September 2014 by Responsible Traveller

September 2014

be the difference

A focus on responsible

Luxury Travel

Sabi Sabi • Celebrate conservation for World Rhino Day Can Luxury Travel be ‘responsible’? • Style & Luxury at the Cape Grace

www.responsibletraveller.co.za

Your Holiday needn’t cost the earth: By choosing a Fair Trade Tourism certified business, you’re guaranteed a holiday experience that positively impacts employees, the community and the environment. So next time you are planning your holiday, look out for our striking label as a sign that the business has been certified by Fair Trade Tourism and is adhering to our strict standard. You’ll leave not only relaxed and recharged, but feeling fulfilled and rewarded too.

For more information about Fair Trade Tourism; FTT certified businesses & how to become certified, please visit our website www.fairtrade.travel

Comment Welcome to another DIGITAL edition of Responsible Traveller… Spring has sprung in the southern hemisphere and year end looms... Many will be planning their Christmas holiday travels and others their ‘bucket list’ trips for 2015. Often on that list is an epic African safari, and a luxury one at that. Which brings me to the focus of this issue – responsible luxury travel. The question is often asked, ‘how can luxury travel be responsible?’ Others would say, ‘how can it not ‘. We chat to Fairtrade Tourism and four of Southern Africa’s top luxury travel safari operators to get their views on the subject. Get to ‘experience’ Fairtrade accredited Sabi Sabi and Tswalu Kalahari, Heritage certified Cape Grace and Karkloof Safari Spa – four different luxury experiences, all making a difference in some way. September being the month of World Rhino Day, we celebrate some of Southern Africa’s conservation success stories, from the community conservation efforts at Somkhanda in KwaZulu-Natal, to the ‘Rhinos Without Borders’ campaign that aims to translocate 100 rhino to safer environments. Make your donation through Trevolta.com and share your ‘rhino selfie’ with us on the Responsible Traveller Facebook Page. And Talking Of Sharing, Remember To share your experiences with us, tell us about your ‘travel like a local’ experiences and your making a difference moments. We are also encouraged to ‘get off our couches, beach towels and coffee shop chairs’and explore our own cities. What better way to be a responsible traveller... no carbon footprint and great opportunities to interact with, and experience local cuisine and culture. Once again from a responsible tourism point of view, remember that not all establishments and activities will tick all the boxes – so all the more reason for you as the ‘traveller’ to travel with care, and be mindful of the impact that you’re making on a destination. Enjoy the read… and be the difference.

tessa

Magazine Information September 2014 Editor Tessa Buhrmann Cell: 083 603 9000 tessa@responsibletraveller.co.za Design & Layout Michele Mayer Cell: 082 934 6940 creativelink@mweb.co.za Advertising & editorial enquiries info@responsibletraveller.co.za Digital Subscriptions info@responsibletraveller www.responsibletraveller.co.za

Responsible Traveller Published by Spotted Mongoose Media CC (CK 2008/178482/23) Contact Details P.O. Box 3, Gillitts 3603 KwaZulu-Natal South Africa Tel: +27 31 7674022 Fax: +27 86 542 9615 Publication details Responsible Traveller DIGITAL is published monthly

Cover Image: &Beyond Mnemba Island, Zanzibar Pic - &Beyond ©

Disclaimer Responsible Traveller is published by Spotted Mongoose Media CC. The information provided and the opinions expressed in this publication are done so in good faith and while every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither the managing editor nor the publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors; or for any misfortune, injury or damages that may arise. All rights are reserved and no material from this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers.

responsible traveller 03

pg 08

Contents Awareness: Being a Responsible Traveller 06 Luxury Travel 08

pg 22

Fairtrade on Responsible Luxury Travel

Tourism Month... in the Northern Cape

100

Places to Stay: Sabi Sabi - the salt of the Earth 28 Style & Luxury at the Cape Grace 40 36 Hours of organic living & wellness 58 Experience Soweto... in style

Wildlife & Safari: Just Deserts...? 48 Somkhanda - a jewel of Zululand 72 Rhino Art - leading the way in demand reduction education 78 pg 34

Adventures & Activities: Durban walks... 86 My Soweto Experience... in 24 hours 92

pg 44

www.responsibletraveller.co.za 04 responsible traveller

pg 58

Contents News: Singita Boulders Lodge: a sustainable solution 24 Cheli & Peacock Maasia Mara Medical Camp 26 Groundbreaking ceremony for APSS 36 Isibindi Africa launches Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge 38 Responsible Tourism a stepcloser

Hotel Verde celebrates its first birthday 45

pg 72

New modular resource management system introduced 46 Heritage supports smart energy management technology 47 Rhinos without Borders

Zimanga, Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first photographic reserve opens 70 New Rooibos Route launched 84 Cape Canopy Tour now open 85 Caring initiatives part of Taste of Durban

Regulars: Comment 03 Supplier Listing

104

pg 96

pg 100

www.responsibletraveller.co.za

Being a

Responsible Traveller

Responsible travel is a way of enjoying the many sights, experiences and memories of the destination you have chosen. It ensures that visitors and local communities alike share the benefits of tourism and travel equally, and it promotes greater understanding of and appreciation for fair and equitable business practice. Responsible travel is about putting back into travel what you get from it, and here are a few considerations that you could make when next you travel.

• Ask to see your tour operator's responsible travel policy. • Ask to see the environmental policy of the accommodation establishment that you have selected – don’t be fooled by vague and unsubstantiated claims. • Help the local economy by buying local produce in preference to imported goods. • Ask your tour operator to establish the extent to which local communities enjoy benefits from your economic spend during your stay at a location. • If bargaining to buy an item, bear in mind that a small amount to you could be extremely important to the seller – be realistic and fair. • Realise that often the people in the country you are visiting have different time concepts, values and thought patterns from your own, this does not make them inferior, only different. • Cultivate the habit of asking questions and discover the pleasure that you can enjoy by seeing a different way of life through others eyes. • Use public transport, hire a bike or walk where convenient – you'll meet local people and get to know the place far better – always be safe and considerate. • Use water sparingly – it is precious inmany countries and the local people may not have sufficient clean water – challenge any wasteful practice at your hotel or lodge. • Switch Something Off – whenever you leave your room, switch unnecessary lights and equipment off and play your part in reducing greenhouse emissions.

06 responsible traveller

• Don't discard litter when visiting outof-the-way places and attractions, take it with you and dispose of it at your hotel or lodge. Waste disposal is often a major problem at outlying attractions and sites and it leads to litter and unhealthy environments for locals. • Respect local cultures, traditions and holy places. For example, ask permission before you photograph local people – in some countries it can cause offence. • Learn more about the cultural experiences that you are exposed to – avoid ‘sound-byte’ tourism and encourage tour operators to provide more insight into the dances, songs and traditionalexperiences that they present to you. • Do not buy products made from endangered species, hard woods, shells from beach traders, or ancient artefacts (which have probably beenstolen). When visiting gift and curio shops, be aware of the source of the products on sale and if in doubt, don’t buy. • Read up on the countries you plan to visit – the welcome will be warmer if you take an interest and speak even a few words of the local language. • When you get home drop your tour operator a note to let them know how you got on.

Essentials: www.heritagesa.co.za www.fairtrade.travel www.trees.co.za www.rhinoafrica.com

On your next holiday, consider the road less travelled.. Being a Responsible Traveller

Travelling can be stressful at most times, but responsible travel choices are a way of ensuring that your travels don’t stress the environment or host communities. By choosing to be a responsible traveller, you are contributing to the sustainable future of Africa and to the long-term development of your host destination. Next time you travel, select properties and facilities that have been independently certified on their social, cultural and environmental performance.

GreenLine is South Africa’s leading responsible tourism certification programme for accommodation facilities and our members are independently monitored to ensure that they meet the highest standard of responsible business practice in an effort to ensure that tourism benefits all.

learn more about your destination, its people and cultures. respect the dignity of others and ask before taking photo’s dress appropriately, particularly at religious or cultural sites dispose of your waste responsibly - recycle where possible minimise your use of water and electricity support local tour guides where available don’t buy goods made from endangered or threatened species support local entrepreneurs, crafters and curio shops avoid giving cash donations - rather become involved or give in-kind Take only pictures, leave only footprints!

For more information on how you can be more responsible about your travel choices, visit www.greenline-rt.com today and help us make southern Africa the most responsible destination globally.

The Heritage Environmental Management Company tel: +27 012 667 6658 fax: +27 086 610 7120 e: info@heritagesa.co.za web: www.greenline-rt.com

Luxury Travelâ&#x20AC;Ś 08 responsible traveller

Image - &Beyond ÂŠ

&Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge

responsible traveller 09

oo many, luxury travel and responsible travel are on opposite ends of the travel spectrum… Responsible Traveller posed some questions to four of the top luxury safari operators in Southern Africa to get their response.

Can Luxury Travel be considered responsible travel? GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION: Definitely… in fact luxury travel is possibly the only way to ensure that responsible travel actually achieves what it sets out to achieve. WILDERNESS SAFARIS: The interesting question here is how do you define luxury – it can mean different things to different people. To Wilderness Safaris, luxury is about the luxury of space; the privilege of travelling to the most exclusive and pristine wilderness areas of Africa; superlative local hospitality and service throughout your trip; and life-changing wildlife encounters, whilst ensuring the local communities realise the benefits of ecotourism at the same time. To us, it’s not about the bricks and mortar … our camps are beautifully and sensitively built to ensure the lightest footprint possible and to have minimal impact on the environment. So yes, we believe luxury travel can be responsible as well; not only that but responsible ecotourism can make a profound impact to the ongoing biodiversity and conservation of a region and local community empowerment.

How would you define Responsible Travel? GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION: Quite simply – look at where you are staying. Look at what you will be doing when on holiday. Look at where you will be spending your money. Responsible travel is two fold… 1) Look at travelling with suppliers that have tangible environmental practises and community upliftment initiatives. If a supplier can’t rave about what they do they probably don’t have anything of substance behind the scenes. 2) Responsible travel also demands that the traveller is responsible in their choice of where they stay and what the see, do, eat etc. when on holiday. I’ts no good to offset your carbon footprint for your flight and then go eat all the seafood, which is endangered when at a coastal resort. Responsible travel does not mean you need to wear a hemp shirt and live in a tent. You just need to consider what you are doing and how this affects the environment and local communities. 10 responsible traveller

&BEYOND: Travellers increasingly want to feel that the money they spend on a luxurious holiday is going to good use. &Beyond was founded on this premise – giving our guests the experience of a lifetime while making a difference in conservation and community development. Taking care of the land where our lodges are situated and its wildlife makes good business sense. &Beyond has done this from the beginning, when we pioneered a number of wildlife reintroduction techniques.

As a specialist in luxury safaris, guest comfort is obviously high on the priority list and high standards are often required to keep guests happy. How do you justify the luxury aspects… and the perception of indulgence in areas that are often challenged with poverty? &BEYOND: For us, looking after people is just as important as caring for the land and the wildlife. It is vital for the communities surrounding wildlife areas to feel the benefits flowing out of conservation in order to support these reserves. For over twenty years we have worked with our social development partner, Africa Foundation, to empower and enrich the lives of these communities, focusing on healthcare, education and enterprise development. GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION: We never use the word “luxury” – we shy away from it. We focus on guest experiences. This is after all why you travel in the first place. Some of our most successful projects are ones where you simply canoe down the Selinda Spillway in Botswana for 5 days staying in camps on the side of the river each evening or take a bicycle or go out on horseback to see wildlife in the Chyulu Hills of Kenya. The missing ingredient is that for too long local communities that border many tourism camps have not been vertically integrated financially into these businesses. They are marginalised and thus ultimately do not see the benefit of having wildife conserved or realise the benefits of the tourism businesses on their front doors. SINGITA: Our staff and the communities around us understand that the Singita model is low impact,

Image - &Beyond ©

&Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge

‘Travellers increasingly want to feel that the money they spend on a luxurious holiday is going to good use...’ &BEYOND

responsible traveller 11

Wilderness Safaris - Odzala Wilderness Camp

Great Plains Conservation - Selinda Camp

high revenue tourism. Exclusivity as a result of relatively small numbers of beds on large tracts of land comes at a price and to achieve this guests expect the very best. Our stakeholders, including the communities around us are inspired by our accolades.

Image - Great Plains Conservation ©

WILDERNESS SAFARIS: It is an ongoing challenge, both from a monetary and environmental perspective, to ensure that we build our camps to have the lightest ecological footprint as possible. Our luxury safari guests want a camp with an unspoilt atmosphere, yet with some home comforts. Our camps are therefore designed to achieve this delicate balance, combining ease with the ambiance of our natural surroundings.

12 responsible traveller

Our activities aim to ensure that neighbouring communities value conservation through the receipt of meaningful, real and visible socioeconomic benefits. We are able to measure our progress by recording our investments into projects or communities (check out the details online)... We believe that our Wilderness journeys change peoples’ lives and, through our guests’ support we create sustainable economies. Not only that but we hope that they, in turn, take our 4Cs ethos back home with them to continue affecting change.

How do you incorporate environmental, community, economic and conservation initiatives into your operations? WILDERNESS SAFARIS: As mentioned above, we are deeply committed to our 4Cs ethic: Commerce, Conservation, Community and Culture. Our annual Integrated Report incorporates our financial and 4Cs sustainability framework into one coherent report, demonstrating that each aspect of our business – Commerce, Conservation, Community and Culture – is as important as the other. We have to do well to affect change, but we have also demonstrated that, by making a difference, we can also create value for our shareholders.

Image - Wilderness Safaris ©

&BEYOND: For over twenty years we have worked with our social development partner, Africa Foundation, to empower and enrich the lives of these communities, focusing on healthcare, education and enterprise development.

