Kenya safari and beach holiday

Planet

Having travelled extensively ourselves and witnessed first-hand how tourism can have either positive or negative effects on local communities and the environment, we always strive to leave a positive mark on all places we send clients and promote awareness of the local environment.

Kenya has an incredible value when it comes to environment and natural conservation. With their enormous range of animal and plant species, this country is rich of eco-systems which must be protected and safeguarded. Although, sites such as the Mara National Park already follow specific rules in order to guarantee the protection of the environment. It is important for us that our guests are well instructed about the behaviour required in these specific places. We also ensure that safaris are guided by professional guides who recognise the importance of preserving the parks. Especially in particular habitats, animals such as the black and white rhinos are in endangered and it is fundamental to take responsibility and act in a sustainable manner.

Many of the places included in this itinerary are unspoiled and sometimes untouched by human kind. Therefore, travelling in small groups and with the right knowledge allows travellers to enjoy much of this unique and beautiful land without leaving behind negative impacts.

• Where we stay: As a boutique travel company we strive to offer unique and authentic travel experiences in line with sustainable accommodation. Many of the resorts and operators we work with are eco-friendly and run their businesses in a more environmentally friendly manner. For instance, guests are offered free drinking water refills to minimise wastage of plastic bottles. While in remote areas, we carry rubbish with us and ensure we do not disturb anything in the natural environment.

• While we are there: We will visit protected areas such as the Maasai Mara and Ol Pejeta. For example the Ol Pejeta conservancy works hard to conserve the wildlife. In the Maasai Mara you will travel around by vehicle with specialized guides in order to ensure the wildlife is not disturbed and the area is preserved. In the Maasai Mara you will see such animals as the Rhino and lion as well the area is known for the migration of the Wildebeest. We collaborate with guides who are local to the area and have been trained, bettering their communities. We ensure that our clients are given the correct guidance while visiting protected areas and/or heritage sites. We do this in order to minimise impacts on the environment and respect the natural wonders of the area. Typically, these areas also ask for a fee to appreciate the protected area. These fees go to conservation and infrastructure efforts directly supporting the reserve.

• As a company: We strive to operate as a paperless company as far as possible, and recycle wherever facilities are available. We use toxic-free fair trade products whenever we can.

People

Our tours are designed with the intention of maximising the benefits that our guests can have on the host community. This is the reason why we strive to follow responsible guidelines and teach guests about responsible tourism in order to encourage them to be mindful of the environment and respectful of local people and culture. With all our tailor-made trips we enjoy offering unique and new routes and encourage travel to areas that are not on the main tourist trails and which further support smaller, local communities.

It is important to remember that national parks, and in particular the Mara national Park are not only a natural heritage for the humanity but also the land and home of communities such as the Maasai. These Nilotic ethnic groups of semi-nomadic people have been living in the lands of Kenya for many years and tourism has the right of respecting and establishing a positive legacy.

Maasai are known for their friendliness and hospitality towards tourists who want to visit their village and experience their culture, traditions, and lifestyle. Nevertheless, due to profound socio-economic differences that exist between Maasai and tourists, we also encourage our guests to have a sensitive approach with the aim of avoiding any adverse effect and establishing a more human based relationship.

• As A Company: We believe in the importance of showing respect for local people and their customs and try to emphasis this in the way our tours are arranged. Where possible we aim to create a bond between staff and traveller so our clients gain insight into the real life of local communities. We endeavour to keep our groups small, minimising the environmental and social impact that the participants have on the destination. When clients travel with us, we strive to help meet an important local need by contributing to the area’s economy, creating jobs and by eating locally sourced food and using locally sourced products.

• Where we stay: As a boutique travel company we search for authenticity and uniqueness from the local suppliers and whenever possible, encourage our travellers to stay in privately owned accommodation. We believe that working with hotel/accommodation owners who source staff, products, services and produce from within the community gives the local people an opportunity to gain from the increase in tourism to the area.

• While we are there: As previously mentioned, we work in partnership with locally employed guides who having been professionally trained, better their communities and provide insight into the local culture. We keep our group sizes small and provide advice during the trip to ensure our impact on the local way of life is minimised. Typically these areas also ask for a fee to appreciate the protected area, which go to aid conservation, employment and infrastructure efforts directly supporting the community and surroundings.