Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Jul 16

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What should you do if you see captive wild animals in poor conditions when abroad?

There are many cultures in the world that have a certain disregard for captive animals – but all the more saddening when it is wild caught animals that are used to get ‘tourist dollars’.

Many cultures are associated with certain traditions – such as bear dancing and ‘pet’ monkeys but these have been made worse by people asking for and paying for sights like these as the norm.  Of course, there are many captive wild animals that we will pay to go and see – but you need to make sure that you and other travellers have the animals interests in mind rather than just your own.

I recently went to an adventure park in Mexico that happened to have animals there as well and I was appalled at the conditions of some of the animals and made sure that I reported this to my hotel and the tourist office I booked the trip through.

The conditions were not so terrible that it needed to be taken further on this occasion - but if all the people before me had reported this before I visited, then the animals may well have been in better enclosures by now – or the park may well have been taken off the tourist route.

Voting With Your Dollar!
Tourist destinations depend on tourist like you visiting their sites and attractions and spending your money locally – so if the service they offer isn’t worth paying for then make sure you tell someone.  That way you could save all the animals involved a life in harsh conditions – but you could prevent hundreds of people after you from paying for the same ‘pleasure’!

When you read about a local area, the guide books only recommend those places that attract huge numbers of people to them as they must therefore be ‘good’.  But what if everyone is coming away disappointed?  Who will know unless they all tell someone?

It’s not worth keeping it to yourself either – as if you don’t tell a certain establishment what they are doing that has driven you away – they can’t do anything to rectify it.

How can we expect destinations to improve if we don’t tell them what we expect from them?

What To Do If It’s Really Bad:
If, however, you find animals in such appalling conditions that you just have to do something about it then your best bet is the Born Free Foundation.

They have a multitude of ways in which they can investigate wildlife crime and negotiate better conditions for animals.  Whether they were just tiger cubs  in a ‘zoo’ taken from their parents for ‘cute photos’ or whether they are fully grown tigers in a tiny cage above a bar in Greece – if f you feel it is abuse then take the first step to resolving that issue.

Animals can’t speak for themselves – but your money and your actions can.  Just like payed conservation in reverse – if you pay for it – they just keep doing it.

Visit www.bornfree.org.uk for more details or to support their work – or email on zoocheck@bornfree.org.uk.

Thank you in advance.

posted by Catherine on Jul 9

Plan Your African Adventure With A Volunteer Organisation Based There.

Rather than look for a trip to Africa with a global company – why not make a bee-line for someone who has been working there – and only there.

I spoke to the company myself and asked them a few questions about their ethics and eco friendly policies – and you can read their answers for yourself:

What Is African Impact All About?
At African Impact, we see ourselves as the on-the-ground AFRICAN SPECIALISTS in volunteer travel. Whether it be a summer break, a gap year, a well earned holiday or a career break we have something for you. 

Established in 2004, we are proudly African-based and have our busy Head Office in Cape Town, South Africa. We also have supporting operations offices in Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This year we were proudly recognized as the 2009 World Travel Awards finalists for our involvement in Volunteering in Africa so far.
  
Our Mission Statement:
African Impact is a volunteer travel organisation that works towards establishing meaningful programs throughout Africa for a positive and measurable impact on local communities and conservation efforts.

African Impact aims to promote and actively consign volunteerism for various projects in Africa. As a result, we generate income to sustain and provide ongoing support and resources for community and conservation initiatives across Africa.

What Ethical Guidelines Are Most Important To You?
We aim to be an ambassador of responsible tourism and endeavour to increase the positive impact of our volunteers and operational practices on the social, cultural and physical environment within our operating countries. 
 
What Sets African Impact Apart From Other Companies?
In 2008 we launched a UK-registered Charitable Trust, The Happy Africa Foundation which is our supporting arm for the sustainable and accountable manner in which we aspire to manage our projects.
 
