Meet One of the Few Female Safari Guides in Kenya

Posted by Smithsonian

Though outnumbered by their male counterparts in the field, women have begun to take the reins in ecotourism

In Kenya, aspiring safari guides are taught that the ideal guide should possess boundless knowledge of the local flora and fauna, rock-solid survival skills, mastery of the communication arts, and an unflagging sense of humor. And until recently, these guidelines also included an unspoken rule—that guides should be male. 

Twenty-eight-year-old Lorna Seela Nabaala is among a small but growing handful of women trying to change that perception. She estimates that she’s one of only 10 women out of about 400 safari guides working today in the Maasai Mara, a wildlife reserve in southwestern Kenya and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. She says that many times, when she picks up a group of unsuspecting safari-goers at the airstrip, they are initially startled, asking, “Wait, are you the guide?” 

Most who visit the Maasai Mara board a tiny plane in crowded Nairobi and touch down 45 minutes later on a tarmac in the middle of the remote savanna. It's while in the air that they first realize why Mara, meaning “spotted” in Nabaala’s native Maa language, is such a fitting name for this reserve: herds of zebra, Thomson’s gazelles and the occasional giraffe can be seen grazing among the circles of trees, brush and dark shadows that span the 583 square miles of open grassland. 

The Maasai Mara is home to 400 bird species and 95 mammal, amphibian and reptile species—and that doesn’t begin to account for the abundant plant life. This land is also the traditional home of the Maasai, the ethnic group to which Nabaala—like many guides—belongs, and for which the other half of the wildlife reserve is named. Easily recognizable with their scarlet red cloaks and intricate beaded jewelry, the Maasai people are renowned as legendary warriors throughout Africa and around the world. 

A semi-nomadic people, the Maasai have traditionally relied upon herding cattle for their food. But over the course of the 20th century—through British control followed by Kenya's independence in 1963—their territory has been reduced, ultimately shrinking their grazing lands. As a result, with dwindling cattle herds, some Maasai have moved into the cities for work; others, like Nabaala, have sought employment closer to home within the tourism sector. 

Yet even as traditions have evolved, it's still the norm within this region to observe clearly defined gender roles. In village culture, it is typically the men who are expected to herd cattle, and as Nabaala explains, a man who does not marry may be considered by many to be homeless or in some way incomplete. “Women play a very important role in all the villages,” she says, adding that women traditionally fulfill domestic duties, including fetching water from the river, collecting firewood for cooking, milking the cows every morning and evening, and tending to the sick among the herd. Customarily, the women even build houses for their families.

Nabaala grew up about an hour away from the Mara in the tiny village of Oloirien, named for the African Olive tree. Living within close proximity to the reserve meant that safari guides were a fixture in daily life, regularly driving back and forth in their impressive vehicles. Encountering them so frequently, Nabaala had wanted to be a guide for as long as she can remember. Yet she knew it would not be an easy road. Raised in a traditionally large Maasai family, Nabaala was one of 10 children, and as she explains, this can make it difficult for parents to find the resources needed to educate all children equally. In many cases, young boys have taken priority within the family since, according to custom, Maasai men are the ones to eventually care for their elderly parents. The promise of a marriage dowry for the girls may also be an incentive to avoid schooling young girls. Both of these factors contribute to low school enrollment numbers for girls in this region. According to the Maasai Girls Education Fund, just 48 percent of Maasai girls enroll in school, and only 10 percent advance to secondary school. “It was not easy for my dad to educate us all,” Nabaala recalls. “He struggled ... including selling almost all his cows to see us through.”

Determined, Nabaala began pursuing her dream more aggressively in secondary school, poring over books on the native wildlife to supplement her firsthand knowledge of the many animals she had grown up alongside. Although her parents were supportive of her education, they weren't initially receptive to the idea of their daughter becoming a guide—long considered to be a male profession. “It was really hard, especially for my mother,” Nabaala recalls. “She [first encouraged] me to work in the hotel industry as a receptionist, waitress, room attendant—but not as a guide.” In the end, though, an elder brother stood up for Nabaala and supported her decision, convincing her parents to come around to the idea, as well. And ultimately, Nabaala was accepted into the prestigious Koiyaki Guiding School, one of the first institutions of its kind to accept female students. 

Of course, for many women in Kenya, the challenges don’t end with enrollment in a guiding school; ten to 15 percent of them have ended up leaving for reasons that are likely familiar to women around the world, from the inequities of working in a male-dominated field, to simply needing more time to care for small children at home. Other challenges are uniquely cultural, though, as most Maasai women do not drive. “It’s very rare," explains Debby Rooney, who has worked in Maasai communities for years as co-founder of BEADS for Education. "For a woman to drive, they think it’s shocking.” That makes learning to steer a manual safari vehicle through the treacherous dirt roads of the Mara reserve all the more intimidating for many Maasai women. 

