Ethical safari holidays - Responsible Travel
Responsible travel while on safari is about being considerate and getting the basics right – it's also about having a better safari experience.
Game-viewing etiquette
We only uses lodges and guides who observe the regulations for appropriate conduct when wildlife watching. For example, on game drives, your driver should always observe the speed limit; flushing of birds, can lead to stress-induced disease or may result in nesting failures; and failure to observe minimum distances from animals can result in frightening animals, spoiling game viewing opportunities for both you and others, as well as upsetting animals in their natural habitat. A pair of binoculars is the responsible way of taking a closer look.
Go Local
Across all our safari holidays we employ local staff and leaders and buy our supplies from local operators. This benefits everyone: greater opportunities and economic benefits for local communities, and travellers get more under the skin of the country they visit.
Small groups
Less is more: less impact on the natural environment and game, more chance to enjoy your surroundings and the wildlife. Less crowding out of places, more time spent meaningfully interacting with locals.
The environment
It is important to be respectful of the land you are passing through and its inhabitants. We always heed the regulations of a park or reserve and work hard to ensure our impact on the environment is minimised – training staff and business partners and of course giving advice for everyone who travels with us. We're also working to minimise greenhouse gas emissions.
Local Projects
The School of St Jude at Arusha is visited on many of our East Africa adventure tours. Under the banner of 'Fighting Poverty through Education' the school provides a totally free education to over 90% of the children who are from extremely poor families. The East Africa Mission Orphanage (EAMO), located near Nakuru in Kenya, provides education and security to over 200 children. Many of our adventure tours to Kenya camp in the grounds and the fees we pay go to assisting the orphanage. In Botswana the Khama Rhino Sanctuary is home to other wildlife that have either settled here naturally or were relocated. The sanctuary is a community trust and our visit here helps the local community maintain this worthwhile project.
'Leave no trace camping'
We always aim to leave campsites in as good or preferably better condition than how we found it. We aim to locate tents at least 30 metres from streams and lakes and to prevent erosion we don't dig drainage ditches around tents. Where we can, we aim to pitch our tents on sandy or hard surfaces, thereby protecting fragile ground. We never camp within historical sites.
Campfires and cooking
We will never light a fire at a site where it is prohibited to do so and adopt a responsible and environmentally sensitive approach where it is allowed.
