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Environment
Our own staff in the field are expected to run trips in as sustainable a manner as possible. For example; not only do they insist on removing their own rubbish but they will when practicable clean up after other more selfish groups. Our aim is always to leave campsites in a better state than we have found them. Our staff ensure our clients are given clear guidance on dealing with litter, toilet issues, on prevention of water pollution, firewood usage and personal hygiene. We encourage all participants in our trips to follow our Responsible Tourism strategies as part of our Responsible Travel Policy through our pre-trip information and through our staff in the field.
With few other resources it is not surprising that tourism is critical to the countries economy. Luckily it has been developed carefully balancing the needs to preserve the magnificent environments with the need to develop good facilities for visitors and to allow local tribes to maintain as far as possible their preferred lifestyles. Park entry fees account for a substantial amount of the fees that we charge for our trips! Fee money goes to the government some of which is redistributed among local communities and organisations.
Mt Kenya, the 2nd highest mountain in Africa naturally attracts many visitors every year. Its location in the heart of East Africa with its fascinating and diverse cultures, flora and fauna further add to this being such a popular destination. It is tourism that not only keeps the Kenyan economy going but also helps preserve the magnificent environment. Income from tourism allows the strict management plans to be implemented without which wildlife would be wiped out and forests cut down. Visitors to National Parks help protect the environment just by going.
Community
Traditionally local communities are extremely poor. Your visit will indirectly help many families and provide money for the clothing, feeding and schooling of many children. It is logical to use local people to work with the tourist industry. The staff that you meet on our trips are from local communities. Working with tourists has many benefits to them - their wages are higher than those normally received in these areas and they have the opportunity to earn tips. Our tipping policy recommends fairly substantial tips. This allows you to be directly involved and they receive money immediately. The guides, porters and cooks on the mountain work hard, and we help to ensure that they are treated fairly. In particular we insist they are not given more than 15kg loads to carry, that they eat well, are well-clothed and can sleep in comfort. You will generally find they have much more energy on the mountains than you do at the end of what seems to you as a particularly hard day. This to a large extent is related to their superb acclimatisation.
In addition to your interaction with our staff we encourage you to be involved and visit a variety of projects at our different locations such as farms, orphanages, schools and villages. Visitors are also encouraged to purchase local produce, however they are asked to avoid souvenirs made from endangered indigenous woods (such as ebony & bamboo) or encourages the destruction of flora and fauna (such as ivory, corals and large shells).
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
