Ethiopia safari holiday, the other great migration

Planet

We recognise the international importance of the Sudd migration and the ecosystems that support it, including the superb Gambella National Park. Gambella supports a diverse cast of rare and threatened wildlife including, but not limited to, white-eared kob, Nile lechwe, Mongalla gazelle, tiang and Lelwel hartebeest. Gambella also protects some of Ethiopia's last large predators, including cheetah, leopard, lion and wild dog, as well as iconic species such as elephant and giraffe. As such, we are wholly protected to the protection and preservation of Gambella. We will never drive offroad in ecologically sensitive areas. Whilst it is extremely unlikely we will encounter any other game-viewing vehicles, so crowding of sightings is unheard of, we will never remain at a sighting when we deem our presence to be detrimental to the animal. We will never pursue an animal that has chosen to move away from us. Depending on the flexibility of our local ecoguards, this itinerary may include several night drives. We will never spotlight an animal that is young, injured or otherwise vulnerable, and we will always try to avoid spotlighting diurnal animals.

We ask that clients recognise that Gambella is a pristine ecosystem that is deeply threatened and sensitive to outside pressures. We adopt a strict 'leave it as you found out' policy in Gambella, and we ask that clients remove all refuse they have brought with them from the park when leaving. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that damages the ecosystem.

People

It is extremely important that in areas like Gambella, where ecotourism is in its infancy, visits such as this one deliver genuine benefits to local people and the communities of which they are a part. When done properly, this helps to ensure that local communities can attach value to the ecosystems, and the wildlife that depends on these ecosystems, which does a huge amount to secure the long-term future of wilderness areas like Gambella. Guests should therefore expect that ecoguards, drivers and cooks throughout this tour are Ethiopian, as we insist that local suppliers employ local people.

We ask that clients are cognisant of the fact that ecotourism is almost non-existent in this remote part of Ethiopia, and that any visit here is a privilege. Standards of service and accommodation are undeniably lower here than in many other parts of the continent, and we ask that despite this, all interactions with local staff are underpinned by patience and good-humour. Any and all issues should be escalated to your tour leader so that they can be dealt with appropriately and sensitively.