Eco-friendly activities in Southern Africa

We’ve brought you the best eco-friendly safaris in Africa and our pick of self-drives in South Africa, a great way to see the country while keeping your footprint light and having minimal impact on the environment you’re visiting. Today we explore our favourite adventure activities with an eco-friendly angle. From treetop canopy tours to a mokoro ride down the Okavango Delta, these bring all of the fun with none of the repercussions.

SOUTH AFRICA

Treetop Canopy Tours (Various locations)

The Lonely Planet voted it the second best new experience in the world in 2015 – welcome to the treetop canopy tour, an unforgettable adventure where you zipline through treetops from one platform to the next along a series of steel cables in exquisite natural surroundings. The canopy tours are available in seven locations around South Africa, making it easy to add one to your trip. They welcome anyone between the ages of 5 and still walking!

Read more: if thrill-seeking is the name of your game, you might enjoy these adventure activities.

Neighbourgoods Market (Cape Town & Johannesburg)

A wonderful way to travel sustainably is to support local businesses instead of buying from big franchises. Not only do your purchases help to uplift the regional economy, you also learn about your destination and its local community. Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill in Cape Town and Braamfontein in Joburg is an incredible collection of local foods, fashions and wine and beer merchants, essentially a showcase of each city’s finest micro-merchants. Eating green has never been so enjoyable.

Wine tasting at Spier (Cape Town)

The Cape Winelands is known as one of the finest wine producing regions worldwide. Many wine estates have increased water saving efforts in the wake of the 2017 drought, including Spier which has built its own wastewater treatment plant. Not only does the estate produce premium wines, it is also a leader in fair and sustainable business practices and is recognized by the World Wildlife Fund as a Conservation Champion.

Hiking (Various locations)

What’s better for the environment than a self-drive? A good old fashioned ramble! South Africa is known for it’s breathtaking scenery and there’s no better way to enjoy it than on a hiking or walking trail that allows you to get close to the earth without doing any damage to it.

Are you ready boots?: click here for info on some of the most popular and beautiful multi-day hikes in the country.

Cycle Tours (All major cities)

Another way to go green on your sightseeing trip is by swapping your seat behind the steering wheel for a seat on a saddle. Cycle tours range from short and sweet city sweeps to meanders through the Winelands (visits to several wine estates included, naturally). Other destinations include Cape Point and mountain bike tours along off-road trails in Wellington.

Photo cred: AWOL Tours

SANParks Day Trips

SANParks – or South African National Parks – are scattered throughout the country and include everything from the game-rich Kruger and Addo Elephant Parks to the spring blossom-filled West Coast Park. The parks are carefully managed to preserve and protect each area’s indigenous flora and fauna. Park fees therefore help to support conservation efforts through tourism.

Safari tip: safari travellers should note that while national parks are far more affordable to visit than private game reserves, they also tend to be far busier and more crowded. You’ll need to weigh up your options and decide what matters most to you before booking your safari, something that we can help with.

Hop On Hop Off Bus Sightseeing Tours aka The Red Bus (Cape Town & Johannesburg)

You’ll recognise the bright red double-decker buses dropping off groups of excited visitors at attractions in the cities. The affectionately known ‘Red Bus’ tour is South Africa’s first carbon-neutral bus company and is committed to offsetting emissions by buying carbon credits from a local composting business. You’re supporting the local economy and combating climate change all in one go.

BOTSWANA

Mokoro down the Okavango (Okavango Delta)

One minute you’ll be gliding peacefully down the network of lagoons and waterways, the next the waters will part in front of you as a herd of hippo rises to the surface. This is what it’s like to canoe down the Delta in a mokoro, a traditional dug-out canoe that is the most popular mode of transport here. Experienced guides use long poles to propel the craft through the water, making almost no sound and leaving no trace. Not only does it have zero impact on your surroundings, it also allows you to get up close to game as they’re not spooked by the noise of engines.

RWANDA

Gorilla Trekking (Volcanoes National Park)

In a remote corner of northwestern Rwanda you’ll find the Virunga Mountains in Volcanoes National Park. These mountains are home to the last 800 of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. A trek to see these intelligent creatures is a humbling experience that feels like looking in a mirror. You’ll hike alongside a trained guide to reach the habituated gorilla families that tolerate the presence of humans. The cost of the permits ($1500 per person per day) is funneled back into conservation efforts by Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC who share these mountains, in order to protect these remaining families and see the gorilla population increase in the future.