Travel Green List: 6 of Africa's most sustainable destinations

Africa’s second smallest country might be lacking in size but it is far from deficient in biodiversity, and it is isolated enough (210km off Gabon) to remain shielded from mass tourism. In 2012, the island of Príncipe was also declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, thanks in part to its adoption of eco-tourism. Indeed, agroforestry business HBD Príncipe has worked hard with residents to develop eco-stays and community-based experiences, bringing much-needed income to a nation that has long suffered from economic instability.

For nearly a decade, Alphonse Island – 400km south-west of mainland Mahé – has been at the forefront of the Seychelles’ sustainable tourism initiatives. The luxury Blue Safari Resort, the only stay on the island, provides bungalows and villas overlooking palm-fringed sands. The hotel is powered by 2,200 solar panels, with no phone signal, no TVs in rooms and limited wifi. Hiking, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing are the focus here, while biologists from the Island Conservation Society (ICS) often invite visitors to talks and beach clean-ups. A levy (£25pp per night) also goes towards the Alphonse Foundation, which raises money for the islands’ conservation work.

Located in the Eastern Cape province, Samara was founded in 1997 by conservationists Mark and Sarah Tompkins, who transformed 11 former livestock farms into a flourishing wilderness by reintroducing key species, such as lion, cheetah, black rhino, elephant and the endangered Cape mountain zebra. The reserve champions responsible wildlife safaris and social causes, with profits shared among staff, who are also given the chance to learn new skills, ranging from software and accounting to baking. This is especially important in the Eastern Cape, where only 20% of residents complete schooling and unemployment is high.

Kenya’s Laikipia County, Loisaba Conservancy was set up to ease relations between local farming communities and the area’s wildlife, as well as safeguard Kenya’s most important elephant corridor. Lion, leopard, cheetah and African wild dog also thrive within its 23,000-hectare setting; and this spring, Loisaba will re-introduce 21 black rhino to the area for the first time in 50 years. Best of all, safari-goers are privy to the wisdom of Maasai guides when staying at Elewana Collection’s Star Beds Camp, Loisaba Tented Camp and Lodo Springs.

It’s been over 30 years since German aid worker Sibylle Riedmiller applied to the Zanzibar government to convert Chumbe Island into an educational marine park. Her goal? To stop reef exploitation and fishing with dynamite in the area. Now its communities partake in marine life awareness programmes and the area is home to a healthy coral-rag reef with 514 recorded fish species. For visitors, day trips or stays at the island’s eco-huts include the option of guided snorkels and coconut crab-observation tours, showing how far the island has come.

Rwanda has long known that protecting its forests means working with local people, so 10% of the income from national park fees and visitor permits goes back into its communities. At Volcanoes NP, home to a large population of endangered mountain gorillas, it is even common to be guided by rangers and trackers who were once poachers, their lives forever changed through local education programmes. Low-impact tourism is at the heart of the park’s success, with gorilla-tracking trips limited to just 96 visitors per day. But this is also one of many initiatives across the country. In Akagera NP, black- and white-rhino populations are on the rise thanks to local conservation efforts, and the effects of a rewilding scheme at Gishwati- Mukura NP, known for its chimpanzee- tracking, has sealed its status as a new UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Lastly, on Nkombo Island, the excellent Capanne (HUTS) Project brings income to some of the nation’s poorest villages by inviting a small number of visitors to stay in its traditional huts, enjoy visits to its markets and embark on dug-out canoe trips.

See more of the Travel Green List:

Sustainable destinations in Asia

Sustainable destinations in Europe

Sustainable destinations in Australia and the Pacific