mission is to conserve the biodiversity and cultural heritage of Belize, primarily through its work at a biological field station in southern Belize. Jacob is an active advocate for the conservation and protection of the Bladen Nature Reserve and the larger system of National Protected Areas in Belize. He is an adjunct assistant professor at University of North Carolina Wilmington.
If You Go
Getting There: International travelers reach Belize via Belize City, which is served by a number of carriers. Most will take either the Southern Transport or James Bus Line south to the entrance road, or fly to Independence via Maya Island Air (501-223-1140; www.mayaislandair.com) and take a taxi to the field station.
Best Time to Visit: February through mid-May provides milder temperatures and drier conditions. November through January is prime time for birding; if you’re interested in reptiles and amphibians, visit in June and July.
Campground: Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education (+501.671.1299; www.bfreebz.org) can accommodate tent campers and also offers basic lodging. Foundation employees are available for interpretive hikes and meals are provided. Campsites begin at $15; meals are provided at $10, $12, $13 for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, respectively. A one-time conservation fee of $15 is charged to all visitors.
Activities: Wildlife viewing, hiking, swimming, canoeing, environmental education.
Guests at Abu Camp enjoy the chance to see the African bush through the eyes of resident elephants.
Botswana
ABU CAMP
RECOMMENDED BY Grant Woodrow
Abu Camp is not your typical camp. First, it can only be reached by plane. Second, the tents more closely resemble five-star hotel rooms than your average Coleman or Kelty. And finally, your fellow “campers” are elephants.
“For me, it’s not just the isolated location in the Okavango Delta, or the luxury of the camp itself, or the presence of the elephants that makes Abu special,” began Grant Woodrow. “It’s really the mix of it all. Though the chance to have such intimate, personalized experiences with the elephants certainly makes Abu different than other safari camps.”
Abu Camp is a 400,000-acre private reserve in the Okavango Delta, an immense inland delta formed where the Okavango River meets the Kalahari Desert in northwestern Botswana, a country just north of South Africa. The wetland sanctuary that flourishes here—an immense series of lagoons, channels, and palm-filled islands—supports a wide assortment of plains game, including zebra, impala, tsessebe (a species of antelope), wildebeest, buffalo, warthogs, leopards, cheetahs, and lions. Five hundred bird species also call the Okavango home. There are herds of wild elephants ranging the Okavango, but Abu Camp has its own herd: Cathy, Lorato, Sherini, Warona, Naledi, and Paseka. How the elephants came to Abu Camp is fodder for a feel-good Hollywood movie; indeed, Hollywood does play into the story. Back in the early 1970s, Randall Moore, the founder of Abu Camp, had joined a little husband/wife circus act in Washington state and began to look after the circus’s three elephants. When the husband (Morgan Berry) died, Moore learned that he had inherited the elephants. Moore decided to return the elephants back to their natural homeland and rehabilitate them in the African wild. After successfully reintroducing the elephants to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve in South Africa, Moore was asked to find three more elephants to star in the movie Circles in a Forest. He returned from America with Abu, Benny, and Cathy, but once the movie was finished, he was not permitted to reintroduce them into the reserve where the movie was shot. That was when the idea of the elephant-back safari struck Moore. The government of Botswana recognized the potential of the idea, and Moore (and his pachyderm protégés) relocated.
Abu Camp is not the end of the road for the elephants. The goal of Abu Camp is to return previously captive elephants to the wild. “The Abu elephants can move around the bush pretty much at will,” Grant continued. “If they show a willingness to return to the wild they can.” When members of the Abu herd do return to the wild, researchers from Elephants Without Borders monitor their progress in acclimatizing to their freedom.
When guests arrive at Abu Camp they are introduced to each elephant and briefed on the animal’s background and personality. But your real introduction comes the next day, when you have the chance to spend the morning with the elephants on a walk. Each elephant has a handler—a mahout—who ride
s on the elephant’s neck, with his legs behind the animal’s ears. The elephants have a saddle of sorts behind the mahout, and that’s where you sit. “Many guests choose to walk alongside the elephants,” Grant explained. “Walking provides a great perspective to observe and even feel what an elephant does. It’s like you’ve become part of the herd.” Each morning, guides take a different route through the wetlands. Whether you ride or walk with the elephants, you’re able to get much closer to the wildlife than you would in a Range Rover. Giraffes, kudu, zebras, and hippos are regularly encountered; big cats are not a guarantee, but they are certainly present. (If you prefer a more traditional safari experience, game drives in a vehicle and guided mokoro [dugout canoe] paddles on the delta are available.)
