Life enriching journeys
Travel Africa to enjoy authentic and inspiring journeys while helping sustain rural livelihoods and enhancing conservation along the way.
Open Africa's self-drive travel routes take you off the beaten track to mostly rural areas, allowing you to connect with the real Africa – the birthplace of humankind, unspoiled nature, incredible beauty, rich biodiversity (the richest in the world, in fact) and legendary hospitality.
At the same time you will be contributing to local livelihoods and conservation in the area by supporting local businesses, which increasingly conserve their environment as they understand its value to generate future income. In some cases you could even enable an entrepreneur to feed their family for a month or send a child to school for a year.
Click here to explore our travel routes or here if you are interested in making a contribution towards the livelihoods and conservation so needed by Africa.
Open Africa organisational profile (PDF)
Open Africa six monthly report (PDF)
Read more about us »63 travel routes 6 countries 2400 participating businesses 27 000 people employed
Blog
20
Jan
Jan
Zambia: The friendliest place in Africa
When the opportunity arose to visit Zambia in December, Open Africa Operations Manager, Francois Viljoen jumped at the chance. What ensued was a journey of crossing borders, making new lifelong friends and returning to a home away from home.
Read more- The journey of 2011...2011 Dec 08
- Africa well poised for sustainable travel trend (press release)2011 Dec 02
- A big day at Open Africa2011 Sep 13
- Benefits of Open Africa’s mission2011 Oct 17
- The Journey of a lifetime2011 Oct 04
Latest video
The migration of fruit bats to Kasanka National Park is rated one of the world?s greatest spectacles. As many as 8-million straw-coloured fruit bats, with a wingspan of almost one metre each, arrive in Kasanka to feed in November and December each year. The roosting site is easily accessible on a tarred road some 500km north of Lusaka. Producer Charl Pauw visited the roosting colony to highlight yet another attraction on Open Africa's new travel routes in Zambia. This video recently came second in the Global Environment Facility Photo & Video Contest 2010.
Inyathelo philanthropy awardee
Our own Noel de Villiers, CEO and founder of Open Africa, captured imaginations with the story of Open Africa, and his inspiring vision of gearing tourism towards bringing hope, using it to sustain livelihoods and enhance conservation across the mother continent. Read more
Did you know?
Fauresmith is home to the South African National Endurance Championships – a long-distance horse ride of 200km over three days, considered one of the toughest in the world.
Verbatim
Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flights.
– Missionary David Livingstone, describing the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe
Featured route
Cape Care Route
The City of Cape Town initiated the development of this route that offers visitors a different experience of the city, in that it focuses on sustainable development issues.
read moreFor booking enquiries please go to the travel route that interests you
View all routes »
Reviews
This is the best backpackers i have stayed at, the service is fantastic, the food good, staff very friendly and the view is spectacular, long stunning beach beautiful clear surf. I love everything about Buccs, there are lots of activities to take part in, some free a great place to meet new friends. I have stayed there twice and will go back.
We had the pleasure to spend some time in 2007 and in 2010 in Buccs and it was like coming home. Same spirit, same wonderful people, same great party. I can't describe how this little paradise on earth warms our hearts every time we sit in Germany's cold winter and think at it. Thank you so much for the great time Buccs! We'll definitely see again. Hugs to Anna and Pete! :-) Goran and Anja
We had the pleasure to spend some time in 2007 and in 2010 in Buccs and it was like coming home. Same spirit, same wonderful people, same great party. I can't describe how this little paradise on earth warms our hearts every time we sit in Germany's cold winter and think at it. Thank you so much for the great time Buccs! We'll definitely see again. Hugs to Anna and Pete! :-) Goran and Anja
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