Victoria Falls to Johannesburg overland tour

Planet

Wildlife: On this trip we visit several incredible National Parks for wildlife viewing include Chobe NP in Botswana, Etosha NP in Namibia and Addo Elephant NP in South Africa. It’s very important to us that we, our safari operators and our travellers game view in a responsible way. To this end we include advice in our detailed pre-departure information sent to each client and our crew re-iterate this during the trip.

Most importantly, we encourage minimal disturbance to wildlife. We particularly discourage getting too close or chasing animals as they move away and we ask that our clients do not pressure their safari guide to do this. Food and litter should be disposed of appropriately as it is not only unsightly but can cause harm to wildlife.

Our crew and travellers give us feedback on local safari guides to ensure they also follow this advice as well as National Park rules and guidelines.
Part of the money paid for many of the wildlife viewing experiences on this trip contributes to the conservation and protection of the animals and their habitat.

As well as visiting the National Parks, we travel through a variety of natural habitats and wilderness areas and we are very aware that we need to respect these in the same way as the National Parks.

We stay at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Otjitongwe, Namibia which seeks to preserve the local and wider cheetah population and their ecosystems. They employ a wide range of conservation activities that involve the local population from encouraging the use of guard dogs for livestock, to assisting local communities, who share their homeland with cheetahs, to improve their livelihood. Their International Research and Education Centre gives Namibian schoolchildren, teachers and local farmers alike an awareness of the cheetah in Namibia and the challenges these animals face.

Our stay at the Park also gives our travellers the opportunity to learn about cheetahs and their conservation and helps to fund CCF’s vital work.

Waste: at the point of booking a tour with us, all our travellers receive detailed pre-departure information which contains a large section on travelling responsibly. This includes advice on minimising the amount of waste they create on the trip. This informs travellers on what they can do before they go, for example removing toiletries from unnecessary packaging and taking a reusable water bottle and gives advice on what they should do whilst on the tour, such as disposing of litter appropriately.

All of this information on waste reduction is re-iterated at the pre-departure meeting at the start of the tour, with specific advice for the areas we visit.

As a company we have a big commitment to reducing, reusing and recycling in our UK office. We are very aware of the environmental impact of our office in the UK, so we recycle and compost as much of our waste as possible. We try to reduce paper usage but when necessary we use recycled paper and stationery. Our brochure is available to view or download online and the paper version is printed on stock produced from sustainable sources and vegetable based inks.

People

Friends and Neighbours: On this trip we stay at small, locally run guest houses and camp sites for most nights, many of which share our Company ethos of supporting local communities. Malealea Lodge in Lesotho, for example, invites local choirs and bands in to share performances with Lodge guests every evening. Guests are invited to make a donation to the performers.

Volunteering & charity: The Lodge we stay at in Cintsa, South Africa, will assist you to volunteer at the local, community run soup kitchen. You will help prepare and serve food to mainly local children who are left alone while their parents are working. Often there are more than 50 enthusiastic, hungry children that attend! A local guide will collect you and take you back to the Lodge. En route you will often visit his friends and neighbours in the local community - a young widow for example, who brews her own beer at home in order to support her family. Be prepared to be taught and practice the local language during your trip.