The six canvas tents at Abu Camp are elevated upon wooden decking and overlook the nearby lagoon. Each tent has wood floors, mahogany sleigh-style beds, and spacious en-suite bathrooms with a large outdoor bath overlooking the stunning panorama. The husband and wife that run the lodge create a friendly house-party atmosphere. There are sundowners around a fire before dinner, and excellent wine with dinner. Guests drift to sleep surrounded by the sounds of the bush, the calls of nightjars and owls, and perhaps even the growls from a local pride of lions. “There are no fences around Abu Camp,” Grant said. “We have wild animals coming through the camp daily. You’re part of the environment here. I like to say we have a twenty-four-hour safari experience that allows you to disconnect from daily routines.”
Guests at Abu are assured a one-of-a-kind wildlife experience. But they’re also part of a larger narrative. “I see the elephants at Abu as ambassadors of the bigger elephant concerns we have in Africa,” Grant ventured. “Their plight is drastic. When a visitor has had a chance to walk with the elephants, they’re able to take home an amazing story. This story will contribute to the larger cause of elephant conservation.”
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GRANT WOODROW is managing director of Wilderness Safaris Botswana. He joined Wilderness Safaris in 1996 as an assistant camp manager of Xigera in Botswana’s Okavango Delta and went on to manage other Botswana camps. Grant has a BS in zoology and an honors degree in wildlife management. He has always had a passion for wildlife and the environment, and this led to him developing the Botswana Environmental Division in 2000. In this role, he had the opportunity to manage various ecological projects, including the reintroduction of rhino into the Okavango Delta. His work on company environmental minimum standards set a benchmark for future standards within the tourism industry in Botswana. Grant worked in various senior operational positions before being appointed managing director of Okavango Wilderness Safaris in 2007.
If You Go
Getting There: To reach Abu Camp, you’ll need to travel to the town of Maun on Air Botswana (800-518-7781; www.airbotswana.co.bw), which offers service from Johannesburg. From Maun, a charter flight will spirit you to Abu Camp.
Best Time to Visit: Peak season is June through October, though Abu is open year-round.
Campground: Abu Camp is not exactly a campground; in fact, it’s about as glamorous a tent experience as you could hope for. Wilderness Safaris (+27 11 807 1800; www.wilderness-safaris.com) books four-day/three-night stays at Abu Camp.
Activities: Interacting with elephants, wildlife viewing.
The Nuu-chah-nulth Trail weaves through thick forest and ends at Florence Beach.
British Columbia
PACIFIC RIM NATIONAL PARK RESERVE
RECOMMENDED BY Barb Brittain
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is three parks in one, spread over 126,500 acres along the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The Long Beach Unit—the section of the park of greatest interest to the car camper—is a 34,800-acre swath of land sandwiched between the Vancouver Island Range and the open Pacific. The only section of the park that’s explorable by road, the Long Beach Unit boasts its eponymous beach, an expanse of lush coastal temperate rainforest, and a number of sites that speak to the rich history of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations people that have long called this region home. The second unit of the park is the Broken Group Islands. This archipelago of one hundred-plus islands and islets scattered throughout Barkley Sound can only be reached by boat . . . usually kayak. The last unit of Pacific Rim is the West Coast Trail, a forty-seven-mile backpacking route through rain forests, along sandstone cliffs and over beaches. There are three entry and exit points for hikers to choose from, allowing them to explore as little or as much of the trail as they like.
