TRAVEL RIGHT WHILE ON SAFARI

Safaris are some of the world’s most exclusive holidays. Traveling to some of the least-explored wildernesses, staying in camps sleeping just a dozen people and enjoying the expertise of highly trained guides is an absolute privilege – as is seeing some of the continent’s most threatened wildlife, in the company of some of its most ancient tribes. But these indulgent holiday settings something belie the fact that most safaris take place in some of the poorest and least developed nations on earth – in regions where electricity and running water remain a privilege, not a right, and where, until recently, conflict or drought may have ravaged the landscape and its people. There is, of course, great potential for this wealth to cut through the poverty – to empower native communities who have long been without a voice, and to tackle conservation issues such as the extraction of natural resources and that ever-present voice: poaching. But doing so requires the participation of governments and tour operators, local communities and travellers, to ensure that safari is not something we will one day look upon as a quaint holiday of the past – while the animals still roamed the continent.

TRAVEL BETTER WHEN ON SAFARI

• Remember that you are likely to be traveling in some of the world’s poorest nations. Do your bit by tipping your guides, drivers, cooks and hotel staff – discuss an appropriate amount with your tour operator before you depart, and come prepared with cash.
• Never purchase items made from endangered species – including coral, turtle shells or eggs, ivory, fur or bone.
• Learn the three-way African handshake – sure to be an icebreaker with the unsuspecting locals!
• Water is extremely scarce in much of Africa’s safari destinations. Take short showers rather than baths and reuse towels. Some lodges provide buckets in the shower to catch water while it is heating and while you are showering. This is then used by staff for cleaning – you can also use it to do laundry. Clothes dry fast in the desert!
• Limited water is also easily contaminated. Some lodges provide biodegradable toiletries and laundry detergents, but if bringing your own or camping, please use environmentally-friendly products.
• It’s natural to want to get closer to the animals – but this will distress them. Never ask your guide to leave the trails or drive after wildlife, and be sure to obey all rules in the reserves.
• Fires start fast and burn hard here; never drop cigarette butts or matches on the ground, be extremely careful when building fires, and keep water to hand to extinguish sparks and embers.

http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/safari/travel-guide/responsible-safari-holidays