Mozambique Ep2 Karingani Part 2 - "Ironvan" Adventures with Wild Wonderful World

Ironman 4x4 SA was invited to join Wild Wonderful World on an expedition to Mozambique by conservationist Michelle Campbell.
Michelle made the bold move of abandoning a successful career in banking to pursue the promise of freedom and fresh air in Africa. But after a few years spent as a guide, she realised that her calling was even bigger, and that she wanted to actively contribute to the preservation of the natural world. Her partner, Grant Pengilly, felt the same way, so they decided to take a year to volunteer their time wherever help was needed and Wild Wonderful World was born.
Karingani Game Reserve exceeded our wildest expectations. It is a largely untouched reserve adjoining the Kruger National Park. The original concept of the conservation area started in 2008 when a single investor from South Africa was exploring the northern section of what is now Karingani. He realised that between the proximity to Kruger and how underdeveloped the land was, that this area had huge potential from a conservation point of view.
By 2013 they had formalised the land tenure with Mozambique and started negotiations with the local communities. The ultimate vision is a large reserve with maximum conservation and socio-economic impact in Mozambique. But it has also had a very positive effect on South Africa. When the rhino poaching saga was at its worst between 2008 and 2014 most of the incursions were emanating directly from this area. Now that Karingani has been fenced and security measures established, poachers are no longer able to move freely through this area.
In time two other investors have also come on board and the reserve has expanded from the original 10 000 hectares to a whopping 150 000 hectares in size.
At Karingani there is a lot of focus on the development of opportunities for the local communities - some of who have agreed to have their entire villages moved to make this dream possible. A few of the locals have been trained as handlers, in husbandry and in-security as field rangers.
They also have a program called “From Poacher To Protector”, and there are a lot of ex-poachers on their staff. They recognise that people get involved in poaching because they are simply trying to feed their families, and they are completely turning things around by creating alternative opportunities for a steady income and tangible benefits from conservation efforts.
Our next adventure at Karingani was driving a section of the reserve. Because Karingani has not been developed at all, there is very limited existing infrastructure like roads, and the vehicles take a massive hammering by simply driving from A-Z.
We didn’t see a lot of wildlife, but the scenery was simply breathtaking. Aside from the condition of the roads, countless trees were also pushed over by the elephants and we spent a lot of time clearing the way so we could pass. This was the best possible way to learn about the challenges in terms of vehicles, and we only had one recovery for the day when the Land Rover got stuck in a river crossing.
Our destination was a spot where Ellery likes to camp wild next to a river and it was an absolute pleasure to sit around a campfire with him and Jo Taylor, the Field Ecology Technician who is also responsible for the digital marketing at Karingani.
With a history of war, poverty and poaching in the area the wildlife populations suffered huge losses, but now that they are protected the numbers are steadily recovering. A part of the boundary fence with the Kruger National Park is also quite porous and some animals are definitely moving across the border. Jo told us more about the triumphs around species that have been re-introduced to the area, like the wild dogs.
Wild dogs are one of the most endangered mammals in the world, so it is extremely happy news that they have been so successful here that Karingani has been able to assist in re-populating another reserve in Malawi with some of the wild dogs that have been born there. It is still early days and they are working on a 100-year plan, so I am very excited to see it grow and develop. Incidentally, Karingani is a Shangaan word that means storyteller - very appropriate for a place with such a beautiful story to tell…
The plan for Karingani’s future is not built on return of investment or profits but on the preservation of this pristine piece of wilderness. It is also not open to the public and it is not yet clear how much tourism development there will be in the future. But realising that there are people who are willing to give almost selflessly at this scale has given me a new hope for the future.
karingani.com/a...
Grant & Michelle everything they do they aim to inspire a love for Africa and wildlife, educate people on conservation and do their part to empower key projects with the funding and resources they need to keep our wild spaces thriving.
www.wildwonder...
#Ironvanadventures #Ironman4x4Africa #Travelfurtherseemore

[@TheOverlandLegend]

Great video and series , really enjoyed watching

[@le0redd104]

Luuuuuuuuv it 💚👍 Keep up the great work & contents!

[@rampagedingo]

Very beautiful video. Welcome to Mozambique once again. Venham mais vezes.❤

[@lyle1234de]

So beautiful keep it up . Cant wait for the next episode

[@normanmothobi8610]

Nice one once again🔥🔥. However, that Landrover was done a great injustice😂

[@flatdog1951]

Great video. It is wonderful to the great conservation work being done.

[@Tastewithnewdrinks]

Amazing adventure.

[@maphirimutshutshu2128]

Great episode 👌

[@4weeksleave]

Beautiful place, awesome tracks. Well done guys keep up the good work.

[@modsa8901]

shit ... the background sound (music!) can be annoying! LOUDER than the commentary/talking. I come here for the OUTDOOR experiences/knowledge - NOT for non-stop music. There are times & places for that - eg concerts