Classic South Africa tour, tailor made

Planet

Having travelled extensively ourselves and witnessed first-hand how tourism can have either positive or negative effects on local communities and the environment, we endeavour to leave a positive mark on all places we send clients and promote awareness of the local environment.

Natural resources conservation and beach conservation are the pillars of this South Africa itinerary. We ensure that we work together with game reserves that have professional and qualified staff and participate with sustainable tourism initiatives. Unique and beautiful animal species can be found in South Africa and it is essential to protect and safeguard this world’s heritage and wildlife habitat.

Additionally, along the Garden Route there will be several animal sanctuaries such as Monkeyland (the world’s first free roaming primate sanctuary), Birds of Eden (a unique free-flight bird sanctuary) and Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary (home to big cats). We encourage our guests to bear in mind that visiting these sites is a precious opportunity to learn and a chance to educate themselves about wildlife rather than a fun attraction. Similarly, also in the case of Robberg Beach and Robberg Natural Reserve, delicate marine eco-systems can be put into danger if tourism does not focus and encourage sustainable policies.

• Where we stay: As a boutique travel company we strive to offer unique and authentic travel experiences in line with sustainable accommodation. Many of the resorts and operators we work with are eco-friendly and run their businesses in an environmentally friendly manner. For instance, guests are offered free drinking water refills to minimise wastage of plastic bottles. While in remote areas, we carry rubbish with us and ensure we do not disturb anything in the natural environment.

• While we are there: We ensure that our clients are given the correct guidance while visiting protected areas and/or heritage sites. This is in order to minimise impacts on the environment and respect the natural wonders of the area. We work together with guides who are local to the area and have been trained, bettering their communities. Typically, these areas also ask for a fee to appreciate the protected area. These fees go to conservation and infrastructure efforts directly supporting the reserve.

• As a company: We strive to operate as a paperless company as far as possible, and recycle wherever facilities are available. We use toxic-free fair trade products whenever we can.

People

Our tours are designed with the intention of maximising the benefits that our guests can have on the host community. This is the reason why we endeavour to follow responsible guidelines and teach guests about responsible tourism in order to encourage them to be mindful of the environment and respectful of local people and culture. With all our tailor-made trips we enjoy offering new routes and encourage travel to areas that are not on the main tourist trails and which further support smaller, local communities.

South Africa is a country with a rich cultural and historical background. Therefore, we wanted one of the focuses of this trip to be cultural engagement as well as educational tourism. Travellers will have the opportunity to learn about the Apartheid era while travelling to Robben Island where they will see where Nelson Mandela spent many years. They will also learn the facts and events that led Nelson Mandela to become one of the most inspiring characters in human history.

Furthermore, this trip represents a valuable chance to discover and experience the culinary traditions of South Africa. A land famous for its local production of wine, chocolate, olive oil among other things and its general love of food. Especially in the area of Stellenbosch, the numerous vineyards allows tourists to taste and learn about wine making. The food, the local restaurants and markets and the genuine hospitality are all things that you will encounter throughout this trip that not only will ensure you have an unforgettable holiday but also genuine encounters with the local people.

• As A Company: We believe in the importance of showing respect for local people and their customs and try to emphasis this in the way our tours are arranged. Where possible we aim to create a bond between staff and traveller so our clients gain insight into the real life of local communities. We endeavour to keep our groups small, minimising the environmental and social impact that the participants have on the destination. Through travel with us, we aim to help meet an important local need by contributing to the area’s economy, creating jobs and by eating locally sourced food and using locally sourced products.

• Where we stay: As a boutique travel company we search for authenticity and uniqueness from the local suppliers and whenever possible, encourage our travellers to stay in privately owned accommodation. We believe that working with hotel/accommodation owners who source staff, products, services and produce from within the community gives the local people an opportunity to gain from the increase in tourism to the area.

• While we are there: As previously mentioned, we work in partnership with locally employed guides who having been professionally trained, better their communities and provide insight into the local culture. We encourage interaction with local communities, however we keep our group sizes small and provide advice during the trip to ensure our impact on the indigenous way of life is minimised. Typically these areas also ask for a fee to appreciate the protected area, which go to aid conservation, employment and infrastructure efforts directly supporting the community and surroundings. We also encourage our clients to support the livelihood of the local community by purchasing locally produced crafts wherever possible.