Responsible tourism

Gekko Safari would like to share its passion for Australia and its respect for natural and cultural assets which we try to preserve as much as possible.

Australia is a fascinating country for its diversity, cultural richness, nature and local communities. We are doing everything possible to respect this diversity.

The limited number of group participants allows us to respect the ecological balances and support the human dynamic in the encounters with the local population.

Our driver guides have a deep understanding and knowledge of local and indigenous customs with many years experience in the bush, which they are able to share with the travellers.

Examples of meetings and exchanges with the locals:

• At Kings Creek Station, a huge cattle station in the outback, we encourage talks with locals so that they can share the knowledge of their country, their competences on the land, animals and plants and also their life experiences.

• In Coober Pedy: We sleep under ground, like the locals, and dine in a family restaurant. The visit of an opal mine is followed by a presentation and debate on the Coober Pedy town and it’s past.

• Drovers rest Marree: local history and tales told by the owner. Visit of the aboriginal art Museum and talks with members of the Arabanna people who explains with passion their culture and mission for the protection of Aboriginal lands.

Since the first tourism trips organised in the Australian bush, Gekko Safari always privileged the relations with its service providers and shown honesty and respect.

Thanks to their loyalty, we help to ensure them a stable and regular income

Obviously, this responsible tourism practice guarantees our passengers a friendly reception with even more goodwill and cooperation by our local contacts.

Examples of economics consequences, social justice and local development:

• Mt Ebenezer: it’s one of the rare "Roadhouses" managed by an aborigine community in the Northern Territory.
  Its art gallery expose paintworks and other objects coming from the Imampa local community and all the profits are locally reinvested in order to finance concrete improvement projects such as solar panels, computers purchase for school and a bus purchased for the community.
  
  We have privileged this destination because we have the guarantee of Aboriginal art authenticity, where 100% of the profits is allocated to the community.

• Nepabana: Iga warta is an Aboriginal tourist site created by Terry Coulthard and his family, at the beginning of the 90’s. Gekko Safari supported this unique project from its creation. Indeed, it’s one of the few Australian tourist complex entirely manage by an Aboriginal family and it’s recognized as a "success story" at a federal level.. Every year, Gekko Safari presents to the community a donation which in 2007 was used to help finance a memorial for the last initiated members of the Adnyamathanha Aboriginal clan of the Gammon Ranges.

In order to minimize the impact of our activity on the environment, we manage our wastes -when the infrastructure permits it- Ensuring that all our campsites are left as clean as when we arrived.

Our guides benefit of a continuous training, and are proud to share their passion and respect for the Australian bush. Whilst on excursions in natural surrounds, they initiate their passengers to life in the outback, (few examples below) so that all can be conscious that we need to appreciate nature and its richness whilst respecting the ecosystems and preserving it for future generations.

The severe water shortage in Australian obliges us to reconsider each daily use, these new practices are explained to the travellers and they are encouraged to apply them .It’s the responsibility of each and everyone of us.

Few examples of our environment practises

• Use existing campsites

• Manage as well as possible the water use

• Washing up: using small amounts of water in several buckets

• Using public toilets as often as possible

• Using gas for cooking

• small campfire to avoid the production of polluting smoke and the over use of wood

• Before departure: clean the campsites thoroughly
  

From its creation, Gekko Safari has always considered ecotourism as a must, well before the general public becomes aware of it. We are also convinced that the well-being of future generations depends of our responsibility towards the environment and the respect of cultures, in particular the wisdom of aboriginal people.

We are passionate about our work which gives us the opportunity to discover and share with others a natural and cultural asset of an extraordinary richness.

We wish for the travellers to returns home, their heart full of new experiences, with a respect of the local diversity.

To summarize, our mission and those of our guides is to :

• respect the integrity and the beauty of nature ,local and indigenous populations

• share this passion with the travellers and help them to become aware of the needs of preservation

• to insure that our activities profit the local and indigenes populations