Responsible wildlife vacations

Safari vacations
Our safari vacations guide discusses the disempowerment of indigenous groups bordering Africa’s national parks. It also explains the growing model of conservancies: land owned and collectively managed by communities, which is then leased to safari companies, or to lodge owners for a fixed period of time. This means that the communities don’t just benefit from wildlife tourism – they have control over it.

Tiger safaris
The biggest threat to tigers is the demand from China for tiger body parts, which are used in the highly lucrative Traditional Chinese Medicine market. Our guide highlights some of the atrocities involved in this so called medical practice that has no scientific backing. Another issue regarding tiger safaris is the abuse of tigers at the infamous Tiger Temple in Thailand. A no go area, in our opinion.

Gorilla safaris
Uganda and Rwanda are also cited as having one of the most progressive conservation strategies worldwide, charging high fees for permits, and having extremely strict limitations on visitor numbers. But does it work? And what about the indigenous Batwa who were evicted from the parks to make way for the gorillas? Read more in our guide.

Bear watching
We raise the issue of the hunting rights of the Inuit of northern Alaska and Canada, or the Yupik of Central Alaska, when it comes to polar bears. Which comes first - culture or conservation? And when it comes to watching Finland’s brown bears, the age old hunting practice of leaving bait to lure them out of the woods has been applied to wildlife watching. We discuss the pros and cons.

Orangutan vacations
Volunteering is a very popular, and important, aspect of wildlife vacations when it comes to orangutans. However, philanthropic travelers should take a step back: choosing the wrong volunteer placement is not just worthless – it can actually cause even more harm and our guide helps you understand how to choose wisely. Deforestation for palm oil is also having a drastic impact on the survival of orangutans. Read our guide for more details.

Whale watching
Whale watching vacations are a global success - demonstrating that these massive marine mammals are worth far more alive than dead. Only three countries still practise whale hunting, while dozens more have embraced whale tourism. But this must still be done in a responsible way, taking heed of important guidelines and ensuring the whales are not distressed. Our guide explains how to watch whales with minimum impact.

Dolphin watching travel guide
This guide helps clarify some of the issues around our instinct to touch, cuddle, and nurture dolphins. There must be very strict guidelines around responsible dolphin watching, and we highlight them in the issues page of our guide.

Elephant trekking vacations
Elephant riding has long been on the Asia traveler’s bucket list. Whether learning how to be a mahout in Thailand, tracking tigers through the jungles of Nepal or riding a rescued elephant in a Sri Lankan sanctuary, it has traditionally been seen as a way of getting closer to nature while simultaneously conserving this endangered species. However, more and more travelers and tour operators are starting to question the ethics of riding these wild animals, as well as the methods used to train them. Read more about our stance in our guide.

Responsible Travel asks the experts

Chris Morris, from our supplier IntoAfrica, on how to ensure you are choosing an ethical Maasai tour: “It’s very, very difficult. Any question asked of a tour operator in advance is likely to be met with a very satisfactory answer. But direct straight questions, like “How much do you pay to the Maasai village when I go there?” or “Who do you pay the money to?” and “How do you support the village and where can we see the evidence?” should be met with direct and clear answers – any fudging or nebulous “whenever possibles” should switch on a warning light. Asking the tour operator for the contacts of someone who has been on, say, a homestay before, so you can call and talk to them about their experience would be useful. I keep a huge list of folk stretching back 15 years from all around the world, who’ve indicated they would be happy to do this for prospective guests. Invariably I can find someone in the inquirer’s country they can call and chat to at length about their experience.”

Dr. Christopher Kidd, Forest Peoples Programme in Uganda:
“When Bwindi and Mgahinga were gazetted as national parks, conservation organisations enforced an exclusionary policy which saw all Batwa evicted from the National Parks. These evictions took place in violation of international law and despite the Batwa’s historical coexistence with the gorillas. The effects have been to render the Batwa entirely landless and impoverished on the borders of the National Parks. With gorilla numbers on the increase the conservation of these landscapes may be measured as a success but it is questionable that this had to happen at the expense of the Batwa. Travelers should be aware of the continued impoverishment of the Batwa who receive little or no benefits from conservation and exist as a marginalised community on the edge of Ugandan society. Changes to conservation practice and theory in the last decade have highlighted the importance of involving communities in the long term conservation of the world’s landscapes and the vital role indigenous peoples have, but these changes in thought have still to be felt in Uganda. The Batwa continue to struggle to have their lands and livelihoods returned to them and to have their rights to their lands recognised by the Uganda government”.

Harriet Whitmarsh, from our supplier The Great Projects:
“Our project is in Batang Ai, where there are wild orangutans. You stay with a local Dayak tribe and go out trekking with them in the forest, which provides local jobs. Additionally, that particular community was on the point of being evicted from the forest by the government, but now that they’ve established themselves as a money making tourist centre, the government were less inclined to kick them out. It really does help.”