‘We believe that our Wilderness journeys change peoples’ lives and, through our guests’ support we create sustainable economies.’ WILDERNESS SAFARIS

Another way we ensure that local people benefit is by drawing as much as 75% of our lodge staff from local communities. The procurement processes at our lodges also support local small businesses, many of them set up through Africa Foundation. The benefits our staff members and their communities get through being employed by &Beyond go beyond the financial, with our Positive Health project training staff members to counsel and care for people with life-threatening diseases, including HIV/Aids. Our Goal is Life programme uses soccer as a unifying force, inspiring staff and community members to set goals to work towards and having a positive impact on morale and health. Another initiative, Sing for Life, uses music in a similar manner, creating choir groups that compete with one another. Thus, while providing our guests with lifechanging experiences, we channel their travel dollars into communities and conservation. It is the premise &Beyond was founded on and, increasingly, it is the way of the future. GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION: We look at every single aspect of the business and ask how we can soften our impact whilst creating upliftment in a meaningful way… continually. A recent success story is one with our Maasai landowners that live around Ol Donyo Lodge in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills. For generations the right of passage for a boy to manhood was one where they needed to kill a lion barehanded. The Maasai recognised though that lions are becoming severely endangered, with less than 20,000 free responsible traveller 13

roaming lions left in the whole of Africa. So they approached us to see what we could do to change this time honoured tradition. Last year we held our first Maasai Olympics at Ol Donyo Lodge to great success. In effect the Maasai have now adopted several Olympic inspired events where they compete against each other with the winners being recognised with the status usually afforded to a lion killer. We have removed all plastic water bottles from our camps, our camps are running on more and more solar energy – both for power and water heating at guest rooms and back of house level, we are tinkering with the running our camp drive vehicles on biofuel and not diesel with some remarkable success, our kitchens are employing bio reactors under the ground which convert organic kitchen waste into gas which in turn fuels our stoves – the list carries on… SINGITA: It is our mantra. Every staff member is expected to know about our community work, conservation initiatives and the importance of these to our tourism operations. From their induction staff are indoctrinated to the importance of the ‘three pillars’ to our brand and our vision. We set standards and goals for our operations in all these areas and management are measured against achieving them.

Which of your lodges or camps is the best example of each of these initiatives? SINGITA: We have very different initiatives at each property depending on the circumstances of the community and the conservation priorities for the area. In Zimbabwe the conservation story at Singita Pamushana where a cattle ranch was restored to a game reserve is inspiring. At Singita Kruger National Park our Singita School of Cooking is a program where we take young people from communities where unemployment is rife and turn them into proper chefs with employment opportunities that they never dreamt of. In Tanzania, at Singita Serengeti we protect the Western Corridor of the Serengeti for the benefit of the iconic wildebeest migration and at Singita Sabi Sand we have a partnership with READ to improve the education standards in local schools. These are just some examples of the initiatives at our properties of which we are very proud. WILDERNESS SAFARIS: All our camps are built with a light footprint and are deeply committed to our 4Cs ethos but a few examples are… Damaraland Camp – community conservancy 14 responsible traveller

Great Plains Conservation - Selinda Camp

Image - Great Plains Conservation ©

‘...look at where you are staying, look at what you will be doing when on holiday, look at where you will be spending your money’ GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION

responsible traveller 15

Singita Mara River Camp

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We have very different initiatives at each property depending on the circumstances of the community and the conservation priorities of the area...â&#x20AC;&#x2122; SINGITA

16 responsible traveller

Image - Singita ÂŠ

responsible traveller 17

in Namibia; community owns 50% of the camp Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp …recently opened on 1 August – and is 100% solar powered Little Makalolo and Davison’s Camp in Hwange, Zimbabwe – exceptional community relationship and cultural visits to Ngamo Village etc.

but when I asked the owner/manager about the community he responded – “Oh them - they’re useless. Just looking for hand-outs. Can never keep them happy….”. I suppose he was at least honest but it ruined my goal of a ‘responsible tourism’ stay!

GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION: Each camp is a success story and each could fill an article like this on their own. Each has its own incubation project too, where we test initiatives on a small scale and once perfected roll out to the rest of the camps across the company.

What is your favourite and ‘most responsible’ lodge or camp?

&BEYOND: &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, Ngala Private Game Reserve and Mnemba Island.

How would you define ‘green-washing’? And how much of a scourge is it in the luxury travel space? GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION: You’re right, this is a scourge of our industry. Too many places and attractions veil their operations under the guise of doing good. They play on guest’s ignorance of what happens, or not, behind the scenes to the wildlife and communities.

SINGITA: I suppose our model camp for environmental sustainability is Singita Mara River Tented Camp in Tanzania where we rely completely on solar power. The camp is lightly built from sustainable materials and designed to be low impact in every way. It is the model of the future. &BEYOND: This is a tough one as we implement our model across all the camps and lodges where we operate but if we had to pick a few it would most likely be the newly re-opened &Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge (Botswana), Phinda Private Game Reserve (South Africa) and Mnemba Island (Private Island off the northern tip of Zanzibar). GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION: Ha! This is probably the most difficult question of them all!

Green washing, for me, is simpy where a supplier says one thing but does not actually have proof in any tangible form to show for it. If a place says they do something, for say a community, they should really be proud to crow about it and show updated results and images of that project and the successes around this.

I have to honestly say that each property and experience is unique. Each have their own charms and purpose. You could travel to the same camp at different times throughout the year and your experience would be unique with each stay but your positive impact on wildlife conservation and community upliftment immediate and direct.

Sadly too many times one comes across a very well written, generic description of what apparently is happening on the ground, but when you scratch a little deeper you find that in fact the project does not exist or there is something totally different happening behind the scenes. There are many products and activities which practice and employ great wildlife and social programs, but at the same time there are also too many which say they do, but don’t…

The only way to really answer this is to have your reader’s come stay with us and let them tell us which is their favourite…

SINGITA: Green-washing is simply a ‘smoke and mirrors’ approach to conservation (and it applies to community work too) where, at best, there is more talk than action and at worst there is blatant dishonesty about what is being done. I think it is less of a scourge now than in the past. Guests are too tuned into responsible tourism to be fooled by unscrupulous operators.

Singita: Mark Witney (Chief Operating Officer)

A few years back I stayed in a lodge on an island off the coast of Tanzania. The brochure was full of ‘this lodge is a partnership with the community’

(For the complete Q&A check out the Responsible Traveller website)

18 responsible traveller

Response to the questions were from… Great Plains Conservation: Hilton Walker (Sales & Reservations Director)

Wilderness Safaris: Tarryn Gibson (Communications Manager) &Beyond: Joss Kent (CEO)

Image - &Beyond ÂŠ

&Beyond Ngala Tented Camp

responsible traveller 19

Images - Great Plains ConservationÂŠ

Young men participating in the Maasai Olympics

A magnificent lion near Ol Donyo Lodge in the Chyulu Hills

20 responsible traveller

What is the Singita ethos?

Singita is committed to conserving wilderness in Africa for future generations. To achieve this we believe that the three pillars of Conservation, Community and Tourism must stand on equal footings.

What is the Great Plains Conservation ethos?

Great Plains Conservation was formed to enhance and expand natural habitats. You cant responsibly enact change and upliftment by relocating one animal or creating upliftment for only a handful of people or secure a parcel of land sustainably with a postage stamp size of land. Our ethos is that is order to succeed in our aims of enacting meaningful change we employ a low human footprint on large tracks of land. The purest form of conservation is to have a large piece of land and then have no-one stay there. That is not financially viable. So we look at financial models where we can keep guest numbers as low as possible whilst making the environmental and social challenges faced in that particular area viable. We call this conservation tourism.

‘Maasai have now adopted several Olympic inspired events where they compete against each other’ GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION

What is the Wilderness Safaris ethos?

Simply put, without the wilderness, there is no Wilderness. We were founded over 30 years ago on sound ecotourism and conservation principles. Over the years, we started using the concept of ‘the 4Cs’ to express our aim to be truly sustainable by committing to the four dimensions of Commerce, Conservation, Community and Culture. Ultimately commerce deals with our ecotourism offerings and products and is perhaps the most critical element to sustainability in the modern world – without a successful business, it is impossible to exact change, conserve wildlife and empower local communities. Our conservation ethic is divided into Environmental Management Systems i.e. building and managing our camps in the most eco-friendly way possible, and Biodiversity Conservation i.e. the understanding, management and protection of the wildlife and ecosystems with which we are involved. Community is all about the people at the heart of our business, both internal communities – our staff across all our regions, and external communities – comprising the rural communities that either own the land on which we operate or live adjacent to these areas. Culture is a multifaceted element that governs respect for the culture of all employees as well as the remote rural communities surrounding our conservation areas.

What is the &Beyond ethos?

At &Beyond we believe in taking a shared responsibility for our future, as well as the futures of our children and our planet. From our greater conservation model down to the tiniest details of the activities that take place in our lodges every day, every decision that we make revolves around our core ethic of Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People. These values have become an intuitive part of the way that we operate and, increasingly, are part of the reason why our guests find their experience with us so rewarding. We recognised that if we were not able to get meaningful benefits to the local communities living around our wildlife areas, these areas would not sustain. responsible traveller 21

Image - !Xaus Lodge ©

The Fair trade answer to RESPONSIBLE luxur y travel…

!Xaus Lodge in the Kalahari

22 18 responsible traveller

Can sustainable tourism and luxury travel be compatible – or do they lie at opposite ends of the travel spectrum? Kathy Bergs, FTT General Manager, answers the question...

It is the firm belief of Fair Trade Tourism (FTT), a non-profit organisation established in South Africa in 2004 to promote responsible tourism, that the two not only can but should go hand in hand. Being a responsible traveller means having an amazing experience while at the same time giving back to the people and the environment you’ve visited. It is a commitment to honouring the people and places that made your holiday happen. Tourism businesses that adhere to the FTT standard use the FTT label as a way of signifying their commitment to fair and responsible tourism. This includes fair wages and working conditions, fair purchasing and operations, equitable distribution of benefits and respect for human rights, culture and the environment. A look at the list of FTT-certified tourism businesses found on the website www.fairtrade. travel reveals a portfolio that includes everything from backpackers to 5-star lodges; township tours to whale watching cruises and a whole lot inbetween. Can a golf course meet the criteria for FTTcertification? Have a look at the amazing practices of De Zalze Golf Club and answer that question for yourself! Can a boutique hotel in the heart of Jozi be considered Fair Trade? Check out The Peech Hotel for confirmation. What about a game reserve in the sands of the Kalahari? FTT certifies lodges from the prestigious, privately owned Tswalu Kalahari to the intimate, community owned !Xaus Lodge.

‘Being a responsible traveller means having an amazing experience while at the same time giving back to the people and the environment you visited...’

The essence isn’t where you are but how you operate that makes all the difference. Why does this matter? Should a tourist care whether a business is operating sustainably? In fact, numerous studies have shown that tourists DO care – provided they don’t have to compromise on any of the other criteria that are important when planning their holiday, such as location, facilities and price.

Now you can experience the best of South Africa and make a valuable contribution to the country and her people. Feel the difference – make a difference! •

www.fairtrade.travel

FAIR TRADE TOURISM

responsible traveller 23

What’s news... Singita Boulders Lodge: A Sustainable Solution Seventeen years after opening, Singita Boulders Lodge in the Sabi Sand has been thoughtfully reconfigured and redecorated to reveal its essential character and define its unique sense of place on the boulder-strewn banks of the Sand River. The original inspiration for the lodge came from the geometry of these ancient, weathered boulders and the natural curve of the river bed. This time around, architect Sally Tsiliyiannis of GAPP Architects & Urban Designers and designers Cécile & Boyd have taken further cues from nature, incorporating the colours, textures and elements of the surrounding landscape. Guest areas have been opened up, lowered, and brought closer to the river, allowing full engagement with the magnificent setting beneath the ebony and weeping boer bean trees. Characterised by handcrafted design with the integrity of authentic African origin, the lodge merges seamlessly with the shifting light, shapes and moods of the environment, providing a soothing sanctuary for world-weary travellers craving a connection with nature. Every effort has been made to reuse and recycle all the building materials. Sally explained: “Every door broken out has been repositioned somewhere else. Nearly all the new balustrading is actually just sections of the old balustrade removed from elsewhere and re-used and literally 100% of the stones from demolished walls have been reused. Natural features that were previously covered up have been uncovered and new decking has been carefully shaped around these so they are now main features within the design. Superfluous areas of decking have been cut back to make way for more foliage and where decks have been lowered the views of the river are less obstructed.

24 responsible traveller

Nearly all the building rubble has been used as backfill for the new gabion walls to minimise waste.” This environmentally sensitive approach is an extension of Singita’s dedication to ecotourism and commitment to “touching the earth lightly”. Throughout the lodge, pared-down interiors in a palette of charcoal, chalk, bone, rust, copper and ochre bring out the original colours of Singita Boulders, and reflect the four elements of earth, fire, air and water. Dramatic sculptural shapes, abstract art, and carefully curated collections of crystals, seed pods, bones and other found objects articulate a deeper connection with the wild. There is a sense that everything has been derived from the earth. Rustic and worn, woven and carved, furnishings include iconic pieces fashioned from fossilised tree stumps, slabs of solid stone, artisanal wrought iron and leather, each element designed to reveal its intrinsic beauty. Original contemporary paintings, sculptures and soft, sensual textures add subtle layers of luxury. Open to the elements or separated from the outdoors by glass walls, the lodge provides a continuous connection with the prolific wildlife and birdlife for which the Sabi Sand is so well known. It’s as if the very soul of Singita Boulders Lodge has been fine tuned and stripped back down to the basics, freeing up guests to experience and explore nature like never before. The luxurious creature comforts and attention to detail, for which Singita Boulders has always been known, have been creatively woven into every aspect of the safari experience so that at every turn there is something new to delight the eye and quieten the soul. •

www.singita.com

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Every effort has been made to reuse and recycle all the building materialsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

responsible traveller 25

What’s news... The Cheli & Peacock Community Trust and its partners treat over 500 patients in three days at Maasai Mara Medical Camp Recently the Cheli & Peacock Community Trust held its third medical camp at the Aitong Health Centre, not far from Elephant Pepper Camp in the Maasai Mara. The three-day camp focussed on adult health, maternal child health (including cervical cancer screening and family planning), nutrition and dentistry. The main aim of the camp was to concentrate on these four areas of health, while also building the capacity of the staff clinicians and Community Health Workers. Working with their partners Safarilink Aviation and The Kicheche Community Trust, a team of six were flown to the Mara North Conservancy for the medical camp and stayed at the nearby Elephant Pepper Camp. Dr Anne Kihara, Dr Rose Kosgei, Dr Irene Marete, Dr Sarah Awino and three dentistry experts kindly volunteered their time to work alongside health centre staff to treat an impressive 544 patients, the majority of whom required paediatric attention, while others were treated for obs and gynae related matters, general ailments and dentistry. Although fantastic progress was made, the Trust has highlighted that more training on early diagnosis, prevention of infection, dietary issues that place severe pressure on dental care and male attitudes to family planning needs to be