In addition to this we have founded the UK-registered ALERT Trust (African Lion and Environmental Research Trust) to facilitate the expansion of our lion rehabilitation and release into the wild project as well as to raise awareness for conservation efforts in Africa. 
 
In 2009 we were 2009 World Travel Awards finalists, which The Wall Street Journal refers to as the travel industry’s equivalent of The Oscars.

WYSE Travel Confederation is a not-for-profit industry association dedicated to making travel experiences affordable, accessible and exciting for young people worldwide. African Impact is a proud member of this organization and through our association with WYSE we seek to enhance the sustainability of our projects through volunteering forums and interaction with other leaders in our niche of the tourism industry.

How are your Staff qualified to assist?
The African Impact team of office and field staff is made up of people with vast experience living, working and travelling in Africa. 

Our team members have an unparalleled passion and enthusiasm for their work.  Many of our assistant field workers are past volunteers who came to Africa and are yet to leave!

We subject all our projects to careful sustainability planning with clear and measurable goals and objectives, as well as collaborative focus with our local partners. In addition our project managers submit detailed quarterly development reports to both African Impact and The Happy Africa Foundation.
 
What Sort Of Trips Do You Offer?
We offer a range of projects from short term through to much longer placements in any field from medical, teaching, wildlife conservation to sporting projects.

• Volunteer in South Africa for a Veterinary Clinic and Animal Rescue Center:
  From 2 weeks to 2 months – From $990
• Volunteer in Zimbabwe & Rehabilitate Lions & Their Cubs:
  From 2 weeks to 6 weeks – From $1800
• Volunteer in South Africa with Community Clinics & Child Day Care:
  From 2 weeks or longer – From $990
• Volunteer in South Africa with a Coastal Biological Research Course:
  4 week course – From $1520
• Volunteer in Mozambique for HIV & Aids Education:
  From 2 weeks or longer – From $1390
• Volunteer on a Great White Shark Research & Conservation Project!
  From 2 weeks to 2 months – From $1600

The list just goes on and on………..  Go to African Impact to see more.

posted by Catherine on Jun 23

If you understand the environment you are visiting – you can see so much more!

I know sometimes it is fun to just turn up somewhere and take in everything you see at face value – but it is so much more of a vacation if you actually know what you are looking at and why it is there.

Why Learning Is Fun.
On a recent trip to Costa Rica I had brought some wildlife guide books (as I have a keen interest in mammals anyway) and had a good look through them on the journey there.

They didn’t just teach me about the mammals themselves, it set up the whole scene for the different locations I was going to visit: The cloud forests of Monte Verde, the tropical shores of Samara and the wetland environments of Cano Negro.

The Wildlife:
By learning the most common mammals, birds and trees all around you will be a great help. You will know more about where to spot certain species and not book a tour to see the ones that are everywhere anyway!

And you won’t look like a fool in a group of travellers getting all excited about something that is really obvious – like a tourist squealing about a raccoon in the States!

Mammals:
In Costa Rica there is no need to book a day time mammal tour at all really – as most of the common mammals are everywhere you go. A walk through a small section of cloud forest will easily put you face to face with agouti, sloth and several species of monkey.

If you are quiet enough, they won’t wander off either, so you can flick open your guidebook and find out exactly what they are and what they are doing there.

More elusive mammals will hear you coming way before you even see them – so if you do catch a glimpse of one – it would be great to know what it was!

Most of the other mammals are mainly nocturnal – i.e. they are asleep in a hole all day – so a night tour is your only option. However, you will be aware to check out the site of your night tour during the day beforehand to make sure that it suits the need of the species you want to see.

Birds:
A bird tour without a guide is virtually pointless (unless you are very experienced and know your basic bird groups to start with.

Most of the frequently spotted birds are SPG’s as the guides say – small, brown and gone! You really need to know your stuff to tell all the warblers apart for example!

Experienced bird guides can also tell most birds by their call (which you probably can’t) so they are invaluable if you want to find something elusive or spectacular – like the resplendent quetzal! They will usually know what sex is calling and what the call means – for example one meaning ‘human approaching’ probably means it’s about to fly off!

