Sustainable Safaris in Kenya

Make your Kenya safari matter by contributing to conservation and community initiatives. Sustainable safaris are all about providing you with incredible wildlife experiences while having a positive impact on the environment and the animals and people that call it home.

Why Should You Go on a Sustainable Safari in Kenya?

Make a Difference

A safari that focuses on sustainability allows you to participate in meaningful conservation and community projects, furthering the aim of responsible ecotourism. Through your Kenya safari experience, you can make a real impact on wildlife protection and help local communities thrive within the tourism sector.

Expand Your Knowledge

While on a sustainable safari, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Kenya’s wildlife protection efforts, including anti-poaching strategies, sustainable tourism practices, and wildlife research.

Support Ecotourism

A sustainable safari in Kenya is the ideal way to support eco-conscious and environmentally friendly tourism businesses as well as local economies.

Get Hands-On Conservation Experience

Participate in hands-on activities, such as wildlife monitoring and reforestation, to make your safari in Kenya incredibly meaningful and impactful.

Meaningful Experiences

If you want to visit Africa but make a real, tangible impact while you’re here, this is the ideal experience for you.

The purpose-driven experiences that make up sustainable safaris will not only put you in stunning environments and give you the opportunity to see wildlife but also allow you to take steps toward furthering conservation efforts.

Best Destinations for Sustainable Safaris in Kenya

Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Ol Pejeta is one of the most crucial rhino sanctuaries in East Africa. It also supports elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, reticulated giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeests, beisa oryxes, gerenuks, and more than 500 bird species.

The Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary was established in 1993 to provide lifelong refuge to orphaned and abused chimpanzees from West and Central Africa. You can visit this sanctuary to see the chimps and learn more about their care.  Here, visitors can go on guided drives and walks to spot wildlife; other activities include lion tracking with researchers and visits to traditional villages.

Mara Naboisho Conservancy

The Mara Naboisho Conservancy is a private conservancy adjacent to the Masai Mara offering an exclusive, uncrowded safari experience with a focus on sustainability and community involvement. A Kenyan safari here will take you across classic savannahs, rolling grasslands, and woodlands, providing stunning backdrops to many wildlife sightings.

When staying here, you can opt for luxury safari lodges that offer supreme comfort. These accommodations focus on sustainability with low-impact safari rules to protect the animals.

Laikipia Plateau

One of East Africa’s finest and most exclusive wildlife destinations, this vast, lesser-visited region offers exclusive safari experiences with diverse wildlife and luxury lodges.

Laikipia Plateau provides an essential stronghold for rare animals such as the Grevy’s zebra and black rhino. It also supports impressive numbers of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and dry-country specialities such as reticulated giraffes, greater and lesser kudus, gerenuks, and beisa oryxes.

Amboseli Ecosystem

Amboseli is renowned for its large elephant herds and stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Here, the aim is to protect the ecosystem so that wildlife and people can thrive. Wildlife and cultural tourism initiatives here are based on an eco-conscious foundation.

A Kenya safari here will take you through diverse landscapes, from open plains and acacia woodlands to swamps and marshlands, where a variety of animals meander.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lewa serves as a refuge for the endangered black rhino (12% of Kenya’s rhino population lives here) and Grevy’s zebra. While here, you’ll also spot elephants, lions, giraffes, wild dogs, and other iconic wildlife species.

Lewa uses world-class anti-poaching operations and cutting-edge monitoring technology while engaging with the surrounding communities to protect wildlife. The Conservancy is also home to more than 350 species of birds, including the Somali ostrich, vulturine guineafowl, and golden-breasted starling.

5 Tips for a Sustainable Safari in Kenya

1. Do Your Research

The safari experts at Discover Africa stay up-to-date with conservation initiatives and projects in Kenya. Ask us to help you choose operators and lodges that are actively involved in sustainability projects and community initiatives to ensure your visit has a tangible positive impact.

2. Get Involved

Choose one of our safaris that allows you to actively participate in conservation projects. This can include monitoring wildlife, learning from rangers while on safari, and even assisting in conservation tasks.

3. Educate Yourself

Familiarise yourself with ongoing projects in your chosen destination and learn about local challenges and success stories. This will give you a solid foundation to build upon while you’re in Kenya, learning and participating in projects.

4. Give Thoughtfully

If you want to contribute more, consider making donations to the conservation or community projects you visit, but ensure they go through trusted, transparent organisations. Let our safari experts (available 24/7) and the lodge employees guide you on how best to contribute.

5. Share Your Story

Sharing your experiences with friends and family and on social media can help spread awareness about impactful tourism.