How to make more conscious choices when travelling through Africa
Responsible travel isn’t about getting everything right.
It isn’t about travelling without leaving a footprint, finding the perfect eco-lodge or becoming an expert in conservation before you board the plane.
For me, it is much simpler than that.
It is about paying attention.
When we travel, our choices have an impact. Where we spend our money, who we book with, where we stay, how we interact with wildlife and how we behave in the places we visit all contribute to the kind of tourism we create.
Africa is home to extraordinary wildlife, landscapes, cultures and communities. If we want to keep experiencing them, we have to think about what our travel gives back as well as what it gives us.
This guide is here to help you do exactly that.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Responsible travel begins before you ever arrive in Africa.
It starts with the decisions you make when you’re researching your trip.
There are thousands of safari operators, lodges, tour companies and experiences to choose from. Some genuinely invest in conservation and communities. Others may use words like eco, sustainable or responsible because they sound good.
Don’t simply take the marketing at face value.
Look a little deeper.
Ask yourself:
- Who operates the experience?
- Who owns the business?
- Where does the money go?
- Does the company employ local people?
- Does it support local businesses?
- Does it contribute to conservation?
- Can the operator explain how it reduces its environmental impact?
- How does it approach wildlife encounters?
- Does it have clear responsible-travel policies?
- Does it work with surrounding communities?
You don’t need to become an investigative journalist before booking your holiday.
But a little research can make a meaningful difference.
CHOOSE A RESPONSIBLE SAFARI OPERATOR
A safari is one of the most extraordinary ways to experience Africa.
You are entering an environment where animals are living freely and where the landscape itself is part of the experience.
That makes the company you choose particularly important.
A responsible safari operator should understand that wildlife isn’t there for entertainment.
They should have clear standards around how vehicles approach animals, how long they remain at sightings and how they behave around wildlife.
They should never encourage guests to feed, touch, chase or deliberately disturb animals.
And a good guide should be willing to say no.
No, we aren’t going closer.
No, we aren’t leaving the road.
No, we aren’t disturbing that animal.
No, we aren’t going to interfere simply to get a photograph.
That isn’t ruining your safari.
That is responsible guiding.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR SAFARI OPERATOR
Before booking, ask:
How do you approach wildlife encounters?
What are your policies around getting close to animals?
Do your guides receive professional training?
How do you support conservation?
How do you work with local communities?
Where do your staff and supplies come from?
How do you manage waste and water?
What percentage of your operation is locally owned or staffed?
The answers can tell you a great deal.
DON’T BOOK A SAFARI JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS GOOD ON INSTAGRAM
This one is difficult because, let’s be honest, Africa photographs beautifully.
A luxury tent overlooking a river.
An elephant walking past a swimming pool.
A leopard perfectly positioned in golden light.
A spectacular lodge surrounded by wilderness.
It is easy to fall in love with the photograph.
But the photograph doesn’t tell you the whole story.
Before booking somewhere because it looks incredible online, find out what is happening behind the image.
How was the lodge built?
How does it operate?
How does it use water?
Where does its food come from?
What happens to its waste?
Who works there?
Does the surrounding community benefit?
Does the property contribute to conservation?
Beautiful is wonderful. Responsible is better.
CHOOSE ACCOMMODATION THAT RESPECTS ITS SURROUNDINGS
You don’t necessarily have to stay in the most expensive eco-lodge in Africa to travel responsibly.
Sometimes responsible choices are much simpler.
Choose accommodation that demonstrates genuine consideration for its environment.
Look for properties that:
- Manage water responsibly
- Reduce unnecessary energy use
- Minimise single-use plastic
- Manage waste properly
- Source locally where possible
- Employ local people
- Support surrounding communities
- Contribute to conservation
- Respect the landscape in which they operate
And don’t be afraid to ask the accommodation directly.
A responsible business should be able to tell you what it is doing.
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES
One of the simplest ways your trip can have a positive impact is by making sure your tourism spending reaches local people.
Eat at locally owned restaurants.
Use local guides.
Buy from local artisans.
Choose locally owned accommodation where appropriate.
Book experiences run by people who live in the communities you are visiting.
And when you buy something, think about where the money ends up.
That handmade piece of artwork, piece of jewellery, woven basket or carving means much more when you know the person who made it is actually benefiting from your purchase.