Guides also carry great equipement that you may not have either – such as a digi-scope or powerful binoculars. They will share these with you to get the best close-up views and have more specific guidebooks to help you see what you are looking for!

Reptiles:
Reptiles can be just as elusive as mammals – and some have great camouflage – but as usual, the guides know where to look.

You may have your own basic guide book which may well have described the best environment to see them. So you know that you don’t need to pay for a tour into a rain-forest to see an iguana – as they are probably sunning themselves on the banks of a river! And you won’t see a poisen dart frog on a beach!

Also, many larger reptiles know there is no real danger from passing boats – so a river trip is great for seeing them – iguanas, baselisk lizards and even a feeding boa constrictor! Even the guide hadn’t seen that before!

posted by Catherine on Jun 2

Seriously – think of you favorite wild animal – and then ask yourself the question: What am I doing to keep them alive?

Many people love pandas, tigers, penguins or even great white sharks – but many of us don’t really make a difference to their fight for life on this planet.

What Can I Do From Home?
Watching a documentary about them on TV does actually help believe it or not. If the TV ratings for a show on African Hunting Dogs gets top ratings – they see money they are making and go out and make another one. But to film these creatures, they need to make sure that they are healthy and their habitat is kept safe.

Buying specialist magazines or books can also make larger companies aware of an interest in certain wildlife or habitats so that they focus more on them and possibly invest more money in research and/or protection.

Similarly, you can join a charity or wildlife group that is helping to educate local people to live with dangerous species (as with the lynx), train specialists to protect endangered animals (as with gorillas) or just stop people chopping down their home (as with orangutans)!

Some charity organisations also sell ‘gift’ packs for certain animals or habitats – such as the WWF. This allows you to buy a gift for a friends birthday/wedding/event that actually sends fund directly to your chosen destination!

Your friends get a cuddly toy, information and magazines all about the dolphin or turtle or whatever – and they get to help protect the wildlife! Rather than buying some consumer gifts and throwing away loads of packaging and sticky tape to haunt future generations – your gift will be keeping those habitats alive for future generations (and yourself) to enjoy!

What Can I Do Abroad?
Obviously joining a charity vacation abroad to actually work with the animals or local communities involved will be a great help. You will be there first hand to help protect your favourite creatures – and learn so much more about them.

You could even just take a vacation to the country that they live in and just support that nation in terms of tourism – maybe booking a tour specifically to see those animals in their habitat. By telling your local hosts and native tour guides that these animals and this habitat were the only reasons for you trip here will make sure that they are aware of the importance of preserving that.

If you went to India and didn’t pay to go see the tigers – why would they bother to help keep them there? Tourism runs like a business – if the tea plantation makes more money than the tiger reserve – guess what might happen? The reserve is taken over by tea!

Make sure that you also tell tour companies the reason for your holiday – I mean if you (and 100′s of other vacationers were asking for a whale-watching holiday in Mexico and they didn’t offer one – I’m sure they would start looking into it!

You must be active in telling companies why you are or are not booking with them. If they don’t know what their potential customers are wanting – they can’t offer it. Don’t just leave them to guess – make the choice for them – make them support your cause.

It may even have a multiplying effect as some people who aren’t so active may book an alternate holiday instead – but if they saw a new wildlife trip on offer in the brochure – they may book it themselves, sending even more funds and interested people to your favorite location or to see your favorite animals!

Basically - you need to get active and show your support for the things you like. Just like you favorite store: if you don’t support it – you could lose it!

posted by Catherine on May 17

Get your Kids Involved With the Wildlife In The UK, by joining one of the National Societies!

There are so many wildlife and nature groups in the UK, that there is always a reason to take you vacation locally and teach your kids about the very place they live in.  And as everyone is staying closer to home thie year – why not make the most of it and join a national society to get some great goodies and free entry for great days out!

