Kruger, Swaziland and South Africa's Garden route holiday

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

The average carbon footprint on this tour is 868Kg of CO?e per person. As a travel company we are acutely aware of our impact on the environment. All of our tours display a carbon footprint, and we strive to reduce our emissions by regularly reviewing our tours and embracing low-impact styles of travel such as trains, public buses or walking – which offer the added benefit of getting a closer connection with the destination and local community.We predominantly travel by a small minibus, which allows us to access a greater amount of the country than a large coach would.

Several of the lodges and hotels we use on this trip use solar-powered heaters for water, and have a system of providing water in re-usable glass bottles in the rooms, and we also encourage our guests to use a reusable water bottle with a built-in water filter allowing them to drink tap water rather than buying water in plastic bottles.

ENVIRONMNET & WILDLIFE

During this trip there will be amazing safari opportunities in Kruger National Park and Addo Elephant park. We have taken care to ensure we are game-watching in the most responsible way. We use trusted and experienced guides who understand the importance of protecting the wildlife. The crew will educate groups about the wildlife within the national park. 1% from all entrance fees and any activities booked will go to the community levy. These community levy funds are invested into local communities to improve key facilities such as clinics, schools and other much needed infrastructure, with a long-term aim to build sustainable relationships between residents and visitors.

We strive to support nature and biodiversity through protection and regeneration projects. Our leaders take time to advise customers about looking after the environments they are exploring. All our groups are advised to keep a safe and fair distance between themselves and wildlife, and to not pick any flowers or scrubs. In many parks flora is also protected much like wildlife, so leaders will educate groups about what they can see and the importance of sticking to footpaths, not leaving litter and having minimal impact.

South Africa, particularly in the West Cape region, is going through a sustained drought. We have been working together with suppliers, hotels and our ground team to ensure our groups are using the minimal amount of water possible without negatively impacting our itineraries. All leaders brief groups on arrival about the importance of conserving water. We encourage customers to avoid single-use plastic on tour, and our leaders give advice on refill points each day. Where tap water isn't safe to drink we recommend Water-to-Go bottles, a filtration bottle allowing you to drink water from any source.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Our leaders are the heart of tours. They bring passion and unrivalled knowledge of the destinations and communities that we visit. Their guidance ensures we observe the cultural norms in a destination, they act as a bridge between travellers and the local community and ensure that tourism is a positive experience for both host and guest. We believe in supporting local; staying in locally-run hotels, exploring markets, buying snacks from street vendors, and by doing this we add money to the local economy and enhance our connection with the local community.

Throughout this tour we are utilising a number of locally owned and operated hotels and lodges including eco lodges, homesteads and smaller hotels. None of the properties we use on this tour are owned by international chains or groups. All our guides are local to the area from which they operate and whenever possible we will be stopping at local, authentic craft markets to fully emerge ourselves in the South African culture.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY

Our local partner in South Africa employs staff just from this region. They ensure all staff are paid at least the minimum wage in South Africa and via their local partners they provide them with a training platform to further develop their skills.