26 responsible traveller

the focus of future work with the Aitong Health Centre. It was also agreed that collaborating with other partners and clinics in the area, alongside the Ministry of Health would also bring great benefit. The Cheli & Peacock Community Trust, its partners and volunteers are already planning the next medical camp in November/December this year, which will look to build the capacity of Aitong clinic staff through training on key health-related issues (such as Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care) and also branch into other clinics nearby. Commenting on the medical camp Stefano Cheli, Owner of Cheli & Peacock says: “We began this medical camp in 2012 and, since its inception, the team of experts and the wonderful staff at the clinic have provided free medical care to over 1,200 members of the local community on the edge of the Mara North Conservancy.” “We are immensely grateful not only to our partners and doctors that made June’s camp such as success, but the wonderful community of guests and donors that continue to support The Cheli & Peacock Community Trust projects across Kenya. Your kindness and generosity is invaluable. Thank you.” •

www.chelipeacock.com

00 traveller 28 responsible responsible traveller

Sabi Sabi... the salt of the E A RT H

â&#x20AC;&#x153;W

elcome! Just give your car keys to Jabu, he will park the car and take care of your luggageâ&#x20AC;?. These were the first words we heard as we pulled up outside Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge in the renowned Sabi Sands private game reserve. I had to pinch myself! Honestly, I only though this happened to celebrities at larny (swish) New York establishments. As we walked into the reception area, an amazing minimalistic space where you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell where the building ends and nature begins, we were handed refreshingly cool towels to wipe the road-dust off our faces and an ice-cold drink. I declared then and there that I had probably died and gone to heaven. responsible traveller 29

Image courtesy of -bSabi Sabi ÂŠ

30 responsible traveller 00 responsible traveller

Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge symbolises a new era in African safari lodges; an understated yet sumptuous luxury lodge that exists in symbiosis with the surrounding bushveld. Nature is allowed to play the leading role with sights, smells and sounds entering into the space through open structures. The art and stylish dĂŠcor is made from natural material, where their original shape has been allowed to dictate the direction of the artists. The service is professional to the fingertips without being austere. In fact, most of the staff hugged me as I was about to leave after my 3-day

indulgence; now can you imagine ever seeing that at a larny New York establishment? Some of you may wonder what this luxury has to do with responsible tourism. I have met many an eco-warrior who thinks that the two are on opposing sides of good, and some even go as far as branding luxury consumption as downright evil. But I beg to differ! Hear me out about what Sabi Sabi is doing, not just for the environment but also for their staff and the surrounding communities before you cast your judgment.

responsible traveller 00 responsible traveller 31

Sabi Sabi’s aim is to manage their vast tracts of pristine bushveld in an ecologically sound manner. This includes alien eradication, sustainable fire management and a wetlands management project that has won them an Imvelo Award for Best Practice in Conservation. Sabi Sabi’s environmental management system is a holistic one, where the ecological needs are balanced with the needs of people and their communities. Sabi Sabi is one of the biggest employers in the Sabi Sands area, and over 85% of their 200 staff members come from the nearby communities. With a dependency ratio of 1:7, this means that Sabi Sabi supports around 1,200 people. The fact that many of their staff members have been working here for over 20 years, and call themselves family, should indicate that they are also a good employer. Many middle and senior managers at the lodge have started their careers in entry-level jobs such a gardening and housekeeping, and have been given ample assistance to develop their potential and achieve their goals.

Image courtesy of -bSabi Sabi ©

Take Lawrence Mkansi as a shining example: he started as a waiter in 1995, straight after Matric, and is now the Group Head Ranger and Assistant Lodge Manager. He told me: “I always wanted

32 responsible traveller

to be a ranger but it is difficult if you do not have money to do so. I showed a lot of interest in this particular field and the company recognised this and through time helped me to become a ranger not only by teaching me the skills to do so, but also by paying for all of the courses I had to attend”. Sabi Sabi supports projects in the local communities ranging from education (child and adult), healthcare, sport, culture and conservation. Through their Community Tour, developed and run by former employee Shadrack Sihlangu, they give their guests an insight into daily life in the area. All proceeds from the tour go directly back to the communities through salaries, fees for performances and contribution to various projects. As the sun was setting over the bushveld, I sat under the stars in the gentle glow from hundreds of paraffin lamps hung in the trees around the tables, carefully laid with white linen cloth and silver cutlery, and felt utterly and totally fulfilled. I had experienced 5-star hospitality and had the most amazing wildlife encounters, and all the while mine very being there was contributing to the livelihoods of thousands of people, and conservation of one of the last pieces of wilderness left in Africa.

Responsible tourism and luxury can go hand-in-hand. In fact, I would go as far as saying that luxury lodges can have a far wider and deeper impact on conservation and communities than many small-scale budget establishments can.

Shadrack Sihlangu

Its simple math’s really: the staff to guest ratio is much higher at luxury establishments (leading to more employment opportunities) and bigger budgets allow for bigger projects. So don’t feel guilty for spoiling yourself rotten once in a while, if that is what you want. Just make sure you chose an establishment with a genuine and transparent way of giving back. Sabi Sabi provide ample information about their conservation ad community projects on their website, and also have a third-party approval of their responsible tourism practices through Fair Trade Tourism. •

Community creche

www.sabisabi.com • words & pics - Katarina Mancama Follow Katarina’s travels on her blog ‘My Slow Journey’ First published in The Good Holiday

responsible traveller 33

Fair Trade Tourism (FTT), is a non – profit organisation that promotes responsible Tourism in southern Africa and beyond. The aim of FTT is to make tourism more sustainable by ensuring that the people who contribute their land, resources, labour and knowledge to tourism are the ones who reap the benefits. This is done by growing awareness about responsible tourism to travellers, assisting tourism businesses to operate more sustainably, and by facilitating a Fair Trade Tourism cer tification programme across southern Africa.

www.fairtrade.travel

By selecting an FTT certified business, travellers are not only assured that their holiday benefits local communities and economies, and that the business is operated ethically and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, but they will also have a more fulfilling holiday experience. FTT has a diverse selection of Tourism businesses on its portfolio, ranging from luxury establishments , backpackers to exciting activities, which are featured below: CALABASH TOURS Calabash Tours- Community Care Programme Calabash Tours-Real City Tour Calabash Tours-Schools Support programme Calabash Tours-Shebeen Tour Calabash Tours offers ground breaking tours that cover both the historical heart of the city, and the vibrant energy of the black townships pulsing with the spirit of a rich culture and a friendly people wanting to share their diversity and spirit. www.calabashtours.co.za VOLUNTEER AFRICA 320 SOUTH: Wild Coast Community Schools Programme This volunteer programme works with schools in the Chintsa area of the Eastern Cape. It facilitates computer literacy classes, playing a supporting role for teachers and complementing the existing curriculum, and it provides a vital resource for learners to gain hands-on computer skills that will prove invaluable as they progress through their education and eventually seek employment. www.volunteerafrica.co.za

FUNDANI TOWNSHIP/ MINING TOURS Fundani Tours specialises in guided day trips, safaris, transfers and scheduled shuttle services. They strive to maintain a high standard in servicing the domestic and international tourists and shall make every effort to ensure customer comfort and satisfaction. Fundani Tours has the self-appointed mission to help to uplift women, youth and disabled people in the township. www.fundanitours.co.za MORATIWA TOURS- SOWETO FAIR TOURISM TOUR This emerging business offers a vehicle and bicycle combination tour (in collaboration with Lebo’s Bicycle Tour – also an FTT-certified business) in Soweto, giving travelers the opportunity to see a lot as well as have a more personal engagement with local people in the various parts of this amazing, historical township. www.moratiwa.co.za LEBO’S SOWETO BICYCLE TOUR Soweto Bicycle Tours is a unique concept of township tourism. The owner of Lebo’s Soweto Backpackers, Lebo Malepa, started bicycle tours in Soweto in 2005. The tours quickly became popular

for travellers seeking an alternative experience to a short day trip in a bus through the township.The bicycle tour provides an opportunity to experience Soweto, its people and communities in an eco-friendly and personal manner, giving an insight into their life, culture and history. www.sowetobackpackers.com VOORTREKKER MONUMENT The Voortrekker Monument is the most visited heritage site of its kind in Gauteng and one of the top ten cultural historical visitor attractions in South Africa. The Monument is located in a declared nature reserve and employs a number of greening initiatives, which include a recycling project in conjunction with the on-site restaurant and a water management system, including the two dams on-site which provide water for the beautiful gardens. In addition, the Voortrekker Monument works closely with member of Tshwane nature conservation to ensure that the site conforms to standards. www.vtm.org.za !KHWA TTU SAN CULTURE AND EDUCATION CENTRE At !Khwa ttu modern man can learn much from the San people, who lived in harmony with nature and practiced an ancient ubuntu. From the extinct Xam San

term for “water-hole”, !Khwa ttu offers an insight into the culture and heritage of the peace-loving, environmentally-conscious San people. They were persecuted, marginalized, under-appreciated by colonists, but! Khwa ttu aims to restore the San heritage, educate the public about the San and provide training to the San community members. The! Khwa ttu culture and education centre is a joint partnership between the San people, who are majority owners and influence every aspect of the reserve, and the Swiss UBUNTU Foundation. www.khwattu.org ANDULELA EXPERIENCE The Andulela Experience offers themed tours and incentive products in Cape Town and surrounds. Each tour takes guests behind-the-scenes and into the homes and workplaces of South Africans, some well-known and ordinary people with inspirational real-life stories to share. Andulela believes that universal themes and hands-on activities provide a wonderful platform for natural exchange for both visitors and locals alike. Andulela specialises in hands-on cooking experiences in the homes of different communities of Cape Town. www.andulela.com BIRDS OF EDEN Birds of Eden are the world’s largest free flight aviary and bird sanctuary. The unique two hectare dome spans a gorge of indigenous forest, which houses over 3500 birds. Their long term aim is to reintroduce groups of selected species of birds into their home ranges. They also contribute annually a great amount into the local economy. www.birdsofeden.co.za DYER ISLAND CRUISES Whale watching and eco cruises in the Walker Bay area are just a start. Environmental education initiatives in the local community, conservation projects including lobbying public support for 2000 artificial penguin shelters on Dyer Island to house dwindling endangered penguin colonies there, coastal cleanups and support for local women through the Nolwandle skills development and craft centre project are what drive this team. The positive impacts made in conservation and socio-economic impacts are tremendous! www.dyer-island-cruises.co.za MARINE DYNAMICS SHARK TOURS Marine Dynamics Tours provide White Shark cage diving activities that focus

on the educational aspects of interacting with these apex predators and promoting the importance of ensuring their continued existence within the marine ecosystem. The business works in collaboration with other local businesses to enhance positive impacts of environment and community investment initiatives such as the Nolwandle skills development and craft centre project. www.sharkwatchsa.com MONKEYLAND PRIMATE SANCTUARY Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary is the world’s first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary and currently the top eco-tourism attraction on the Garden Route. Their long term aim is to reintroduce groups of selected species of primates into their home ranges. They also contribute annually a great amount directly into the local economy. www.monkeyland.co.za OCEAN BLUE ADVENTURES Ocean Blue is actively involved in Sustainable and Responsible Tourism. It believes that it’s not only about preserving the environment, but also conserving a precious culture. Money made from the whale-watching and dolphin-watching tours is utilised to support our community programs (Qolweni Township) and the ORCA foundation (Ocean Research Conservation Africa) working closely together with WWF and Nature Conservation. Ocean Blue understands that community development and upliftment is a very important aspect of implementing its ideals. www.oceanadventures.co.za OCEAN SAFARIS Ocean Safaris is a boat-based whale and dolphin watching company in Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route with one of the limited permits to approach Southern Right Whales within 50 metres! Because of this, they offer spectacular boat-based whale watching and dolphin discovery safaris as well as a variety of tailor-made and private marine expeditions. This business contributes financially to the daily running of the SONOP Soup Kitchen in Kranshoek, Plettenberg Bay. www.oceansafaris.co.za PARA TAXI TANDEM PARAGLIDING Para Taxi Tandem Paragliding is a small local company which deals in the adventure tourism sector, offering visitors and locals alike a once in a life time opportunity to experience fantastic scenic tandem paragliding flights in and around Cape Town. Paragliding itself is an extremely green activity with no engine fumes or sound contamination. Aside

from job creation and skills development of historically disadvantaged individuals, Para Taxi puts a huge amount of effort into promoting the sport, respecting the environment and making flight possible for the disabled and physically challenged. www.para-taxi.com SOUTHERN RIGHT CHARTERS Southern Right Charters is a black empowered company based in Walker Bay, Hermanus, providing a boat based whale watching tour. Their motto is “Observing Not Disturbing”, focusing on tourist education about safety and conservation of the whales. www.southernrightcharters.co.za STORMSRIVER ADVENTURES Sormrivers Adventure is a profesional adventure and activitty company based in Stormsriver Village in the heart of the Tsitsikamma forest. Your Experience starts at stormsriver’s adventure centre where one can choose betwwen the world’s renowned Tsitsikamma canopy tours,tsitsikana woodcutters journey abd guided hikes.Team building options also available. Stormsriver Adventures suppots the local community ; by supporting them you will help sustain numerous community projects which include a school feeding scheme , animal welfare etc. www.stormsriver.com UTHANDO SOUTH AFRICA Uthando is a unique model for traveller’s philanthropy, providing local and international tourism businesses (e.g. tour operators) and individuals with a reliable and trustworthy mechanism to implement their social investment programmes. This FTT-certified initiative showcases beneficiary projects to travellers in an authentic and sustainable way, further increasing their prospects for fundraising and other forms of assistance. www.uthandosa.org WHITE SHARK PROJECT Winner of the 2008 Imvelo Responsible Tourism Award in the Waste Management category for its Swop Shop Initiative, White Shark Projects is owned and managed by three South African women and incorporates a staff shareholding scheme as well. Based in Kleinbaai in the Western Cape, this tourism business focuses on the conservation of Great White Sharks through responsible tourism and research. White Shark Projects is strongly committed to community development and upliftment. www.whitesharkprojects.co.za

What’s news... Ground breaking ceremony in aid of the endangered African Penguin On the 19th of August a group of high level individuals passionate about conservation, gathered at the Birkenhead Lodge grounds at Gansbaai in the Western Cape, to launch a significant partnership aimed at providing a sanctuary for the endangered African Penguin and Seabirds. “The African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) will be dedicated to the unconditional welfare of distressed seabirds in the Overstrand region,” said Wilfred Chivell of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT), “and words cannot express how grateful we are for the support of our donors which have made today possible.” The Dyer Island Conservation Trust is driving the establishment of the rehab centre supported by Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA), Wildlands, Grindrod Bank and the Blue Fund. The Dyer Island Conservation Trust has expressed a desperate need for a rehab centre. “Currently any birds found injured are sent to SANCCOB (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) in Cape Town where they are rehabilitated and then released in the Cape Town area,” said Civell of DICT. “SANCCOB do a fantastic job however, it is a fair distance away from Dyer Island and results in unnecessary stress for the birds as well as difficulty in finding their home colony due to the distance on release.”

