Dryland
Adventures

Most dryland farms rely solely on agricultural income, making them particularly vulnerable to adverse climatic conditions, such as droughts. The Van Wyk family, who owns the farm, is collaborating with the EWT to improve nature-based tourism in the area and declare their property a Protected Environment. Papkuilfontein’s biking trails showcase some of the country’s most unique and spectacular biodiversity and will bring much-needed income and job creation opportunities to this remote area. Innovative approaches to protecting areas like this will become more critical for sustaining farming, tourism, and conservation activities. We are proud to work with conservation champions such as the Van Wyks. The success of this project will hopefully encourage other farmers to diversify their activities, reduce their risk, and conserve the biodiversity on their farms. Papkuilsfontein is an excellent destination all year round, offering beautiful accommodation, hiking, mountain biking, delicious food, incredible plant biodiversity, and breathtaking scenery. We encourage everyone to add the destination to their holiday plans.

For more information, visit the Papkuilsfontein website

Papkuilsfontein Mountain Bike Trails is a flagship project of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) 5 Sustainable Land Management (SLM) initiative implemented by the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Dryland Conservation Programme through the United Nations Development Programme and the Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries. The GEF 5 project facilitates innovative approaches to protecting the vulnerable ecosystems in the dryland areas by diversifying activities and income streams that are not climate-dependent, thereby building economic resilience in the face of adverse environmental and economic conditions.