For eight years following her studies, Nabaala worked as a guide at the luxury Karen Blixen Camp, where she has escorted guests to see an incredible variety of rare animals, from lion cubs to endangered rhinos. Securing a job like that one can be quite competitive, but once there, Nabaala proved her merit—and her services grew to such high demand that, thanks to glowing referrals based on her reputation, she now works as a self-employed freelance guide. Nabaala now owns her own Toyota Land Cruiser and gives special tours, in addition to hiring out the vehicle to other local camps who know to contact her when their own transportation is insufficient for visitor demand. Today, she’s preparing to launch her own company, Mara Natives Safaris—and she has even greater plans for the future, including building her own safari camp in the Maasai Mara. 

Through it all, Nabaala continues to mentor other women at guiding school, reminding them that anything is possible and asking them simply, “If I’m doing it, then why not you?” As she explains, “When I began, most of [my male peers] said it will never be possible for ladies to do this. I proved them wrong, and I’m sure in the coming years there will be [even more] ladies doing this.”

Bush Breakfast Means Bacon, Eggs, and Grilled Tomatoes on the African Savannah

Posted by Extra Crispy

“Now we stop for breakfast,” our sturdy guide Eric announced. He steered our safari vehicle off the dirt road leading through the preserve adjacent to Kenya’s Amboseli National Park and onto the vast expanse of grass. 

Our group of six had risen before sunrise for some prime wildlife viewing time. It didn’t hurt that the morning light made it easier to snap a great photo of Amboseli’s famous elephants on parade with the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro in the background.

Now, more than three hours later, the full strength of the sun was upon us. Most of the wildlife had retreated into the shade to pass the hottest hours of the day. Our vehicle ambled along the savannah, weaving through thickets and flat-topped trees that were the namesake of the Tortilis Camp where we were staying. We craned our necks searching for perhaps a lion relaxing under cover. 

That’s when I spotted some familiar faces standing under a tortilis tree. Staff from the camp, including a cook wearing a tall white toque, were standing behind a table draped with a red Maasai shuka. There were made-to-order omelets, yogurt, cereals, fresh fruit, and juices like orange and passion fruit.

Farther in the distance, there was another table draped in a similar tablecloth. It was surrounded by chairs and set with leather placemats, plates, silverware, and platters heaping with muffins and pastries. To the right was a transportable fire pit warming nearly all the fixings of a full English.

This is bush breakfast—it goes way beyond the quick croissant and a cup of coffee poured from a thermos that I had anticipated. It’s an almost embarrassingly lavish affair that, quite surprisingly, can be set up in under two hours with a team of about four to six. The site is chosen in advance based on a combination of factors like scenery and shade. Some food is prepared in advance and the workers then pack the vehicle and head out.

At Tortilis Camp, bush breakfasts are designed to surprise guests after an early morning safari drive. They usually get at least a cup of coffee or tea before leaving camp before dawn and then a few hours later they’re refreshed with a full spread of eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, and grilled tomatoes. 

Whenever there’s a grilled tomato in the morning, you know the British must be involved. The full breakfast is perhaps England’s most beloved culinary export, and it’s actually a product of Victorian times. As the reach of British colonialism expanded to different countries, more and more dishes were added to the breakfast table. (In other words—as you know—colonialism was good for the British palate, but not always so great for the colonies.)   

During the Victorian era, it was a ritual of the upper class to enjoy a huge breakfast before grouse or fox hunts with all the trappings—silver, crystal, china, and huge table having with a variety of dishes. The British also enjoyed these extravagant meals before big game hunts in East Africa that became popular during the same time period. They eventually evolved into today’s safaris. 

Tortilis Camp general manager Johan van Eede explains, “The beginnings of the bush breakfast tradition would be hard to pinpoint, but its origins lie in the mobile luxury safari camps of yesteryear.” The safari as we know it today was in development even before the English formed British East Africa in 1877. The word, originally linked to Arabic, means “journey” and it started appearing in the English language as early as the 1850’s. 

Although hunting has been banned in Kenya since 1977, the first safari-goers were in search of a lion carcass or elephant tusk to bring home as a trophy. The roots of the modern day safari and the typical routines they follow can be traced back to William Cornwallis Harris, a novelist and British colonial army officer who recruited groups to head into the African wilderness to observe animals. He designed the modern day schedule of rising before dawn, partaking in an indulgent dinner complete with wine and cocktails, and of course, a hearty breakfast. 

Safaris grew even more luxurious during the early twentieth century. In White Hunter: The Golden Age of Safaris, Brian Herne describes the trips organized by British hunter Denys Finch Hatton. His guests were spoiled with walk-in tents, fine bed linens, clean laundry, cold cocktails, and tables set with silverware, crystal, and fine china. 

Finch Hatton was eventually portrayed by Robert Redford in the film Out of Africa, bringing the idea of “safari chic” and all its stylish hats, sundowner cocktails, and bush breakfasts to a wider audience. Some safari camps like Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge in Tanzania even market their bush breakfast as “the real Out of Africa experience.” 

However you feel about the colonial hangover that is bush breakfast—and it’s fair to feel not-so-great— eating al fresco, under a tortilis tree with the threat of a leopard dropping out of it, with a view of Mount Kilimanjaro in the background is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And the breakfast is pretty good, too. 

ASTA 2017 Destination Expo heads for Kenya

Posted by Travel Weekly

Kenya has been selected to host ASTA's 2017 Destination Expo in February.