36 responsible traveller

Land has already been purchased and DICT have received funding from VW for infrastructure. The next step is a laboratory, an education centre, equipment and specialised flooring. “Our funding of the APSS is the continuation of our long standing partnership and a commitment to continuously support the great work of DICT in conserving our Marine Big 5 – African penguins, great white shark, seals, dolphins and whales. The partnership with DICT forms part of our Think Blue initiatives which aim to support organisations that are involved in environment sustainability programmes,” said David Powels, Managing Director: Volkswagen Group South Africa. “We are delighted to expand our sponsorship of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, now in its fourth year. One of the key strategic objectives of the Think Blue brand is to position Volkswagen as a company with meaning and impact through activities with various community and environmental partners and this partnership does just this.” said Bridget Harpur, Brand Manager at VWSA. “Grindrod has its roots in the maritime industry and with this comes an intense understanding of the environmental issues that pose a threat to communities in general,” said David Polkinghorne, MD of Grindrod Bank Limited. “Grindrod Bank and Grindrod Financial Services have an active interest in transforming and enriching South Africa, and as such have created The Blue Fund which is proud

What’s news...

The Blue Fund is a strategic partnership between Grindrod Financial Services and Wildlands Conservation Trust and has been created with a focus on the sustainable development of coastal communities and conservation of coastal marine ecosystems. “Wildlands have always been driven by a vision to transform and uplift communities and the environment,” said Wildlands CEO Dr Andrew Venter. “When we were approached by Grindrod with the idea to develop The Blue Fund the synergy with the sustainability work we already implement across the country could not be ignored, and we decided the Blue Fund was a perfect fit for us”. •

www. dict.org.za

Gansbaai - home of the ‘Marine Big 5’ Recently Gansbaai has become known as the home of the ‘Marine Big 5’ – the Great White Shark, Southern Right Whale, Cape Fur Seal, Indo-Pacific Dolphin and the African Penguin. Unfortunately many don’t realise that African Penguin is in fact endangered. Dyer Island, located near Kleinbaai home to one of the few colonies of African Penguins scattered along the South African and Namibian coastline and is thought to consist of only around 1000 breeding pairs. Thankfully, with huge effort from the Dyer Island Trust and Cape Nature, the island has been declared a conservation area. In addition to the penguins all seabirds in the region will benefit from this safe haven. Unfortunately though, the continued pollution of our oceans means that penguins and other seabirds are still at risk, and this is where APSS comes in… And as Wilfred Chivell, founder of Marine Dynamics and the Dyer Island Trust says “Every little bird, every little penguin counts”.

www. gansbaai.com Images courtesy of www.gansbaai.com©

to be associated with a project such as APSS,” said Polkinghorne.

responsible traveller 37

What’s news... Isibindi Africa launches Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge Isibindi Africa continues to provide inspired experiences with the launch of a new destination, Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge which will be the only private lodge within the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal. Set to open its doors in December 2014, the lodge which has been conceptualised to celebrate the protection of the white rhino, will offer guests an exclusive luxury stay and exceptional safari experiences in the heart of Big Five territory. A brand that was born out of family values, Isibindi Africa strives to conserve wildlife and the environment, as well as offer guests a raw experience where luxury meets nature. Isibindi Africa owners, Brett and Paige Gehren, embarked on the journey of developing Rhino Ridge with a passion for conservation and a dream of making a difference. As part of the ethos of Isibindi Africa, community involvement plays a critical role in their lodges. The newly constructed Rhino Ridge is proudly part-owned by the local Mpembeni Community, and is the result of many years of fervour and energy to finally bring the uniquely positioned safari experience to the market. Not only is Rhino Ridge being established to ‘tread gently’, but also to meet world class expectations.

Its rooms, nestled in natural bush situated high up on the ridge, offer commanding views of the reserve. The lodge is located in low-risk malaria territory, and will further provide air conditioning, fans and mosquito nets in all the rooms. The luxuries will not end there, with fireplaces in each villa, an infinity lap pool with sundeck, a day spa, and much more for guests to look forward to. The lodge will offer a selection of activities including Big Five game viewing and guided bush walks. Delicious meals will be available at the gourmet restaurant, and guests will have the opportunity partake in interesting daytrips to the nearby iSimangaliso Wetland Park. “Our dream of being able to share the passion we have for protecting the pristine and precious natural wonders of Africa begun while sitting on the banks of the Isibindi River in KwaZuluNatal. We are now so proud to be launching our newest venture, Rhino Ridge which we are developing in light of Hluhluwe Imfolozi’s triumph of conservation efforts. We can’t wait for guests to experience all that the lodge has to offer, especially the exceptional safari experiences” comments Brett . •

www.isibindi.co.za

An artists impression of the new Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

38 responsible traveller

Rhino Day 2014

JUST DONE IT!

World Rhino Day celebrates all species of rhino, from Asia to Africa. This year we have been celebrating since April! That’s when the first of this year’s three Wilderness Safaris translocations of black rhino from South Africa to Botswana took place. … Actually, we have been celebrating for the past 14 years since our first successful rhino release into Botswana... First translocation of black rhino from SA into Botswana

No wild rhino in Botswana

2002 - 2004 – multiple additional white rhino introductions

2001

2012

First translocation of white rhino from South Africa into Botswana

By now healthy breeding populations of white rhino present in Botswana

The Results Thanks to this project, breeding populations of both southern African rhino species have now been re-established in the Okavango Delta, adding significant value to world rhino numbers and population distributions. Thank you to all our committed staff, guests, conservation partners and donors for helping make this happen.

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2014

2003

2000

Viable population of black rhino now present in Botswana

Onward – The project continues, involving high levels of security, protection, study and monitoring of both species.

Situated on a private quay, nestled between the working harbour of Cape Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bustling Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and the serenity of an international yacht marina, Cape Grace showcases the essence of the Cape with designs that reveal local creativity, whilst staying true to the warm atmosphere and personalised levels of service that have for years defined the hotel.

stay at the Cape Grace is an experience in itself, melding the modern comforts of a luxury hotel with that of Cape hospitality and culture. Cape Grace opened its doors in 1996 and is centrally located, with quick and easy access to the airport, city centre and popular tourist destinations making it an ideal choice for international travellers. Not only does the Cape Grace excel in its standards of hospitality and service, but also 40 responsible traveller

in its commitment to responsible tourism, and are Gold status membership of the Heritage Environmental Programme. So what does this mean to their guests? It means that the Cape Grace, one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading hotels, is committed to reducing the impact it has on the environment. By recognizing how the consumption of energy, usage of water and other resources used throughout their daily operations impacts a greener future, they have adopted initiatives that encourage sustainability,

Style & Luxury...

All images - Cape Grace ÂŠ

Two bedroom suite lounge

responsible traveller 41

Table Mountain Luxury Room

drive environmental awareness and effect transformation. Cape Grace founded the ‘Green Grace’ committee to address the environmental impact of employees, guests, visitors, contractors and suppliers, in addition to ensuring adherence to local legislation and statutory requirements. The committee’s main goal is to look beyond the obvious and drive environmental awareness through responsible tourism practices, while simultaneously maintaining exceptional service and guest satisfaction. Not only do they want guests to have every indulgence at Cape Grace, but want to ensure that this to be achieved responsibly. In addition to their environmental initiatives, Cape Grace assists SOS Children’s Village, who provide homes for over 120 children in need of foster care. This non-profit organisation works towards restoration of the family unit and Cape Grace is proud to support a home within the village accommodating 10 children. Cape Grace employees have grown to love these precious kids over the past four years of their relationship, and it has been a rewarding experience to host birthday parties and help with storytelling and reading, shopping and cleaning house. They also support the Mhani Gingi non-profit Entrepreneur Development Programme that helps women, from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, to open their own businesses. Cape Grace plays a pivotal role in several ways; we contribute soap which is recycled and resold in the local community, slippers are provided which are embellished with beads and prints for 42 responsible traveller

resale. Cape Grace also shares its culinary skills with ladies who come to their kitchen to practice and learn. Guests can rest assured that even their bedroom suites have been touched by ‘Green Grace’… the linen, unless specifically requested, is sent out for washing every 72 hours – using an eco-friendly washing powder; the shampoo and conditioner is also eco-friendly and supplied by Charlotte Rhys, and even the turn down treats are locally produced! They use Huguenot Chocolates, Tea Chest and Mom’s Bakery. Even the walls aren’t immune! Cape Grace uses a ‘green’ paint product from Harlequin – it smells like bananas, is water based and does not have the harsh chemical smell (or content) of conventional paints. The restaurants use locally grown and sourced fresh produce where possible and abide by the SASSI guidelines for sustainable seafood. Being located in the Cape wine region, it figures that their wine list would focus on local production. Need a gift to take home? No problem, as the gift shop called ‘Gifts at Cape Grace’ stocks gifts that are African inspired and sourced locally. Enjoyed the fragrant ‘Tussy Mussy’ in your room? Feel free to purchase one from the gift shop. The ‘Tussy Mussy’ is an idea borrowed from the Victorian era, when tussy mussies were given as gifts and worn as an accessory to ensure a fragrant environment – the Cape Grace tussy mussy includes fragrant herbs ensuring a calming and relaxing sleep. •

www.capegrace.com

Ostrich Tataki in the Signal Restaurant

Cape Grace flower trolley

The lobby with flowers

Water & Energy facts... Water saving: They have recently installed pressure release valves and water pressure gauges onto the incoming hot and cold water pipelines for each individual room, to help reduce and control water flow to each room, without impacting on guest comfort. In addition to this they have also installed a Hansgrohe water saving shower head to every shower to further reduce water consumption. Last year water usage for each of the toilet flush units was reduced by 4 litres per flush (down from 11 litres to 7 litres). Energy saving: They are introducing LED light bulbs to the new pool area and restaurant. There are two heat pumps for the pool and use the cool air produced to cool down a very hot plant environment and likewise hot water (generated from cooling down their HVAC compressor motors) is pumped into their guest hot water supply tanks at 45째 and only needs to be heated up a further 10-15째 for guest use. They reduce the required cooling temperature for the main HVAC system during winter months, which saves energy and have installed timers on all walk-in cold rooms and freezers and under-bar fridges to reduce compressor running times and conversely electricity consumption. They have also installed energy meters in several key points throughout the hotel to monitor energy consumption and provide a baseline report, so as to identify other areas that need to be focused on. responsible traveller 43

What’s news... Responsible Tourism a Step Closer On the 19th of August a group of high level Ensuring sustainability in tourism has become an international imperative as travel volumes increase and the negative impacts of tourism are being experienced more by local communities worldwide.

launch of the registration system, Greg McManus, managing director of Heritage says “this provides an ideal opportunity for businesses across the accommodation sector to align their practices with the national standard, and to become recognized as being committed to a more sustainable future”.

In an effort to minimise the impacts of tourism – and increase its benefits to destinations across the world, South Africa became the first country on the continent to introduce a national standard for responsible tourism and only the second country globally to do so.

The GreenLine system allows business owners to undertake self-evaluation of their performance against the national standard and other internationally recognised RT standards. They automatically receive a report that identifies which standards are not being met, together with recommendations on how to comply with the national standard and to improve their overall performance scores as part of an ongoing continual improvement for their business.

The National Responsible Tourism Standard was first published in November 2012, and while response to the standard has been slow until now, the introduction of a national responsible certification initiative by the Department of Tourism is now in its final development phase. To meet the demand for certification to the national programme, the Heritage Environmental Management Company has recently introduced a registration initiative through its GreenLine Responsible Tourism Programme to assist tourist establishments in meeting the national standard in the most convenient and cost effective way. This on-line registration and evaluation initiative allows those businesses that are looking to meet the growing demand for responsible tourism products opportunity to become registered and ready for the certification system being introduced by the NDT. Speaking in Pretoria at the

The on-line system provides a number of unique benefits to members of the tourism sector, and spotlights their businesses as meeting a responsible standard to the travelling public. It also provides unlimited on-line and telephonic support to prospective companies and prepares them for full certification once the national system is launched during 2015. “We believe this opportunity will contribute to greater sustainability and responsible business standards across the tourist sector and that it will help position South Africa as one of the leading responsible tourism destinations globally” says Neal Dickinson, operations director. •

www.heritagesa.co.za Hotel Verde Terrace

44 responsible traveller

What’s news... Gold Class Heritage Member, Hotel Verde celebrates its one year birthday! Gold Class Heritage member Hotel Verde, known by most as Africa’s ‘greenest hotel’, celebrated its first year of operation in style with an event that not only paid tribute to its accomplishments, but also to their amazing team. In addition to the many performances on the night (including a blues band concert and several musical and dance shows), the guests could choose to fulfil the hotel staff’s wishes by pinning their names on a board – with ‘charity starts at home’ in mind, management decided to let the event attendees know about our staffs’ needs and desires and give them the opportunity to fulfil them. They also held an auction and a raffle, which went towards fulfilling more wishes. In the end, the whole evening was more than a beautiful and festive party, it was a true celebration of Hotel Verde, which is now more than a hotel to its staff, to its guests… it’s home. (source: The Hotel Verde ‘Intern’ ) •

The Hotel Verde eco-pool

Hotel Verde roof photovoltaic panels responsible traveller 45

Images - Hotel Verde ©

www.hotelverde.co.za

What’s news... New Modular Resource Management System Introduced In order to meet growing demand for specific resource management systems by the services and manufacturing sector, Sustainability Benchmark Solutions, SBS has announced the introduction of a unique modular resource management system. The system allows businesses to implement resource and operational management systems that are specific to their operational needs without the need to implement a comprehensive environmental management system (EMS).

in Africa and the documentation that has been developed incorporates global best practice and represents the latest thinking in environmental management. “We have found that many businesses are reluctant to implement an EMS because they don’t believe they need such extensive management systems for their operations” adds Dickinson.

The SBS Modular Management System provides businesses with a range of integrated modules that deal with nine separate resource and environmental aspects including water management, energy management, waste management, climate change and air quality management.

The SBS system eliminates this by allowing business owners the opportunity to implement management systems that are more directly related to the nature of their operations while still ensuring the system remains ISO9000 compliant. Each module represents a fully-fledged management component, allowing businesses to select their most relevant component or to build a comprehensive EMS over a period of time.

Each module represents an independent management system complete with ISO compliant draft documentation, procedures and monitoring processes. To support these modules, SBS offers a range of consulting and benchmarking options and certification to supplement the basic package that is available.

The SBS Modular Management System is available in three variations that allow for one-off purchase of the basic package to more intensive and bespoke development options and even certification. Full consulting and on-site support is available and SBS provides extensive electronic support for all clients.

