Ecotourism

At Go2Africa we have identified a range of travel experiences that genuinely encapsulate the principles of ecotourism: tours that seek to inform and educate, to contribute in a meaningful way and raise our awareness of fragile ecosystems.

'Ecotourism' is a term often bandied about - usually in an attempt to add a friendly word to a commercial holiday. Our selected tours not only minimise our ecological impact but also directly benefit the environment they visit.

Your choice of lodges and activities can also make the difference between a high-impact holiday and one that has positive spin-offs for the ecosystem and its surrounding communities.

Get out of the game drive vehicle and explore the bush on foot. Walking safaris bring you so much closer to nature - in the most literal sense. Let your guide show you the small things that we miss out on when wrapped up in a 4X4.

But don't worry, the big stuff is still out there; what can be more thrilling than tracking lions on foot in South Africa's Kruger National Park or Zambia's South Luangwa National Park or more awe-inspiring than settling down on a termite mound to watch a grazing herd of buffalo in Botswana's Okavango Delta?

In Namibia, home to ancient and extremely fragile ecosystems, the emphasis is often on minimum impact and maximum benefit for the environment. Try an adventure into Damaraland to search for the unique desert elephant, or a Skeleton Coast Park tour where access is tightly regulated.

In the dripping rainforests of Rwanda and Uganda the desperately endangered mountain gorillas maintain a tenuous existence largely due to the ecotourism that has grown up around them.

You'll enjoy peace of mind knowing that access to these gentle giants is strictly controlled and that there is constant pressure on the relevant authorities to do more to protect them, as well as implement policies to benefit the local population.

Ecotourism need not be restricted to wildlife: go on a respectful and interactive visit to Namibia's Himba tribespeople in the remote Kaokoveld, or spend time with Kenya's Maasai and learn from them as they show you how they have survived for centuries in the heart of big game country.

We recommend:

For Kruger National Park walking trails try Honeyguide Khoka Moya Safari Lodge with its extremely professional and knowledgeable rangers or Pafuri Camp with its hiking trail options.

Rhino Post and Ngala Walking Safari are two operations that offer low-impact walking trails.

Nearly all the lodges in Botswana's Okavango Delta offer a range of eco-friendly activities from walking trails to mekoro (the local canoe) trips.Chitabe Trails Camp is a lodge that offers overnight hiking trips.

For companies that genuinely advance the cause of responsible tourism, Go2Africa recommends Wilderness Safaris and CCA (Conservation Corporation Africa) - both offering environmentally-sensitive accommodation as well as participating in many conservation projects.

Try CCA's Matetsi Water Lodge in Zimbabwe or Wilderness' Vumbura Plains Camp in Botswana's Okavango Delta.

Travellers to Zambia may want to be a guest of Robin Pope Safaris whose responsible tourism policy extends to a reforestation scheme that is linked to rebalancing carbon emissions from air travel - try the Robin Pope's Luangwa tour.



Namibia's Etendeka Mountain Camp offers an extremely eco-sensitive base from which to look for the legendary desert elephants and black rhino of Damaraland.

The Kunene Region is the area to go for accommodation and tours to the Kaokoveld and the Skeleton Coast; try the award-winning Skeleton Coast Camp. The stunning dunes at Sossusvlei can be enjoyed from the ecologically-sensitive Wolwedans lodge.

Gorilla treks are best done in Uganda's Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park while Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park is home to roughly half the world's population of mountain gorillas.

Of the many Kenyan tours and safaris that are available some offer cultural interaction trips with local Maasai tribespeople and the Mara Intrepids Club offers wildlife education programmes specifically aimed at children.