"It is a big boost for Kenya," said the country's tourism secretary, Najib Balala. He said this would enable U.S. travel agents to familiarize themselves with what they are selling to tourists and help create direct links between the tour operators and Kenyan hotel operators.

The Kenyan Tourism Ministry is hopeful that direct flights to the U.S. will be launched by early February, in time for the ASTA event. This comes as Kenya has finally met the threshold for a Category One Status, which is required for direct flights to the U.S.

Registration for the Destination Expo is now open, and early-bird booking rates are available until Oct. 1. Agents can find additional information about the event at www.astaade.org/.

Sustainable Sustainability

Posted by Travel Weekly

"Travel is like fire. Out of control, it can wreak devastation, but if you harness that energy, it will keep you warm, enrich your life. The power of travel is an incredible force for good in the world."

That's how Costas Christ, director of sustainability for Virtuoso, summarized the amazing race that marks today's travel. More people can reach more destinations in less time than ever before, yet saturating pristine places risks crushing cultures and environments. How can an industry that accounts for 5% of global carbon emissions increase responsible repeated visits? And how can sustainable travel's financial bottom line reach the green promised land without going into the red?

Sustainable travel, defined by the U.N. World Tourism Association as "development [that] meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future," has gained traction from the backpacking days.

In May, Mandala Research published a report titled "The Role of Sustainability in Travel and Tourism, 2016," which posited that 60% of 2,300 U.S. leisure travelers had taken a "sustainable" trip during the previous three years. They spent an average of $600 more per outing, and they stayed seven rather than four days on trips that "bring higher benefits to local communities including job creation, giving back and volunteering." 

"Travelers are looking for authenticity," said one of the study's co-sponsors, Barbra Anderson, foundingpartner of the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based consulting firm Destination Better. "They want to go to a place where they think companies are taking care of their business and the environment." And, she added, "sustainable travelers spend 41% more."

One trip in three years might not seem all that frequent, and the study's identification of eight types of responsible travel, ranging from community to geo to agri, might seem too broad to some. 

But Brian Mullis, founder and CEO of Sustainable Travel International and another study co-sponsor, called the report "a huge wake-up call." Mullis' Portland, Ore.-area group has helped more than 100 destinations protect natural and cultural assets, and he projected that 56 million to 60 million U.S. travelers are choosing destinations and travel companies based on sustainability practices.

"This is too big to ignore," he said.

The evangelist

Fasten your virtual seat belt when speaking with Virtuoso's Christ. His passion for sustainable travel is palpable; he even lives on an organic farm in Maine when he's not consulting or writing about it. 

"What business in its right mind would not want to take care of its product, make sure that it's healthy?" Christ asked rhetorically. "Distill it down to business logic: If we don't protect the product we trade in we're going to be out of business soon."

Christ articulated three sustainable-travel pillars: "Environmentally friendly travel opportunities, support for the protection of cultural and natural heritage and direct, tangible benefits to local people."

This requires nuance, he said."Travel shouldn't conquer a destination but enhance it," he said. "But you wouldn't have the greatest migration in the Serengeti if it weren't for travelers and their dollars." Similarly, he added, "it's very hard to protect and safeguard cultural heritage if the people who liveclosest ... haven't [been given] a seat at the table."

Virtuoso asked Christ to look at sustainable travel more than a decade ago, to bolster a portfolio that now numbers more than 2,000 agencies, travel providers and destinations. Virtuoso now offers its travel advisers webinar training, live events and a Sustainable Travel Leadership Award program. Virtuoso.com is developing an interactive sustainability platform for operators and hotels. 

"What do we really sell?" Christ asked. "We sell culture and nature. When was the last time you read a brochure saying, 'We'll give you a great spa treatment in a clear-cut forest?' In the sustainable world, the [profit and loss] includes the environment."

Destinations sustainable

Kenya's Masai Mara and Pensacola, Fla., on the Gulf Coast are literally and figuratively half a world apart. But both locations needed to combine financial success and sustainable practices.

Cottar's 1920s Safari Camp features 10 posh tents and family antiques, an homage to when the Cottar family's great-grandfather, inspired by Teddy Roosevelt, moved to Kenya. The 6,000-acre Olderikesi Wildlife Conservancy preserves natural habitats in concert with the local people.

"We run the tourism entity, and the conservancy is owned by the Masai community," co-operator Louise Cottar said via Skype from Nairobi. "We worked for 10 years to have the community allocate one plot in perpetuity that can't be subdivided. We don't make a profit from that. But it attracts a higher-yielding clientele, and I think we get more business out of it."

Cottar's is one of 10 "ecospheres" allied with Long Run, which protects more than 5 million privately held natural acres. Long Run has a "4C" framework: conservation, commerce, community and culture. 

"They helped us think through our business," Cottar said. "It was a very arduous process. It's not something you can 'green-wash.'"Cottar's employs its own rangers, builds roads and operates an on-site school that has trained staff. Water purification and runoff collection replaced trucking in 12,000 plastic water bottles a year over eight-hour drives, and the camp broke even within 10 months. 

"We then put the savings into other initiatives that were sustainable but also helped the bottom line," she said. "We've chosen to have fewer beds and more wilderness, so there's a premium."

