Angola safari vacation

Planet

Carbon reduction

All local accommodation used is carbon neutral and specifically designed to have neligible impact on the environment. Our mobile safari camp is constructed and broken down each day, with power provided primarily by solar panels in Cuatir. A lengthy internal flight is used on this itinerary, to minimise the need for multiple 4x4 convoys to supply the areas we visit in advance of our tour - this reduces the impact of the tour on the local environment as far as possible.



Environment and wildlife

We know the wildlife in Angola very well and are committed to preserving this great country's wildlife and varied ecosystems. We are lucky to be able to visit so many different ecosystems in Angola and are determined that ecotourism should bring direct and lasting benefit to these areas. Cuatir and Luengue-Luiana National Park are the last stronghold in Angola for many charismatic species, including African wild dog, cheetah, leopard, lion, bush elephant, spotted hyena, caracal and much more. In Angola, we will only drive off-road when it is deemed this will not damage the flora and fauna in the area - this is vitally important, as Angola is home to numerous endemic and endangered plant species. The wildlife in Luengue-Luiana National Park is very skittish, and we will only approach an animal when we are confident this will not cause it any stress and the animal's behaviour will not be altered by our presence. We aim to undertake several night drives in Cuatir and we always aim to conduct such drives as ethically as possible. We will never spotlight a vulnerable, injured or young animal, and will never shine a light directly into the eyes of any animal.

We always ask clients to limit their water usage wherever possible, particularly in areas such as Cuatir where freshwater is a rare commodity. We ask clients to limit the amount of water used when washing, and we use short- or long-drop toilets rather than flush toilets.

People

Local Economy

This tour takes in many areas where tourist groups are hardly ever seen. As such, we are adamant that all interactions with local communities and different ethnic groups are as positive as possible. We will make an effort to stop at several villages belonging to different ethnic groups en route to and from Iona, and we always ask that clients are respectful throughout our visits. This includes following local customs, interacting patiently and politely with those who have not encountered tourists before and, where possible, supporting these communities by spending small sums at local markets.

It is key to our mission that local people see the benefits to ecotourism, allowing people to attach value to local wildlife and ecosystems. We ensure all of our suppliers in Angola employ local people and we are keen to ensure our benefit contributes to employment in the national parks we visit also. This often means that our game drives are accompanied by local guides or ecoguards - this both ensures we get the most out of our visit, and that local people are included in our visit. We always ask clients to consider giving small gratuity payments to these local people who play these roles, as this helps to cement the future of these wonderful wilderness areas.