“Why Travel with G Adventures?
Don’t just see the world. Make it better.
Planet Earth is an amazing place, but it’s far from perfect. Since the very beginning, G Adventures has operated under the belief that travel is an exchange, not a commodity. When you travel with us, you’re giving back as much – if not more – than what you take away, often in ways you’d never expect.
Social enterprise: A formula for the future
As a travel company, the planet is our product. Its social and environmental welfare is fundamentally important to us – not just as a business, but as human beings, too. When we say “We Love Changing People’s Lives,” we’re not just talking about our travellers. We’re talking about everybody. G Adventures is a social enterprise, which means the social value of what we do is just as important to us as the profit it earns. Here’s how it’s done.
Planeterra – Our foundation
Established in 2003, the Planeterra Foundation is our non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the communities touched by tourism benefit from the opportunities it provides. Planeterra works directly with G Adventures to minimize the impact on the destinations, and to promote sustainable solutions and economic growth for communities. Planeterra manages over 50 current and funded projects in underserved regions all over the world.
Local investment
We like to keep things local on our trips. Working with small, locally owned businesses rather than big international chains helps keep the overall cost of your trip down, but we also believe that your travel dollars should stay where you spend them. Supporting local entrepreneurs and small businesses strengthens communities, raises the overall quality of life, and ensures that the places you love will continue to be loved.
Animal Welfare
G Adventures recognizes the importance of animal welfare. That’s why we have adopted the guidelines developed by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) in conjunction with the Born Free Foundation, a third-party organization whose mission it is to protect animals from abuse. Our vision is to ensure that all animals encountered on our tours are treated humanely.
Disaster Relief
G Adventures strongly believes tourism is a force for global good, and we’re committed to promoting sustainable solutions in communities around the globe.
“Siyakwemukela!”
“An entire continent’s worth of greatness concentrated into a single gorgeous package, South Africa practically bowls visitors over with its abundance of natural splendour, exotic wildlife, cosmopolitan flair, and friendly faces. There are hundreds of reasons to come to South Africa – savannah safaris, the vineyards of Stellenbosch, dazzling Cape Town, and the stunning Garden Route, to name but a few – and once you’ve gotten yourself here, you’ll discover millions more.
Where the savannah meets the sky
The landscape of South Africa is diverse and pleasant, incorporating everything from acacia or mopanie bush savannah to steep mountains to some of the best beachfronts you’ll find anywhere. The sprawling plains of the lowveld is home to Kruger National Park, a great spot to track Africa’s fabled Big Five game. Along the southeastern coast, you’ll find the Garden Route, judged by many as one of the world’s most magnificent coastal drives. And if you’re into wine or pleasant strolls, the oak-dotted vineyards of the Stellenbosch produce some of the best of both.
The rainbow nation
Given its racial and historical divides, South Africa does not possess a uniform culture. City-dwellers, both black and white, are largely Westernized, but tribal cultural tradition continues to thrive in rural areas, most notably in San communities. Most South Africans speak English, Afrikaans or both, and the country recognizes 11 official languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, and Swazi. Since democratic reform struck an end to apartheid in 1994, a collective effort has been made to recognize all South Africans as members of a “rainbow nation,” and while the movement has made great strides, the transition continues.
Babotie, braai, and bunny chow
Perhaps nowhere is South Africa’s cultural diversity more evident than in its food. Indigenous dishes, European cuisine, and Asian-Indonesian fare are all plentiful here. Maize meal, chicken, beef, and pumpkin are common staples in Bantu-speaking households, bobotie (a minced meat dish served with an egg, bread and milk topping) is a signature of the Cape Malay region, and Durban has made the bunny chow (a curry-filled bread) a local delicacy. But the most memorable culinary experience remains the braai, the communal barbecued meal and celebration of all things grilled and meaty.
Colonization, conflict, and courage
Humans and their ancestors have occupied South Africa since paleolithic times, but it is the conflicts and alliances between indigenous populations and newcomers that have shaped the history of this region. Beginning with the emigration of Bantu-speakers around 1000 BC through the arrivals of the Dutch and British in later centuries, South Africa’s history is one of colonization, unrest, and radical change. It is impossible to discuss the history of South Africa without mentioning apartheid, the official policy of racial segregation that dominated all aspects of life here for over 40 years and shaped the country’s rich and varied history. The election of Nelson Mandela as the country’s first black president in 1994 is just the latest chapter in a saga of challenge, progress, and, ultimately, harmony.
South Africa today
A modern, pluralistic society and the continent’s economic superpower, contemporary South Africa is still largely a work in progress. Poverty and prejudice still exist, and it the stain of apartheid will likely never fully fade, but this country and its people are resilient and committed to making the dream of a “rainbow nation” come true. The best way to understand modern South Africa is to speak with those who live here; you’re unlikely to find friendlier people anywhere else. Considering how far it has come in just a generation, the future ¬– for everyone ¬– seems bright. Come witness the birth of a better society for all in real-time.”
Courtesy of G Adventures