An all-inclusive room costs just under $1,000 a night per person in peak season, and occupancy has run at about 30%, which Cottar attributed to Kenya's at-times shaky politics and an oversupply of beds in the region (two-thirds of bookings are through agents, with commissions ranging from 25% to 40%). 

"To work and protect, with the community, from poachers and others," is a Cottar's precept. 

But community interaction isn't always a magic sustainability bullet. When I was in Ecuador some years ago, local tour guides went on strike for more tourism to the fragile Galapagos Islands. Poor governments can beequally aggressive. Nevertheless, local involvement is a key to meaningful experiences, said Jamie Sweeting, who is both G Adventures' vice president for sustainability and president of its associated Planeterra Foundation.

"You have to raisethe capacity of the community so it can make decisions actively and not passively," Sweeting said.

Cottar agreed. 

"We asked the community what kind of engagement they wanted," she recalled. Instead of dancing for tourists, "they wanted to showcase some of their learned experiences: how you graduate from one age group to another." The women sell their wares in the camp's shop. "They decide what to make; they make the profit," Cotter said.

And profit, Cottar concluded, "has to underpin sustainability, and vice versa.  Though a far different venue, Pensacola and its Destination 2020 plan also aim to attract tourism without compromising local living. 

"We asked, 'What do we want to look like five years from now?'" said Steve Hayes, Visit Pensacola's president. "It was build more condos vs. saying we have a certain feel and ambience that we don't want to change. How do we grow tourism so we don't lose that? If you're going to develop you want to do it smartly and have a good investment."

Destination 2020 caps construction, protects parkland and supports a turtle-protecting Leave No Trace beach ordinance. The plan promotes off-season visits and tourism styles from historic-district encounters to a National Park Service ferry with docents describing local habitation.

It also means saying no to incongruous events. A televised festival was nixed because it would "set back our progress in building a family environment," Hayes said. "It's more about the quality of what you're showcasing. If we do it right, we'll still reap the economic benefits."

Hotel firms strive to offer familiar brands to U.S. travelers in Africa

Posted by Travel Weekly

Major international hotel brands have opened properties in Africa, as they say they see huge potential on the continent. This is good news for U.S. travelers, who tour operators report tend to favor familiar brands when booking.

"If you look at many of the bookings that the USA market makes online, I would say USA brand preference is a big consideration," said Craig van Rooyen, Tour d'Afrique.  He explained that many have a preferred status or hotel points with a specific chain that can be redeemed to either purchase or upgrade their rooms, and that does play a role in their decision-making when booking a hotel.

Onne Vegter, CEO Wild Wings Safaris, said that for certain U.S. travelers, brand recognition is hugely important, and they prefer to stay with trusted brands that they know. He is quick to add, however, that local brands are doing a splendid job of positioning themselves as trusted brands through building a strong online reputation, not least via the power of social media and review sites such as TripAdvisor.

One of the brands that is accelerating its growth strategy in Africa is Carlson Rezidor. In 2016, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group opened five Radisson Blu properties on the continent: Radisson Blu Hotel Nairobi Upper Hill in Kenya (271 rooms); Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carre Eden in Morocco (198 rooms); Radisson Blu Residence with 187 luxury hotel apartments in Maputo, Mozambique, the group's first residence concept in Africa; the Radisson Blu Hotel Abidjan Airport Ivory Coast (261 rooms), West Africa's tallest hotel; and Radisson Blu Hotel 2 Fevrier in Lome, Togo (320 rooms).

Wolfgang M. Neumann, president and CEO of the Rezidor Hotel Group, said: "Africa is Rezidor's biggest growth market. Our group's total portfolio comprises 69 hotels in 28 countries, with over 15,000 rooms in operation or under development. Radisson Blu leads the way with more hotel rooms under development than any of the other with 85-plus hotel brands active in Africa today. Our ambition is to be the leading player in the travel and tourism sector across the continent."

Carlson Rezidor has also announced plans for its first Quorvus Collection in Africa, a five-star, 244-room, luxury Emerald Grand Hotel & Spa in Lagos, Nigeria. The group also plans a new Radisson Blu Hotel Harare in Zimbabwe with 245 rooms; a Radisson Blu Hotel in Durban Umhlanga, South Africa, with 207 rooms; and a Park Inn by Radisson in Quatre Bornes, Mauritius.

Marriott International is strengthening its brand in Africa, too, as the group has rebranded the Protea Hotels division that it acquired in 2014. The rebranding to Protea Hotels by Marriott also includes an updated and modernized logo.

"Consumer research conducted in South Africa in 2015 shows that the endorsement of Protea Hotels by a large, international brand company such as Marriott would elevate brand perception and preference, further supporting the strategic move to endorse the brand," said Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director Middle East and Africa, Marriott International.

IN, OUT OF AND OVER AFRICA

Posted by Wag Magazine

After you’ve packed your suitcase and your passport, be prepared with one more thing before departing for a safari in Kenya — an answer to the question, “Aren’t you scared?”

Once considered the Gold Standard for safaris, the Kenyan safari has seen the number of visitors from America plunge over the past few years, according to the Kenya Tourist Board. People with experience selling African travel insist those fears are unwarranted.

