10 day-safari embraces participation in sustainable travel in Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe, with meaningful contributions to the African Bush Camps Foundation

From eye-widening wildlife to pulse-quickening activities, there is much to excite and enlighten travelers on safari in the bush of Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. With the introduction of African Bush Camps (ABC), new “Impact Safaris,” there is also ample opportunity to aid the rural communities located on the outskirts of wildlife reserves. ABC offers authentic safari experiences in some of the least touched areas of the continent and has combined the two with Impact Safaris, an immersive concept designed for travelers to experience natural wonders and local culture and communities while giving back to the residents of the regions. 
 
While many safari operators are involved in local philanthropy, ABC’s new Impact Safaris go further, embracing a pillar of sustainable travel by funding education, community empowerment, and conservation initiatives via significant donations from guest bookings. Contributions combine 10% of the safari rate plus USD 10 each night a guest stays at any ABC camp. The latter is a fee that ABC contributes from all its safaris towards the operational cost of African Bush Camps Foundation.

Impact in Numbers

By design, Impact Safaris go even further, showcasing the Foundation’s projects for travelers to experience first-hand, encouraging participation in the betterment of communities, and opening the door for guests to volunteer or donate to projects.

There is much for Impact Safaris to showcase. During 2022, for instance, the Foundation funded the renovation of 3 schools; supported 27 teachers and 28 families; aided the education of 707 students; assisted more than 3,000 patients; backed 3 women-led skills projects; fed the families of 80 rangers; served 8,990 meals and supplied 12,000 kilograms of meat to rangers; spent 4,000 hours patrolling 33,000 kilometers of wilderness against illegal poaching; and more.

Travelers on Impact Safaris can look forward to visiting the Khwai Pre-School near ABC’s Khwai Leadwood and Khwai Tented Camp in Botswana; the Maunga School and Clinic near Thorntree River Lodge along the Zambezi River in Zambia; and the Dete community near Somalisa Camp, Somalisa Expeditions, and Somalisa Acacia in Zimbabwe. Volunteering activities include participating in the school’s feeding scheme, understanding measures implemented to mitigate the human-wildlife conflict, touring the clinic facilities, visiting the community vegetable garden, and learning about specific skill development projects of the African Bush Camps Foundation.  

A guided foundation visit to Maunga village near Thorntree River Lodge:

Three Destinations and Communities Beyond

The Impact Safari is a diverse safari experience, combining stays at ABC camps amid the African bush and making a lasting impact on the areas, wildlife, and nearby communities.

The journey begins in the Okavango Delta of Botswana, with 3 nights at Khwai Leadwood along the Khwai River in the community-run Khwai Concession, where the Foundation is working to improve the quality of education by investing in local schools and enriching the community via skills development and entrepreneurship.

Then it’s off to Zambia for 3 nights at Thorntree River Lodge in Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, just a rock-skip-and-a-jump from famed Victoria Falls, where the Foundation is improving access to health care and improving the quality of education.

The Impact Safari concludes with 3 nights at Somalisa Expeditions in the heart of Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, renowned for its sizable elephant herds and its lion pride, where the Foundation is actively investing in conservation and mitigating human-wildlife conflict through education, equipment, and empowerment of local communities that must co-exist with wildlife.

Visiting Mambanje and Dete near Somalisa Camp in Zimbabwe:

That’s 10 days / 9 nights, with modern and stylish accommodations in environmentally friendly camps, which offer plenty of opportunities to learn about the communities where most of African Bush Camps staff members grew up, and where the Foundation projects are anchored. The daily adventures include game drives, walking safaris, mokoro activities, sundowners overlooking the wilds, and more. ABC-trained guides with lifelong experience in the bush do all the prepping and travel with guests on every outing, including to local communities. They’re a highlight of Impact Safaris – and every adventure ABC offers.