Namibia walking and wildlife holiday

Planet

As passionate wildlife conservationists and environmentalists we place a huge emphasis on providing tours and safaris that comply to our responsible travel philosophies. Ways in which we can do this is to ensure we are using local suppliers who are as dedicated to their environmental responsibilities as we are. The operators of this fantastic Namibia walking safari are a Namibian based family team who come from an environmental background which has helped to shape the responsible ethos of the company. Their mission statement recognises that “tourism is Namibia’s only sustainable natural resource, and one which has the power to conserve, protect and improve lives.” Being based in Namibia itself also allows for the operators to have the most up-to-date in-depth knowledge of the country, its wildlife populations and the efforts in place to ensure their ongoing survival. As such, any guides accompanying you throughout your tour will be fully loaded with knowledge of how you can help in the fight for survival. You will be offered advice on joining the conservation fight and offered insight into how some of Namibia’s unique wildlife manages to survive in sometimes harsh conditions. Of course you will also be given advice and strict instructions for behaviour around any wildlife you encounter, so as to not encroach on their habitats or affect their behaviours in any way at all.

As well as ensuring the cooperation of guests in respecting the wildlife encountered, both ourselves and the local tour operators are committed to financially, publicly and logistically supporting various wildlife and conservation charities, organisations and foundations across the world. Operations we are proud to support include How Many Elephants, the Painted Dog Foundation, Africat, Birdfair, the Dian Fossey Foundation, the South Georgia Habitat Restoration Project and Save the Albatross to name just a few. Likewise, wildlife charities supported by the safari operators include the Save The Rhino Trust and the Giraffe Conversation Foundation. We consistently find that guests returning from our wildlife holidays return with a renewed passion for wildlife conservation and eagerness to become involved whether that be in a promotional or financial capacity. Throughout your trip and upon return you will be offered advice and details for how you can help us to help worthwhile causes such as these.

One of the most important elements of your safari is how you will get around. As this is a walking safari the majority of your game excursions and activities will be carried out on foot, vastly reducing the carbon footprint of your trip. The self-drive element of the tour also negates taking unnecessary flights between destinations. Pre-departure you will also be offered advice on how to travel in a responsible manner including strict rules against off-road driving in particular areas, appropriate recycling and minimising your water usage.

Importantly, the accommodations on your tour will have been chosen not only for their comfort and location, but also for their “green credentials”. A brief description of some of the properties’ environmentally friendly practices are listed below. More in-depth details can be provided upon request pre-departure.

The operators of Kulala Desert Lodge have a fantastic reputation as a responsible ecotourism operator having gained numerous responsible travel awards. The camps are luxurious but have been designed to have the lightest possible impact on the environment in which they are situated. They have pioneered environmentally-sensitive camp architecture to achieve what they call “purposeful luxury”. Etendeka Mountain Camp’s whole ethos is to be a fully eco-friendly camp. Stunning eco-friendly open-air “bucket” showers, the use of solar power throughout the camp, meals cooked either by solar power or on open fires, a camp that has been designed impeccably to fit into the landscape both aesthetically and environmentally, and a commitment to sustainable tourism that has yielded the awarding of the maximum of five flowers by the Namibian National Eco-Awards Alliance pay testament to this.

The owners of the Kalahari Red Dunes Lodge are fully aware of and committed to their responsibilities to their surrounding pristine environment. One of the many ways in which they give back to their environment is through their commitment to species protection with the important Devil’s Claw Plantation Project. Guests will be invited to visit the plantation to learn all about the conservation of this endangered plant which is used for many medicinal purposes.

At Okonjima Plains Camp, home of the exceptionally important Africat Foundation, guests can get a full insight into how this wonderful foundation operates. Since being founded in 1991, AfriCat’s mission has been to make significant contributions to conservation, while trying to ensure the survival of Namibia’s predators in their natural habitat. It undertakes research, community support and environmental education projects, as well as conservation work to rehabilitate carnivores such as cheetah and hyaena. Simply by staying here, you will be contributing to the cause.

People

Tourism in Southern Africa is an exceptionally important revenue stream and we take every step necessary to ensure that the tours we provide create a 100% positive impact on the communities of the regions we visit. As a company we believe in promoting tourism as a sustainable natural resource with the power to conserve, protect and improve lives, and this is particularly relevant on our Namibian itineraries.

Solely using local agencies to provide the basic elements of your tour means we have up to date & relevant local information that we can pass on to you. This includes information on on-going initiatives and community efforts that we actively encourage our customers to become involved in, information on cultural etiquette and advice on how to engage with and help the local communities. We offer first-hand advice on creating meaningful and respectful relationships between tourists and residents and suggest local areas and communities to visit gaining cultural insights along the way, along with advice on where to buy souvenirs (to ensure the proceeds are going directly to the vendors and are not made from endangered hardwoods or animal products), where to eat & where to drink.

The local providers that we use are also exceptionally passionate about protecting the communities, wildlife and landscapes of this remarkable country. They are committed to creating and upholding transparent and honest relationships with local communities and suppliers. We use local management companies so that not only do they hold intimate knowledge of the regions and how to protect them, but also so that as much of the revenue created as possible is filtered straight through to the local communities. They also support a number of community based charities and schemes including The Windhoek SOS Children’s Village and The Catherine Bullen Foundation. The Windhoek SOS Children’s Village works to protect and care for children who have lost parental care, or who stand at risk of losing it. They work with communities, partners and states to ensure that the rights of all children, in every society, are fulfilled. The Catherine Bullen Foundation works tirelessly to support local community based organisations and projects that are geared towards “the relief of poverty, sickness and distress and the preservation of health in rural Namibia”.

As part of our commitment to protecting and supporting the communities of the destinations to which we provide tours and safari holidays we make it our responsibility to ensure that all accommodations used have a track record of treating employees fairly. The operators of the lodges used throughout your tour are committed to local employment, bringing skills, training and employment the local community. As an example, the operators of Kulala Desert Lodge have pioneering community partnerships that you can learn all about during your stay. Their viable ecotourism model has been designed to create tangible benefits for the people of the local community. They have also designed the non-profit organisation Children in the Wilderness which aims to facilitate sustainable conservation through leadership development and education of rural children throughout Africa. Etendeka Mountain Camp is a joint venture between the local community and the operating company. This joint venture with the Omatendeka and Ananbeb communities means they benefit directly from the proceeds of the lodge. By forming conservancies, communities in remote areas like this are empowered to manage and benefit from their natural resources.