“Kenya is safe,” says John Spence of Aardvark Safaris, a California-based travel company. But he acknowledges “It has struggled through tough times,” checking off violent events that were unrelated to tourism and far from the country’s many game parks. Even Ebola, a threat only on the other side of a vast continent, scared away visitors, says Old Greenwich-based safari specialist Diane Lobel of African Portfolio.

But, she adds, “We’re comfortable continuing to send clients to Kenya,” which is starting to see a resurgence in travel.

After two weeks exploring the capital city of Nairobi and visiting two of the nation’s premium parks, I noticed security in public places is higher than here in the States, where Americans saw 372 mass shootings, including 62 school shootings, in 2015.

One can view Kenya’s beefed up security, including metal detectors at the entrances to hotels and airport perimeter screening, as alarming or encouraging.

The rest of the world doesn’t seem to be worried about Kenya like the Americans. There’s a building boom underway across the East African nation, fueled by the construction of luxury hotels for business and leisure travelers.

City hotels tend to cluster in two areas. They’re situated near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, which is conveniently — if incongruously — at the north edge of Nairobi National Park. There the Ole-Sereni would be my choice, both for its stellar views of the animals and for its clubby, colonial-era décor. The hotel’s history includes two notable recent events. It was leased to the Americans after the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy, and Prince William and Kate Middleton celebrated their engagement there in 2011.

Still, many visitors opt to stay in the chic suburb of Karen, named after Karen Blixen, the Danish writer better known by her pen name Isak Dinesen, whose brief and unlucky time there was the subject of the memoir and subsequent film “Out of Africa.” There former colonial homes have been turned into guest houses a short drive from the Karen Blixen Museum, the Giraffe Center, restaurants and galleries. I spent a half-day hiking the grounds of the Giraffe Center where the endangered Rothschild is being reintroduced into national parks. Nearby, the artists at Ocean Sole: the Flipflop Recycling Co. turn cast-off beach shoes into whimsical and environmentally-friendly souvenirs. And at Kazuri, a cooperative of local women transform Mt. Kenya clay into unusual jewelry and ceramics. But the bulk of Kenya tourism is about the wildlife.

Twenty years ago, trying to see more than one of Kenya’s 51 game parks and reserves meant a lot of driving as Kenya is the size of Texas. Now, several domestic airlines, Air Kenya and Safarilink among them, offer flights timed so that passengers can leave one park in the morning and be in another in time for an afternoon game drive followed by the obligatory sundowner.

I had the chance to see how ultra-high end travelers might do it, when I spent an afternoon flying over Maasai Mara National Reserve as the guest of  Scenic Air Safaris, which offers seven- and 14-day tours in an eight-passenger, luxury-outfitted Cessna Caravan. Pilots like Murtaza Walijee, with whom I flew, point out the sights as the plane flies at low-level over Kenya’s magnificent terrain.

“Flying safaris are very good,” Aardvark Safaris’ Spence says, because they can minimize transit time. He cautions travelers should be careful they don’t use the plane to cram too much into a trip, because it’s important to appreciate time on the ground. That’s where interaction with locals will happen.

Because Kenya’s been in the safari business for longer than many other African countries, it has “more diversity in terms of price points,” African Portfolio’s Lobel says, with accommodations and amenities that range “from motels in the bush to very luxurious individual units.”

The camps where I stayed — Tortilis Camp in Amboseli National Park and Karen Blixen Camp in Maasai Mara — were deluxe by my middle-class standard, with solicitous service, two game drives with experienced guides each day and three delicious meals, all priced between $450 and $650 a day. One can go higher, of course, with villa-sized camps complete with spas and game drives where guests are unlikely to encounter any other tourists while watching the lions hunt or the elephants frolic.

With all the information available online or from specialists like Aardvark and African Portfolio, coming up with the perfect trip won’t be difficult. Your only challenge will be explaining to your fellow Americans why their fears won’t keep you from a Kenyan safari.

The Best Places To Go For Animal Encounters

Posted by Travel + Leisure


Traveling is a chance to see the world, but it can also be a chance to get to know the species that we share the earth with—many of which would be impossible to see at home. If you really want to make your vacation unique, combine your travels with an animal encounter like camel excursions in Australia, shark diving in Fiji, or tracking turtles in Nevis. Not only do you get up close and personal to some of the most amazing aquatic and land creatures, but you’ll learn about their habitat and what it’s like to live in their world. And the best part is that these eco-adventures come in different activity levels: some are adrenaline-pumping (like gorilla trekking in Uganda), others are more relaxed (checking out the blue-footed boobies in the Galapagos), while others are ideal to experience with kids (like swimming with dolphins in Mexico). But there’s one thing for sure: no matter which encounter you choose, all are simply unforgettable.

Giraffe feedings in Kenya

 

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Wake up to these long-necked creatures looking in your window at Nairobi’s Giraffe Manor. Herds of Rothschild giraffes roam freely around the property before returning to the surrounding 140 acres of indigenous forest. The boutique hotel offers up-close-and-personal opportunities with these graceful creatures, including daily feedings and guided walks.