Your holiday spending is powerful.
Every time you choose where to spend it, you are helping shape the tourism economy.
CHOOSE LOCAL GUIDES
A guide can completely change your experience of Africa.
They don’t simply drive you around looking for animals.
A great guide can teach you how to read the landscape.
They can tell you why the elephants are behaving a certain way.
They can identify a bird from a sound you barely noticed.
They can explain the history of a place.
They can introduce you to communities.
They can teach you about conservation.
And sometimes they can simply sit quietly beside you and let you experience the moment.
When possible, choose guides who are properly trained, experienced and connected to the places in which they work.
The person who shows you Africa matters.
BE CAREFUL WITH WILDLIFE EXPERIENCES
Not every experience marketed as a wildlife encounter is necessarily a responsible one.
Before booking an animal experience, ask yourself:
Is this animal behaving naturally?
Can the animal choose whether to interact with people?
Is it being fed or handled?
Is it being bred for tourism?
Are visitors encouraged to touch or hold it?
Is the experience based around getting a photograph with the animal?
If something doesn’t feel right, ask questions.
And if the answers aren’t satisfactory, don’t participate.
You might have travelled thousands of kilometres for that experience.
You might have already paid.
You might have been looking forward to it for years.
But sometimes responsible travel means saying:
No.
LET WILDLIFE REMAIN WILD
When you are on safari, remember that you are a visitor.
You are entering an animal’s home.
Don’t feed wildlife.
Don’t call animals towards you.
Don’t make noises to get their attention.
Don’t ask your guide to get closer.
Don’t encourage vehicles to chase an animal.
Don’t pressure your guide because another vehicle has a better view.
Don’t leave the vehicle unless your guide says it is safe and appropriate.
And don’t assume that because you can get closer, you should.
Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is simply sit quietly and watch.
RESPECT THE LANDSCAPE
Africa’s wildlife needs somewhere to live.
That means responsible travel also means protecting the landscape itself.
Stay on designated roads and paths.
Don’t drive across sensitive vegetation.
Don’t leave rubbish behind.
Don’t remove plants, rocks or other natural materials.
Don’t pollute waterways.
Don’t waste water.
Follow fire restrictions.
Use accommodation’s environmental systems properly.
And remember that something that seems insignificant to you can become significant when thousands of visitors do the same thing.
Leave the landscape as you found it.
THINK ABOUT WATER
Water can be one of the most precious resources in the places we travel.
That can be easy to forget when you are staying somewhere with a long hot shower, swimming pool and fresh towels every morning.
You don’t need to make your holiday uncomfortable.
Just be conscious.
Take shorter showers.
Don’t leave taps running.
Reuse towels where appropriate.
Don’t demand unnecessary linen changes.
Follow local water-saving guidance.
It is a small thing.
But responsible travel is often made up of small things.
REDUCE WHAT YOU TAKE INTO THE WILD
Where you can, reduce the amount of unnecessary waste you create.
Carry a reusable water bottle.
Avoid unnecessary single-use plastic.
Take reusable bags.
Don’t accept things you don’t need.
Dispose of rubbish properly.
And if you are travelling somewhere particularly remote, think carefully about what you are bringing with you in the first place.
The further you get from cities and infrastructure, the more important responsible waste management becomes.
ASK WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES
This might be the most important question in this entire guide.
Where does my money go?
Tourism can create employment.
It can support conservation.
It can provide income for communities.
It can create incentives to protect wildlife and natural landscapes.
But that doesn’t happen automatically.
Your money has to reach the people and projects that benefit from it.
So ask.
Does the lodge employ locally?
Does the safari operator contribute to conservation?
Are local suppliers used?
Does the community receive tourism revenue?
Are guides and staff properly paid?
Does the operator support local projects?
You don’t need to expect every business to solve Africa’s problems.
But you can choose businesses that are making a genuine effort to contribute positively.
DON’T CONFUSE LUXURY WITH RESPONSIBILITY
A luxury safari can be responsible.
A budget safari can be responsible.
And either one can also be irresponsible.
Price isn’t the measure.
A beautiful lodge isn’t automatically sustainable.
A rustic camp isn’t automatically ethical.
A company calling itself “eco” isn’t automatically environmentally responsible.
Look beyond the marketing.
