Kenya vacation, culture and wildlife

Planet

On our trips to Kenya, we only employ local staff and believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint.

When possible we use local transport, (i.e. rail or bus) and we always use local restaurants, markets and shops. In doing this your travels are supporting and encouraging the development of local services, for example when we travel to the small hillside market town of Maralal, pioneered by Somali settlers in the 1920’s.

In order to allow our clients to make an informed decision on where a greater proportion of their money should be spent, we avoid including pre-paid full board meals where possible. Local restaurants and cafes then benefit.

Litter is a huge problem in many areas of Kenya where there is limited or no infrastructure for waste disposal, let alone recycling facilities. The first step that we take is to ensure that we minimise our use of resources in the first place, in order to generate less waste. Our Kenyan guides are instructed to explain to our clients and to the local businesses that we use, the impact that incorrect waste disposal can have on the local environment.

Our groups average only six clients, and many tours operate on a private basis with just two travelers. This has much less impact when traveling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Finally to emphasis our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travelers Code of Conduct with their travel documents.

People

Our philosophy is to only use small and locally owned suppliers, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. In this tour, funds are funnelled back to a number of different ethnic groups including the Samburu, Gabbra, El Moro and Rendille, all of whom adhere to a very traditional and unique way of life.

We always try to engage with our suppliers on an equal basis – getting the lowest possible price usually isn’t the best outcome for local communities and is ultimately unsustainable. We believe that locals know best. Our local operators only use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community, as happens when we visit the El Moro who reside on the “Island of Ghosts” in villages on the shores of Turkana.

We believe that tourism is a double edged sword that needs to be wielded very carefully. Our philosophy is to have a limited amount of departures – usually between one and three a year - for each of our itineraries. Finally to emphasise our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travelers Code of Conduct with their travel documents.