Predators of the Masai Mara Photo Safari

Planet

This photographic safari here in the Masai Mara, is run through well respected Basecamps. The vision of these basecamps are to demonstrate how to conserve key global ecosystems through co-existence between wildlife and humans. Our lodges strive to lead in social & environmental impact using profitable tourism as a commercial instrument.

In partnership with the local Maasai community, our activities greatly contribute to fighting the extinction of wildlife and safeguarding the pristine Mara Serengeti ecosystem. Over the last 21 years, efforts have yielded positive results in areas such as the global issue of wildlife protection & natural resource management, climate change adoption through initiatives such as large-scale tree planting and reforestation, water collection, reduction of poverty and equitable distribution, as well as women capacity-building projects, and vocational training schemes.

Basecamp Masai Mara's cultural and social commitment and environmental work are given a high priority without compromising on the accommodation's comfort and design, and all materials used in construction are locally sourced. The camp has 12 spacious tents with double or twin beds. The tents are tastefully built, incorporating thatched roofs, a veranda with a hammock and a sitting area. All tents are en-suite including a shower with solar-heated water and a bio-flush toilet.

Food from these camps are grown locally and served fresh. The transportation for goods such as water and food are designed to keep the carbon emissions to a minimum.

Waste from each base camp are dealt with responsibly by each business. Each lodge that we use during this tour recycles to leave less of an impact for both wildlife and the local communities. We wish to empower the Masai People by facilitating sustainable development on their land.

Solid Waste
Solid waste is separated at the source in clearly labelled bins and sent to a waste collection centre for further sorting. The plastic materials are then shipped out to recycling plants via the Basecamp Explorer in Nairobi.

Organic Waste
Organic waste is composted in a four-chamber compost system. The end-product is later used for planting tree seedlings within the Basecamp Masai Mara camp.

We keep cars for our safaris to a maximum of two safari trucks per outing. This ensures that each photographic outing does not interrupt the wildlife and their natural way of living. Each safari truck is driven by a local guide and is driven responsibly around the park. We try our best to keep away from other vehicles that benefits both wildlife and our guests. This in result, allows the wildlife to remain calm and undisturbed.

People

The community have become part of the tourism industry here in the Mara and many jobs have been given to local people who are interested in the safari industry. Jobs such as cooking, guiding, and waiting have been successfully done by the locals at our Basecamps that we stay at during our the photo safaris here in the Masai Mara, Kenya.

The accommodation that we use known as Base Camp, they launched the Basecamp Maasai Brand (BMB) aiming to empower Maasai women by providing them with an entrepreneurial opportunity – to leverage their existing skills and generate an income by doing so. At four to five years of age, every Maasai girl starts developing her unique beading technique. The BMB recognizes this skill and offers employment and a reliable source of income to Maasai women, all between 17 and 60 years of age, originating in regions with BCEK campsites.

With BMB being certified as a “fair trade” business, the artisans receive 55% of the agreed total production cost after material cost of their handicraft products, the rest is for salary for the Management group and tools. This amount is paid directly to the women. The women also have an active role in the process of pricing, which takes into consideration the cultural significance of the product being sold.

The Maasai community has been known to be a pastoral community. Today, this is fast changing, modernity have caught up with the traditional lifestyle of the Maasai community. With pastoral land diminishing, the livelihood of the Maasai households has thus been affected. Most of them have been found to be lost in between culture and urbanization and pastoralist lifestyle is becoming more difficult to maintain. Poverty rates among many Maasai is high as they struggle for livelihood opportunities in an economic system that is foreign to their cultural beliefs.

For the entire 20th century, very few Maasai children were educated and only a handful of Maasai youth were ever admitted to the university. The cost of schooling continues to be a factor that inhibits the success of Maasai school children hence a small percentage of students in Maasai land are able to access college or university education. As part of our commitment to strengthening local capacity, with Chef Benson to recognize potential and ambitious young Maasais for scholarship allocation.

The proceeds from the cookbook created by Chef Benson will be used towards educating a passionate young Maasai. A scholarship of up-to USD 2,500 will be given to a young Maasai with a passion for cooking who are not able to afford the school fees. The funds will be utilized during an 18 months cooking course at the Karen Blixen cooking School in Masai Mara.

The comprehensive and practical hands-on training provided will help the student understand the balance between classical and modern cuisine, creative food presentation, menu-planning and food costing as well as other courses. Once the student graduates, Basecamp will give them a chance to work under the mentorship of Benson, who will nurture them to be qualified chefs. This is a great opportunity for young, aspiring Maasai chefs who wish to select careers in the hospitality industry.