Don't let unethical tour operators funnel your tourist dollars into hunting
There are some wonderful destinations in Africa where you will see and experience our wildlife in their own environment. There are also places in Africa that will offer you an interactive experience with our wildlife, which is unnatural.
If you are offered a Cub petting and walking with lions experience ask yourself "what happens to all these babies when they can no longer be petted and walked with".
In most cases these lions will be used in a canned hunts. Their lives will end brutally and in terrible pain. If you indulge in cub petting and lion walking, then you make yourself an accomplice to one of the cruellest industries in the world.
We are proud to host the following Travel Agents / Tour operators and Destinations who have pledged to an ethical and responsible business model to help save our wildlife from extinction.
If you are offered a Cub petting and walking with lions experience ask yourself "what happens to all these babies when they can no longer be petted and walked with".
In most cases these lions will be used in a canned hunts. Their lives will end brutally and in terrible pain. If you indulge in cub petting and lion walking, then you make yourself an accomplice to one of the cruellest industries in the world.
We are proud to host the following Travel Agents / Tour operators and Destinations who have pledged to an ethical and responsible business model to help save our wildlife from extinction.
Ethical Travel Agents & Tour Operators
Outbound in Africa is a specialist safari company offering bespoke trips to southern Africa, ranging from regular safaris to walking safaris to spot the Big Five (where you can get up close but not too personal with the African lion, elephant, leopard, Cape buffalo and black rhino), cross country train travel in luxurious, wood-panelled coaches, gorilla trekking, photography safaris, and anything and everything in between.
Our tailor-made trips are designed to suit an individual’s needs, whether that is staying in a luxury lodge or taking a walk on the wild side through the African Bush. Safaris are what we know, it’s where our hearts lie and we have a real passion for sharing our experiences with others. We offer a truly authentic safari experience.
http://www.outboundinafrica.com/
Our tailor-made trips are designed to suit an individual’s needs, whether that is staying in a luxury lodge or taking a walk on the wild side through the African Bush. Safaris are what we know, it’s where our hearts lie and we have a real passion for sharing our experiences with others. We offer a truly authentic safari experience.
http://www.outboundinafrica.com/
Trailblazers Travel was born with vision to create an adventurous, culturally immersive and ethical small group and individual travel while using our passions of giving, to alleviate world poverty. All our itineraries offer lovers of travel a new way to see the world, to immerse yourself in new adventures, engaging experiences, real connections and responsible, sustainable travel where everyone benefits. We are continually adding new and exciting itineraries, covering all corners of the globe. We work with locals to create adventures that change the world and connect people and places, ensuring that every interaction leaves them both better than when we found them.
Come visit us at www.trailblazerstravel.com.au - Adventures that Change the World!
Come visit us at www.trailblazerstravel.com.au - Adventures that Change the World!
Marianne Birrell Safaries
Tailor-make your own safari - it's fun and it's easy with experts who know the areas, the lodges and how best to get there.
At no extra cost. Marianne Birrell Safaris has created tailor-made safaris since 2001, adding a Cape Town sector (her home town) for a perfect Southern Africa experience.
Website: www.mariannebirrell.net
Tailor-make your own safari - it's fun and it's easy with experts who know the areas, the lodges and how best to get there.
At no extra cost. Marianne Birrell Safaris has created tailor-made safaris since 2001, adding a Cape Town sector (her home town) for a perfect Southern Africa experience.
Website: www.mariannebirrell.net
Captured in Africa
Photographic Safaris & Adventures
Captured in Africa is a South African based tour operator catering to people who have an interest in and love for Africa’s wild places, conservation, wildlife and photography.
A variety of tours are offered throughout Africa, including countries such as Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Travel experiences range from world-class five-star game lodges to camping and hands-on conservation experiences, and cater to a range of travellers.
First time safari-goers, seasoned adventurers, novice and professional photographers, conservationists, and families are all welcome.
