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We share the view that some tourism in Kenya is essential for the survival of the areas our clients visit. It provides much needed income to sustain communities and wildlife habitats. It is imperative however that it is channeled to safaris and properties that make a genuine difference. In our view this is hard to define so we personally visit every property on our itineraries and complete a Sustainable Questionnaire and only those that reach our minimum standard get representation. As a result you can be assured the safaris we sell and lodges we list are at the forefront of Sustainable Tourism.
Community:
From a community perspective and in varying degrees (please ask to see results for specific lodges) each: employs locally throughout the operation from senior management and guides through to front of house, drivers, cooks and housekeeping; operates a Trust that benefits the local community; charges a conservation fee which goes to the trust; tries to preserve local cultures; supports the development of education within the community; supports the development of health within the community and helps and assists the local community to implement sustainable ways to manage their land and their resources.
Environment:
From an environmental perspective and in varying degrees each lodge is; active in the preservation of the local wilderness; has not purchased land from a community and/or instigated the subdivision of land previously owned by a community; is active in the preservation of wildlife; is active in encouraging the local population to become involved in the conservation of wildlife through self-interest schemes; has measured its Environmental footprint for water usage, crops rain water and recycles its water; has measured its Environmental footprint for waste and has sought to reduce it; ensures solid waste and sewage is disposed of in a way that doesn’t damage the environment; has measured its Environmental footprint for electricity usage and has sought to reduce it; uses renewable energy to cook its food, heat its water and produce its electricity; used sustainable and traditional building materials wherever possible and ensured the construction of the property had a minimal impact on the natural surroundings and is in keeping with the local environment.
Below are some specific details about the lodges on this itinerary:
Msambweni House - At the starting point but developing a structure and has adopted a proactive approach by employing local staff (constitute 80%) sourcing locally where possible, sponsoring doctors and organizing a student sponsorship programme.
Lions Bluff - Lions Bluff Lodge only exists because the community set aside 125,000 acres of their land for wildlife conservation and tourism. The lodge and sanctuary management work together to select, fund, implement and control projects that will directly benefit the community and its environment. Within their mandate are both large and small projects such as borehole drilling for the distribution of water to the community, livestock and wildlife sanctuary and producing and marketing elephant dung paper products using community members. The lodge monitors all environmental based projects but ensures that ownership is by the community.
Guests are encouraged to visit the Taita community, in real unadulterated situations, so that they can see how daily life is managed in a harsh environment and how the lodges and sanctuary’s existence can make a real difference to the community.
LUMO and Lions Bluff Lodge are a buffer zone between the Tsavo park eco system and large agricultural schemes. Therefore by protecting the sanctuary through responsible and sustainable tourism, they are helping to ensure the preservation of Kenya’s largest Game park, Tsavo.
Galdessa Lodge - Galdessa works closely with Kenya Wildlife Service’s black rhino re-introduction project. The camp has been built with great care so it does not adversely impact the environment. It recycles its waste, uses solar power for electricity and has installed a water treatment plant.
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