The Legacy of a Lioness 'Born Free'

Posted by Dallas Morning News

The roar heard ’round the world marks 50 years

Posted by Dallas Morning News

It was a roar heard ’round the world.

Fifty years ago, the blockbuster movie Born Free opened in theaters, and audiences fell in love with the tender true story of Elsa, an orphaned lion cub raised, and ultimately released, by a loving couple in the wilderness of Kenya.

The $1 million, 95-minute movie and its romantic theme song touched moviegoers’ hearts and sparked a new movement in wildlife preservation.

Starring real-life spouses, British actors Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, Columbia Pictures’ Born Free roared through American cinemas in June 1966, winning two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes and a Grammy for best song.

Based on the book of the same name, Born Free tells the story of George and Joy Adamson, a British game warden in East Africa and his Austrian wife, who rescued three orphaned lion cubs in 1956 and dotingly raised them to adulthood. Two of the lions were eventually taken to a zoo, but the couple kept the smallest, Elsa, training her to survive and live among lions in the wild.

After she was set free, Elsa would return to visit the Adamsons, sometimes sleeping with them in their cots as they camped along the Ura River in Meru. She even introduced her first litter of cubs to them. In 1961, suffering from tick fever, Elsa returned a final time to rest her head in George’s lap as she died.

Africans called George “Baba ya Simba” (Father of Lions), and many consider him the founding father of animal conservation. The Born Free story is largely his; drawing heavily from his detailed journals, Joy wrote the 1960 best-seller Born Free, followed by 11 other books. He wrote two, as well.

Although they respected and loved each other, the couple often lived apart. Both dedicated their lives, work and wealth to wildlife preservation.

As films, Born Free, Living Free, the Born Free 1974 television series and documentaries that followed were hardly revolutionary, but their message was.

For the first time, those who viewed Africa as merely a continent to be conquered — or saw wild animals as exotic trophies to hunt — witnessed deep tenderness and affection between wild animals and human beings and fell in love with Kenya’s wild beauty. African safari vacations became popular again, but now the pith-helmet-wearing public went to shoot pictures, not animals.

Many of today’s moviegoers may be too young to remember Born Free, but baby boomers do (or at least they can hum its theme song). Still, Born Freeforever changed the world of animal conservation and inspired many charitable foundations that, a half-century later, remain committed to wildlife preservation.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, fans are planning Born Free-themed pilgrimages to its film locations and sites in Kenya where Elsa and the Adamsons lived.

Perhaps the most spectacular of these is Elsa’s Kopje, an elegant safari lodge perched high on a rocky hill above the site of George Adamson’s original camp in Meru, where he raised and released orphaned lions long before conservation became fashionable.

There in quiet bungalows, some say that in the distance they can still hear Elsa’s roar.

Follow Elsa’s tracks across Kenya, and visit these special Born Free spots:

Elsa’s Kopje, Meru National Park, Northern Kenya

This elegant environmental-award-winning boutique lodge, sculpted into Mughwango Hill in Meru National Park, comprises six large, en suite cottages, a family cottage, three honeymoon suites and a private house, featuring spacious bedrooms, open sitting rooms, private decks, modern bathrooms and more, all surrounded by spectacular views. Some even have outdoor baths.

Guests at this luxury safari camp enjoy al fresco dining, campfires and an infinity-edge pool with stunning vistas overlooking land where much ofBorn Free was filmed.

Amid 215,000 acres of rugged, unspoiled African grasslands in Meru National Park, where palm trees and baobabs grow amid 13 rivers, stands Elsa’s grave and the site of George’s camp where he lived with the lion stars of Born Free. Meru National Park also offers a rhino sanctuary, along with more diversity of animal species than any other in East Africa.

Elsa’s Kopje has won the Good Safari Guide’s “Best Safari Property in Africa” award and is considered one of Africa’s most romantic lodges. Caretakers Charlie and Philip Mason, a British couple with fascinating Born Free insights, enjoy sharing with guests their stories and photographs of the Adamsons and their lions. elsaskopje.com.

Joy’s Camp, Shaba National Reserve, Northern Kenya

An oasis in the arid landscapes of Samburu, Joy’s Camp is built on the site of Joy Adamson’s tented home in Shaba National Reserve. With 10 luxury safari tents overlooking a large watering hole, there guests may see lions, zebra, herds of buffalo, the rare desert species of Beisa Oryx, reticulated giraffe and Grévy’s zebra.

Born Free fans can enjoy the reception area’s little museum, with photographs, books, movie memorabilia and Joy’s original artwork.

Joy’s Camp is a serene tented camp with modern facilities offering fine dining, a swimming pool and all the comforts of home.elewanacollection.com.

Elsamere Lodge, Elsamere Conservation Centre, Naivasha, Rift Valley, Kenya

Once the Adamsons’ holiday home, Elsamere, as Joy named it, is now a unique lodging and animal conservation educational destination, overlooking Lake Naivasha, belonging to the Elsa Conservation Trust. With 10 double rooms with en suite baths, Elsamere also features a private veranda facing the lake.

Guests enjoy fine meals and traditional high tea and can watch The Joy Adamson Story documentary, visit its museum and learn about the center’s conservation efforts. elsamere.com.

For more information on the wonders of Kenya, visit magicalkenya.org.