Website: http://www.capturedinafrica.com/
Photographic Safaris & Adventures
Captured in Africa is a South African based tour operator catering to people who have an interest in and love for Africa’s wild places, conservation, wildlife and photography.
A variety of tours are offered throughout Africa, including countries such as Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Travel experiences range from world-class five-star game lodges to camping and hands-on conservation experiences, and cater to a range of travellers.
First time safari-goers, seasoned adventurers, novice and professional photographers, conservationists, and families are all welcome.
Website: http://www.capturedinafrica.com/
Aardvark Safaris
Aardvark Safaris has offices in the UK, USA and Hong Kong and will work with you to design your dream African holiday. We help plan everything from game viewing from exclusive camps for a family safari holiday, to Kilimanjaro climbs, to riding safaris in the Okavango Delta or plains of Tanzania, to enjoying beautiful beaches on remote islands off Madagascar.
Website: UK - www.aardvarksafaris.co.uk
Website: USA - www.aardvarksafaris.com
Aardvark Safaris has offices in the UK, USA and Hong Kong and will work with you to design your dream African holiday. We help plan everything from game viewing from exclusive camps for a family safari holiday, to Kilimanjaro climbs, to riding safaris in the Okavango Delta or plains of Tanzania, to enjoying beautiful beaches on remote islands off Madagascar.
Website: UK - www.aardvarksafaris.co.uk
Website: USA - www.aardvarksafaris.com
Pilanesberg Safaris and Tours
We are a dedicated tour operator focussed on promoting and providing a full spectrum of activities, safaris and accommodation in the unique Malaria Free Alkaline Ring Volcano Complex that is the awe-inspiring Pilanesberg National Park.
Website: www.pilanesbergsafaris.com
We are a dedicated tour operator focussed on promoting and providing a full spectrum of activities, safaris and accommodation in the unique Malaria Free Alkaline Ring Volcano Complex that is the awe-inspiring Pilanesberg National Park.
Website: www.pilanesbergsafaris.com
Free and Easy Traveler
We want to change your life by raising the bar for what you consider to be the best time you've ever had, and at the same time we want to expose you to something completely foreign: another culture, a new landscape, a new way to live and a sense of freedom that most people never get to feel.
We are happy to say that we have taken thousands of young travelers to 12 different countries, and we are always dreaming of more adventures to more and more countries. You could say that this is at the root of what Free & Easy is: to help everyone find and pursue their life dreams.
We want you to feel FREE, and to take life EASY. Epic Travel Alters Perspective.
Website: www.freeandeasytraveler.com
We want to change your life by raising the bar for what you consider to be the best time you've ever had, and at the same time we want to expose you to something completely foreign: another culture, a new landscape, a new way to live and a sense of freedom that most people never get to feel.
We are happy to say that we have taken thousands of young travelers to 12 different countries, and we are always dreaming of more adventures to more and more countries. You could say that this is at the root of what Free & Easy is: to help everyone find and pursue their life dreams.
We want you to feel FREE, and to take life EASY. Epic Travel Alters Perspective.
Website: www.freeandeasytraveler.com
Absolute Birding
Exclusive and personalized eco-birding tours and photographic safaris to Southern Africa. Book a spot on one of our programmed tours, create a personalized tour or chase particular birds or animals for your lists. It's all about the birds !
Ornithological wishes
Sean de Nobrega
Absolute Birding Tours : MD
Website: www.absolutebirding.com
Exclusive and personalized eco-birding tours and photographic safaris to Southern Africa. Book a spot on one of our programmed tours, create a personalized tour or chase particular birds or animals for your lists. It's all about the birds !
Ornithological wishes
Sean de Nobrega
Absolute Birding Tours : MD
Website: www.absolutebirding.com
Better World Travel is an Australian-based Travel Agency providing inspiration for travellers of enriching, authentic, ethical and responsible travel experiences. We are a social purpose business in that, through bookings, we donate to charities. We also undertake to protect wildlife and the environment through awareness and education about global destinations and the impact of tourism. We believe that travel is a valuable way to understand and learn from our fellow humans, globally, in order to create a better world, through travel. You can see more about us at www.betterworldtravel.com.au
Safari With Us (Pty) Ltd is an incorporated private tour agent & operator based in Johannesburg, South Africa. We arrange memorable safari, wildlife & adventure tours in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania, etc. Select from one day game drives to full lodge accommodation trips.