Look at the practices.
Look at the people.
Look at the impact.
Responsible travel is about what happens behind the scenes, not simply what the guest sees.
RESPECT PEOPLE AS MUCH AS PLACES
Africa isn’t an empty wilderness.
It is home to millions of people and hundreds of cultures and communities.
Treat people with the same consideration you would expect when somebody enters your home.
Ask permission before taking photographs.
Be respectful when visiting villages and communities.
Don’t assume that traditional clothing or cultural practices exist for tourist entertainment.
Listen.
Ask questions respectfully.
Learn something before you arrive.
And remember that you are meeting people, not experiencing an attraction.
BE A CONSCIOUS PHOTOGRAPHER
Photography is one of the most wonderful parts of travelling through Africa.
But there are times when the camera needs to come down.
Don’t photograph people without permission.
Don’t interfere with wildlife to get a photograph.
Don’t ask your guide to manipulate an encounter.
Don’t use flash where it could disturb animals.
And don’t spend the entire safari looking through a viewfinder.
Sometimes the photograph you don’t take becomes the memory you remember most clearly.
Be present first. Photograph second.
SUPPORT CONSERVATION
You don’t have to become a conservationist to support conservation.
You can:
- Pay conservation and park fees.
- Donate to reputable organisations.
- Support responsible safari operators.
- Choose camps that contribute to conservation.
- Support community conservation initiatives.
- Learn about the challenges facing the places you visit.
- Share credible conservation work with others.
- Return home and keep talking about it.
And if you are going to donate, take a little time to research the organisation.
Find out what it does.
Who it works with.
Where the money goes.
What impact it has.
Don’t just give because something looks good online. Give because you understand what you are supporting.
DON’T TRY TO DO IT PERFECTLY
This is probably the most important thing I want you to take from this guide.
Responsible travel isn’t about perfection.
You are going to fly.
You are going to use transport.
You are going to consume resources.
You are going to have an impact.
That’s reality.
The goal isn’t to pretend you can leave no footprint whatsoever.
The goal is to become more conscious of the footprint you leave.
If you can make a better choice, make it.
If you can support a local business, support it.
If you can avoid unnecessary waste, avoid it.
If you can choose an ethical wildlife experience instead of an exploitative one, choose the ethical one.
If you can ask a question before booking, ask it.
Small choices matter.
YOUR RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL CHECKLIST
Before you book:
☐ Have I researched the operator?
☐ Do I understand its approach to wildlife?
☐ Does it support local communities?
☐ Does it contribute to conservation?
☐ Can I find evidence of its environmental practices?
☐ Are its guides properly trained?
☐ Do I understand where my money goes?
Before you travel:
☐ Have I learned something about the destination?
☐ Do I understand the local customs?
☐ Have I considered how I can reduce waste?
☐ Have I packed a reusable water bottle?
☐ Do I know the rules around wildlife photography?
While you’re there:
☐ Am I respecting wildlife?
☐ Am I respecting local people?
☐ Am I conserving water and energy?
☐ Am I keeping the landscape clean?
☐ Am I supporting local businesses?
☐ Am I following my guide’s instructions?
☐ Am I allowing Africa to be wild?
Before you leave:
☐ Have I supported a local business?
☐ Have I contributed to conservation where appropriate?
☐ Have I left the landscape as I found it?
☐ Have I learned something that I’ll take home with me?
TRAVEL WITH YOUR HEART OPEN
I don’t think responsible travel means taking the joy out of travelling. Quite the opposite. It can make the experience richer. Because when you know that your guide is from the community, you see the landscape differently.
When you know your stay is contributing to conservation, your holiday means something beyond the room you’re sleeping in. When you understand the challenges facing wildlife, seeing an elephant becomes more than taking a photograph. When you meet the people who call Africa home, the continent becomes more than a destination. It becomes a collection of stories. And that is what I have always wanted I HEART AFRICA PROJECT to be about.
The stories behind the places. The people. The wildlife. The landscapes. The connections. The reasons to care.
Because ultimately, responsible travel isn’t about travelling to Africa and asking:
What can Africa give me?
It is about arriving with a different question.
What can I do to make sure this place, these people, these animals and these wild landscapes are still here for the people who come after me?
That is travelling consciously.
And that is where responsible travel begins.