Our Story
What started off as a discussion in 2011 between Michel and Aristide, two young university students from the German city of Freiburg, soon became the dream on how to change the current travelling practices. Specifically, how to travel, to explore and to learn from different cultures and its people while actively protecting the environment and supporting the social living standards of that community.
Coming from two different countries and backgrounds, Michel and Aristide came up with the idea to start a travel organization based in Tanzania – Aristides’s home. Being able to connect those two cultures on an equal level was the beginning of what today is Sustainable Travels. Having the unique personal experience and knowledge of this country, its tourist attractions as well as of its people, makes Sustainable Travels more than just a business.
The aim was and still is, to offer an insight into the beauty of Tanzania for everyone – students as well as seniors, for people with low or high budgets, experienced travelers as well as newcomers. A travel experience where prices are transparent and the aim of travelling is not just travelling but also to experience the day-to-day life of a normal Tanzanian, enjoy the beauty of the country while at the same time contributing to the development of the community.
Therefore, Sustainable Travels focuses on the employment of locals, on supporting local and regional value chains where possible, and donates 5% of its profits to the locally founded NGO “Charitable Services for Women and Children in Tanzania” (CSWCT - www.cswct.org).
So what started as a small-scale, run-besides activity, finally emerged into a real business when Joyce and Muriel started to become part of this dream.
Our Mission
Our aim is to have a sustainable travel company which takes our today’s action into account for the benefit of the future generation. A company which preserves the environment for the coming generations to enjoy and be thankful for our beloved nature. A company which is part of the community it’s operating in, contributing to the social life, supporting their education, creating employment and cultural awareness and understanding. So travelling with Sustrav, is not just doing a normal Safari in Tanzania but a journey/ an experience to learn from each other, discover each other’s cultures, meet people from different backgrounds see the wonders of nature and – most of all, empower people to be able to help themselves.
That’s how we see our mission: We combine tourism with sustainability because we believe in the strength of connecting with people and the nature!
So, join us in discovering Tanzania’s beauty in harmony with its people and nature.
