Kenya family safari and beach vacation

Planet

We want our customers to enjoy an experience led vacation within a natural environment. To do this we use partners and suppliers who are guardians of their surroundings. This means that they look after the local environment they are responsible for, as well as encouraging employment, and revenue generation, for the local population. El Karama partners with international conservation organisations such as Lion Landscapes and the KWS to ensure the protection of the entire wider Laikipia landscape as well as just the ranch.

Where we can, we use partners that adhere to sustainability practises. Due to the location of El Karama and Mara Houses they actively look to minimise energy consumption by using solar power, and reduce water usage.

Food is also mainly produced directly on site where possible, meaning fewer emissions from transporting food and enables our customers to enjoy organic food that is beneficial to the environment. El Karama and Mara North employs a local farm to fork policy with its meals, while fish at Almanara Villas are caught by sustainable local fisherman right off the front of the villa.

On this trip you are encouraged to bring and use reusable water bottles that can be used throughout your journey.

Park and Conservancy fees are a key part of this trip, with the fees from these going directly to the local authorities in El Karama, Mara North and in the marine conservancies for snorkelling in Diani. This ensures the protection of the flora and fauna within these protected areas. Saruni Basecamp which owns and runs Mara Houses have helped to protect over 64,000 acres.

People

We align ourselves with partners who actively work with local communities, whether this means that they are employing the local population, involved in conservation efforts within the community, or educating the local population with an aim to encourage them to look after their environment. El Karama offers local school visits to their ranch for free throughout the year and offers internships programmes to locals to work and develop into future wildlife guardians.

Wherever we can, and especially when our customers request it, we include visits to local villages so that our customers can interact with the local population, and if the local village/tribe so wish, they have the opportunity to sell locally made crafts. At Mara Houses this is a key way for the local Masai stakeholders to add additional income but also for guests to understand this incredible culture, while over 250 local Masai women have been supported through sales of their beading work.

Where possible our partners use local guides, as they know the land, wildlife, and environment the best. This results in a higher customer experience, gives them a greater understanding of the fragile balance of the area they’re visiting, and means that a local person is being employed!

All of the accommodation that we use on this trip source local employees to help them run their businesses. They also source local food products, which not only helps the environment due to reduced travel of the products, but also helps the local population create revenue. Almanara hires locals from the neighbouring village with some having worked with them for over 20 years. El Karama has a team of 24 local Kenyans that help to ensure guests have a fabulous time.

Pre-travel all of our customers are presented with what we call a ‘travel pack’. Within this travel pack our customers receive all the detail about their trip. The detail includes useful information on the destinations they are traveling to, including, but not limited to, the social and political situations within the destination. We also give guidelines on what to pack to try and minimise the amount of luggage our customers take resulting in lower fuel usage on planes and other vehicles.

In Kenya we also have a local charity, the Leo Project, that helps provide access to education and healthcare to rural communities. A proportion of the price of the trip goes towards helping to fund this project.