“Often, the most difficult part of establishing any management system is the development of documentation, systems and procedures” says Neal Dickinson, director of operations at SBS International. “Our solution provides a proven approach to systems development and helps businesses get a sustainable management system up-and-running in the shortest possible time” he adds. The SBS system has been developed from over twelve years’ experience in the development, implementation and certification of environmental management performance

“We are confident that the SBS Modular Management System provides a workable and sustainable approach to the environmental management needs of any business” says Dickinson. By ensuring that each module meets the ISO14001 standard – and ensuring the ability to integrate each separate unit into a world-class EMS, the SBS Modular Management System offers a convenient and tested approach to responsible business practice. •

46 responsible traveller

www.heritagesa.co.za

What’s news... Heritage Supports Smart Energy Management Technology – retrofitting the smart way Retrofitting smart energy management systems is an expensive and time consuming process, but Heritage recently entered a partnership with In-Profit Energy Systems and Leviton to test and promote the latest in Wi-Fi energy management systems. Up until very recently, buildings constructed prior to the energy crisis of the 90‘s found the cost of retrofitting energy efficient technologies a difficult and costly exercise. The retrofit market for energy management presents un-tapped opportunities. With 67 billion square feet of commercial space available worldwide, retrofit opportunities are limitless in the healthcare, hospitality, office, and education sectors. Due to the age of buildings in these sectors, the majority of them have no form of lighting or HVAC controls. This has changed with the introduction of wireless controls which offer the best and most cost effective energy solution to meet today’s government mandates to reduce energy use. In South Africa alone, almost a billion Rand is available in grants to fund energy efficiency projects including retrofitting existing structures. Green technologies make sense from an economic, environmental and compliance standpoint. National standards and government strategy are driving higher standards for building efficiency and underscoring the need for better energy-saving controls for by either mandating compliance or encouraging it with tax incentives and rebates. Combine that with energy costs rising faster than ever before, and the reduction of energy consumption by businesses becomes an increasingly more powerful competitive advantage. Recently, In-Profit Energy Solutions, Heritage and Leviton undertook a pilot project with the Gold Reef City Hotel in Johannesburg to retrofit two guestrooms with a range of wireless energy management products. The company installed occupancy sensors, lighting controls and a keycard system to activate power in the two rooms only when required, and to establish a baseline of consumption between them and other rooms in this older generation hotel. Not only was the retrofit completed in just two days—without the need for any construction, damage or inconvenience to the business, but

it marked the first-time that this type of retrofit had taken place in South African hotels. With no additional wiring required, installation was quick and easy and took only minutes to configure. No wires, no batteries, and no limits for a flexible and cost-effective energy savings solution in any application made the LevNet RF™ the preferred solution for this project. Of particular note has been the degree to which the Heritage system underpins and supports this technology through the development and monitoring of procedures, practices and employee awareness. “Existing Heritage members will easily integrate their EMS with this technology and we are confident that the savings that they achieve will not only make financial sense, but that it proves the value of the existing EMS” says Neal Dickinson at Heritage. “Having seen this system in operation, we believe there are a few strong reasons to consider wireless energy management technologies. In the first case, the cost of retrofitting for established businesses is a fraction of other systems and it allows older properties to compete more effectively with their more modern counterparts. The lack of construction, repair or installationrelated repair costs is eliminated because of the Wi-Fi nature of the equipment. Simply connecting the technology to existing power connections makes the installation cost lower, and this also contributes to faster up-time for rooms and facilities being retrofitted. The fact that inventory is not removed for extended period is a definite bonus. We found the management interface the most beneficial because of its ability to allow management to remotely control energy in real-time. For example, at peak energy times, management could switchoff in-room geyser‘s or even mini-bars remotely or to disengage air-conditioners as part of a loadshedding strategy. In the same way, they are able to remotely determine whether the room is occupied and effectively schedule housekeeping or even switch all power to unoccupied rooms off as part of improved efficiencies.” For more information on how this technology can take your business to the next level, call Neal on +27 12 665 1028 •

www.heritagesa.co.za responsible traveller 47

Just Deserts...?

itting atop one of the lesser peaks in the Korannaberg, the view is quite something... 1000 square kilometres of parched but desperately beautiful savannah stretches uninterrupted to the horizon, where the setting sun is turning the landscape into something akin to burnished bronze. This is Tswalu Kalahari, named for the desert whose southern-most reaches it occupies and the largest private game reserve in South Africa.

The name means â&#x20AC;&#x153;new beginningâ&#x20AC;? in the local Tswana vernacular, which is fitting considering that a mere 20 years ago this swathe of land was home to struggling cattle farms, about as far removed from pristine wilderness as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to get in these parts. 48 responsible traveller

It took a British entrepreneur, Stephen Boler, to set the wheels of change in motion. He began the task of turning a virtually barren cattle range into something resembling natural bush, although for hunting purposes, it has to be said. When Boler died suddenly, in 1998, his will gave his friends Nicky and Strilli Oppenheimer first option on the land, which they grasped with both hands, putting a stop to the hunting and starting a process which they had long dreamed of restoring the Kalahari to itself. They began by removing tonne after tonne of manmade structures, artificial watering holes and drinking troughs, irrigation systems, alien flora and untold kilometres of barbed wire. They extended the property to include sensitive

Restoring the Kalahari to itself is a dream the Oppenheimer family has made a reality, uplifting more than just a landscape in the process, writes Sharon van Wyk

All images courtesy - Tswalu Kalahari ÂŠ

Cute little meerkats

responsible traveller 49

‘The Motse’s communal areas are built on several levels around a swimming pool,with salas and lapas offering respite from the sun’ Chill out and enjoy the expansive view from the Motse deck

The Malo

habitats and grass was allowed to re-grow unfettered. Then, and only then, were indigenous species reintroduced, when the land was able to support and sustain them. The Oppenheimers then topped it all off with a luxury camp – The Motse – offering visitors the chance to indulge in an authentic desert safari experience inside South Africa’s borders. Tswalu Kalahari was born. Almost 17 years down the road, the Oppenheimer’s dream of restoring this part of the southern, or Green Kalahari has been more than fulfilled, and along with it the local community has been given a much needed lifeline, thanks to the Tswalu Foundation. The Foundation has supported the upliftment and development of the community, descendants of the original San bushmen who inhabited the area, with the introduction of much-needed housing, education and health facilities. 50 responsible traveller

Although breathtakingly beautiful, it’s an unforgiving landscape. And remote with it. Tswalu is around 300km north-west of Kimberley and 270km north-east of Upington. Botswana is around 70km to the north-west and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is within easy driving distance. Most guests, however choose to fly in from either OR Tambo or Cape Town International Airport. The reserve is home to some 80 mammal species and more than 240 species of birds as well as Tswalu’s most celebrated residents – black-maned Kalahari lions. On one side of the dusty road you’ll find The Motse, Tarkuni and Tswalu’s sleepout deck, The Malori. The Motse consists of nine luxury “legae” – beautifully appointed thatched suites built of local stone, two of which are two-bedroomed family units. Each legae has an outside stoep with views over a nearby waterhole and the dunes of the Kalahari beyond, and is climate controlled to ensure absolute comfort no matter what the

ori sleep-out deck

season. The Motse’s communal areas are built on several levels around a swimming pool, with salas and lapas offering respite from the sun. There’s a lovely indoor lounge, bar, dining area and library and a boma where bush dinners are regularly served. The recently refurbished Tarkuni Villa offers five entirely new living spaces that embrace the natural outdoor experience of the Kalahari, whilst the Malori offers guests at Tswalu the chance to spend a night of their stay sleeping out under the stars on a luxurious raised platform overlooking the expanse of the Kalahari. Conservation is high on the agenda at Tswalu, as is evident on the game drives. These yeild the usual suspects, as well as the extraordinary – gemsbok, tsessebe, roan, sable, aardvark, porcupine and springbok, as well as giraffe, buffalo, zebra (Burchells and Hartmann’s mountain varieties), eland, cheetah, brown hyaena, aardwolf, hartebeest and regular sightings of pangolin.

Tswalu has another ace up its sleeve in the form of the rock stars of the animal kingdom - meerkats. There are two habituated “mobs” or clans and guests are able to get exceptionally close to them with the help of human helpers, whose job it is to monitor them and maintain their levels of habituation. There’s something to be said for sitting next to foraging meerkats, listening to their constant communication and furtive attempts at finding something edible. There’s also something to be said for sitting on your stoep late at night, hot chocolate in hand, gazing at a velvet-black sky dotted with what seems like all the stars in the universe... It’s a magical place, in every sense of the word. And one where the Kalahari says “thank you” for being restored to itself. • Sharon van Wyk

www.tswalu.com responsible traveller 51

‘Home to some 80 mammal species including Tswalu’s most celebrated residents, black-maned Kalahari lions’

52 responsible traveller

Black-maned Kalahari lion and cub

An aardvark in winter

Pangolin Black rhino

responsible traveller 53

Conservation & Community The work of the Tswalu Foundation gets its momentum from the vision of Jonathan Oppenheimer who established it in 2008 with the aim of developing a platform from which Tswalu’s guests could contribute and involve themselves in both the community and environmental research on the reserve. The foundation is registered as a non-profit organisation which, as well as funding species, ecological and applied research in the Kalahari eco systems also provides grants for the development of social and community projects, including the Tswalu Clinic, the staff village with its energy and water-efficient homes, preschool crèche and daycare centre and adult literacy programme. Environmental projects the foundation has spearheaded include research into the brown hyaena, namaqua sandgrouse, aardvark and scorpions. Tswalu Kalahari has achieved Fair Trade Tourism accreditation, based largely on this positive impact on the local community as well as their enviromental and conservation achievements.

Seasonal Tswalu Spring sees the weather starting to warn up and the Blackthorn and honeybush break into blossom. The meerkat pups start emerging from their dens and the sound of barking gheckos fills the air. Summer brings hot days, mild evenings and occasional thunderstorms. The rain turns the dry earth into a lush green spectacle of golden flowers and soft green grasses. New life abounds as the antelope drop their calves and migrant birds such as cuckoos and falcons make birding exciting. In Autumn the days are mild and the evenings quite cool, sometimes with occasional rain. The savannahs have a soft beauty about them as the grasses yeild their seeds to the gentle breeze. The Winter is chilly and night-time temperatures may drop below freezing. Grasses and bushes dry out making it easier to spot the little critters, and some of the nocturnal animals such as aardvark and pangolin emerge in the daylight. The clear nights offer the opportunity of stargazing under the Kalahari’s famed ‘diamond skies’. 54 responsible traveller

The golden yellow blooms of summer at Tswalu Kalahari

‘Oppenheimer’s dream of restoring this part of the ‘green’ Kalahari has been more than fulfilled...’

responsible traveller 55

What’s news... RHINOS WITHOUT BORDERS – a project of hope for the rhinos of Southern Africa Rhino conservation today is a story of despair as our rhinos are being killed at a rate of one every nine hours. Last year more than 1,000 rhino were killed in South Africa alone. We have reached the tipping point where we are now losing more rhino to poaching than the present population is able to restore by breeding. We have gone into deficit. Whether it’s ten years down the line, or slightly longer, the end is inevitable: the extinction of the rhino! Rhinos Without Borders is a joint venture between Great Plains Conservation and &Beyond that combines our fundraising and project management efforts. The plight of the rhino is one of the more urgent wildlife crises we face today and Great Plains Conservation and &Beyond have decided to take action. Rhinos Without Borders is a global effort and one that recognises that, without the incredible efforts of the South African conservationists and parks, there would be no rhino to source or save. Joss Kent, CEO of &Beyond, believes that translocation is integral to the survival of the species. “After successfully translocating six white rhinos to Botswana last year (one has even birthed a calf ), andBeyond has partnered with Great Plains Conservation with the goal of translocating up to 100 rhinos from South Africa to the safe haven of Botswana in 2015. With various fundraising initiatives and the help of Trevolta, andBeyond and Great Plains Conservation hope to raise $8 million for the project.” Rhinos Without Borders is committed to: • anti-poaching, securing, surveillance, followup, prosecution and legislation are a large component of this effort • working closely with the Ministry of Environment and the Department of Wildlife in Botswana, as well as the Botswana Defence Force • working the tourism industry as a whole, and a variety of NGO’s, we may be taking a • leadership role in this project, but we do view it as a collaborative project • will be moving both species of rhino, black (Diceros bicornis) and white (Ceratotherium simum) and both governments have vetted the sources of these selected animals The Rhino Without Borders project recognises and celebrates the fact that there are rhino to conserve thanks to the efforts of parks officials and 56 responsible traveller

conservationists in South Africa. Now is the time to distribute and protect rhino populations and make it harder for oachers to raid concentrated resources of rhino that are clustered in South African parks and rivate land. Their distribution and protection is a tactic that has worked around the world for precious gems, such as gold and other high value items: Rhino Without Borders is adopting the same techniques. Funding generated will go towards rhino conservation and protection of rhinos: 60% for continued conservation, protection and monitoring and 40% towards capture, transport, bomas, quarantine and release. Project Objectives: • to invest in the security and monitoring of the source population - 25% of project costs • to translocate 100 rhino - 50% of project costs, as well as training the Botswana teams • to increase the ability to secure, monitor and manage the increasing number of rhino in Botswana - 25% of project costs There are different levels of participation for donors to consider. We urge anyone considering a financial donation to understand how the funds are being spent. Many NGOs keep between 1540% of project dollars to cover administration. For Rhinos Without Borders, Great Plains Foundation and Africa Foundation use 2.5% to cover basic bank costs. All advertising and marketing costs are covered by Great Plains Conservation and &Beyond as their donation towards this effort. &Beyond & Great Plains Conservation have partnered up with Trevolta, a global crowdfunding site that helps raise funds for travellers, and now rhinos. Donations start from $1, making it easy and accessible for anyone to join the project of hope and make a difference. Visit http://www. trevolta.com/rhinos and choose from the various donation packages and associated rewards. When you donate $1 you will receive a printable template for an origami rhino (along with a link to an instructions video). Share your ‘rhino selfie’ from around the world and encourage others to donate and post their own rhino selfies on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook with the hashtags #RhinosWithoutBorders and #RhinoMove •

www.trevolta.com/rhinos

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s news...

In New York At Madibaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feet in Nelson Mandela Square on Johannesburg

At Trafalgar Square, in London

At Big Ben in London responsible traveller 57

00 traveller 58 responsible responsible traveller

36 Hours... of organic living

WELLNESS

responsible traveller 59

Images - Karkloof Safari Spa / Tessa Buhrmann ©

• words - Tessa Buhrmann

60 responsible traveller

The Lodge deck invites you to chill a while...

he Karkloof Safari Spa epitomises luxury, not just the tangible luxury of beautiful surroundings, stylish décor and exquisite cuisine… but perhaps the most sought after luxury of all… time.

