April
08
Basecamp Explorer Kenya – WTTC Community Award Nominee
People often talk about a life-changing moments, Norwegian Svein Wilhelmsen experienced one with a Maasai elder. Chief Ole Taek, shared his concerns about threats to his people with Wilhelmsen, who was then motivated to founded in 1998 a company with a mission to care for these indigenous people. One that would leave a positive footprint in the places they operate and on the people whose homelands it would bring visitors to.
Basecamp Explorer has moved forward from that starting point and established several camps on the Maasai Mara, some with luxurious camping facilities and stunning backdrops, others with impressive inbuilt structures. Basecamp Maasai Mara, is an Gold Eco Rated Camp as Certificate by Ecotourism Kenya operating on an eco-friendly model and Eagle View in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, is certified as a Silver Eco Rated Camp. The latter model has strong community impacts as it involves the participation of 500 Maasai families who have given their land in trust and and in return they receive a monthly income according to the size of their land.
Now fifteen years old Naboisho, after the maa expression of ‘coming together, symbolizes the Maasai community coming together in a time of need. Basecamp found a sustainable alternative that would allow the Maasai to retain their land and grow as a community nature based conservancy sustaining the ecosystems and vital grazing grounds the very essence of the corporate world’s, win win scenario.
Community empowerment is also about capacity building of the people who live there. Leasing the land is one objective, but why stop there! Basecamp Maasai Mara operates as a learning centre, attracting more than 300 college students every year to learn how an eco-camp operates, sharing their knowledge of how ecological sustainability and community empowerment can not only ensure guest satisfaction invigorate it.
It doesn’t stop there, empowering women is also part of this process, with almost 120 local Maasai women deriving an income from tourism. The Maasai women produce artisan goods made from local sustainable resources, benefiting from direct cash sales, empowering the women with the opportunity to make decisions on their savings. They have their own group constitution and elect their own leaders.
This successful capacity building model is now being implemented in other projects such as Basecamp’s introduction of a community managed micro-finance (CMMF) program. Basecamp is more that just a tourism venture it is a life changing enterprise for more that just the founder. For travelKorner they have won our heart and our vote.
Info Box: For experiences visit their website Basecamp Explorer Kenya then book a trip to change not only your life, but that of others! Several airlines have flights into Kenya including Saudi Arabian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, African Express Airways, American Airlines, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Qantas Airways, China Southern Airlines, Iberia, and AirKenya Express. At the time of posting this article a return flight from Frankfurt to Nairobi can be booked on www.Skyscanner.de for 518 euros.
TravelKorner 
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