South Africa Garden Route wildlife vacation

Planet

In South Africa we (as with everywhere we go) carefully choose accommodation, supplies and transportation that either minimises its effect on the environment or helps to contribute to its sustainable development. By choosing small, privately owned accommodation where possible we also look to only stay in truly eco-lodges that abide by basic and also pioneering methods of ecological sustainability. Where possible, we make sure that the lodges, camps and ranches that we use support local projects for the protection of the wildlife and local communities which rely on tourism as the principal source of income. This is why we stay inside Addo National Park, as the SAN Parks organisation dedicate much of their revenue to conservation all over South Africa. We try and make sure that all the accommodation that we use is are ecologically responsible and use solar power electricity and water recycling pumps etc as well as making sure that all the food consumed is produced locally. We also contribute and participate in as many studies that the local researchers are conducting as possible. Such as Chris Fallows in False Bay, South Africa.

Wildlife Promise:

By bringing people here with a professional zoologist as well as professional local guides we aim to showcase the environment in full but also to allow you to learn about the problems facing the ecosystems here and highlight the ways that continued development and human exploitation are affect the species and how cutting edge research is countering the problems as well as showing you examples of success stories. We also keep a record of all the great sightings we see on each tour and record the environmental factors, this data is used by ourselves but also given to the researchers who are working on many of these species. By visiting the elephant sanctuary in Knysna we are helping contribute to their continued well being as well as raising awareness of the mistreated and abused elephants in South Africa and internationally as well. Chris Fallows (who we use for our pelagic birding trips) regularly tags and monitors sharks caught by local fishermen as well as helping to establish sustainable and shark friendly fishing techniques for the local communities. He is also a valued member of many research institutes and has numerous publications to his name. So by continuing to use his services we help to fund his own observational research as well as providing data for many of the leading shark biologists around the world. He also helps to release captured seals, turtles and sea birds that are also caught in fishing nets. All the information collected in invaluable as the knowledge of some of the animals that live here are little understood. We also donate our pictures to the researchers to aid in their photo identification studies.

People

As with any of our tours of Africa or elsewhere in the world we always employ local guides and drivers. They have a much better local knowledge and also helps to bring in revenue sources to the local community. All of the accommodations that we stay in make sure that all our resources such as food, drink and equipment is locally sourced and we are always looking for ways to introduce local people into a guiding career. Southern Africa has been doing this very well for the last decade or so and it is quite common to have local guides taking you into the reserves. We think that by employing local guides we have encouraging a future generation to follow this career. Many of the accommodations that we use are involved in community based projects and schools in particular. Many of the projects that are funded by people staying here are geared towards helping children in townships get better education and enhance their career opportunities in the future. By participating in the pelagic birding trip with Chris and Monique Fallows you will be helping contribute to their continued commitment to help local communities live in harmony with the marine life of the bay. He spends many hours of his own time to teach sustainable fishing practises and also has arrangements with the fishermen to release any sharks, seals, turtles and dolphins that are occasionally caught in their nets. This interaction between local people and sharks is helping to establish a new found respect for the creatures that share their waters. We also encourage the purchasing of local handicrafts which are all created in a sustainable way and provide great unique souvenirs.