An Exceptional Conservation Legacy

Founded in 1981, the vision of Lapalala is a combination of a sustainable conservation initiative and a groundbreaking environmental education project emphasising the interconnectedness of man and nature and delivering lasting benefits for both.

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Conservation. Community Tourism.

Lapalala Wilderness is an exceptional conservation legacy spanning 48,000 hectares of breath-taking and diverse habitat on the Capricorn tropic in the Waterberg region of Limpopo province. The Palala and Kgogong rivers flow through this extraordinary landscape for 60km, this is a place unlike any other in the world.

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Our Legacy: Wilderness Forever

We aim to conserve the biodiversity, ecological integrity, landscape characteristics and cultural resources of Lapalala Wilderness Nature Reserve for posterity in a manner that balances its environmental, economic and social imperatives as an icon of the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve for the benefit of its members, neighbouring communities and other key stakeholders.

Welcome to Lapalala

PANGOLIN

Kulu's Journey

Lapalala Wilderness is privileged to have been the location for the rehabilitation and release of baby pangolin Kulu – main character in the Netflix documentary "Pangolin Kulu's Journey", a collaboration between Netflix, Sea Change Project, Pippa Ehrlich, and Gareth Thomas. Immerse yourself in this incredible story and get to understand more about these incredible creatures and the dedication and sacrifice of the people who save them from the illegal wildlife trade ... read more

Stay at Lapalala

Lepogo Lodges

Lepogo Lodges offer a truly extraordinary South African wilderness experience for families, couples and groups of friends alike, with two accommodation offerings: Noka Camp and Melote House. Guests can enjoy activities ranging from game drives and water safaris to yoga and spa experiences and tours of iron-age settlements and bushman paintings in the cliffs below the lodge. Lepogo Lodges also offer ‘luxury bush sleepouts’, which allow one to follow in the footsteps of the forefathers of Lapalala.

Noka Camp Melote House

Lapalala Wilderness School

We consider it an immense privilege to have the opportunity to instil a passion for nature in the hearts of young people and it is our hope that by doing so, we are playing a part in creating a better future for all South Africans, our country, and the planet. From humble beginnings more than 30 years ago, the Lapalala Wilderness School has grown into a beacon of conservation, sustainability, education and hope for the future.

More about the school

An ideal location for filming of feature films, advertisements and product launches.

Lapalala Wilderness offers a diverse array of African wildlife and breathtaking landscapes of mountains, rivers, bushveld and open savannah.

More about film locations at Lapalala

Join the Team at Lapalala Wilderness

Help us make a difference in African Wildlife Conservation, by joing our team of experts, or by participating in our Volunteer Programme

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We Need Doctors

We are urgently looking for qualified doctors from all over the world to come and join our team on a pro bono basis ... read more about Lapalala's Community Health response programme

Available position NURSING SISTER – An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Community Nurse to join the Lapalala Wilderness team by working on a new community health project. The Successful applicant will work in a new health centre providing health support to our neighbouring communities, the Lapalala Wilderness Reserve, and the Lapalala Wilderness School. The role will involve providing high-quality patient-centred care, managing the logistics of the health centre, and providing outreach services where required. The role will be supported by off-site medical professionals at all times and on-site medical professionals when available.
Job Description Enquiries

    1. Priorities

    2. Conservation Management
    3. Wildlife Protection
    4. Community Development & Education : Human Capital, Governance & Livelihoods Support
    5. Commerce: small business opportunities for conservation management & tourism
    6. Sustainable Tourism

    1. Our values

    2. Integrity
    3. Professionalism
    4. Dignity and respect
    5. Leadership
    6. Responsible stewardship
    7. Transparency
    8. Innovation
    9. Passion and inspiration

    1. Our culture

    2. Accountability
    3. Dedicated work ethic
    4. Continuous improvement
    5. Collaboration
    6. Open communication
    7. Conservation ethic
    8. Empowering
    9. Inspiring
    10. Nurturing

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