African Safaris and African Safari Tours

The Safari Camps and Lodges in Africa we have included in our portfolio...

One of the very first things one will notice when browsing our website, is the fact that we have not included a comprehensive list of camps to be found in the respective safari destinations... With very good reason...

We only represent camps and lodges that contribute to community upliftment and apply good principles of sustainable eco-tourism. Rural populations, across socio - economic lines, must be incorporated into the flow of benefits (both financial and otherwise) accruing from the tourism and wildlife industry.

Generally speaking, when there are benefits derived from the wildlife tourism industry, there are a lot of "leakages". This is a polite way of saying that there are only a handful of individuals who benefit, and it's usually the most influential members of a community. Meanwhile, the most rural populations and those who feel the impact of wildlife tourism most acutely are left with very little, or nothing at all. The result of course, is that wildlife plundering continues, while the a few influential benefit.  

Therefore, households need to become fully entrenched in the tourism supply chain and resultant income streams such that financial benefits are shared and flow directly and consistently to rural households. It's only then that rural populations can rely on wildlife and tourism income as a livelihood strategy.

At that point, it becomes an asset. And when something is an asset, then it is worthwhile to protect and conserve its survival. The challenge then is to create a model whereby the communities that border National Parks, Game Reserves and Conservancies see wildlife and tourism as assets. That is the only way the future of Africa's wildlife is ensured...

For Example.... Mara Plains Camp, in the Olare Orok Conservancy (Masai Mara - Kenya)

The Masai Mara Game Reserve is arguably the greatest wildlife destination on the planet. It is home to the highest lion densities on the continent and the locale of the famed wildebeest and zebra migration. As an extension of the Serengeti ecosystem (of Tanzania), it captures the essence of safari. Its matrix of acacia-dotted savannahs, rocky rivers, high escarpments and woodland host a staggering density of herbivores, reputed to be in the region of 230 individuals per square kilometre. With that density comes an equally prolific number of predators. The Masai Mara is iconic, and is also under considerable pressure.

Some of the most valuable land on Earth lies within proclaimed national parks and game reserves, and the Masai Mara is no exception. Yet, many of the world's poorest communities live on the boundaries of these same parks and reserves. For conservation to be sustainable, this anomaly needs to change. The land that surrounds game reserves, if zoned and developed carefully and sensitively, could become some of the most valuable land left on Earth if converted to wildlife. One of the conservation movement's biggest opportunities is to capitalize on this and to expand the amount of land under formal conservation protection while simultaneously uplifting the lives of impoverished rural communities.

Olare Orok’s 30,000 acres of prime rolling grasslands and riverine forest were filled with rural homesteads and large herds of cattle and goats.

The ecosystem was being overgrazed, risking the sustenance of both wildlife and cattle, and to the detriment of both. Sustainability was at risk for both the people and the wildlife.

After lengthy consultation with the Masai, it was agreed that a new community conservation vision was needed – one which addresses sustainability.

Together, all stakeholders developed the Olare Orok Conservancy, a win-win for both the Masai landowners and the wildlife of the Masai Mara ecosystem. A lease agreement was developed to address the fickleness of the tourism industry, the culture of the Masai and the impacts of agriculture and wildlife. It was agreed that the Masai landowners would receive a steady monthly income throughout the year, regardless of how few guests have visited the area in exchange for halting grazing on the conservancy. This guaranteed income minimizes the economic risk incurred by the Masai, while also supplementing the income lost from agriculture. It is paid by the camps within the Conservancy.

Today, the homesteads, cattle and goats have moved, and herd sizes have been reduced accordingly. The Conservancy has once again become a haven for big cats, a route of migration and now offers some of East Africa's finest year-round game viewing. Visitors to the Olare Orok Conservancy need not experience the crowds for which the Masai Mara has become known. There is a strict minimum of at least 700 acres per guests tent, and camps are banned from using mini-buses. Further, nature walks and night game drives - activities that are not possible in the Masai Mara Reserve - are possible at Mara Plains Camp, and in the Olare Orok Conservancy.

Mara Plains commits US$150,000 per annum directly to the neighboring Masai communities to maintain and support the Conservancy and its wildlife – the highest paid by any camp in the region. This is conservation in action, a commitment to striving to ensure the livelihoods of both people and wildlife.

Your safari booking thus supports and contributes directly to the community upliftment in the areas where the camps and lodges we represent are located!