South Rift Valley and South Kenya safari

Environment

In Kenya we (as with everywhere we go) we carefully choose accommodation, supplies and transportation that either minimises its effect on the environment or helps to contribute to its sustainable development. By choosing small, privately owned accommodation where possible we also look to only stay in truly eco-lodges that abide by basic and also pioneering methods of ecological sustainability. Where possible, we make sure that the lodges, camps and ranches that we use support local projects for the protection of the wildlife and local communities which rely on tourism as the principal source of income. This is why we stay at either Loisiijo or Sampu Tented Camps when visiting the southern Rift Valley. These two camps use traditional Masai values throughout their operating philosophy and aim to be as sustainable as possible. We try and make sure that all the accommodation that we use is are ecologically responsible and use solar power electricity and water recycling pumps etc as well as making sure that all the food consumed is produced locally. We also contribute and participate in as many studies that the local researchers are conducting as possible. Such as Joel Njonjo and his ongoing projects involving baboons. He is aiming to elevate the baboons status in the local area, from pest to valued species as well as allowing researchers to study his habituated troop. At the end of each we offset our carbon footprint (based on the number of tours we have completed and the number of passengers we have taken with us), with the Carbon Trust.

Wildlife Promise:

By bringing people here with a professional zoologist as well as professional local guides we aim to showcase the environment in full but also to allow you to learn about the problems facing the ecosystems here and highlight the ways that continued development and human exploitation are affect the species and how cutting edge research is countering the problems as well as showing you examples of success stories. We also keep a record of all the great sightings we see on each tour and record the environmental factors, this data is used by ourselves but also given to the researchers who are working on many of these species. By visiting the habituated troop of baboons in the southern Rift Valley you will be contributing directly to the conservation of baboons and other wildlife in the local area through the good work of Joel Njonjo. All the information collected in invaluable as the knowledge of some of the animals that live here are little understood. We also donate our pictures to the researchers to aid in their photo identification studies.

Community

As with any of our tours of Africa or elsewhere in the world we always employ local guides and drivers. They have a much better local knowledge and also helps to bring in revenue sources to the local community. All of the accommodations that we stay in make sure that all our resources such as food, drink and equipment is locally sourced and we are always looking for ways to introduce local people into a guiding career. Eastern Africa has been running safaris for longer than anywhere else and the many local communities now depend on this industry. This particular tour visits a couple of community conservancies (the Shompole and Oliramatian communities) and all of the activities as well as the accommodation we stay in when we are in this region are run by and for the local communities. We employ Joel Njonjo who is a local Maasai, to take our guests to see the baboons that he has habituated. We also encourage the purchasing of local handicrafts which are all created in a sustainable way and provide great unique souvenirs.