Kids need to learn about the animals in the world – and it’s all fair and well teaching them about lions in Africa and Emu’s in South America – but what about the animals they get to see almost everyday!  Shouldn’t they know about those first?

Well, below are 4 great nature clubs that the family can become a member of to get to grips with where red squirrels live and what Robins eat.

RSPB – The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
There are over 100 RSPB reserves in the UK – and each one offers a perfect insight into local bird species as well as the mammals and invertebrates that share their habitat.

They have a Wildlife Explorers Club for the youngsters, meaning that they get magazines, information, posters and stickers as well as free entry to all the sites and member events.  You can join up to 3 children from the same address for just £25 for the year – and they get a free gift depending on their age group.

The WildLife Trusts Across The UK.
There are 47 Wildlife Trusts covering the British Isles with over 2,226 reserves – most with visitor centres offering maps and advice – and all are free to enter.

However, you can actually join with your local wildlife trust rather than a national membership, and get regular updates on their reserves and their Action Diary of events.  You can join the Family Watch membership group where your children can attend events and win merits for their actions – learning more all the time.  You can even encourage your child’s school to join as well!

You don’t have to join just your local Trust – you could select one where you normally take a holiday – and volunteer while you are away.

The Woodland Trust. 
1,000 woods covering 20,000 hectares – all completely free!  You can take you family to any of these sites for a great day out, including those with restaurants, large open areas and information stations.

Kids can join the Nature Detectives Club which gives them related information about the woodland habitat and regular competitions to enjoy.  There is also the opportunity to get their Teacher involved with a special membership package, where they get equipment to use in their classes.

WWT – Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust. 
With only 9 sites in the UK, this is a charity that you won’t regret joining!  Not only do you get to see an amazing array of both British and migratory wetland birds at close quarters – you also get to see some exotic and endangered species face to face as well!

Kids can feed the birds from their hands, follow the trails across boardwalks and through woodlands as well a pond dip for bugs and shellfish.  All sites have an amazing amount of information for the family to enjoy, with large sculptures dotted around – and of course the famous nene geese that the founder saved from extinction!

Our wetland areas are also declining far too fast for some species and so joining this society will be making sure that the country has something left for your kids future!

Stay Local & Enjoy Local!

posted by Catherine on May 7

Would You Believe That The Orangutan Could Be Virtually Extinct In 15 Years?

Some experts would have us believe this if the current trends in rain forest destruction and mono-cultures continued to be profitable in Borneo.

Are people more important than animals?

What’s The Deal?
There are only some many places on earth that Orangutans live, and they are being destroyed at a very fast rate.

Over 50% of the wild population has been lost in the past decade, and it is likely that this figure will continue to decline unless we stop it.

By volunteering, you could help to make sure that the destruction was slowed or at least channelled into the least damaging areas of the forests – rather than key retreats or wildlife ‘corridors’.  Of course any destruction of their habitat is a bad thing – but once the key areas are lost, or the links between those areas, then the species cannot survive.

It’s not just home to the Orangutan either.  There are pygmy elephants and the Sumatran tiger competing for a living in the same jungles, not to mention a whole host of birds, insects and smaller mammals.  All rely on this land and these habitats.

Who Can I Go With?
There are several companies offering volunteer trips to these areas, and all have slightly different aims.

Frontier: from £350, departs all year.
Offer a 9 day or 2 week conservation and adventure package in Indonesia, focusing on the Orangutans habitat and the wealth of other wildlife that needs your help.  It also contributes to local communities and is very open about where your money is spent for each project.

The Great OrangUtan Project: $1575 for 2 weeks with baby Orangutans.
This trip is leaving right now as 2 babies are due to be born in the next few weeks!  However, they do offer a ‘no touch’ policy for the young and their parents…..

They offer plenty of other trips to Borneo so you have a choice with regards to what your experience can offer the project.

Responsible Travel: from £730 for 6 weeks in June & August.
On this trip you also get an insight into the Indonesian culture and learn the language with this longer than average trip to help out.  You will get involved with all aspects of the Orangutan rescue and habitat maintenance programs.