What kind of traveler are you? Adventure, Eco, Leisure? Luxury, comfort or rustic? Whatever fits your individual style, we will craft a fitting tour with perfect accommodations for you. The sky's the limit - literally, if you want to sleep in a treehouse, no problem! If you want luxury and pampering, no problem! If you want to experience adrenaline pumping bush walks, no problem! We cater to couples, small groups, larger groups as well as single travelers.
Let us customize your dream vacation!
_
http://www.safariwithus.com
Pangolin Photo Safaris offers photographic safaris and workshops throughout Southern and Eastern Africa, to photographers of all levels of experience. Even those who have never tried their hand at photography can give it a go, with tailored workshops along the Chobe River and the help of experienced photo guides. Camera gear can also be supplied to ensure that every angle of your trip is covered. Their ethical approach to wildlife photography means that guests can expect a truly authentic experience discovering Africa.
http://www.pangolinphoto.com/
http://www.pangolinphoto.com/
World Expeditions have pioneered sustainable small group trekking and adventure travel holidays to every continent on the earth. They have over 800 high quality adventure tours to suit nearly every age or fitness level. These range from awe-inspiring trekking holidays in the Himalaya to cycling adventures in Asia, expedition Antarctic cruises to wildlife safaris. They have worked with World Animal Protection to develop their Animal Welfare in Tourism Code of Conduct which they expect their local operators, employees and travellers to follow. At the moment they are also offering a special Wild Animal Encounters in Kenya trip of which they donate a percentage of each trip to WAP.
www.worldexpeditions.com
www.worldexpeditions.com
For travellers with a yearning to get off the beaten track, Intrepid opens up a whole new world of adventure travel.
Visiting the world's most incredible places, Intrepid introduces travellers to the people and cultures that define a destination. From the back streets of Asia, to the wilds of Africa, the rich culture of Latin America, the immense national parks of North America, the delicacies of Europe and the ancient cultures of ancient Australasia - Intrepid has an adventure for everyone.
And as a specialist in small group adventure tours, we provide options to suit almost every budget, comfort grading and level of physical activity.
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk
Visiting the world's most incredible places, Intrepid introduces travellers to the people and cultures that define a destination. From the back streets of Asia, to the wilds of Africa, the rich culture of Latin America, the immense national parks of North America, the delicacies of Europe and the ancient cultures of ancient Australasia - Intrepid has an adventure for everyone.
And as a specialist in small group adventure tours, we provide options to suit almost every budget, comfort grading and level of physical activity.
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk
OPEN INVITATION TO THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY
We are going to lose our wildlife heritage unless civil society acts decisively to fill the void left by dysfunctionality in SA conservation structures. The travel industry is in a unique position to influence the behaviour of tourists. It can help to make tourist dollars a force for good in S.A. by encouraging ethical spend.
Most people now know how Lion farmers externalise the cost of rearing their cubs to huntable size by using the cubs for cub-petting and by Walk with Lions experiences. Every cub petted now will suffer a miserable life in captivity, until a cruel death brings relief.
We all know too that SA lion farms are a massive and growing threat to the extinction of wild lions. Whistle blowers have come forward in Botswana, telling how they chase wild lion prides to the point of exhaustion, using 4 x 4 vehicles, and how they shoot as many adults as necessary in order to capture the cubs for sale to unscrupulous lion farmers in S.A.
And now we have the growing lion bone trade, featured in Carte Blanche and 50/50 TV recently. The investment of Asian crime syndicates in the new lion bone trade means that we can predict an inevitable surge in the poaching of wild lions for their bones.
We cannot leave it all to SA conservation authorities, which are collapsing; indeed, some provincial structures are now incapable of even basic record keeping.
