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Kenya Community Eco Lodges and Initiatives are Award Winning

Community eco lodges in Kenya are fast becoming hot spots for the authentic travelers, holiday makers or first timers who are glad some well informed travel consultant somewhere was resourceful enough to bring to their attention the existence of these amazing small accommodation alternatives in Kenya.

Community Eco Lodges in Kenya are Not Only Eco Friendly but Help Build Communities

Samburu TribesmenThese Kenya safaris destinations, though priced above the average tourist lodges, have hit the top most level in terms of value, service and purpose. Wildlife and conservation is now a viable alternative use of land that compliments the traditional pastoralist. This includes the many indigenous local people, including the Maasai and Samburu tribesmen. This helps in creating employment within the local communities and provides a structure for future ecological positive developments and growth of the tourism industry in Kenya. Everyone wins!

So finally, you don’t have to ponder on how you can assist the local native people living in the remote grasslands of Kenya. The tribesmen can now sustain themselves and give a chance for their kids to attend school for the fist time, instead of requiring them to stay home to look after the family cattle. It also helps in giving them access to clean water.

Stay at an Eco-Lodge and Help the Local Families

LaikipiaAll you need to do to make this a reality is to enjoy their hospitality in a world-class lodge and sure enough you will have indirectly funded a homestead somewhere within your lodge location.

The profits that come out of these comfortable luxurious and rustic ventures will be divided amongst the locals and will help support the local schools, water supplies and other group ranch operations.

Il Ngwesi Lodge in Laikipia, Northern Kenya

Il Ngwesi Lodge in Laikipia, northern frontier district is built with local materials, organic in character with only six attractive bandas raised from the ground, large double beds that may be rolled out for a night under the stars. Breath taking views makes the lodge a classic and a must visit.

Crowned by British airways as a winning initiative, the lodge has been seen as the role model in community based tourism in Kenya. The trained Maasai hosts look after the lodge and their visitors with great care and attention, the revenue from the lodges is divided amongst the locals and help support nearly five hundred households.

Tassia Lodge at the Mokogodo Escapment

Tassia lodge protrudes from the Mokogodo escarpment and over looks the valleys and beyond. Yet another model in community eco friendly project, a place you want to stay and live, three nights is never enough. Its not a surprise these units are ever fully booked and sometimes it’s a challenge getting a chance to stay there due to over bookings, my advice, plan and book three months ahead.

Award Winning Shompole Lodge and Sabuk Lodge

Shompole LodgeShompole Lodge somewhere along Kenya’s Lake Magadi is supposed to be the best of all. With the numbers continuously rising in eco lodges in Kenya, it’s a real challenge to stipulate which one of them is better that the other, though the goals and objective are clear and well worth every effort.

If you are well traveled and have seen the best of lodges and camps in the world, then consider Sabuk Lodge, another favorite, remote and beautiful eco lodge. Set up on a cliff overlooking the lush river 50 meters below where elephants and other wildlife come each morning for a drink.

Koija Star Beds in Laikipia

Stars seen from AfricaKoija Star Beds in Laikipia are something out of this world, the raised rustic cottages, complete with ensuite bath rooms and hot showers have no windows but its welcoming openness come with awesome views of the landscapes far and beyond. The bathrooms are open and as you shower you enjoy the sun shine and the views.

The name “Star Beds” comes from the two-wheeled beds that roll out on the platform and as you sleep under a white net under the stars. You enjoy the very last of available natural experience not found anywhere else. Koija Star Beds provides you with a stars identification handbook, so as you gaze up clear twinkling African skies, you will locate and identify Leo the Lion in the sky.

he ever smiling and knowledgeable Maasai hosts will take good care of you and keep you company throughout your stay. Proud to show off their countryside and cultures, you are sure to enjoy every bit of it. Activities in most of these locations include game viewing, bush dinners, bush breakfast, cultural village visits to witness the tradition and cultural practices including livestock keeping, traditional hunting skills, rites, rituals and dances.

The food is fresh from the fertile Kenya highlands and the private airstrips each lodge enjoys serves well for the daily supplies.

Eco Lessons at Basecamp in Masai Mara

At the renowned Masai Mara game reserve, the Basecamp is another award winning eco project. A key goal and mission for the camp is to develop a model project for tourists where concerns for conservation issues and local cultures are fully integrated. The aim is to make a difference and make a positive impact in Masai Mara, inspiring others to follow.

Contribution to a clean environment through eco-based accommodations when visiting Kenya is one of the best things you can do to help support wildlife conservation and the local people. This means building awareness and increasing the knowledge about natural resource management to the local community.

Henry Kahuki is an online safari consultant based in Kenya. The operator of Magical Africa Safaris Ltd.: www.magicalafrica.net, an eco-friendly safari agency catering for family safaris, senior travels, individual safaris and camping offers comprehensive Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

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