Discovery Initiatives: at £2195 for 9 days with Orangutan experts.
This company offer you the chance to go behind the scenes at the Orangutan centre as well as spending time in the forest with the experts in the field.

Funding goes to offer you a years membership to the foundation as well as a contribution to Rain-Forest Concern.

How Else Can You Help?
Well, here is your chance to make your voice heard on the subject – by volunteering with an effective charity in the region and helping them to make a difference with your time and your money.

And why not make your trip into a longer vacation, by offering to teach in the area, or one close by.  Rather than fly all the way there for just that one eco adventure, why not see what else is out the on offer!

However, your money can also help by not spending it at all!

If we know that un-certified Palm Oil and Soy are one of the main reasons that the jungles of Borneo are worth more cut down than standing, lets make a stand. 

If you are buying toiletries, margarine, biscuits and detergents with palm oil in them, regardless of their point of origin – then it doesn’t matter how much time we volunteer; it won’t break the destructive cycle or our consumer behaviour.

Imagine the irony of travelling to Borneo to save Orangutans, but blatantly using the very ingredients that are destroying their habitat to wash and style your hair each morning!

posted by Catherine on Apr 9

Would You Buy A Tiger Cub?

The trade in live animals and animal parts is one of the most active in the world – and only people like you can stop it by refusing to buy any animal parts or any live animals – and by reporting anything you see that is suspicious to the WWF

Live Animals:
Even if it is legal to import live animals into your home country – why would you do so?

They will no doubt be live caught (with parents and siblings often killed to collect them) and will have been badly handled and possibly smuggled in tiny spaces to you or your seller. The rates of survival on these journeys are very low, so for every animal that arrives, huge numbers could have died along the way.

As the animal is not endemic to your country, it may well need imported foods or specific diets and nutrients that you may be unaware of, equipment to maintain the correct humidity and temperature (which you might not even know yourself) and no doubt any illness or disease it has already got or may pick up from your end may not be treatable by a local vet as they have no experience or the veterinary equipment and medications to treat it.

And most obviously, if you brought one, then someone else might want one therefore creating or increasing the numbers caught and traded. You are perpetuating the cycle of death and destruction of species and habitat.

Stuffed Animals:
For the same reason – be wary of buying stuffed animals that are endangered species.

We all know that the rarer something becomes – the more it is worth, so by buying even a really old stuffed animal that has since become endangered you are letting that vendor know that there is a demand for whatever it was. It may well encourage him to find someone to supply him with another one……

Traditional Medicines:
There is no scientific proof that traditional medicines are effective against disease or can increase your fertility. It’s like your bank manager telling you how to make loads of money with shares and investments – when if he knew how to make loads of money – why is he still working in a bank rather than in a big mansion on a desert island?

However, most traditional medicines are made with animal parts – and many of these animals – like tigers – are endangered. There is no need for you to try any of these treatments as you are very likely encouraging illegal poaching and trapping.

And as with most ‘natural’ remedies that sound to good to be true – they probably are. Surely if there really was a part of an animal that really did prevent disease almost 100% of the time – do you not think that medicine would be available worldwide rather than in some tiny backstreet store outside of town??

Any Unidentified Animal Parts:
If you really want to do everything you can to avoid encouraging illegal wildlife poaching, then avoid buying anything made of or by any animal.

Just as the sale of leather from cows is a by-product of the beef and dairy industry, so the sale of teeth, bones and fur, feathers and quills can be the by-products of other trades.

It is a minefield out there, so you need to be quite broad with your shopping choices no matter how pretty or ‘amazing’ that souvenir is – because it would look a lot better if it was still alive!

And remember no matter how bad the trade is – if you buy it – they will make more. Just look at McDonalds!!!

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posted by Catherine on Apr 5

We continue on with more ‘not to buy’ souvenirs below – including endangered sealife and caviar.

