Highlights

Birding for Beginners;

Birding for sustainable living programmes with schools & community;

Full day birding around wetlands and dry-sand forest

Overview

Bird watching is growing so fast but can also be enhanced as a uniting hobby. Birders may seek to find birds species that see no boundaries into local community areas. This provide birders with opportunities to interact with the locals while birding. As a result, these birders automatically intend to support those communities which in turn become aware of bird-watching activities and conservation.

Youth are also trained to become future conservationists and guides in this way, adding value to ecotourism

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Ethics

At Terra Incognita we support tours that do good in the world. They must help conserve the environment, support local people and provide educational opportunities for guests and staff, or be actively working to improve in these areas.

What conservation activities do you support through the tour, and your wider operations?

Youth training in tourism, conservation & development.

Helping locals establish their own Local Homestead Bird Patches.

Educating locals and schools about biodiversity conservation.

How does the tour support local people?

Local people gain knowledge and experience to be qualified as guides and lead different tours around the country.

They learn appreciate and live in harmony with the environment.

They can start earning money and make a living from visitors doing birding from their bird-patches.

What type of environmental education activities do you incorporate into your tour?

Nature-based educational tours.

Birding for sustainable living programmes.

Training local guides to become professionally accredited as tourist-guides.

Do you provide any additional conservation, community or educational benefits through your wider operations that you’d like to mention?

Yes. Local kids are are taught to nurse the seedlings and make up their own compost through biomass which is much healthier and environmental friendly to grow their own crops.

Kids are taught to take care of the forest-home to our birdlife and wildlife.

Visitors are taught to be sensitive towards birds, nature and wildlife.

Certificates

Yes, with Trip advisor, Birdlife South Africa, St.Lucia Wetland Park Authority, South African Tourism and Kwazulu Natal Tourism.

Top 5 achievements

Saving Nibela Peninsula floodplain project

Youth conservation project: Vukukhanye development.

Out of 210 guides trained, 100 part time employed and 50 permanently employed by tourism sector.

Young kids are now able to understand and incorporate conservation ethics in their daily living at some of the schools.

Kids will now be able to fend for themselves from vegetable gardens that they look after.

What new sustainability steps or initiatives do you plan to take next?

Ensuring home bird patches are linked to SA Birder friendly establishments.

Promoting and supporting school nursery and food gardens by attracting tourists for any adequate support.

fundraise for our school eco-club to gets some support with some basic birding equipment

fundraising for environmental education meterial

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Themba Mthembu

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About Company

Themba's Birding and Ecotours offers you the finest in birding and wildlife viewing that South Africa has got to offer - from morning bird walks to multi day outings that are affordable and professional.Themba was born and bread in Northern KwaZulu Natal along the area now known as the "Elephant Coast" (Maputaland) Themba has in depth local knowledge of the Zulu people, the culture, the birds, wildlife and history ... all invaluable traits for a guide that can provide you with lifelong memories.

The Elephant coast and specifically the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park (previously known as St Lucia Wetlands Park) - a UNESCO world heritage site - is one of South Africa's prime birding destinations. With a host of endemics and variety of habitat - a few days birding with Themba will have you coming back for more and more!

Themba is a NQF4 Catthseta accredited Nature-guide, trained by Nature College & Southern African & Wildlife; Culture-guide by Makiti guides & tours, Bird-guide by Birdlife South Africa; Themba is also a Catthseta accredited assessor. Themba is based along the famous Zululand Birding Route.

Themba is a Chairperson of local UMkhanyakude Touristguide forum and is registered guide with Tourism KwaZulu Natal.