Janis Turk is a travel and food writer living in Seguin.

Give ‘Free’

Many charitable foundations were inspired by Born Free, including these nonprofit wildlife conservation and preservation groups:

• The Born Free Foundation, bornfree.org.uk.
• Elsa’s Conservation Trust, Elsamere Lodge, the Elsamere Conservation Centre and the Elsamere Centre for Education in Sustainability in Kenya’s Rift Valley, elsatrust.org and elsamere.com.
• The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Dilley, Texas, a project of the Born Free Foundation’s American arm, bornfreeusa.org.
• The George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust,www.georgeadamson.org.

‘Born Free’ trivia

• The movie’s tear-jerker screenplay was written by blacklisted Hollywood writer Lester Cole (under the pseudonym “Gerald L.C. Copley”).
• Although the movie says differently, Elsa was actually named for the mother of Joy’s second husband.
• George Adamson raised the lions appearing in the film, worked with them on the set and freed them after the movie was finished, although the film studio had wanted to sell them to zoos in order to recoup money spent on film.
• The theme song, written by John Barry, was not heard on the British release of the film, which later won Oscars for best music, original music score and best music-original song.
• The photos of Elsa shown in the movie are the Adamsons’ actual photographs of the real-life Elsa.
• The Born Free Foundation has named 2016 “The Year of the Lion.”

How to Go on an Eco-Conscious Safari

Posted by Conde Nast Traveler

If you're concerned about sustainability and caring for the environment, that doesn't mean a safari goes against your values. Keep these four factors in mind when planning your trip.

CHECK LAND OWNERSHIP BEFOREHAND

Land title may not seem like the most obvious consideration when planning a trip, but Edward Loure begs to differ. One of the six winners of this year’s Goldman Environmental Prize, a prestigious annual award that honors leaders in grassroots environmental activism, Loure helps indigenous communities in northern Tanzania to legally claim back the land where traditional communities have long lived in harmony with the wildlife.

“Ask your safari whether they own or lease the land from the community,” Loure tells Condé Nast Traveler. The creation of some national parks turned traditional settlers into “conservation refugees,” he explains. By supporting companies that lease communal terrain instead of grabbing land, you are not only supporting the local Maasai and Hadza communities, but also encouraging working with locals who have knowledge of preservation.

SOFTEN YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

Despite the aviation industry’s ongoing research, flying to a far-flung safari will inevitably create planet-warming emissions. Lessen your impact by asking about your tour’s environmentally sustainable efforts. (Is a colossal diesel generator powering the camp, for instance?) Some countries have done the groundwork for you: Kenya, for instance, has awarded 24 “gold” ratings to properties that use solar power, collect rainwater, and build with locally sourced materials.

LEARN ABOUT THE CULTURE

Remember, you’re in someone else’s proverbial backyard, after all. Even the most remote parts of the world have been home to hunter-gatherer and pastoralist communities. Ask if your travel will include any cultural components. Some providers today have hands-on experiences that will have you interact in more meaningful ways beyond mere photo ops.

THINK LONG-TERM

For most travelers, a safari jaunt is a once-in-a-lifetime affair. But that doesn’t call for a hit-and-run approach. Ask the operator how long it has been the business, and what kind of long-term investments it makes locally and for the environment. Support businesses that have staked incentives in preservation—so that long after you’re gone, efforts will be continuously made to protect the wildlife.

“Tourism can certainly be a good part of preservation,” Loure says. “But tourists have to do more research.” The more you demand of the travel industry, the more it will pay attention.

Kenyan Food Primer: 10 Essential Dishes And Drinks

Posted by Food Republic

“What are they feeding them?” That’s a question you might ask yourself as you watch a Kenyan cross a marathon finish line, followed by a second, a third chasing them, and you guessed it — a fourth Kenyan might just be on the way.

It’s a tough question, though, when you realize that most of the Kenyan runners we know well mostly come from one tribe — Kalenjin, of the high-altitude Western Rift Valley, where they’re raised on a high-starch diet. But the number of communities in Kenya? Approximately 50. Which is to say, it’s a tough cuisine to track. And then there are the Indians who were hired from erstwhile British India to build the Kenya-Uganda Railway, bringing with them Hindu flavors during Kenya’s colonial period. It’s a mixed cuisine, to say the least.

To get an understanding of true Kenyan dishes, we asked the students at Karen Blixen Hospitality School — a cooking school at Karen Blixen Camp, a safari property in the Mara North Conservancy aimed at training locals in the culinary arts (guests are treated to their finished products, too) — to call out a few known staples, aided by their teacher, chef Rune Eriksen. Here’s the lineup:

Ugali is the most common staple in Kenyan cuisine.

UGALI (WHITE MAIZE MEAL)

We know what you’re thinking: Maize is indigenous to Mexico, not Africa. But maize gets around — or at least, the British do. “During the colonial period, African farmers would be paid with maize rations,” explains Eriksen. Once the British left in the 1960s, local farmers began to cultivate maize on their own. Now, ugali is the most common staple dish in Kenya, especially in the West. And there’s little finesse to the recipe: Boil water, add maize flour, stir vigorously. Eventually you get a consistency — a thick porridge — that can be molded into rounds, used to pocket food with your hands as an edible utensil, or dipped into stews.