This ghastly business must be stopped.
We suggest a three point plan:
1. Sign the undertaking on the back of this letter and return it to us.
2. Engage with us to agree a Code of Practice that will reward ethical destinations and penalise facilities such as lion farms that pass themselves off as wildlife sanctuaries in order to attract tourists.
3. Educate tourists to avoid lion farms posing as wildlife sanctuaries. The presence of cubs is decisive.
The stakes could hardly be higher. Let us join together and put a stop to canned lion hunting and at the same time help to save our wild lion populations from regional extinction.
What we have lost is nothing compared to what we stand to lose, and the travel agencies have a particular responsibility towards the survival of wildlife in S.A. So let us not waste any time. We ask you to take responsibility for the lives of our lions.
UNDERTAKING BY TOUR OPERATORS:
1. We undertake not to promote any destination that offers lion cub-petting.
2. We undertake not to promote any destination that offers lion walking experience.
3. We undertake not to promote any destination that breeds predators.
4. We would like to be listed as an ethical travel agent on CACH’s website.
As we will be advertising your organisation as an ethical tour operator on our website, we do need to take the ethical part further than just lions. I know that CACH concentrates on lions, but we cannot be that narrow in the definition that we don't care about other activities involving interaction with wild animals. Lions, elephants, cheetah, monkeys etc.
We would hope that a pledge from you would endorse no wildlife interaction for the tourists that book through your website and therefore your organisation.
We are going to lose our wildlife heritage unless civil society acts decisively to fill the void left by dysfunctionality in SA conservation structures. The travel industry is in a unique position to influence the behaviour of tourists. It can help to make tourist dollars a force for good in S.A. by encouraging ethical spend.
Most people now know how Lion farmers externalise the cost of rearing their cubs to huntable size by using the cubs for cub-petting and by Walk with Lions experiences. Every cub petted now will suffer a miserable life in captivity, until a cruel death brings relief.
We all know too that SA lion farms are a massive and growing threat to the extinction of wild lions. Whistle blowers have come forward in Botswana, telling how they chase wild lion prides to the point of exhaustion, using 4 x 4 vehicles, and how they shoot as many adults as necessary in order to capture the cubs for sale to unscrupulous lion farmers in S.A.
And now we have the growing lion bone trade, featured in Carte Blanche and 50/50 TV recently. The investment of Asian crime syndicates in the new lion bone trade means that we can predict an inevitable surge in the poaching of wild lions for their bones.
We cannot leave it all to SA conservation authorities, which are collapsing; indeed, some provincial structures are now incapable of even basic record keeping.
This ghastly business must be stopped.
We suggest a three point plan:
1. Sign the undertaking on the back of this letter and return it to us.
2. Engage with us to agree a Code of Practice that will reward ethical destinations and penalise facilities such as lion farms that pass themselves off as wildlife sanctuaries in order to attract tourists.
3. Educate tourists to avoid lion farms posing as wildlife sanctuaries. The presence of cubs is decisive.
The stakes could hardly be higher. Let us join together and put a stop to canned lion hunting and at the same time help to save our wild lion populations from regional extinction.
What we have lost is nothing compared to what we stand to lose, and the travel agencies have a particular responsibility towards the survival of wildlife in S.A. So let us not waste any time. We ask you to take responsibility for the lives of our lions.
UNDERTAKING BY TOUR OPERATORS:
1. We undertake not to promote any destination that offers lion cub-petting.
2. We undertake not to promote any destination that offers lion walking experience.
3. We undertake not to promote any destination that breeds predators.
4. We would like to be listed as an ethical travel agent on CACH’s website.
As we will be advertising your organisation as an ethical tour operator on our website, we do need to take the ethical part further than just lions. I know that CACH concentrates on lions, but we cannot be that narrow in the definition that we don't care about other activities involving interaction with wild animals. Lions, elephants, cheetah, monkeys etc.
We would hope that a pledge from you would endorse no wildlife interaction for the tourists that book through your website and therefore your organisation.