Check in was early, 08h00 to be exact… the welcoming smile, scented facecloth and the wonderfully fresh juice set the scene. I handed over my car keys (and with it all the cares in the world) and joined Makoni for the scenic drive up to the Lodge. My luggage was magically whisked away to my villa and I took my seat at a table on the deck overlooking a picturesque valley. As I perused the breakfast menu, I couldn’t help but think that I had quite possibly just arrived in heaven. The 5-star Karkloof Safari Spa is nestled in the lush Karkloof valley, a short distance from Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, and an easy drive from Durban. Being located within a

game reserve that is home to an abundance of wildlife, made every moment a safari experience – from the little duiker cautiously making its way through the riverine forest just outside my villa, to the pesky vervet monkeys that seemed to be playing ‘hide-and-seek’ with me while I was enjoying breakfast, and the ever graceful nyala that appeared completely unaware of my presence as I strolled to the spa. And this was before I’d even gone on a game drive! I had an early morning game drive and excursion to the spectacular 105m high Karkloof Fall scheduled with Makoni for the next morning, but today was destined to be my ‘spa and wellness’ day... responsible traveller 61

As a recipient of the Best Luxury Safari Spa award at the World Luxury Spa Awards 2012, I knew I would be in for something special. Reading through the spa menu, had me wondering if I’d stumbled upon the menu of a specialist fresh food outlet, with treatments ranging from avocado firming facial, Maldivian Black Pepper Scrub, Coconut Body Polish, Green Tea, Ginger And Lemongrass Body Wrap to my favourite, the Classic Coffee Body Wrap... The description was enough to make this one a must – ‘this stimulating Coffee Cocoon is an aromatic sensation. Inhale the rousing aromas of Coffee and Cinnamon while escaping to an oasis of glorious well-being. The Coffee and Cinnamon blend will stimulate both metabolism and detoxification while restoring your skin’s overall texture’. Need I say more?

‘Next time I need to try the Rassoul – originating in Morocco, this body treatment uses exfoliation, a mineral rich mud... and soft rain showers.’

In addition to a wide range of facials, wraps, scrubs and polishes there are massages. Ah, the massages… from a Lanna Hot Oil head massage to the Asian Hand and Foot Ritual, and of course an extensive range of massage therapy and body treatments. I got to experience the contrasting hot and cold temperatures of the Kneipp pools, the sense of weightlessness in the Floatation pool and even enjoyed doing a few laps in the body temperature Roman Bath. Next time I need to try the Rassoul – originating in Morocco, this body treatment uses exfoliation, a mineral rich mud (sourced locally, I might add) and soft rain showers. Did I mention that all the spa products are freshly made from natural ingredients? And that the organic avocado oil used in many of the preparations comes from a neighbour’s farm? I have to admit I was tempted to lick my lips during my avocado facial, and the aroma of coconut oil during my hand and foot massage transported me back to my youth and the days of tropical suntan lotions and Pina Coladas. Having been thoroughly scrubbed, rubbed and polished by the internationally qualified Thai therapists, it was time to relax a while in my villa before freshening 62 responsible traveller

The Rassoul body treatment

responsible traveller 63

My villa, nestled in the forest

64 responsible traveller

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;There are no schedules here, so I was free to enjoy my beautiful and elegantly furnished villa for as long as I liked... it was all mine for 36 hours.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; responsible traveller 65

The Lodge, and well stocked wine cellar

‘And there’s no worrying about the cost, as all meals, drinks... and spa treatments are included in the rate!’ 66 responsible traveller

up for dinner. Not that I was desperately hungry, as the delicious papaya, cashew nut and honey smoothie I had enjoyed while at the spa had been surprisingly filling. Or maybe it was just that sense of contentment and bliss?

fried calamari served on a bed of lettuce and red onion, drizzled with a chilli and balsamic reduction… I finished off with the raw food dessert, layers of mango, kiwifruit and strawberry served with a passion fruit sorbet.

There are no schedules here, so I was free to enjoy my beautiful and elegantly furnished villa for as long as I liked… it was all mine for 36 hours, and everything I chose to do was when I decided it would be. I eventually ambled down to the Lodge for dinner. An elegant space, furnished in an old-world colonial style with just enough African touches to give you a sense of place without being ‘over the top’. Beautiful botanical canvases of local indigenous plants as well as quirky repurposed items grace the walls.

Besides being happy to fully customise the options to suit your taste, the menu offers a variety of choices; from refreshing and nutritious to rich and decadent, as well as a raw food alternative.

Augustine selected a wonderful South African Chardonnay from the extensive ‘Diamond Club Award’ wine cellar to complement my delicious meal. And there’s no worrying about the cost, as all meals, drinks (excluding French champagne, but who needs that with Meals at Karkloof Safari Spa are a culinary the wonderful selection of South African treat, with the menu being set daily wines available) and spa treatments are depending on what’s freshly available included in the rate! from their organic vegetable garden Listening to the distant ‘whoo-whoo’ of and other local suppliers – definitely no an owl and the chirping chorus of tree frozen or convenience foods here…and frogs, I lay snuggled up in my king-size definitely no additives or chemicals! The bed contemplating my exceptional organic vegetable garden is one of their day. I couldn’t help but be amazed that enterprise development projects that I still had another 20 something hours Esther Nkosi, executive housekeeper, until checkout… to experience more oversees. of what Karkloof Safari Spa excels at My evening meal started with canapés and before dinner drinks, followed by crisply

giving – the luxurious gift of time! •

www.karkloofsafarispa.com

responsible traveller 67

Karkloof Safari Spa – on Sustainability... Whilst Karkloof Safari Spa may not tick all the boxes, principles of sustainability have been adhered to in the development of the property and where possible in its day-to-day running. A little difficult, given that the whole premise of a spa is ‘healing through water’, something that is very apparent here (it is believed that the word ‘spa’ has been adapted from the ancient Roman acronym signifying ‘sanitas per aquam’). The spa buildings were built with clay bricks reclaimed from derelict buildings on the property and constructed in such a way as to have ‘living roofs’ which are a hit with the herbivorous residents – you’ll often find the impala or nyala grazing on the rooftops, and sometimes even a buffalo or two! Water for the spa is sourced from the Karkloof River and is purified in the on-site water-purification plant. “We have spent the last seven years working with environmental and wildlife professionals to restore the region to its former natural splendour. This game lodge is now once more home to a diverse range of indigenous fauna and flora, wildlife and birdlife” comments Fred Wörner, the man behind the award winning Karlkoof Safari Spa, and it is with great pride that he tells me about their many conservation projects. The non-viable abandoned farmlands that have been added to the original game farm he purchased in 2002, the 2000 plus trees that they have planted on the property and the continued fight against alien vegetation – it is interesting to note that Acacia trees change the veld from sourveld to sweetveld, which is much more palatable grazing. And here I though the trees were just to look good and be of value in reducing their carbon footprint. The great success of the Red-billed Oxpecker project that has seen these biological tick controllers reintroduced into the area and now happily seen on the backs of resident wildlife, but 68 responsible traveller

perhaps greatest success of all is the growth of the disease free buffalo herd and the sanctuary the reserve has become for both black and white rhino. With over 3500 hectares of vast and varied terrain to explore, Karkloof Safari Spa is home to an abundance of game including black and white rhino, buffalo, hippo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, a variety of antelope, warthog and monkeys. Whilst being free from large predators, servals and Black-backed jackals may be seen. Of the over 270 bird species that have been counted so far, favourites include the Africa fish eagle with its haunting call, the turacos and robins that call from the treetops to the endemic Bronze-naped Pigeon that is unique to the area. The wooden walkways on the paths and trails that weave through the thickets and around dolerite rocks as you make your way to the Karkloof Falls are made from recycled plastic. Not only is this a great utilisation of a waste product, but it has a longer lifespan than timber and doesn’t need to be treated and sealed. Anyone who has walked in the mist of the Falls, and perhaps caught a glimpse of the rare Karkloof Blue Butterfly will understand Fred’s connection with this land and his fervent enthusiasm (some might say fanaticism) to conserve and protect it. •

A recent guest comment on Trip Adviser… ‘Thank you Karkloof Safari Spa for an amazing 36 hours... early check in and really late departure meant two full days of awesomeness. From the safari experience & walking to the Karkloof Falls with Makoni, the wonderful staff (Sandra, Augustine & Sylvester, to just mention a few - but each treated me like a princess, taking care of my every need... always attentive with great attention to detail) my beautifully appointed villa in the forest, fabulous cuisine (at any time of day or night), wonderfully stocked wine cellar and of course the spa... I was thoroughly scrubbed, wrapped, massaged and polished - all in superb surroundings with natural, freshly made products applied by wonderful Thai therapists. An absolute spoiling, so perfect for a special occasion... can’t wait to be back!’

‘Anyone who has walked in the mist of the Karkloof Falls, and perhaps caught a glimpse of the rare Karkloof Blue Butterfly will understand Fred’s connection with this land...’

The Karkloof Falls

responsible traveller 69

What’s new... Zimanga, Africa’s first photographic reserve, is up and running Zimanga Private Game Reserve in KwaZuluNatal is officially up and running as Africa’s first photographic reserve offering an extraordinary and revolutionary safari experience. At these times of a global hunting controversy it’s clear that the public has once again showed its lack of appetite for hunting. Its time to acknowledge that there is a way for land owners to generate sufficient revenue on their reserves from smaller numbers of clients and certainly without any animals being needlessly killed. Zimanga is hoping to prove this point by launching as a ‘photographic reserve’ where clients are happy to pay that little bit more to indulge in their passion for wildlife photography. What started out as a very neglected and poaching ravaged small game reserve has, with the Senekal family’s philosophy of economic, social and environmental responsibility grown to a much larger conservation area, renamed Zimanga... loosely meaning something unbelievable in Zulu – which is what has happened here, ‘a miracle and something unbelievable’.

All images - Zimanga Private Game Reserve ©

Now spread over 6000 hectares of pristine bushveld, fever tree forests and rolling hills, Zimanga is bisected by the Mkuze River and home to a huge variety of animals and birds – this includes over 400 species of birds and over 80 species of mammals that were historically present in the area including rhino, elephant, cheetah and wild dog. In addition to the conservation success, the development has resulted in employment as well as an initiative that has seen numerous households benefitting from access to running water.

70 responsible traveller

Having been nurtured and developed by the Senekal family over the last decade, Zimanga now opens its gates as Africa’s first photographic reserve and offers unique features that will be ‘music to the ears’ of wildlife photographers and enthusiasts alike. The reserve has been designed specifically to satisfy the needs of today’s wildlife photography enthusiasts as well as safari clients who have a deeper appreciation for ‘the bush’, both of whom crave an unhurried and exclusive experience. Zimanga offers traditional game viewing, with no more than two clients per row and is home to several state of the art photographic hides built under the guidance and supervision of ‘The Invisible Wildlife Photographer’ Bence Mate. These hides are unique in their design and execution in Africa and are already producing potentially award-winning photographs. It is the intention for Zimanga to become the region’s premier photographic reserve and the owners are committed to the continual development of the reserve and will strive to push the boundaries of hide design, ensuring that clients of all levels of photographic experience and ability leave with imagery, and memories, that they will treasure forever. Most importantly Zimanga hopes to demonstrate that when an animal is ‘shot’ by one of their clients it will live to see another day! •

www.zimanga .com

‘when an animal is ‘shot’... it will live to see another day!’

responsible traveller 71

Images - Stew Nolan Photography ÂŠ

Somkhanda ...a Jewel of Zululand

72 responsible traveller

omkhanda Game Reserve is a relatively unknown game reserve in the northern parts of KwaZuluNatal, approximately 50km south of Swaziland. The land is owned by the Gumbi community as a result of a series of successful land claims in 2005. Through visionary leadership and an acknowledgement of the value of their land, the Gumbi Traditional leadership agreed to set aside approximately 12,000 ha of their land for wildlife tourism and was officially proclaimed as Somkhanda Game Reserve in February 2011, the first communally-owned game reserve developed as a result of the Land Reform process. This is a massive achievement for the community, who have recognised the value of the potential economic returns from conservation land use. This is obviously in addition to the understanding of the community of the inherent value of maintaining their land in its natural state, purely for the value of the natural resources that it produces for the community (for example clean water, fuel (fire wood), food, and grazing). Therefore, it is the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intention that the reserve be used in a sustainable manner for species conservation, tourism and poverty alleviation for the community itself (through employment in conservation management and protecting their natural resources). Being located in Zululand, Somkhanda Game Reserve protects a large tract of classic savanna landscape, protecting many of the game species normally seen associated with these areas, including Impala, Zebra, Nyala, Bushbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Kudu and Giraffe. The rolling hills of the Rooirante make for spectacular scenery, and from the high points in the east, overlook the Lebombo Mountains and Jozini Dam. Somkhanda Game Reserve is lucky to have the Mkhuze River as its southern boundary, with approximately 15km of meandering river providing a crucial river habitat for a number of species. The value of Somkhanda Game Reserve is not only in the reserve itself, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s location within the Zululand bioregion, providing a critical landscape linkage between Thanda Private Game Reserve, Zululand Rhino Reserve and the more northern reserves of Pongola Game Reserve and Nature Reserve, even through to the Nsubane-Phongola Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA). These broader landscape corridors need to be the focus of our conservation efforts, as individual property efforts contribute responsible traveller 73

to developing the landscape protection of our natural environment, providing corridors for species movement and allowing natural ecological processes to take place. The protection and management of these types of game reserves provides huge conservation value and benefits for further species introductions. Due to Somkhanda Game Reserves prime location, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and WWF-SA introduced a population of both White and Black Rhino onto the reserve in the late 2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as part of the Black Rhino Range Expansion Project. Both these populations are doing extremely well, despite being affected by the current Rhino poaching crisis. These are iconic species for the reserve, and many of the tourism activities on the reserve focus on these species, allowing the professional tracking of Rhino and providing good sightings of these magnificent creatures. In addition, with the change in land use back Field Rangers checking the fences

74 responsible traveller

to conservation, a number of species are now naturally returning to the reserve as a result of the area now becoming suitable for them. Spotted and Brown Hyena are now regular visitors, while Leopard are becoming more numerous, and are special sightings in any reserve. Wildlands Conservation Trust has been partnering with the Gumbi community for many years, and are currently supporting Somkhanda Game Reserve through large funded projects (the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the DBSA Green Fund), with the aim of reintroducing African Wild Dog and Buffalo before the end of 2014. Plans are also being made to ensure Elephant and Lion are reintroduced onto the reserve, making this area into a Big-5 reserve, allowing it to achieve its full potential. â&#x20AC;˘

www.wildlands.co.za

‘...it’s the community’s intention that the reserve be used in a sustainable manner for species conservation, tourism and poverty alleviation’

responsible traveller 75

From a tourism perspective: The tourism focus on 12 000ha community owned Somkhanda Game Reserve is defined by the theme of ‘Science of Safari’, and the aim is to get the visitors involved in the science behind managing biodiversity on a game reserve. One of the programmes offered is the opportunity to accompany the reserves dedicated Rhino Monitors who, using both telemetry and tracking skills, locate and check on the on rhino population.

