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6 Tips For An Eco-Safari In Africa Eco-Friendly Travel Ideas

6 Tips for an Eco-Safari in Africa: Eco-Friendly Travel Ideas

6 Tips for an Eco-Safari in Africa: Eco-Friendly Travel Ideas.

Nowadays, it’s easier to discover an eco-safari in Africa than it was in the past. Even if you choose not to go on an eco-safari, there are still ways to lessen the environmental impact of your trip. Here are six suggestions for an environmentally responsible safari in Africa.

1. Reduce the number of flights you take and offset your carbon footprint.

The international flights to and from the destination have the biggest influence on the majority of leisure travel. Take on the challenge of traveling only by land if you reside in Africa! Offsetting your carbon footprint is the best course of action if you must take lengthy trips. Consider other options or find ways to counteract the environmental effects of the additional flights because fly-in safaris also increase the impact of your air travel.

The Smithsonian Magazine article Can Eco-Conscious Travellers Do Anything To Fly Green? discusses offsetting in greater detail. It states that “buying carbon offsets won’t stop global warming, but if you’re travelling, it’s your best individual option for reducing your carbon footprint.”

2. Select eco-friendly tour options

According to the editor of the Africa Geographic Magazine edition, choosing “places specialising in non-motorised activities like walking, horseback, canoe, and cycling safaris which are, by definition, the greenest of the green” is the most responsible way to travel: To what extent is your safari green?

Walking, hiking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, gorilla trekking, and any other “eco-light” safari activity are the ideal choices if you are serious about minimizing your environmental effect. This is because the most eco-friendly tour alternatives are those that emphasize non-motorized activities. In addition to being less physically invasive and harmful to the natural environments you visit, these non-motorized solutions use less fuel and energy.

On an eco-safari, game walk

The negative impacts of driving in the bush have been somewhat mitigated, however, by a number of ecologically conscious lodges and tour operators that have made significant efforts to operate more sustainably (both socially and environmentally).

3. Remain at environmentally conscious campers and lodges

Give your support to lodges and camps that try to lessen their negative effects on the environment, encourage conservation, and improve society.

Naturally, the majority of lodges and campers that have improved their environmental effects will promote their initiatives. It’s arguable whether the lodging is as “green” as it claims to be, but it’s a potentially beneficial change that merits praise or criticism. During your tour, inquire about the eco-lodges’ progress and observe their activities both on the ground and behind the scenes. When lodging facilities aren’t living up to their eco-image, you can call them out and assist steer them in the right path.

6 Tips for an Eco-Safari in Africa Eco-Friendly Travel Ideas
How can you determine whether a lodge is truly “green”?

For the most part, you can examine input and output (material and energy fluxes), but it is a topic for a separate small library.

both the waste (sewerage, grey water, trash, emissions) and the resources (electricity, water, food, building materials, etc.) that the establishment uses. The following inquiries can be used as checkpoints:

Trash/rubbish: how is the solid waste handled and where does it end up? Do they use material outputs as a resource, recycling and minimizing waste? What happens to organic waste? Is it converted into fertilizer through composting, used to produce electricity using methane gas, or utilized in some other way?

Pollution of the air and water: do they use generators that produce air pollution? Are they adding grey water or sewage to the surrounding water systems (lakes, rivers, lagoons, estuaries, and the ocean)? The more organic and renewable the activity, the better, as chemical and fuel-intensive operations can produce hazardous byproducts that contaminate the air and water.

Efficiency of energy and resources: does the lodge or camp use renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, hydro, and methane? Are they conserving water, power, and other resources, or are they wasting them?

Eco-safari and Mombo Solar

Direct effects: did they seriously harm the natural habitat when constructing the lodge or camp, and is the ecology in which they operate being jeopardized? Examining the effects of lodge operations is particularly crucial because damaging or energy-intensive operations might have a detrimental effect on the whole.

Is nature being respected, or are the resort and associated human activities (motorized boat excursions, scuba diving on reefs, off-road game drives, quad biking, overfishing, etc.) destroying, trampling, and polluting the natural environment (bush, dune, forest, and water systems)?

Then there is the overall atmosphere of the lodge or camp; how they conduct their daily operations and consider social responsibility, sustainability, and conservation. Seeing how the lodge employees are handled, how satisfied they are with their jobs, and how conscious they are of social and environmental issues would reveal a lot.

Supporting local companies and purchasing locally produced goods, taking part in worthwhile community projects, educating and raising awareness among locals and tourists, using sustainably harvested materials (wood, furniture, and construction), taking part in or managing effective wildlife and nature conservation programs, and selecting organic and fair trade products are all examples of positive indicators.

Take a peek at these six reasonably priced eco-safaris in Africa to go “green” on a budget. The lodges on these trips are categorized as eco-lodges, so be mindful of your steps and travel sensibly.
Are you environmentally conscious? If you wish to reduce your environmental impact, bear the following factors in mind.

Take as many pictures as you wish, but only make constructive contributions and leave a footprint.
Avoid picking native flowers, removing foliage, or feeding the animals; instead, stay on the path and tread gently (literally) in the bush.

Conserve electricity and water, which is particularly crucial in many African countries where water scarcity is a significant problem.
where traveling in and around towns and cities, it’s usually easiest to walk where you can and take public transportation or share cabs.

In the wilderness, use non-toxic, biodegradable goods (shampoo, shampoo, insect repellent, etc.).
Steer clear of non-recyclables and disposable packaging wherever you can.
If you can refill a reusable bottle, avoid drinking bottled water (be sure the water is safe to drink). To cut down on trash and save money, if you must purchase water, obtain a large bottle and decant into a reusable container.

5. Participate in the solution

One of the most important aspects of becoming a more responsible traveler is carefully considering and researching your trip. Human activity and tourism are putting pressure on some natural settings; simply going to these locations can be dubious, if not careless or downright harmful. You regrettably contribute to the issue if your visit funds organizations, parks, and tour companies who are abusing local inhabitants, wildlife populations, and valuable natural regions.

Additional strategies to travel sustainably:

On overland excursions, you can purchase green seats (ask us while booking).
Instead of providing handouts that promote begging and dependency, donate to and support respectable ecological and social initiatives.

Select trustworthy, environmentally conscious tour companies and travel agencies.
Examine more closely what is actually taking place at the lodges.
As you travel, encourage ethical travel and ecological living and spread the word about taking responsibility.

Making sustainable decisions wherever you are is the first step towards going green.
Participate in volunteer programs that benefit wildlife and local communities.

6. Report issues and boycott unethical activities

This applies to every lodge you visit; don’t ignore harmful behavior if you witness it.

Before making a reservation and traveling, a little Google research can assist separate the clean tourism businesses from the dirty ones.
Spread the word about questionable or harmful operations and activities (Twitter, TripAdvisor, Facebook, etc.—make the most of social media!)

Inform watchdog groups, local government agencies, media outlets, and regulatory bodies about deceptive statements and unsustainable business practices.
Inquire and avoid being duped by greenwashing at wildlife centers, resorts, and campers.
Steer clear of captive breeding projects and animal interactions altogether (do your homework online before you go).

Avoid acts that kill or injure animals, birds, or other species, as well as those that degrade the environment.

Consider carefully before purchasing any goods, particularly those that might be derived from endangered or threatened species, such as coral, rare timbers, ivory, shells, animal hides, or body parts. You may be contributing to the illicit traffic in animal products and putting vulnerable populations under stress if you shop carelessly.