Kenya safari holiday, the Northern Frontier

Planet

Elsa’s Kopje has been awarded “Silver Level” by the internationally recognised Ecotourism society in recognition of its high level of environmental responsibility; and it was the first lodge in Kenya to receive an eco-rating. The lodge consumes a minimum amount of energy through investments in LED and energy saving bulbs, solar water heaters and power to supplement the generator, limiting diesel generator use to only 6 hours per day. To limit our carbon footprint, wherever possible, our fresh produce is sourced from the farmers on the borders of the park and local traders and timber used by the camp is taken from renewable sources. Rubbish is responsibly disposed of or recycled and separated glass is sold to the recycling plant ‘Central Glass’ in Nairobi.

Ever since we started this adventure nearly 26 years ago, our partners on the ground have sought out ways to both support eco-systems and to ensure we ourselves make minimal environmental impact. We started our safari company because we loved the wilderness, and we enjoyed sharing it with others – so what could we do to preserve it and make sure our tourism enterprises partnered with conservation in a sustainable way?
It was clear, that with 70% of Kenya’s wildlife outside National Parks – this was where we could make a difference. Community land surrounding parks and reserves is the major part of the eco-systems. In Kenya our parks and reserves do not have fences, the animals are oblivious of the boundaries, and they are free to roam and migrate within vast ecosystems that incorporate mostly private land. The landowners receive no income from the wildlife, and bear the brunt of lion raids on livestock and injury from rogue buffalo. We have been pioneers in the Masai Mara community tourism in the late 80s; in Samburu community conservancies in the 90s, and continue to this day.

People

A donation is made with World bookings to Kenya to the DSWT. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust embraces all measures that compliment the conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife. These include anti-poaching, safe guarding the natural environment, enhancing community awareness, addressing animal welfare issues, providing veterinary assistance to animals in need, rescuing and hand rearing elephant and rhino orphans, along with other species that can ultimately enjoy a quality of life in wild terms when grown.

You may visit the DSWT whilst in Nairobi as it is open to the public for 1 hour daily, between 11:00 – 12:00 (and 17:00 – 18:00hrs in the afternoon by appointment only providing you are planning to foster an elephant which costs approx. US$50 per year). Here you will gain an insight into the valuable work Daphne and her team contribute to the saving of these majestic creatures. Watch the keepers bring the babies out for their daily mud bath and feed them enormous bottles of milk.

A donation fee of Kshs500 (approx. £5) per person is payable directly to the Trust by all visitors

Hand in hand with their work directly with communities, Cheli & Peacock have always developed our safari camps to be the most ecologically sound, and all have Ecotourism Society ‘Silver” eco-rating, and Elephant Pepper Camp and Joy’s Camp have ‘Gold’ eco-rating, one of only a handful of camps in Kenya! We started with mobile camps, and our motto was “take only pictures, leave only footprints”, and it was true. In the Mara, our Elephant Pepper Camp remains very low key and completely removable. When we built our lodges, we kept them small, trained our guides well, gave the local community training and employment, support for schools, and right from the beginning worked out rubbish recycling / removal systems, solar and efficient energy, etc. By the time we built Joy’s Camp we put in state of the art led and solar technology and run the generator very little, three years later we have been able to put into Elephant Pepper Camp & Kitich Camp almost space-age led and solar technology, we do not have to run the generator at all!