This collard green is available year round and is often served with ugali.

SUKUMA WIKI (COLLARD GREENS, TOMATOES AND ONIONS)

“This literally translates to ‘stretch the week,’” says Eriksen. Sometimes mistaken for kale, sukuma wiki is a collard green that earned its Swahili name because it’s available year round and is perennially cheap. Sautéed with vegetable oil, onions and tomatoes, it’s almost always taken with ugali, making it the second-most common staple in the country.

The only seasoning needed for githeri is salt.

GITHERI (RED KIDNEY BEANS, WHITE CORN)

Maize wasn’t the only payment for farmers — beans were, too. It’s no surprise that the ingredients would be served together in one dish. “The traditional way of cooking githeri involves boiling both the corn and beans together in a clay pot over an open fire that is set up on three stones,” says Eriksen. For the seasoning? Just salt; no spice. The mixture is sometimes lightly fried with onions. Still, don’t forget that salt.

Cardamom is sometimes found in these sugary, doughnut-like pastries.

MAHAMRI (SUPER-AWESOME PASTRIES)

“‘Kenyan cardamom doughnuts’ would best describe these heavenly, tasty and super-awesome pastries,” says Eriksen. (Eriksen, and not just his students, digs these sugary delights.) You’ll find these particularly in coastal towns like Mombasa, Malindi, Kilifi and Lamu, but luckily, other regions can’t resist them. Mahamri follows a simple and sweet dough recipe: flour, water, sugar and baking powder, plus dried coconut, coconut milk and sometimes, but not always, cardamom and cinnamon. Cardamom has its own history in Kenya. “The Indians helped build the British Railway, and once it was complete, some settled within the coastal towns,” explains Eriksen. As such, locals adopted Indian cuisine and integrated it with their local cuisine — thus, pastries like mahamri.

NYAMA CHOMA (LAMB OR GOAT)

“You cannot understand Kenya without trying nyama choma,” says Eriksen. We’re talking about grilled meats. Nyama choma can be traced back to the Maasai community living around Maasai Mara, the area in which Karen Blixen Camp operates. “Nomadic by nature, and being pastoralists, the Massai’s source for protein was mainly from cattle, especially beef, milk and blood,” explains Eriksen. These meats are grilled over an open fire but really serve as an excuse to gather and chat. “It can all be summed up as Kenya’s social lubricant,” says Eriksen, not forgetting to mention that nyama choma goes down well with a Tusker, Kenyan beer.

Mukimo was traditionally served on special occasions, such as weddings and the naming of a child.

MUKIMO (POTATOES, PUMPKIN LEAVES, WHITE MAIZE AND PEAS)

In central Kenya, mukimo is often reserved for special ceremonies, and it’s always a smash: Whatever the variation of ingredients, things like potatoes, green peas, pumpkin leaves and maize are all mashed together. “Mukimo can be traced back to early communities living around Mt. Kenya, where it was a meal associated with weddings and initiation ceremonies, or special occasions like [the] naming of a child, or when the elders had a meeting in the village,” explains Eriksen.

These omena fish are caught, boiled and deep-fried.

FRIED OMENA (FISH, TOMATOES, ONIONS AND CHILI)

Similar to anchovies and sardines, omena is the name given to this specific fish by the Luo tribe, who live by the shores of Lake Victoria in the western part of Kenya. “On moonless nights, the lake will be dotted with boats having tin lamps, which attract the fish to the surface of the water,” says Eriksen. The fish are caught, boiled and deep-fried.

Mutura sausage can be found throughout Kenya.

MUTURA WITH KACHUMBARI (AFRICAN SAUSAGE)

Initially a delicacy for the central Kukuyu tribe, muturu achieved ubiquity; you’ll find it throughout the country at roadside shacks, being grilled and cut into pieces. “The mutura itself is prepared by mostly stuffing the large intestines of a cow or a goat, mixing ingredients like blood, minced meat and spices,” says Eriksen. “Then the two ends will be tied firmly and placed over a charcoal grill and grilled until tender.”

This dish is prepared in every house during festive seasons.

PILAU RICE (RICE, ONION, TOMATOES, GARLIC AND PILAU MASALA)

Along the Swahili Coast, it’s not just the ocean breeze you’ll catch. “During festive seasons, you won’t miss the waft of pilau rice being prepared in every house,” says Eriksen. It’s a specialty of coastal people who mingled with Hindu settlers. “The rice is usually flavored with spices, then cooked with well-seasoned beef or poultry,” says Eriksen. And of course, vegetarian variations are available, too.

Chai, usually had in the morning with family, is the most popular beverage in Kenya.

CHAI YA TANGAWIZI (MILK, GINGER, SUGAR AND BLACK TEA)

“Chai is the most popular beverage in the country,” says Eriksen. Chai, obviously influenced by Indian chai, is the Swahili word for tea, and it’s taken every morning with family. The Kenyan variation, tangawizi tea, is brewed with ginger. Eriksen’s students hasten to add that chai ya tangawizigoes well with those super-awesome mahamri pastries. How could it not?