Are you looking for a truly unique and meaningful safari experience? Do you want to give back to the wildlife and communities that make East Africa like nowhere else on Earth? Quality safaris are built on healthy ecosystems and the wildlife that inhabit them, and for the third year running we are offering our Kenya Conservation Safari. Exploring the less visited northern Lewa, Ngwesi and Borana Conservancies, as well as the classic Maasai Mara to the south, this safari offers opportunities to participate alongside rangers and other conservation authorities. These places and wildlife are at risk, and supporting their conservation as part of your safari can be a profound experience and means to give back.
Kenya safari tours involve game drives, or travel on foot in the case of walking safaris, visiting spectacular landscapes and viewing the wildlife of your dreams. However, the opportunity to contribute to the conservation of the very wildlife that inspired your trip in a hands-on way is not something many travelers get to do. Our Kenya conservation safari involves the classic highlights of Nairobi and visits to parts of Massai Mara National Park, and so much more: adventurous flights to remote destinations, extremely intimate encounters with wildlife that is unavailable in national parks … this safari is unlike the vast majority of others you will encounter in Kenya! Time spent viewing wildlife is complemented with important professional methods of counting and monitoring wildlife - read on to learn more.
Photo: @colinhrichard
After two days touring Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center, your next leg is a charter flight to the Eastern Marania Valley and Lewa Wilderness Conservancy. This is a special reserve that not only features stellar wildlife observation, but also is deeply involved in initiatives serving the local population that include education, community-led wildlife protection, agriculture, clean water, microfinance and more. Here and at nearby Il Ngwesi, there are opportunities to meet with local villagers and head park staff that provide unique insights into the parks’ histories, philosophies and context of the areas. Visiting local institutions and indigenous pastoralists is included in time here, along with game counts with rangers that tally up wildlife populations and create useful data for their management.
The Maasai Mara’s elephant population benefits greatly from the MEP’s programs. Photo: @colinhrichard
The next stop is one of the most famous safari destinations is the world: the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Covering over 1,500 square kilometers in the Great Rift Valley, the biodiversity and density of large mammal and bird wildlife has cemented the Mara’s name as an unmissable destination for Kenya safari tours. Visiting the Mara Elephant Project (MEP), you’ll learn about anti-poaching measures and elephant research and monitoring, including modern methods using drones, helicopters and collaring. Get an insider’s look into the higher-level work that goes beyond just maintaining the viability of the safari industry, and helps ensure the future of one of Africa’s most emblematic creatures.
Photo: @colinhrichard
Every visit to Kenya is a special experience, but a conservation safari is one like no other. We invite you to join us on this journey in honor of Africa’s wildlife and learn how travel can make real positive impacts on the local community!
