Sustainable Safari Tips For Your Next African Safari
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Travelling is a wonderful way to explore the beauty of a destination, immerse yourself in the culture, and come home with unforgettable memories and tons of photos. Unfortunately, not much thought is given to the impact your visit may have on a specific location. While tourism offers benefits, it can also put enormous strain on local land and communities through pollution, habitat loss, and pressure on endangered species.
The way we experience the world, particularly through travel, is evolving, with Regenerative Tourism leading this transformative shift. Though not entirely new, the concept has gained significant momentum since the pandemic. How wonderful was it to see nature take back its environment? From penguins wandering the streets of Cape Town to ducks peacefully reclaiming the canals of Venice - these moments serve as powerful reminders of nature's resilience and the role we play in preserving it for future generations.
Regenerative Tourism is about more than just ensuring we don’t “damage” the environment, but it’s also about actively revitalising and regenerating it. This enviably creates a positive cycle that impacts local communities and economies.
A quote from Kariega Game Reserve’s CEO, Lindy Sutherland, perfectly explains this concept:
“As custodians of this wilderness, we understand that if it does not serve us all, the wildlife, fauna and flora as well as the neighbouring communities, we will have failed in our mission to protect it forever. Sustainable conservation demands that we build conservation through community. Regenerative Tourism demands that we contribute to the rejuvenation of our planet and people. We aspire to do both! ”
At Kariega Game Reserve, we’re deeply committed to safeguarding our breathtaking, biodiverse landscapes and the incredible wildlife that call them home. Through our close partnership with the Kariega Foundation, we not only protect these precious ecosystems but also work to uplift and nurture the surrounding communities. Together, we’re ensuring that both nature and people thrive, while inspiring others to join us in this important journey.
Regenerative Tourism vs Sustainable Tourism
Sustainability has become a bit of a buzzword, but what does it really mean when it comes to tourism? Sustainable tourism is about minimising the negative impact that tourism can have on the environment, culture, and local communities. Its goal is to maintain the current state of a destination, ensuring that tourism doesn't further harm natural and cultural resources. However, this approach can sometimes feel like a quick fix, especially when the environment and communities have already suffered.
At Kariega, we've embraced Regenerative Tourism, which goes beyond sustainability. Instead of just preserving what's there, we aim to actively restore and improve both the environment and the communities affected by tourism. Regenerative tourism doesn’t just prevent harm—it empowers local communities by involving them directly in tourism initiatives that support their livelihoods, celebrate their traditions, and rejuvenate their environments.
This approach has allowed us to build stronger relationships and see more equitable benefits, fostering resilience and growth for everyone involved.
Uplifting Communities
At the heart of what we do is our commitment to building a truly symbiotic relationship between community and nature. We believe this can only be achieved through raising awareness and supporting the well-being of the communities living within and around our ever-expanding borders. A key part of this mission is our Youth Development initiative, a cornerstone project that directly contributes to developing skills and creating employment opportunities for local youth.
We firmly believe that the future of our country lies in the hands of its young people, and that education is the catalyst for unlocking opportunities and fostering sustainable livelihoods. That’s why we’re dedicated to the holistic development of our youth through a dynamic, multi-faceted program that includes:
- Broad-based Social and Emotional Learning
- Sports Development
- Information Technology and Environmental Education.
- Skills development and learnership opportunities
Ultimately, our goal is to drive meaningful social and environmental change within the community, creating employment opportunities for young people in South Africa’s ecotourism and wildlife protection sectors as well as other sectors via entrepreneurship and enterprise development.
When you choose Kariega Game Reserve as your South African safari destination, you're not just immersing yourself in the breathtaking beauty of our landscapes and wildlife — you're actively contributing to a brighter future that supports both conservation efforts and community growth.
Every guest who enjoys a safari with us becomes a vital partner in this mission. Through a mandatory conservation and community levy donation, you directly help preserve wildlife and uplift local communities. This levy donation, charged separately when making your reservation, allows us to work closely with the Kariega Foundation to foster a sustainable eco-tourism model that protects our biodiverse landscapes and empowers the people who call this region home. Together, we’re creating a legacy that ensures nature and community thrive side by side.
Restoring Ecosystems
Restoring ecosystems is a mission that’s deeply personal to us, as we’re passionate about bringing back the earth’s natural biodiversity. Every step we take — from rehabilitating habitats to reintroducing indigenous species — is driven by our dedication to ensuring that these ecosystems flourish for generations to come.
Three years ago, we embarked on an ambitious project to expand critical habitats by acquiring and integrating farmland along the Bushman’s River into the protected Kariega Game Reserve. Now, nearly a year later, this effort has created vast new spaces for key species like elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, and lions to thrive.
Kariega Game Reserve is home to five distinct ecosystems — valley bushveld, savannah grassland, fynbos, riverine forest, and acacia woodland. These ecosystems host a rich variety of indigenous plant life, which we’ve carefully preserved through our ongoing work at the Kariega Conservation Centre (KCC). Our nursery of indigenous and fruit trees find homes that nurture local communities. This effort works hand-in-hand with our Alien Plant Control initiative, focused on eradicating invasive species like the prickly pear, a cactus native to Mexico.
To ensure the survival and success of the incredible species that call Kariega home, we’re deeply committed to research and reintroduction projects for several endemic and rare animals, including brown hyenas, honey badgers, barred owlets, serval, rhinos, and leopards. Every effort helps us move closer to our vision of a thriving, biodiverse environment where wildlife can prosper.
Sustainable Practices
While there are a range of sustainable practices implemented at Kariega, our most notable is the recent unveiling of our water room. Rainwater is collected via the gutter and transferred into a water tank where it undergoes a reverse osmosis. This is a water purification process that uses a semipermeable membrane to filter out contaminants, leaving behind clean, safe drinking water. This has enabled us to reduce our dependence on external water supplies, while supporting our commitment to conservation and sustainable resource management.
Upon arrival, each guest is gifted a personalised glass bottle filled with purified water. By using this bottle throughout your stay—and even taking it home—you actively support our mission to eliminate single-use plastics. Since 2019, we’ve proudly removed all plastic bottles from our safari lodges, making a meaningful step toward sustainability and protecting our environment for future generations.
Sustainability with Kariega Game Reserve
Whether it's restoring ecosystems, supporting local communities, or embracing sustainable practices, we’re hoping to contribute to a brighter future. By choosing us as your safari destination, you're not just experiencing the natural beauty of South Africa; you're playing a vital role in preserving it. Together, we can protect the wildlife, uplift communities, and ensure that this remarkable landscape continues to thrive for generations to come.
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