Early summer African eco-holidays

If you are looking for an early summer holiday and want your trip to be about more than just having a great time, there are some great eco-holidays to enjoy in June.

The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) has put together its top last minute Africa late deals for June with a wide variety of eco-tourism holidays available.

This month's offers include active holidays going on safari in South Africa, beach holidays in Gambia and staying at an eco-lodge in Madagascar.

South Africa short safari holiday for £360
A short safari break is a great way of getting the safari experience without having to part with a large chunk of your savings for the trip of a lifetime.

For £360 per person South Africa specialist Bushbaby Travel has a three-night safari holiday at the Madikwe Safari Lodge at the Madikwe Game Reserve.

The game reserve is in the north-west of South Africa close to the Botswana border and is one of the country's biggest.

Home to the big five - lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros - as well as 60 other large mammal species and 300 bird species, the reserve is a great place to visit on an eco holiday as it is run as a joint venture between the government, the private sector and local communities.

Bushbaby Travel gives five per cent of its pre-tax profits to the Cape Town projects and a home for special needs children in Vredehoek.

The cheap safari holiday includes accommodation, all meals, drinks and game drives and is available until June 30th 2007.

19-night safari for £715 plus local payment
If you are looking for something much more epic, the Great Southern Safari, offered by Dragoman Overland, visits Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho over 19 nights.

Holidaymakers can trek through Swazi communities and visit a school in Lesotho on the way.

The trip starts from £715 per person including all land transportation and excludes flights and a kitty contribution of $350. For more discounted late deals from Dragoman Overland see www.dragoman.com

A week in Luxury Madagascar for £1,595
For holidaymakers prepared to spend a lot but who want to make sure their cash is going towards something ethical, it is hard to beat Rainbow Tours.

The company has three-star status for its responsible tourism programme, as awarded by AITO, and specialises in breaks to Africa and the Indian Ocean, in particular areas which are less frequently visited, such as South Africa's Eastern Cape and Madagascar.

Rainbow tours has a luxury Madagascar holiday at the Anjajavy eco-resort available until June 22nd for £1,595 per person including return flights, activities and full board accommodation.

A week's beach holiday in Gambia for £469
A relaxing beach holiday in Gambia with The Gambia Experience this June is available for £469 per person - and part of your cash helps raise money for the building, renovating and buying equipment for schools in the country.

The trip is available up until June 26th 2007, including flights, transfers, and four-star accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis.