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.

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.