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Karibu! Welcome to Kenya, the original home of the great African
safari. Our country is blessed with some of the world’s richest
wilderness areas – and some of its rarest creatures. In order
to preserve this vital biodiversity, we urge all visitors to read
the following guidelines and help us protect our natural heritage – for
our sake, and the sake of all future generations.?
When visiting our country
1. Travel with reputable operators and qualified safari guides
Your guide can make the difference between the holiday of a lifetime
and an unsafe and unsatisfying safari. Insist that your tour
operator and accommodation facilities use only trained and
certified guides.
Travelling with a qualified guide will ensure that you see
the very best that Kenya has to offer – without diminishing
the experience for future visitors.
2. Support eco-friendly accommodation facilities
A growing number of Kenyan lodges and safari camps are changing
to environmentally responsible services, using solar and wind
power, keeping rubbish out of protected areas, treating wastewater,
and supporting local conservation projects. Please take time
to visit community projects supported by your lodge or camp,
and support local conservation work in the areas you visit.
3. Respect local cultures and promote community benefits
Local communities are the custodians of the wilderness of the future.
While on safari, try to support projects and properties that
benefit local people through employment, community development,
and the preservation of traditional livelihoods. When you visit
local villages, please respect social and cultural customs
and ask your guide about appropriate forms of behaviour. Always ask
permission if you wish to photograph a person, their home or
their livestock.
while on safari…
4. Keep to designated roads in parks and reserves
Please encourage your driver to stay on roads or designated tracks
when visiting national parks and reserves. Off-road driving can
injure small animals concealed in the grass, alter natural drainage
patterns, and cause extensive damage to grass and woodland habitats.
5. Minimize disturbance to animals
Many wild animals become distressed when they are
surrounded by too many vehicles, or when vehicles
approach too closely. Cheetahs
are particularly vulnerable to the presence of vehicles, which
can disrupt their daytime hunting routines. Try to restrict the
number of vehicles near an animal to five, and keep at least 20
metres away – much more if the animal is hunting. Try to
remain as quiet as possible when viewing animals, and ask your
driver to switch off the engine.
6. Keep to the speed limit
Most parks have a speed limit of 40 kph – and
animals always have the right of way. Please slow down
when passing close to grazing
animals, and be prepared to let them cross in front of your car.
7. Never feed any animal
Feeding wild animals can upset their diet and lead
to an unnatural dependence upon people. Animals
that have been fed can lose their
fear and become aggressive towards humans – but will always
be blamed for any incidents that occur as a result.
8. Take care not to disturb the ecological balance
Please do not collect or remove any animal products, rocks, plants,
seeds or birds’ nests, or alter the natural environment in
any way. Explain to children that it is not permitted to touch
or handle any animals, birds, reptiles or insects. In parks where
you are permitted to walk, ask your guide to show you the plants,
birds, insects and small mammals. You will discover that there
is an equally fascinating world away from the Big Five!
9. Take all your litter with you
Litter and garbage can be very dangerous to wild animals. Please
keep all litter with you in your vehicle and dispose of it properly
once you have left the park. Be extremely careful with cigarettes
and matches and always take cigarette stubs with you. Bush and
forest fires are a serious hazard that kill wildlife and destroy
vital wilderness areas.
10. Get out and walk – where you are permitted
Although walking among wildlife is one of the greatest safari
experiences, it is only permitted in a few designated areas
in parks and reserves – both
for the sake of the animals, and the safety of their visitors.
If you would like to go walking, please enquire from your safari
operator where this is allowed, and ask if it is possible for
an escorted walk to be included in your itinerary.
and at the Coast…
11. Help to protect the marine environment
Please take care to protect our fragile marine habitats by never
touching or standing on coral reefs. Do not dispose of any litter
on the beach or in the sea, as some creatures can mistake plastic
and other rubbish for food. Fishing is prohibited in all protected
areas, and spearfishing is banned under Kenyan law. Please never
drive on the beach, as this can destroy small sand-dwelling creatures – as
well as the tranquility of this sensitive environment.
12. Respect and conserve all marine creatures
Kenya is home to several of the world’s most endangered marine
species, including turtles, whales and dugongs. Help us protect these
beautiful creatures by supporting local environmental events and
organizations, and never buying products that derive from such species.
Encourage your hotel to reduce noise and lights on the beach, which
can prevent newly-hatched turtles from reaching the sea. Avoid restaurants
that serve undersize crabs and lobsters, which are contributing to
the rapid demise of these species.
13. Never buy or remove animals or shells from the sea
Please do not remove anything – dead or alive – from
the sea, as every creature is essential to the complex marine ecosystem.
The sale of shells and starfish on our coast is decimating fragile
aquatic balances; please do not buy starfish, shells or any product
decorated with them from beach vendors. If you really love shells,
buy a realistic ‘fake’ instead.
14. Support traditional coastal livelihoods
Try to support inland market areas, where traders are making
an effort to keep their business off the beaches. The building
of beach kiosks
can increase coastal erosion and destroy turtle nesting sites.
If you want to support projects that genuinely promote and protect
coastal livelihoods, ask the local community association, church
or mosque, or your hotel about worthwhile social development
schemes. Please never give money to children on the beach,
as this can encourage
them to stay away from school.
15. Respect local cultures and customs Please remember that parts of the coast are predominately
Muslim areas, where the communities derive from an
ancient and sensitive
culture. Always dress in a respectful way when visiting towns
and villages – and never bathe topless on the
beach. The protection of Kenya’s natural environment
is a responsibility that is shared by tour operators,
local people and visitors. As a visitor, you have
the power to influence the behaviour of others. If
you see an incident which clearly contravenes any
of these guidelines, please record the details and
request for an Incident Report Form from the reception
of your hotel. If you insist that these guidelines
are adhered to, you will be playing an important
part in helping Kenya to preserve some of the world’s
greatest wilderness areas.
Help us protect Kenya’s natural heritage!
These guidelines were developed by Friends of
Conservation (www.friendsofconservation.org) and
Ecotourism Kenya (www.ecotourismkenya.org), in conjunction
with the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (www.katokenya.org),
Kenya Wildlife Service (www.kws.org) and the Kenya
Professional Safari Guides Association (www.safariguides.org).
They were funded by the British Government’s
Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
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Useful links
Kenya Tourism Board
The national authority that markets "Destination Kenya"
The Kenya Wildlife Service
The national authority incharge of wildlife inside and outside protected
areas.
Kenya Association of Tour Operators.
A national association of tour operators.
Kenya Association of Travel Agents
A national association of travel agents.
Kenya Tourism Federation
An umbrella
organisation of tourism organisations in Kenya
Members List
To view a list of current members, click
Join Us
Want to join Ecotourism Kenya? Click
Eco-rated Facilities
To view a list of eco-rated facilities, click
Apply For Eco-rating
For instructions and application materials, click
Communities
There are Community Based Organisations registered with Ecotourism
Kenya. Click to
view the current list.
Are you listed?
If you are a community based organization (CBO) that has conducts
tourism activities and would like to be listed on this database,
click to
fill in the form.
Sign up for our E-letter.
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Contacts
Upper Hill, Longonot Road (Opp. Shelter Afrique Centre) Nairobi,
Kenya
Box no: 10146 00100
Telephone:020- 2724755 / 2724403
Fax: +254 20 2724755
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