Responsible Travel in Africa

"Many of our tours are spent in ecologically-sensitive regions, and therefore an important aspects of our tours is to educate travellers in responsible travel and behaviour when journeying through these areas."

Responsible travel | Africa holidays

We offer adventurous travellers a selection of professionally-guided tours to remote wildlife and wilderness destinations in Southern Africa. Our philosophy is to introduce our guests to areas that are largely under-exposed as tourist destinations, but nonetheless important by their contribution to culture, environment and wildlife.

Our pre-tour briefings cover many aspects of the trip. In addition, each guest receives a comprehensive information pack that includes additional details of the tour: final itinerary, distances and travel times, maps, what can be seen in respect of flora and fauna, guidelines on respecting the local customs and culture of the indigenous peoples in the areas visited, advice on eco-sensitive travelling, and other information pertinent to the particular tour.

Guests have the option of choosing either a guided self-drive tour, or one of our all-inclusive booked-seat tours (travelling with us in our fully-equipped 4WD vehicles). In keeping with our destination philosophy of enjoying areas that are remote, wild, and ‘less-travelled’, our aim is to share with you some of the wonderfully diverse countries and regions in Africa, and provide a rewarding and enriching learning experience during the journey.

Economic responsibility

An important concern when on tour is for the safety of our guests, and therefore all tours are guided by our skilled and knowledgeable staff, giving us hands-on responsibility and control in the areas that we visit. However, we also value and employ local guides wherever possible for their specialist knowledge, usually in the fields of local culture, birdlife and vegetation. Accommodation is often booked in community campsites or lodges, national parks facilities, or locally-run establishments. We use local markets and stores for many of our food and supply purchases. Guests are encouraged to support local businesses and markets, and to purchase hand-made items and curios from towns and villages along our route – an issue that is also closely aligned to our commitment to Social Responsibility in the regions.

Social responsibility

Where practical and feasible, we support local community initiatives along our route, primarily by including stays at community-run campsites and lodges, and the use of local guides with specialist knowledge in certain areas. These activities are intended to impart knowledge about the local culture (e.g. the Himba people in Kaokoveld), the wildlife (e.g. guided bush or bird walks), or the natural environment (e.g. Kundalila Falls in Zambia, or the rock engravings at the Twyfelfontein World Heritage Site in Namibia). Many tours include a visit to one or more National Parks in the region, where a portion of the entry and conservation fees are often used for initiatives including local community development or investment in specific wildlife conservation projects.

Guests are further encouraged to have a positive effect on local communities by purchasing local produce and locally-made items and curios that are on sale in villages along our route. As many of our itineraries are to remote destinations, our tours help to raise awareness of these areas. As we continue to work with the local communities in these regions, we believe that our tours are an investment in their future, helping to create sustainable social benefit through responsible and sensitive tourism.