About Us
Friends of Wallacea connects international travelers with communities involved in wildlife conservation, providing unique experiences for tourists and essential income for local businesses. Our tours are 100% locally-owned, generating income, employment, and economic growth opportunities in rural communities worldwide.
Community-run tourism operations are proven to effectively replace extraction-based economic development (mining, logging, agriculture, etc) to incentivize and fund the protection of threatened ecosystems. Friends of Wallacea works with rural and indigenous communities who are actively involved in local conservation efforts to help them reach a global audience of intrepid travelers who care where their tourism dollars land.
How We Select Our Partners
Friends of Wallacea works with local partners and communities to create sustainable, local businesses that promote wildlife conservation. These communities were selected based on their track record of working with Operation Wallacea, a conservation research organization that funds long-term biodiversity monitoring in threatened ecosystems around the world.
Friends of Wallacea vets each organization intensively, selecting only those communities that have demonstrated a strong commitment to conserving their local environments, as well as providing an excellent, unique experience to each tourist and student that visits their community. These organizations drive regional economic growth by spending over 80% of their income locally, supporting farmers, schools, and nonprofits focused on conservation efforts.
Most popular tours
Transylvania: A fairytale landscape where bears and humans live in harmony
Our inaugural Photograph Wild Transylvania tour will lead you through the ancient forests and meadows of Central Romania
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Soak in the beauty of Silba, a tiny island in the Adriatic Sea, where marine life thrives in pristine turquoise waters outside Croatia’s bustling tourism circuit. We are
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Step back in time to the Medieval landscapes of Transylvania, where bears and wolves still roam the hills around cobblestoned villages. We work with volunteers like you to
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Welcome to Croatia, one of Europe’s top tourist destinations for nature and culture. Join us to escape Croatia’s crowded tourist track and help protect the hidden treasures within
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Step into South Africa’s Kruger National Park, one of the most famous game reserves in the world. We work with volunteers like you to monitor and protect the
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Join us in the Dinokeng Reserve (DGR), a unique public-private partnership that is home to the African Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, elephant) as well as 170
The Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD) course is the next step after receiving your OWD certification, giving you the opportunity to advance your skills and gain further underwater experience. This
Green technology in food production is an increasingly important skill as growing populations put pressure on our food systems. Aquaponic systems recycle water and produce organic produce without the use
Learn how to gather and analyze data in real situations in the field using GIS software, one of the top skills employers look for in the conservation field. You will
The Open Water Course (OWD) is your first step on a journey of underwater exploration and learning how to dive. It is also the most important course in the scuba curriculum,
Rescue Diver is considered one of the toughest courses, ane one of the most rewarding, as you will learn how to prevent and solve problems in the water. It will
Evolving your ideas into a workable project is a challenging process. This course will teach you how to ideate, develop, and implement a social impact project through hands-on modules. You