Tortoiseshell Products:
Now, even I didn’t know that this ‘name’ was actually representing turtle shells!  I just used to think it was the name of the ‘print’ or ‘design’, but real tortoiseshell products are generally derived from marine turtle shells – mainly the Hawksbill turtle: critically endangered since 1973!

It was mainly found as accessories like sunglasses and hair clips, which were very common in tourist resorts, hotels and airports.  A man-made alternative was developed – but still buy with care – or not at all!  Unfortunately, unless they are clearly made of plastic such products should be avoided to be sure they are not affecting wild populations of turtles.

Seahorses:
These can be brought dried or alive – but obviously neither is recommended! 

Import and export of all seahorses is controlled by CITES under Appendix II, although Indonesis, Japan, Norway and South Korea have opted out of these trade rules!

Captive-bred seahorses are now becoming popular as wild caught specimens usually don’t live very long once captured.  This obviously lowers the threats to wild populations, but should be thoroughly checked before purchase to make sure of their true origins.

Corals:
The colors and shapes of corals have attracted buyers for years, although obviously has been taking it’s toll on marine environments.

Corals are very slow-growing and damage to a reef can take decades to recover – that is why diving guidelines have been changing to help prevent further damage.

Islands like the Maldives have ‘coral sand’ which is made up of dead and eroded coral and sometimes contains large chunks or material – however this coral is what makes the beach!  If coral offshore is destroyed for sale and large pieces of dead coral are collected from the beaches – there will be nothing left to protect the islands from eroding away!

Coral reefs are extremely diverse marine ecosystems – home to a whole host of exotic marine fish that can suvive nowhere else – so destrying their home will be destroying their chances of survival.

Seashells:
Mainly for the same reason as above – the discarded sea shells make up the beaches in most tropical destinations, helping to create the ‘sandy’ beaches and protect the land.

Depending on the shell type it is also possible that the live creature was captured and killed to alow the shell to be cleaned and polished for tourists to buy – not a good thing!

Also, many shells are used as homes for hermit crabs, and the more shells we take of of beaches, means that competition for new homes becomes fierce and ‘homeless’ crabs will be unprotected and likely prey.

Caviar:
A more unusual problem as it is not to everyones taste, but never-the-less sturgeon populations are in dramatic decline due to over-fishing and illegal fishing activities.

Since 1995, one species of sturgeon in Europe has been reduced by 40%, and around 12 tonnes of illegal caviar were seized in the European Union alone.  Governing bodies are working with CITES to create a labelling system to identify legal caviar.

Things aren’t always so easy to identify, so just think twice about your purchase.

Join us for Part 3 next – which covers live animals and animal parts…..

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posted by Catherine on Apr 1

Should you buy anything ‘animal’ when on holiday?

As with all retail, there is a certain aspect of personal choice, but if you want to make sure that your holiday souvenirs don’t end up destroying local habitats or result in the deaths of endangered species – then you need to shop a lot more carefully!

It’s no good saying that you won’t buy anything that says it is an endangered species – because lets be honest, 1) would anyone really boast about it being illegal, or 2) could you tell if that bone was from a threatened rhino or a pet goat anyway?

Why Not Just One……
And as with all products of any type – it will only be made again if people are buying it.

If a bar of chocolate was made that tasted awful and didn’t sell – you can almost guarantee that no-one will be making anymore of it – ever. And it is the same with any product: if it doesn’t sell – they won’t make any more.

So, there is no good argument anymore for saying ‘well the elephant is already dead, so I may as well buy it rather than let it go to waste’ – because if a business owner just managed to sell a whole shop load of elephant ivory – he will think he can sell another one – so bang: there goes another dead elephant!

Shop owners can also lie about the origin of their items making you believe that the endangered monkey species is just the flesh of a common species or a local pest, or that the exquisite jewelry is from a sustainable source not a threatened species of turtle who’s numbers are dwindling!

