South Africa and Swaziland safari

Dear Katherine,

We are pleased that you enjoyed the tour overall. Our groups are made up of clients from around the world and occasionally we have a large part of the travellers coming from one country. I am sorry that you found this to be a bit socially isolating.

With regard the accommodation that we source and support on this tour, the South Africa Rainbow Route, the accommodation is varied between Nationally proclaimed parks (such as at Kruger National Park and Addo Elephant National Park) and privately owned by South African local residents. In all of the lodges we use, South Africans are gainfully employed and the funds they receive from our patronage of these lodges flows directly into the local economies in the vicinity of the lodges.

For four of the nights during the tour (Kruger National Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Lotheni in Kwazulu Natal Parks) our accommodation and conservation fees are directly paid to the National Parks controlling organisations whom are mandated to employ and develop the local communities which live I the areas surrounding the national parks.

For four of the nights (Makuwa Safari Lodge and Zululand Lodge), the accommodation is on two privately owned game reserves. Both of these private reserves are owned by South Africans, and we employ all the staff from the surrounding areas and support local development projects. Zululand Lodge in particular was built from the ground up by Bruce Taylor and myself after we were able to secure original cattle farm land and have spent the last 7 years rehabilitating this land to restore the original habitat, reintroduce wildlife and create a conservancy. The lodge is designed to be off the grid, employs local staff from the region, This is a significant private initiative to develop conservation. 100% of the revenues that goes into these two lodges is spent in conservation, rehabilitation and training.

For one night the tour is in eSwatini, the Kingdom of Swaziland, and the lodge we used is owned by residents of eSwatini.

For the other nights of the tour the tour is accommodated in privately owned guest houses and lodges. These lodges are all owned by residents of South Africa and employ a variety of staff. Again as part of our selection process for the accommodation we use we insist that small lodges employ their main staff from residents of the area surrounding the lodges. Ensuring that the main benefit from your tour funds are directly flowing into the local communities. Many of the lodges we use have been developed and built from the ground up by their current owners and this investment into the local area when establishing their businesses is hugely beneficial to the economy and the people of South Africa.

Tourism has a multiplier effect and the impact our clients have in contributing to the economy can’t be overstated – perhaps this chain of economic events is not immediately apparent.

Sunway Safaris is based in Africa and the founders an directors are South African. We directly employ over 70 staff and source our guides from the entire SADC region. This means as a South African based company with itineraries that cover South Africa, eSwatini, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, with an operational bases in Johannesburg and in Maun, Botswana, by having local guides and utilizing local suppliers,we are effective at ensuring that the major portion of the tourism funds generated remain in those regions we traverse. We have been supporting the regions we travel in for 25 years.