Why Botswana?

Wed, 03/13/2019 - 10:00 - 
Iris

Often people ask me why I have chosen to offer this peculiar combination of destinations: Botswana, Costa Rica, Northern Portugal and the Azores! Why exactly these specific destinations?

There are several reasons which in the end come down to the fact that sustainable and responsible tourism are words which are often used to easily by many. The truth is that finding the right partners, which also operate in beautiful countries where governments support and contribute to the possibility of traveling in such a way, is often as difficult as finding a needle in a hay stack. There is so much to say about my choice for these specific destinations, that I have decided to start with a blog series. In this first one, let me explain a little bit why  Botswana?

BOTSWANA

It is not just a coincidence that Botswana has the largest amount of elephants. Unlike its neighbouring countries it does not allow commercial hunting or trophies hunting. Elephants are smart, can grow very old and have a terrific memory. They remember the slaughter that took place when they crossed that river from Botswana into the neighbouring country. The matriarch leads the group and adapts the route in a way that they stay as much as possible in “safe” territory. As a consequence more elephants are staying in a smaller territory, that is within Botswana, instead of roaming through different countries. For you as a traveller this means you have a as good as certain possibility to spot large herds in the varied landscapes of Chobe NP, Moremi, the Savuti, the Kalahari and the Okavango Delta. The animals roam around freely. For the locals this means that there are too many elephants destroying crops.

On one hand the government and several local organizations spent lots of money on the protection of wildlife and National Parks against poachers. On the other hand, farmers are being compensated for the loss of farm animals and crops caused by wild animals. All this has a tremendous price. But nevertheless since 2014 Botswana refuses income out of commercial hunting. It may not be the cheapest destination in Africa, but currently it may well be the most responsible place to go on a safari holiday.

For this reason Botswana needs the support of pure photography-travellers, lovers of animals, because if the surrounding countries are not willing to change their politics towards wildlife protection and trophies hunting, it is only a matter of time before Botswana will be forced to also accept great amounts of money from rich hunter-tourists. The question that rises is: could we blame them then while we supported those countries with other politics instead of theirs? It is your choice to travel to Botswana, Namibia, South Africa or any other country, but be aware that this choice implicates that you choose to financially support certain regimes, malpractices or even corruption.

If you want to be a responsible traveller, inform yourself about the destination you want to travel to and book your journey with those who have values which you want to support while having the time of your life.

THE CHOICE FOR OUR LOCAL PARTNER

Our local partner lives in Botswana of course and employs local personnel at the office, in the workplace, local guides who know and want to share their knowledge about the country they grew up in, giving you the most authentic experience.

Aside from the activities in tourism, our local partner has a foundation, which knows what is needed most in which area’s of the country. To just name a few initiatives you support when booking a YŪGEN adventure in Botswana: a mobile clinic so that locals who cannot travel to the clinic can be reached, a project for single mums, our local partner built a school and supports a local soccer team to keep the kids of the street. On top of that, you can contribute directly as well since they are also a member of Pack for a Purpose, which allows us to inform you before your departure of the goods that are needed most at that time, so you can save a small space in your luggage for crayons, a football or a small box of medicines, making a huge difference in the lives of local people and children with something that seems small to us.

Why would we not offer this beautiful country with this remarkable partner?

The gentle giants of Botswana

The fact that Botswana has just received the 1st prize in the category BEST OF NATURE this month at the global sustainability awards which took place at the biggest Tourism trade show, ITB Berlin, is a beautiful confirmation for me, for the decisions I have made after a lot of work and effort, in selecting responsible destinations. The price is an award for showing global leadership in actively protecting its scenic views, natural habitats and wildlife, and showing respect for animals, a basis for its sustainable tourism development. YŪGEN tours congratulates Botswana on winning this prize. As a traveler it is not easy to study all aspects of the country you travel to, as it would take a lot of your time. Let us do that for you and guide you to those wonderful places. Feel free to take a look at our website or contact hello@yugentours.com

Share your smile, go yugenstyle,

Iris

Comments

Do you have any questions or suggestions? Leave a message in the box below.