Responsible Travel with Libby White of Traveljar
One trip can change the direction of your life...
This summer, I traveled to Africa for the first time. On my bush plane to South Luangwa National Park, I met Libby White. It wasn’t too long into our conversation before I learned Libby worked for a company called Traveljar and was on her way to spend a month in Africa.
“We believe that people are looking for a deeper way to connect to the destinations they visit and that travel can open the door to understanding conservation, our environment and other cultures in a powerful way.”
Four years prior, Libby traveled to Africa for the first time on a trip with Habitat for Humanity and remembers, “I saw how volunteering on a holiday could not only open my world but could also change the lives of others… the trip really changed my life.”
Morning walks with the orphaned elephants at the Kafue Release Facility in Kafue National Park (part of the Gamer Rangers Internationals program in Zambia) | Photo by Andrew White, Traveljar’s Director of Conservation
Aside from the impact of volunteering, Libby took part in her first safari in South Luangwa, where she met a British man who shared her desire to make the world a better place. “Long story short, we were married two years to the day we met on safari and celebrated our one year anniversary on the banks of the South Luangwa river where we met.” It was during this time that Libby and her husband, Andrew, befriended former cricket player, Jacques Rudolph, who explained his dream to start a travel company that supported conservation and community. As the stars aligned, Libby left her job as an architect in 2017, and both her and Andrew joined Jacques to create Traveljar; a company that’s now raised more than $30,000 for conservation efforts.
As travel trends continue to emerge—think wellness, sustainable, and adventure to name a few—it’s no secret that an underlying theme of responsible travel motivates both consumers and operators to rethink their impact on the destinations they’re traveling to, and selling, respectively. So, I chatted with Libby to learn more about Traveljar’s impact, mission and partnerships to inspire travelers to wander more responsibly.
One of my favorite things about our community engagement projects we do is getting to meet and bond with some inspiring children. Taken when visiting an after school program in Lusaka, Zambia | Photo by Andrew White, Traveljar’s Director of Conservation
What is the core philosophy of Traveljar?
Our core philosophy at Traveljar is to provide bespoke and personal experiences for our guests while helping to raise awareness around conservation and community engagement projects through travel. It is our goal to show people the wonders of our planet through purposeful and responsible travel.
Who are some of your partner organizations and what are they renowned for?
We have been lucky to have partnered with some very inspiring projects and individuals. My husband has been involved with The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation for the last 10 years, as well as Game Rangers International. We are grateful to call many in these two organizations friends and they have taught us so much about what it really means to be involved in conservation. Thanks to both DSWF and GRI’s dedication over the last 10 years, one of their orphaned elephants just gave birth to Zambia's first baby born to a rehabilitated elephant and released back into the wild.
The founder of Rhino 911, Nico and his family are incredible in their dedication to help save South Africa’s rhinos, giving their spare time and own money in this fight. They have really opened our eyes to the situation happening with rhinos in Africa.
Lauren Mellor, founder of Mabel, is so inspiring in her goal to help change the narrative about feminine hygiene in rural communities and I am very excited to be partnering with her on a women’s group in Zambia in 2020.
Visiting a rhino sanctuary to learn more about the dangers that rhinos, and the people protecting them, are facing in South Africa | Photo by Andrew White, Traveljar’s Director of Conservation
In your opinion, what organizations and destinations (in or outside of your network) are exceeding in conservation efforts?
Over the past six months as we really looked at what we wanted to stand for as a company, we have sought out and chose to partner with lodges and suppliers who are leading the way in ethical and sustainable travel. Three of our key suppliers really exceeding in this effort are:
Wilderness Safaris: created a range of eco-friendly lodges with the objective of reducing energy consumption and fuel at all its camps. For example, Mombo Camp in Botswana is 100 percent solar powered, wastewater is treated in an Above Ground Sewage Plant and to reduce bottled water, reverse osmosis filtration is done to provide guests with high-quality drinking water.
&Beyond: has many successful conservation projects at itss lodges and reserves. For example, at Phinda they have rejuvenated old farmland into a thriving ecosystem that has been able to repopulate rhinos, cheetahs, and lions across Africa. They also just introduced a new pangolin conservation project where guests can take part in a pangolin health check [pangolins are labeled as a critically endangered species].
Sujan: in India is a great example of a supplier who is committed to engaging with the local community. Over 82 of their team comes from local communities, they have set up medical camps that have treated over 3,000 villages, including a progressively higher number of women patients every year, and have set up local schools with a focus on educating about local wildlife; to help the wildlife and communities coexist in harmony.
Spending time with the elephant keepers and learning more about caring for an orphaned elephant at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery outside of Lusaka, Zambia (part of the Gamer Rangers Internationals program in Zambia) | Photo by Andrew White, Traveljar’s Director of Conservation
What should a traveler be looking for if they wish to book a more responsible trip to Africa?
Responsible travel has become a bit of a buzz word lately and it can get a bit complicated to know where to start, but for the people looking to travel more responsibly when in Africa, here are a few suggestions I can offer:
Work with a travel company who has a program to offset your carbon footprint. We have started working with Trees for Life to help offset our clients’ carbon footprint and plant a tree in the Scottish Highlands for every trip booked.
There are many lodges who have sustainability projects at their locations from bottling their own water, to going plastic free, to running on solar power. When booking your trip, ask your travel agent what your accommodation is doing for the environment.
Get involved. When planning your trip, look for a travel agent that offers opportunities to get involved in conservation or community projects during your travels.
Do your research. There are a lot of eco-friendly or conservation experiences that are being offered to travelers that are not always what they seem. A good travel agent who is serious about responsible travel will be able to share with you how your trip and money is actually making a difference.
An orphaned elephant out for a walk with their keeper at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery outside of Lusaka, Zambia (part of the Gamer Rangers Internationals program in Zambia). Without moms or families to help teach the elephants what they need to learn to survive in the wild, the keepers take on the role as protector and teacher | Photo by Andrew White, Traveljar’s Director of Conservation
What are some of the greatest challenges of working in conservation? What about the greatest rewards?
I think the greatest challenge about working in conservation is getting people to understand the severity of the problem we are facing and why it matters to the world as a whole if we lose a species. For those of us who do not live in areas that are experiencing human-animal conflict or the complexity of poaching, it is easier to get caught up in our day to day life and think this is someone else’s problem. I believe education is going to be the driving focus in conservation efforts going forward.
By far the greatest reward has been seeing a rescued elephant being released back into the wild and living a “normal” elephant life; given a second chance after their family was killed from poaching.
I can't imagine a world where this is no elephant in Africa or tiger in India and I want the next generation of our family to experience the magic of seeing a rhino in the wild. So for us, there is no other option than to continue to do all we can to support the organizations who are fighting to save the world’s most endangered species.
Xo,
J