The Main Culprits:
There are 12 headings below and in further articles – containing the generally agreed items that you should avoid buying abroad, and they include:

Ebony & Other Hardwoods:
No matter how beautiful that wood-carving is – it could be from a protected species. Not only will the seller have to go out and chop down another tree to replace your purchase, it is also possible that your ‘gift’ wil be confiscated on return to your home country as well. A wasted effort all round!

And it’s not just the trees that suffer. By felling woodlands in any area, you could be affecting all the wildlife and local communties that rely on it. Degradation of the area can also lead to gradual habitat loss as the soil is eroded or exposed – permanently affecting the whole area.

Ivory:
Anything made of ivory has virtually always come from a protected animal – usually just killed for that one reason. Although there are large amounts of ‘legal’ ivory available, you will almost certainly be offered the illegal kind as a tourist. And why even buy it when you know that 1) it is from a endangered species, and 2) that you could be causing a continuation of the illegal trade as a result of your consumer demand.

Reptile Skins:
These are very hard to distinguish from each other and so you need to not buy any to be sure. Why would the seller travel miles to kill a common lizard to make into a belt, when the endangered species he lives next door to looks exactly the same once it has been treated?

He wouldn’t, so don’t trust his sources or labelling. Between 2000 and 2004 in the UK over 800 illegal wildlife items were caught entering the country – most were from crocodiles and alligators. There are currently 37 species of threatened or endangered reptiles just in the US alone – so even in developed countries there are risks!

Big Cat Skins:
Need I explain this one?

Yes they look fantastic – and that’s why we love wildlife – but please leave the skin on the animal rather than on your floor or worse still – in a storage box as you changed your mind about the decor!

Come back for Part 2 – For objects that should be in the oceans not in your jewelry box!

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posted by Catherine on Mar 27

This longer-term volunteer project could be the opportunity of a lifetime!!

There are many short-term opportunities out there for volunteering and fit with most peoples work schedule - but some of the longer-term options will very likely change your life!

Take the following volunteer placement as an example: 12 weeks working in a Safari Lodge in Africa for about the same amount of money (rent, bills and food) that you would be spending back home!

As with all volunteer packages it doesn’t include international flights or other travel arrangements, but everything else while you are there is included.

What Do I Do There?
Well, you will be helping to run the lodge, so it will include general maintenance, working with the guests, helping the local community and enjoying the wildlife of course!  There will be many an opportunity to get close to the wildlife here.

The company involved will plan to speak with you at length before you go so that you are matched up with the best location for your abilities, skills and to a certain extent your preferences.

Naturally, they will not want to waste their time and money and your time and skills by putting you in a location that is beyond your ability or in a country you didn’t want to visit!

And you certainly won’t perform at your best if you really aren’t happy sleeping in a tent and using an outdoor shower! All options are considered carefully to make the best of your time and to get the most out of your trip.

What Else?
The package comes with training in the UK before you leave and 24 hour support the whole time you are away. You even get a small salary to spend whilst you are abroad.  All food and lodgings are included as is on-site training.

All the camps featured are eco-friendly and strive to be responsible locations – for example using local resources and natural energy. These eco-credentials are a integral part of the camp and your experiences and training will allow you to pass on your knowledge and enthusiasm to all the guests that visit during your stay!

Education is a very important part of this trip.

You may also be required to work alongside nature and wildlife teams in removing snares and rehabilitating injured and orphaned animals – which would of course be amazing! 

Many sites also have strong links with local communities, so if this is an area you are interested in or have the skills to teach in your skill set, then this could become the main focus of your trip here.

Getting There & Away:
Depending on the time and season of your eco adventure, they can also offer international travel options, or allow you to make your stop at your safari lodge as part of a larger or worldwide trip.

Why not travel the length of Africa by overland tour bus to get to your lodge and then head down to The Cape afterwards? Or stop-over in Africa as part of your round-the-world journey from India or Australia on your way back home?

The Details:
Holiday Details: Responsible Travel act as the agent
Countries: Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi.
Costs: from £2400 (12 weeks) – depending on location and park fees

I am seriously considering this one myself!  What an experience, and what a story to tell……

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