Accommodation options...

It must be stated that these encounters are professionally and responsibly facilitated with the wellbeing of the animal being their primary concern at all times. Somkhanda also provides practical conservation fieldwork / trips for university and college groups where students are trained on the methodology and execution of a scientifically robust rhino monitoring programme. In addition to a phenomenal close up and personal encounter with one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife species the positive spin off of this programme for rhino conservation is that for every participant in this activity, African Insight donates 20% of the fee to Wildlife Act Fund. This is in support of an environmental awareness programme that Wildlife Act facilitates in schools surrounding the game reserve – this programme was inspired by the need to educate the youth in the surrounding communities on the value of Somkhanda Game Reserve and all its wildlife populations. •

www. africaninsight.co.za

‘Science on Safari’ - learning to identify rhino by its dung 76 responsible traveller

responsible traveller 77

Rhino Artâ&#x20AC;Ś

leading the way in demand reduction education

78 responsible traveller

Rhinos are threatened with extinction because of poaching to supply the illegal international trade in rhino horn. Only about 28,000 rhinos of five species exist in the wild today. More than a thousand rhinos were poached in 2013 in South Africa. At this rate, scientists have predicted that rhino will be extinct by 2020.

Fuelled by a growing demand for rhino horn in primarily China and Vietnam and driven by international criminal syndicates, rhinos around the world are under threat of extinction. During 2012, both the Western black rhino and Vietnamese population of Javan rhino were declared extinct, and there are less than six Northern white rhino left in Africa. South Africa is now one of the last countries to have a significant population of rhino left in the wild â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of the reasons why South Africa is bearing the brunt of what can be described as one of the worst global wildlife conservation crises of the past 100 years. responsible traveller 79

s the ‘to trade or not to trade’ debate rages, South Africa’s rhino continue to be slaughtered at an alarming rate as the poaching continues. Whilst anti poaching measures seem the most obvious way to combat this scourge, or as some suggest the legal trade of ‘farmed’ rhino horn, surely demand reduction is the ultimate solution?

Enter Kingsley Holgate and the ‘Rhino Art – Let the Children’s Voices be Heard’ campaign. Kingsley is one of Africa’s most colourful modern day explorers, an humanitarian adventurer, author, TV Personality and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and as Getaway Magazine calls him, ‘ the most travelled man in Africa’. In 2013, Kingsley and his expedition team became personally involved in the rhino poaching crisis. Their Izintaba Zobombo Expedition to document the Lebombo Mountain Range between South African and Mozambique formed the backdrop to the partnership with Project Rhino KZN and launched the Rhino Art campaign. Kingsley and his expedition team travelled through a rectangle that included the Kruger National Park and its nearby private reserves, across its fence line to the ‘Rhino War Zone’ along the border with Mozambique to include Parque Nacional do Limpopo and the private reserves down to Komatipoort, then South through the nature reserves of Swaziland and into Northern KZN. Kingsley’s time spent in the ‘Rhino War Zone’ and his observations of the impact rhino poaching was having on rural Mozambique communities

80 responsible traveller

was invaluable to conservationists and law enforcement personnel on both sides of the South Africa-Mozambique border. This block has the largest concentration of wild rhino populations in the world and the Izintaba Zobombo Expedition was able to undertake the most comprehensive children’s education survey ever carried out through Rhino Conservation Art and soccer matches. Never before had so many thousands of school children been given the opportunity to voice how they feel about the rhino poaching crisis. Well over 10,000 pieces of Rhino Art were collected. The aim of the Rhino Art campaign is to reach young people in other African countries affected by rampant poaching and wildlife crime, and the partnership with Project Rhino KZN continues to educate and drive awareness amongst thousands of young people in South Africa, particularly in KZN and the Eastern Cape. The campaign has to date already reached 125,000 African youth with a rhino conservation message that encourages them to voice their thoughts about rhino poaching. The results are astonishing; not only is it very clear that young people in both urban and rural

communities are fully aware of the rhino poaching crisis and feel deeply about it, but they are also aware of the long term impact it will have on their African heritage and the global world they stand to inherit. Their graphic pictures show cognisance of widespread corruption and criminal forces at work and their heartfelt pleas for rhino poaching to stop make even hardened rangers weep. The Rhino Art campaign was part of the launch of the President Joaquim Chissano Wildlife Crime Initiative in Maputo, which aims to implement tougher wildlife crime laws in Mozambique. It has now reached Vietnam through a partnership with WildAct Vietnam and Saving Rhinos (UK). Through them dialogue was reached in Vietnam between Freeland Foundation, ENV (education for Nature ) Humane Society International and TRAFFIC, all of which are reputable ‘anti- trade’ organisations in the East. Vietnam is the largest market for rhino horn, as many Vietnamese people believe that it will improve health, treat specific ailments, and even cure cancer despite the fact that science has proven that rhino horn is not a cure for any human condition. In fact, rhino horn is composed of keratin, the same material that makes up human fingernails and hair.

Rhino Art Vietnam was officially launched in May 2014 and already over 4,500 students have been reached by the project – the estimated number of family members exposed to campaign messages, with the average size of a Vietnamese family being four, is 18 000. The project team visited 20 schools

responsible traveller 81

to give a short talk on rhinos and the poaching crisis, then left a Rhino Art Template for each of student to complete which they later collected. The 2,000 entries received were judged by WildAct Vietnam, Humane Society International, Helping Rhinos, Kingsley Holgate Foundation and the Hanoi Education and Training Department – the six winners will be attending the World Youth Rhino Summit in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa organised to coincide with World Rhino Day, September 22, 2014. The World Youth Rhino Summit is a result of the information gleaned from thousands of young people throughout Africa from the Rhino Art campaign. The inaugural World Youth Rhino Summit will bring together 130 young people aged 15-17 years from South Africa, other African countries affected by wildlife poaching, consumer countries in Asia and other parts of the world. The delegates and their teacher-chaperones will interact with conservation leaders in the symbolic Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve – known internationally for its role in saving the white rhino from extinction previously - to directly address the current rhino poaching crisis and develop resolutions needed to stop burgeoning wildlife crime. •

www.youthrhinosummit.com www.kingsleyholgate.net www.projectrhinokzn.org Follow Rhino Art on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RhinoartAfrica For more information on Rhino Art, please contact Grant: grant@rhinoart.co.za

Aims & Objectives of Rhino Art... The objective of the Rhino Art project is to gather the largest number of ‘Children’s Art Voices’ ever recorded in support of rhino protection and to use these ‘Hearts and Minds’ messages from the children of Africa as a worldwide call to action against rhino poaching. ‘Rhino Art’ is aimed at schools closest to National Parks and Game Reserves – a worrying fact is that less than 2% of the children at these schools have seen a rhino in the wild.

art materials remain with the school for future art projects. GPS co-ordinates record each school visited and a full report on each school, including the names of the Rhino Art winners, is produced.

Going forward...

The project aims to reach 100 more schools and 100,000 more children; ‘Rhino Vision’ will be launched – an initiative that will take children into game reserves to see wildlife up close; an interactive website showcasing all art will be The project consists of two phases: launched and the messages from Africa’s children 1st school visit – A pre-production rhino will continue to be pushed into consumer markets educational visit to the school at which each child in an attempt to reduce demand. receives an A3 blank of paper with the outline of a rhino and suitable art materials. A careful So how can you help? explanation is given to the children and teachers Become a school sponsor! To implement both regarding the importance of the Rhino Art and phases of this project into one rural school costs messages from a united voice of the children of ZA R5,000.00. As a donor you will receive the Africa. It’s at this pre-production visit that a return following: • Full report on each school visited date is set for the Rhino Art judging event. • GPS co-ordinates of each school visited 2nd school visit – The Rhino Art is judged • Names of the winning Rhino Art kids classroom by classroom commencing with a rhino • A school by school selection of messaged educational talk in the local language. There is a Rhino Art to be mailed through to you after regional Rhino Soccer Challenge at which the ‘man each judging event of the match’ wins a bicycle. The 10 best artists win • Visual material to be supplied to you for each an exciting safari to see a rhino in the wild. All the school visit. 82 responsible traveller



ϮϭͲϮϯ ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌ ϮϬϭϰ ;ŝŶĐŽƌƉŽƌĂƟŶŐ tŽƌůĚ ZŚŝŶŽ ĂǇͿ



What’s news... The new Rooibos Route launched recently The Rooibos Route was officially launched in Clanwilliam on August 14th. It is a web-based tourism site offering holiday makers a one-stopshop for planning a breathtaking holiday based on experiential offerings within the local rooibos industry. Started by sisters Sanet Stander and Marietjie Smit, whose original sewing shop became South Africa’s first and only Rooibos Tea House. “What we realised with the Rooibos Tea House is that tourists don’t want to simply buy tea. They want to see and feel the tea plants in their natural state, they want to learn about the harvesting and curing of the final product and they want to know everything about how the green plant becomes red tea in a bag,” says Sanet. “We just wanted to make it easier for tourists who have an interest in the rooibos industry to plan a trip during which they can learn about the industry while still being pampered and relaxed in beautiful surroundings.” “All of our suppliers have something they could offer tourists – be it educational or experiential. We’ve created a website with an interactive map that shows you where the specific company or farm is, what they have to offer and how to get in touch with them,” says Marietjie. “Essentially we

84 responsible traveller

take out the legwork of planning your rooibosbased trip by giving you the available options and contact details.” Experiences include: the cultivation and processing of rooibos and includes large-scale farms with on-site processing plants so that tourists can see how a rooibos plant is harvested and turned into bagged or loose red tea; historic buildings and destinations where visitors can learn how the rooibos industry has shaped itself over the last 300 years. As well as restaurants offering rooibos cooking and baking and the Tea House, where you can taste, drink and buy over 100 flavours and blends of rooibos tea. The Rooibos Route website is centred on an interactive Google Maps system that is both easy to use, and quite handy when planning your roadtrip! West Coast Tourism Manager, Kiewiet van Rooyen, praised the Rooibos Route’s initiative. “Modern tourists don’t want to just lounge around and read books – they want experiences. And this is what has been launched here today, a tool that helps tourists plan and create individual and unique experiences that are both relaxing and educational.” •

www.rooibos-route.co.za

What’s news... Cape Canopy Tour now open! A first for South Africa, and only an hour from Cape Town, the Cape Canopy Tour is situated in a World Heritage Site within Cape Nature’s Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, located in the scenic Elgin Valley. The tour consists of eleven thrilling slides, some over 300m long, each ending on a platform constructed on the fynbos covered mountain slopes and cliffs above the Riviersonderend Gorge. A unique suspension bridge between a narrow sandstone ravine high above a spectacular double waterfall is guaranteed to be one of the unforgettable highlights of the tour. Cape Canopy Tour is a fully guided nature experience with a strong emphasis on client comfort and safety. Two trained guides will accompany each group on the 3½ hour tour. They will provide information about the endemic fynbos and geology of this unique World Heritage Site. Included in the tour is a 4x4 journey through the nature reserve, refreshments on one of the cliff-side platforms as well as a light lunch afterwards. Cape Canopy Tour is suitable for almost all ages (5 –75years is the recommended limit) and will operate in most weather conditions (rain gear is provided). •

www.capecanopytour.co.za

responsible traveller 85

Durban walks...

he recent World Architectural Congress held in Durban showcased a number

of outstanding architectural, historic and cultural elements of the city. One of which is the newly launched Rivertown Precinct... Denise Kiggen had the pleasure of joining Beset Durban on their walk through this renergised part of the City.

I am truly delighted to have been a participant in many of these events. The aim of Beset Durban is to get us Durbanites off our couches, beach towels or coffee shop chairs, onto our feet and into the streets of our city! The reason for the name Beset comes from a positive interpretation of the word – meaning - to set upon, surround, occupy. The organisers specialise in coming up with interesting options to engage with our city at a grassroots level in a community of other interested people. On the 3rd of August the Beset Durban Group toured the Rivertown Precinct in Durban. It was so exciting to be in the area of this brand new concept. 86 responsible traveller

The area – between the ICC and the beach front, is full of small aging warehouses and is about to be transformed into a central residential and commercial community. The whole project will make use of as many existing buildings as possible, and will remain true to the essence and history of Durban. Recycling on a large scale. Using the buildings that are on hand, and repurposing them, while taking into account their previous history. We met up at 8 Morrison Street – The warehouse home of the new Sunday ‘Morning Trade’ Food Market. It is the Pioneering development of the Rivertown renewal. Architect Andrew Makin was a passionate guest tour leader, and he spoke to

responsible traveller 87

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The aim of Beset Durban is to get get us Durbanites off our couches, beach towels or coffee shop chairs, onto our feet and into the streets of our city!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

88 responsible traveller

The Beset Durban Archiwalks and excursions are announced on social media. If you’d like to join in follow them on... Twitter: https://twitter.com/BESETdurban Instagram: http://instagram.com/besetdurban Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/besetdurban

us about the city and the plans for the very well located Rivertown area. We start our walk by heading to the beach - Just to prove how close it is! We then headed toward Dr Pixley KaSeme Street. There are plans to paedestrianise this urban thoroughfare – or to make it a paedestrian priority route. We then headed towards the newly revamped Beer Hall at 102 Prince Alfred Street. This space was previously closed to the public, but is newly opened up, respectfully restored and housing various public spaces. Architect Rod Choromanski took over at this point and explained the plans to expose the underground river that drains through this area into the harbour. A test section has already been uncovered just outside the Beer Hall. If all goes well, the river canal will visibly wind its way through the Precinct to which it gives its name. Can you just imagine the canal-side café culture that this could produce? We finished off the walk at the buzzing Morning Trade market. The Sunday morning market is the place to buy fresh produce and artisanal foods. The place was jam-packed and I think it is going to be a winner – for sure! It will also house art exhibitions • • words & pics - Denise Kiggen

Follow Denise’s explorations on her blog Freshly Found Durban responsible traveller 89

What’s news... Caring Initiatives an integral part of Taste of Durban The 2014 Pick n Pay Taste of Durban was once again held at Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World (Suncoast). In addition to being an exceptional food experience, this year’s show committed to contributing to a greener, more caring society. “We are proud to be ‘green’ in so many areas of the show together with our environmentally aware sponsors, partners and exhibitors,” says festival director, Justine Drake. “Taking the environment into account and ensuring best practice in terms of sustainability can only add to the flavour experience that epitomises the Taste philosophy.” Naming sponsor, retailer Pick n Pay places great priority on environmental issues and actively promotes and adheres to sustainability in their core activities and has multiple green awards to its name. Pick n Pay continues to research, innovate and apply its findings to business practises and ultimately share their journey with their customers, in order to assist them in reducing their own impact on the environment through adopting more sustainable lives. The event also partnered with green companies such as Interwaste and Green Home in order to ensure a more sustainable event. Interwaste provides the environmental management

solutions for Taste Festivals by providing recycling facilities on site at the event and doing a carbon footprint assesment to ensure that the event’s carbon footprint is kept neutral. Green Home Products is South Africa’s leading biodegradable food packaging supplier and all plates, bowls, knifes, forks, and spoons are environmentally-friendly and made from natural and renewable resources that are 100% biodegradable after use. From a social and community perspective a social responsibility initiative, Cape Town Angels, has teamed up with the organisers of Taste Festivals South Africa brought a coast-to-coast charity challenge to Durbanites – they hosted the all-new Call to Action (CTA) Benefit Stage, where a line-up of local artists provided entertainment, donating their time and talent for free, as an act of active volunteerism. Foodies were challenged to support local charities showcased at the event with their own time and talent donations. One such organisation was the KZN Branch of ASSITEJ SA, a NPO aimed at transforming society through children’s theatre and so ‘changing the world one child at a time’. •

www.tasteofdurban.co.za

The Call to Action Benefit Stage

90 responsible traveller

‘ensuring best practice in terms of sustainability can only add flavour to the experience...’

responsible traveller 91

My Soweto Experience

...in 24 hours

Cycling in the streets of Kliptown

umptuous food, adventure quads, four star luxury rooms, touring on mountain bikes, historic tales, exquisite art, marsh owls, great entertainment and birding picnics.

