The Rise and Rise of Regenerative Safaris

The truth is, I wasn’t in any kind of immediate danger. But navigating the rugged African bush by foot isn’t for the faint of heart, either. As we approached the hillside where seven rhinos were grazing, Rianto (Borana Conservancy’s anti-poaching head of security) chambered a round in his AK-47 and we proceeded cautiously in a single file, keeping an eye out for cape buffalos and lions. A bit closer, he knelt down to scoop up sand into his palm. “You see what direction this is moving in?” he asked as it fell to the earth. It was blowing in the direction we didn’t want. If we pushed forward, the temperamental black rhino would catch our scent and likely begin charging in our direction. Instead, we observed the critically endangered species from a distance.

Photo: Jack Swynnerton

In northern Kenya, this sort of experience that pairs thrill-seeking adventure with conservation efforts is beginning to take center stage. It speaks to the broader push for regenerative tourism that—unsurprisingly—finds its natural footing within the context of fragile African ecosystems. “There is no safari business without the regenerative side,” Tanya Carr-Hartley tells me. A born and raised Kenyan, she co-founded The Safari Collection with her husband Mikey in 2009. Within their portfolio of luxury lodges is Sasaab, a tented camp in the Samburu wilderness. The property has earned Global Ecosphere Retreat (GER) Status; a sustainability certification for nature-based tourism businesses by The Long Run. So has Lengishu, an exclusive-use family home owned by Joe and Minnie MacHale in the Borana Conservancy, where my rhino tracking was coordinated. Only 12 properties worldwide have achieved this certification thus far.

It was my first time coming to Kenya. Aside from an academic visit to Egypt 18 years ago, it was my first time exploring the African continent. And like everyone else I know, safari had been squarely at the top of my bucket list for as long as I could say hakuna matata (which, for the record, is Swahili). But with recent headlines highlighting the catastrophic effects of overtourism—particularly in Kenya’s iconic Masai Mara reserve—I was faced with the uncomfortable but necessary question: will I be aiding the problem, or the solution?

My trip planning was handled by the luxury travel connoisseurs over at Black Tomato, a team with a track record of crafting life-altering experiences in tandem with on-the-ground partners who care deeply about the communities clients are being sent into. A trip like this requires a series of small flights, vaccination recommendations, visas, and packing requirements, but Black Tomato sorted it all out soup to nuts. I took the KQ3 route operated by Kenya Airways (currently the only direct flight from JFK to Nairobi) and arrived at my first locale: Giraffe Manor.