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This year PETA had the first-ever Animal-Friendly African Safaris Award, in which they awarded five companies that offer cruelty-free and sustainable wildlife viewing.

The five companies offer wildlife viewing on protected reserves or in national parks. They also, among other considerations, maintain a respectful distance from wild animals and guide small groups at specific times of the day in order to minimize stress to the animals. In addition, all five companies that won also offer exclusively vegan menus, cruelty-free toiletries and linens, and zero exposure to trophy hunting.

“These safari companies are winners because they offer cruelty-free adventures that respect animals enough to let them live in peace and they make sure guests’ food and toiletry choices are animal-friendly,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA urges travelers to do their research and choose safaris that respect animals and never allow harmful, hands-on encounters.”

Here are the five winners of PETA’s Animal-Friendly African Safaris Award:

Alluring Africa:

Alluring Africa offers safari camps on their 320,000-acre Selinda Reserve which was formerly a hunting reserve. Now, the area boasts wildlife and is home to large prides of lions, hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs. All guests stay at a safe distance to observe the animals in their natural habitats. The company also partnered with Vegans, Baby CEO and founder Diana Edelman who helped them create a vegan cuisine and Conservation-focused experiences.

World Vegan Travel:

World Vegan Travel offers tours to many destinations and activities that are catered by vegans and for vegans. Their tours include guided wildlife-viewing walks through a primate sanctuary, an afternoon cruise on the river where guests can observe birds and moneys, a tour of the Southern Hemisphere’s largest aviary, and lessons in rhino Conservation. Guests can also participate in a class where they can learn how to make traditional African plant-based cuisine.

Kings Camp:

Kings Camp has a certified vegan hospitality consultant to make sure all of their guest’s needs are met. The company is located in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and faces an open waterhole that is visited by a wide range of wildlife. Guests can visit the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre which is a home for abandoned, injured, and poisoned wildlife.

Vegan Safari Africa:

Vegan Safari Africa was once eight cattle farms that trapped and held animals captive. Vegan owner Helene Forward created the Deception Valley Lodge by removing all the fencing, creating corridors, naturalizing waterholes, and allowing the roads to become overgrown once again so that the animals could thrive. The owner ensures that all of their safari lodges are vegan-friendly.

Air Safaris 269:

Source: @airsafaris2692/Youtube

Air Safaris 269 is owned by vegan pilot JC De Klerk who reportedly makes sure that all of his tours are 100 percent vegan, including vegan versions of traditional African meals such as braai and melktert. Guests can choose from 14 packages that allow them to safely watch the animals in their natural habitat from land or air without disturbing them. They also have a rehabilitation center for previously captive African big cats.

Check out these amazing companies that are making safaris cruelty free! Check out our guide on How to Tell the Difference if an Attraction is Harmful to Animals!

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