Where am I? Very few people would believe the answer lies in Gauteng’s sprawling township of Soweto, but thanks to a small group of budding entrepreneurs, that’s all changing. The Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) invests millions in the expansion of small businesses 92 responsible traveller

across South Africa and their Hidden Treasures programme is one of the most innovative and far-reaching local tourism initiatives consisting of unique experiences that provide visitors with an authentic taste of South Africa’s rich and varied history and culture. Some of the most successful of these products are based in Soweto and these young entrepreneurs got together to form SOWETOO. The aim of the amalgamation is to be a Soweto Potjie Pot, where the best of all the existing

products are thrown in a bouquet of activities, encouraging a spread throughout various businesses for economic benefit, whilst providing a wealthy and real experience for the end user.

Getting some practice!

So now you can spend 24 hours in Soweto. Arriving at the Soweto Hotel on Freedom Square, guests are greeted by stylishly decorated rooms themed with an immense collection of jazzy 50’s photographs and the heroes of the liberation struggle. The juxtaposition of interior opulence and the fresh food markets outside the hotel can leave visitors a little dizzy, but the hotel sources staff from the surrounding area and all their fresh produce is purchased on the streets, says the hotel’s Lorinda Epskamp. After a hearty breakfast, we gear up with TKD Tours to cycle the surrounding Kliptown area. We’re greeted warmly wherever we go, beginning with the 1955 gathering in the square where the Freedom Charter, which forms the basis of our constitution, was adopted. It’s a fascinating history lesson, made more real by our constant movement through the area. Kliptown, one of the most historically rich townships to experience, has a soul and you can feel it as you travel through its communities. Back at the hotel, our shuttle arrives to ferry us to Soweto Outdoor Adventures. Based at Orlando Quad biking

responsible traveller 93

Towers, Kgomotso Pooe introduces us to the basics of quad biking and we head out. This is serious off-road biking in areas where chickens and children add to the difficulties of the terrain, but then you turn a corner and ahead is the set of SABC’s Zone 14, with its quiet suburban roads and recognisable characters. Pooe is entertaining and intensely committed to the area – he takes us past his family home and says he is a child of Soweto, the only home he knows and loves. Men and woman greet us as we roar past, clearly intrigued by the huge machines, but also keen to welcome everyone to their buzzing neighbourhood, alive with activity and trade. A pitstop at the local shebeen The Shack is recommended but we’re hungry so we slough off several layers of dirt and our protective gear and arrive in Jabavu, where Roots restaurant & gallery offers a welcome refuge from the heat of the day.

Getting the taste for beer in The Shack ‘Soweto Sushi’

Situated opposite the famous Morris Isaacson High School, where thousands of youths started their march against Bantu education years ago, Roots is owned by Reggie Makhetha who epitomizes township hospitality. He intrigues us with a menu of ‘soweto sushi’ and ‘pantsula bites’ that are eagerly wolfed down and the beverages are icy cold and quickly delivered. The food menu is accompanied by a ‘music menu’ to meet everyone’s tastes. The upstairs restaurant area is flanked by a gallery that stocks local artists and everything is for sale. Rejuvenated, we leave Roots with Raymond Rampolokeng, birder extraordinaire. This father of four joined a group of young people to clean up an unused reservoir in Chiawelo several years ago and was introduced to birding by a member of the Wits Bird Club. Now Rampolokeng offers birding tours for local and international tourists in Soweto, from Thokoza Park (Moroka Dam) to Orlando power dam. It’s a calming end to the day with more than 30 different kinds of birds to be spotted. Back to the hotel for a hot shower and a night out at Vilikazi street or one of the many party venues in the area if guests are not too exhausted. This is an experience that will forever change your opinion of Johannesburg’s enigmatic neighbour. • Words & pics - Cheryl Hunter 94 responsible traveller

‘This is an experience that will forever change your opinion of Johannesburg’s enigmatic neighbour’

‘24 hours in Soweto’ with Fair Trade Tourism

Birding with Raymond

11h00 - 13h00: Guests arrive at the 4-star Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) certified Soweto Hotel to check in and refresh before enjoying lunch at the Jazz Maniacs Restaurant. 13h30 - 15h30: Join FTT certified Moratiwa Tours for the start of your Soweto adventure... visit one of the community projects, such as ‘Brickby-Brick’ and ‘Bafana Kids’. 15h30 - 16h30: Get Soweto historical Highlights through a guided tour where you will visit the Hector Pietersen Museum which commemorates the Soweto uprising on 16 June 1976 and is a symbol of resistance to the apartheid government and the Vilakazi precinct, which was home to two former Nobel Peace Prize winners (Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela). Enjoy a stop at the Shack for a drink. 17h00: Drop off at the Hotel to refresh

Murals on the Orlando Towers

18h30 - 23h00: Dinner at Roots with optional drinks at Masakeng/ Change room 23h00: Spend the night at Soweto Hotel 07h00 - 09h30: Early breakfast followed by cycle tour of Kliptown with FTT certified Lebo’s Soweto Bicycle Tours 10h00 - 14h00: Enjoy a fun Soweto Tuk-Tuk experience with Lebo’s Soweto Bicycle Tours, including lunch with a local flavour 14h30 - 16h00: Birding tour or for the adrenalin junkie, bungee jump off the Orlando Towers with Moratiwa Tours Note: Alternative accomodation is at FTT Certified Lebo’s Soweto Backpackers

www.fairtrade.travel Lebo’s Soweto Tours, Backpackers and Bicycle Tours

responsible traveller 95

96 responsible traveller

Experience Soweto... H

ow about experiencing a different side of Soweto? One where you’re not walking or cycling in the dusty streets of the township, neither tasting umqomboti (a homebrew that is a fairly acquired taste – or in plain English: disgusting! Worth trying though on a walking or cycling tour.) But anyway, I am getting off track and we must get back on track!. We are going to a 4-star hotel, to drink cocktails and listen to jazz!

in style

Make sure you get your glad rags on, ‘cause we are going to one of the most stylish places in Soweto: The Soweto Hotel! The Kliptini (made from homemade gemmer (ginger) beer and vodka) in Rusty’s Bar is claimed to be one of the best cocktails in Soweto. Don’t stay too late in the bar though, at least not if you are there on the last Saturday of the month (which I strongly recommend) as the Sunday jazz brunch in the Jazz Maniacs restaurant is something of an institution.

Street art in Kliptown responsible traveller 97

Freedom Square, where the Freedom Charter was declared in 1955

Freedom Square

98 responsible traveller

Situated on Walter Sisulu Square, commonly referred to as Freedom Square, where the Freedom Charter was declared in 1955, Soweto Hotel is as close to hallow ground as you will come in the history of the anti-apartheid struggle. What better place to soak up the new, fashionable and stylish vibe of South Africa’s most famous township? Worlds collide, and the result is a mesmerising kaleidoscope of history, memories, struggle, liberation and a brand new world! The hotel décor is a tasteful dedication to the significant events of the 1950’s. The rooms are a quirky mixture of historic mementos and modern luxuries, and photographs by acclaimed documentary photographer Alf Khumalo are displayed throughout the hotel. The local jazz and uniquely Sowetan dishes in a modern take made with ingredients sourced from the nearby Kliptown market complete this stylish township experience. The Soweto hotel is certified by Fair Trade Tourism and fully dedicated to uplifting the local community is which it operates. It is an important contributor not only to local employment and skills development but also to small traders and service providers in the area. Through its Musuk’ukulinda Amathuba Trust they support historically disadvantaged groups such as orphanages, womens ‘groups and the disabled. This hotel has truly changed the space in which it operates in a positive yet respectful way, by preserving its history while at the same time bringing life and opportunities. •

www.sowetohotel.co.za

Soweto Hotel passage

Kliptown in Soweto

My Insider Tip: Don’t miss the small museum opposite the main entrance, a building that used to house the Jada hardware store, where ANC leaders Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela had to hide in the roof during a police raid on a meeting (both were restricted by banning orders at the time and risked arrest if caught in a public meeting). The store has been kept much as it was, and is a little gem where history is so palpable you can almost touch it.

• words & pics - Katarina Mancama Follow Katarina’s travels on her blog ‘My Slow Journey’ responsible traveller 99

Tourism month

100 responsible traveller

Image - Wikimedia.org ÂŠ

...in the Northern Cape

uring Tourism Month, we focus our efforts on domestic tourism in particular, using the period as an opportunity to encourage all South Africans to get out and explore this unique, beautiful and diverse land we call home. Domestic tourism, which is crucial to the long term growth and sustainability of South Africa’s tourism industry, is an important focus area of the Department of Tourism. Says South Africa’s Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom; “We are committed to ensuring that the wonders we boast and the unique heritage we have been endowed with are shared by an ever growing number of South Africans. We can only protect and promote our heritage if our own people understand and appreciate it.”

Each September we celebrate Tourism Month in South Africa. September is also the month where we celebrate our Heritage, which is fitting given that our heritage is so central to the development of tourism as a sector of our economy.

A part of South African Tourism’s domestic marketing efforts will include the continued rollout of the Nothing’s More Fun than a Sho’t Left campaign. The campaign, launched at the start of Tourism Month last year, drives home the message that travel in South Africa is fun, an investment in your relationships and yourselves as well as being both accessible and affordable. The theme for Tourism Month 2014 is “Tourism Transforming Lives”… which offers a great opportunity to celebrate those people who are making tourism their business, those who are making job creation growth a reality and contributing to South Africa’s GDP. By celebrating their contribution we can inspire more South Africans to walk in their footsteps. Jo Fritz, owner of Jo’s Guesthouse and Hantamkraal Restaurant in little known Calvinia in the Northern Cape, is testament to the power of tourism to transform lives even in the remotest areas of South Africa. From a family of eleven children, Fritz worked hard in Cape Town to fund his education in the hospitality sector before returning to Calvinia to set up a take-away business and then a guesthouse and restaurant. Jo’s guesthouse grew from two to 17 rooms within ten years and the attached restaurant has seating for 60 people. Today he employs eleven people, ensuring their growth by sending them on appropriate courses and supports many more in his community by making extensive use of local suppliers. He regularly uses his story to inspire others in Calvinia by giving motivational talks at schools and community meetings. responsible traveller 101

“Through initiatives like the Tourism Enterprise Partnership and the Lilizela Awards we are committed to working to ensure that entrepreneurs in tourism like Jo Fritz get noticed and get the kind of support and mentorship they need to ensure their ongoing success. This year, my department is putting in place more programmes to grow a more inclusive tourism industry”, says the Tourism Minister. “This year, World Tourism Day, which takes place on 27 September 2014, will be celebrated under the theme of “Tourism and Development in the Community”. For us in South Africa this is certainly relevant as twenty years into our democracy, development of our communities, particularly disadvantaged ones, still remains an overarching priority.” The potential of tourism to develop communities is significant. Around the world people are increasingly searching for authentic experiences. Today’s traveller is quite unlike the traveller of yesteryear that simply wanted to come to South Africa and experience a luxury safari, with minimal interaction with the local communities. Increasingly, travellers across different lifestyles want to come to South Africa and not only be

wowed by our natural wonders, but want to engage with the communities in the areas they visit. Voluntourism, where travellers are in some way involved in a community project while in South Africa, such as the building of a school, homestays and township tourism, are some of the fastest growing niche travel areas in South Africa. This is excellent news for the ongoing development and growth of community based tourism initiatives and of cultural tourism. Not only is the Northern Cape home to Jo Fritz, but is home to such as the Namaqualand National Park, world renowned for its incredible floral display each spring, the mighty Augrabies Waterfall and the expansive and awe-inspiring Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, to name but a few. This province also boasts one of South Africa’s World Heritage Sites, the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape. This area, which is home the highest levels of diversity for any arid ecosystem in the world, was declared a World Heritage Site in 2007 because it sustains the seminomadic pastoral livelihood of the Nama people. (Source: South African Tourism). •

www. southafrica.net

Spring flowers in the Namaqualand National Park

102 responsible traveller

SEPTEMBER 2014

Featured Establishment and Supplier Contact Details African Insight / Somkhanda Game Reserve pg 72

South African Tourism

Tel: +27 33 234 4466 www.africaninsight.co.za

www.shotleft.co.za

Amakhosi Safari Lodge pg 27 Tel: +27 34 414 1157 www.amakhosi.com

Southern Sun Waterfront Cape Town

pg 87

Tel: +27 21 409 4000 www.tsogosunhotels.com

Wilderness Safaris Fair Trade Tourism pg 02 Tel: +27 11 807 1800 www.wilderness-safaris.com Tel: +27 12 342 2945 pg 22 www.fairtrade.travel pg 34 GreenLine Responsible Tourism pg 07 Programme

pg 103

Eco-Beds

pg 39

pg 106

Tel: +27 12 667 6658 www.eco-beds.com

Tel: +27 12 667 6658 www.heritagesa.co.za

Responsible Traveller has gone digital…

great articles & travel ideas … all with hyperlinked website and emails addresses, audio & video

Enjoyed the read? Then help grow an awareness of responsible tourism by emailing the link to the online version to your friends and colleagues … and be sure to check us out and share on Social Media!

www.responsibletraveller.co.za 104 responsible traveller

Great travel content on the go... anywhere and anytime in digital flip page magazine format or web articles ALL to read at your leisure