Azamara is upping its plans for cruising in South Africa with a newly announced extended partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, giving passengers new ways to experience and support Africa’s wildlife.

From 2020, Azamara guests cruising on its South African itineraries will be able to take shore excursions with a strong conservation focus in what the line is calling People to People Excursions and Voyages.

Azamara operates a fleet of identical luxury cruise ships

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It will also donate $100,000 from its cruises and $30 from each excursion to support the fund’s conservation efforts, such as protecting rhino populations, reducing the impact of the illegal wildlife trade and contributing to sustainable seafood initiatives.

Conservation issues will be a key focus of the excursions.

A two-day rhino conservation excursion will visit Phinda Mountain Lodge in Richard’s Bay, South Africa, with sightings of the highly endangered black rhino thanks to the help of an expert tracker. Other rare species like the cheetah will also feature.

A 4×4 trip through Addo Elephant Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, (home to nearly 500 elephants) will get passengers up close with these magnificent animals, as well as the remaining Big Five species: lions, leopards, rhinoceros and Cape buffalo.

Azamara’s roundtrip South African cruises in early 2021 will be conservation-themed, designed to inspire personal commitment to environmental conservation.

The library aboard Azamara

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Onboard programing will cover topics like sustainable agriculture, conservation-focused vineyards, water resources, sustainability and wildlife. The themes will carry into dining with South Africa-themed dishes and even include World Wildlife Fund-themed trivia sessions.

“At Azamara, we collaborate with organisations that share our commitment to the planet, its people, oceans, land and wildlife, and we are thrilled to further our partnership with WWF to reinforce this commitment,” said Larry Pimentel, President & CEO, Azamara.

“WWF South Africa is delighted to partner with Azamara to provide passengers a peek into the vital work we are undertaking to protect our natural resources (oceans, land, wildlife) so that we can continue to benefit from food, energy and fresh water,” added Dr. Morne du Plessis, WWF South Africa CEO.

Azamara will homeport Azamara Journey in Cape Town from December, 2020 to March, 2021, offering 10, 12 and 15-night roundtrip cruises to all the major South African cruise ports.