Kenya and Zanzibar Honeymoon

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION:
Offbeat Mara Camp is fully solar powered, including its electricity and hot water, and has a low-impact set-up using canvas and wood rather than permanent buildings. Organic waste is composted and used in the camp's kitchen garden. Breezes Beach Club also uses solar power and has invested in a 1MW solar project supplying three of The Zanzibar Collection's four resorts. The hotel recycles wastewater for irrigation and has reduced its water use through indigenous planting and water-saving measures.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE:
The trip spends three nights in Mara North Conservancy, where tourism is deliberately kept at low density and conservancy fees from member camps contribute to landowner lease payments and professional land management. The conservancy is managed jointly with Maasai landowners and works to protect wildlife corridors, reduce habitat fragmentation and manage human-wildlife conflict. It also runs predator compensation programmes and supports the use of predator-proof bomas.

Offbeat's guides are all Silver-rated by the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association and are local Maasai with detailed knowledge of the conservancy. Guests can explore the area on foot with a guide rather than relying solely on vehicles. At Breezes, a marine biologist oversees the hotel's work around the barrier reef, while reef walks, diving and snorkelling are managed with marine protection in mind.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY:
Offbeat Mara works closely with the local Maasai community, with more than 90% of staff recruited locally. The camp was originally built with help from local Maasai and continues to employ community members as guides and across the camp team. Its guides have trained at the Koiyaki Guiding School, and the camp also offers cultural visits to nearby villages and markets, giving guests opportunities to engage with the local community.

Breezes also prioritises local suppliers, buying fresh produce from farmers and fishermen where possible and working with local craftsmen and artisans on its interiors. The hotel supports community projects around health, sanitation and education, while some of its furnishings are made from locally sourced or reclaimed materials.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY:
Offbeat Mara employs local Maasai guides who have developed extensive experience in the Mara North Conservancy, with the current guiding team all holding Silver-level KPSGA qualifications. Several guides have been with Offbeat for more than 16 years, showing opportunities for long-term progression within the safari industry.

Breezes prioritises local employment and invests in staff training, with the majority of its managers having progressed through the ranks. The hotel also supports local health, sanitation and education infrastructure as part of its wider community programme.