“Green Point is consistently voted one of the best campgrounds in Canada,” Barb Brittain began. “It’s smack-dab in the middle of the Long Beach Unit. You’re in the center of Long Beach, a ten-mile stretch of fine, silvery sand. The campground is nestled into the temperate rainforest, where light filters through the moss and lichen that hang from the trees; from some sites, you can see the open Pacific below. Even if you can’t, you’re only a five- or ten-minute walk from the beach, where you have one of the best sunsets in Canada. Many campers use Green Point as a base for exploring the Pacific. Those with younger children will don wetsuits and go boogie boarding; families with older children will don wetsuits and go surfing. (Surf lessons are available from concessionaires just outside the park.) Green Point has an amphitheater, and most nights in the summer there are interpretive programs, some which focus on First Nations storytelling to how (and how not) to interact with Pacific Rim’s other inhabitants—cougars, wolves, and black bears. Both drive-in and walk-in sites are available. Beginning in 2014, we began offering ‘Equipped Camping.’ We provide campers with a four- to six-person tent, sleeping pads, a stove, and a lantern. They just need to bring food, cookware, and sleeping bags.”
A must for anyone visiting the Long Beach Unit is the Kwisitis Visitor Center. Set above Wickaninnish Beach, it includes detailed exhibits highlighting the natural and cultural history of the area. Members of the Nuu-chah-nulth communities were very involved in developing the content that would be shared in the Visitor Center. Campers can join guided interpretive walks in the summer months to learn more about Nuu-chah-nulth culture, the ocean, and rain forest.
Pacific Rim attracts paddlers from around the world, and no wonder; a kayak is an ideal platform for exploring this rich coastal ecosystem. For the more adventurous, there’s the option of camping at one of the seven designated campgrounds in the park’s Broken Group Islands Unit. “You have to bring your own water and be pretty self-sufficient,” Barb advised, “but it can be a wonderful experience. The islands have very different habitats. Gibraltar and Hand Islands are at the back of Barkley Sound, and thus are easier to reach, have calmer water, and are often in the sun. The outer islands like Clarke and Gilbert are more exposed and can be fogged over—though for experienced kayakers, it’s stunning paddling. [Tour companies in Tofino and Ucluelet can provide kayaks, and guided trips are available.] There are many kayaking options for day-trippers too. An easy half-day paddle is in Grice Bay, toward Tofino. It’s an inlet with lots of little, narrow fingers. You have to be sure to go during high tide, or else you can get grounded. In the summer, gray whales sometimes come into the bay to feed. I’ve had whales come right under my boat as they work their way through.”
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve recently inaugurated the Long Beach Challenge, a scenic run (or walk or jog) along a roughly six-mile stretch of Long Beach. There’s no set time to tackle the run; participants purchase a challenge time card and embark on the beach on their own schedule. A monitoring system will detect when you begin and end the course. “My daughter and I started running together years ago to help strengthen her lungs, as she has asthma,” Barb recalled. “Usually we run a half hour in the morning. Last November, we decided to do the challenge, though it would be longer than our usual run. We got up just before dawn, and it was still dark when we got to the beach. It was low tide—the best time to run, as the sand is hard and a creek you need to cross is at a fordable level. The sky was stunning
as we began, with the clouds above capturing the bright red of the sunrise in the east. The beautiful red of the clouds was reflected back in the water, so we had sunrise above us and below us. As we made our way through sea foam, across creeks, past dunes, and around rocks, we were heading into the daylight, with the gradient changing from black to red to full sunshine as we reached the finish.”
* * *
BARB BRITTAIN grew up in nearby Port Alberni and spent much time exploring Vancouver Island’s west coast with family and friends, walking the beaches, hiking the trails, and paddling through the islands and lakes. She started working for Parks Canada in 1985 and has spent most of her career at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, where she has worked in a wide variety of visitor support roles. Living in Ucluelet has allowed Barb to continue sharing her love of the area with family, friends, and park visitors.
If You Go
Getting There: Most distant visitors fly into Vancouver or Victoria and then drive to Pacific Rim (five hours from Victoria; three and a half hours from Nanaimo, where the ferry from Vancouver drops you). Another option is to fly to Tofino–Long Beach Airport, which is served by Orca Airways (888-359-6722; www.flyorcaair.com) and KD Air (800-665-4244; www.kdair.com).
Fifty Places to Camp Before You Die Page 5