Since 2002, travellers visiting Kenya have relied on NICE Safaris to supply them with complete genuine African experiences which might be academic, partaking and gratifying. Totally owned and operated by indigenous Maasai, the enterprise performs an integral half in making certain that Kenya’s vibrant and historical group is valued on the identical degree as its panorama and wildlife parks.
Vivian Silole Kaunga Malih, managing director and second daughter of one of many founders, explains that their enterprise, at it’s coronary heart, is certainly one of relationship constructing and belief. By way of another pro-poor strategy, navigating tourism via the poorer and rural communities, they’ve established sustainable relationships with these cultural hotspots. In flip, this has a repeatable constructive impression on the native tradition and addresses the imbalance between the wealthy and poor.
“Our group targeted eco-tourism contributes to poverty alleviation,” she says. Including, “We work domestically to advertise the usage of accessible native assets and abilities in an environmentally pleasant method geared in direction of financial empowerment of the communities. Packing them in such a method that they don’t lose their attractiveness to the shopper.”
BEHIND THE SCENES.
Cultivating the useful resource of native abilities, ingenuity and alternatives, NICE Safaris make use of domestically owned and run lodging. They help native initiatives corresponding to nature conservation, environmental consciousness, upliftment of ladies and education for kids from poor households and marginalized communities.
“After we acknowledge, respect and promote the indigenous abilities, information and practices of those communities and promote cross-cultural expertise,” Vivian says, “We elevate not solely the lives and alternatives for the individuals of the realm, however the worth of the product to our worldwide purchasers searching for a style of an actual Kenya.”
Whereas the enterprise imaginative and prescient could have broadened through the years because it has tailored to development, it has by no means misplaced its core focus of addressing the unfavorable impression of mass tourism that may exploit nature, tradition and wildlife. The founders, Malih ole Kaunga and Lpesina Lemantaan who had been each famend and revered as indigenous Il-Laikipiak Maasai and Samburu Leaders, arrange the enterprise with the intention of bettering the livelihoods and conventional economies of the Maasai and Sambura individuals. This focus has expanded because it has stored tempo with native and worldwide developments within the tourism business, however at its core the mission has and can proceed to be ever-present.
Legacy of group.
Malih Ole Kaunga is the one of the 2 founders remaining and is an indigenous Laikipia Maasai of the Il-Kisaruni Age set, Il Molelian Clan born within the huge, undulating terrains north of Mt. Kenya. A famend advocate for the indigenous individuals within the space, he’s additionally a gifted social innovator, and entrepreneur. Deeply rooted in his group, he has devoted over twenty years of his profession to defending the land and human rights of pastoralists in Kenya and Africa.
Alongside NICE (Nature and Inter-Tradition Expeditions) Safaris, he has based a number of group focussed organisations, consults for the United Nations and different worldwide and grassroots organisations, together with universities and legislation corporations. Most notably, his group OSILIGI (Organisation for Survival of II-Laikipiak Indigenous Group) gained a key authorized battle towards the British Authorities in 2002 concerning accidents and deaths attributable to military coaching and ammunition left over Kenya.
THE NATURAL WEALTH OF LAIKIPIA AND SAMBURU
Each Laikipia and Samburu, are livestock and wildlife eco-systems comprising of a number of conservancies and ranches owned by the group. These are the places that NICE promote as a part of their tour packages as a method of supporting ethno-eco-tourism ventures in Northern Kenya.
Vivian tells us that Laikipia has extra endangered animals than anyplace else in East Africa and that a number of non-public ranches at the moment are black rhino sanctuaries. Moreover, the realm has massive herds of elephants, gangs of untamed canine and can be house to a couple large cats.
“Not like the Maasai Mara Nationwide Reserve, in Laikipia you may get out of a automobile and stroll,” she says, “Or take pleasure in a camel trek.”
The Annual Camel Caravan (https://www.impactkenya.org/camel-caravan) has run since 2013 and safeguards the Ewaso Ng’iro River, which is the biggest river and important supply of water for the pastoralists within the space.
Samburu is equally endowed with an abundance of uncommon species of animals distinctive to the realm such because the Grevy Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk and the Beisa Oryx.
“These places allow us to supply distinctive journey programmes for our purchasers that provide one thing for everybody,” explains Vivian, “With a lot accessible to be seen, our visitors might be selective.”
And the checklist is expansive. There are the animal focussed excursions, together with the wildlife and birding safaris, camel treks and nature walks which might be led by Maasai and Samburu Warriors. For these searching for extra bodily concerned experiences, there are mountain climbing and rock-climbing expeditions, led by extremely skilled native guides.
And, for these in search of a style of cultural flavour there are cultural festivals, retreats, and encounters and even the chance to stay among the many indigenous Maasia/Samburu individuals to expertise the texture of being a Samburu or Maasai. Excellent for these searching for an immersive feeling.
THE MODERN TAKE ON NICE SAFARIS
Since 2019, Vivian Silole Malih, with the steering and help of her father, Malih Ole Kaunga, has managed the corporate. Following the grinding halt that 2020 delivered to the business, the enterprise is selecting up as worldwide journey journey finds its ft once more. NICE Safaris, with a smaller however extremely environment friendly workforce, are concentrating on utilizing the elevated love of story-sharing to their profit.
“Our employees are all native professionals and we practice them in group relations and ethics, cultural and conventional information and story-telling,” Vivian reveals, “This matches effectively with the present development we’ve observed of travellers needing to be extra in contact with nature and folks, studying and staying inside the indigenous communities, somewhat than the mainstream wildlife safaris, the place you look and level at distant animals, and keep in fashionable franchised inns.”
With plans for rebranding, development and extra nationwide and worldwide tourism occasions deliberate, her father’s legacy seems to be in very succesful fingers, the longer term for this enterprising and essential enterprise doesn’t simply look good, it appears to be like nice.
WEBSITE: www.nicesafaris.com
ADDRESS: 499-10400, Nanyuki, Laikipia.
TELEPHONE NUMBER: +254717447606
EMAIL: information@nicesafaris.com, nicesafaris2019@gmail.com