What is Equitable Ecotourism?

Many safari companies in East Africa claim to provide “ecotourism” travel opportunities to indicate to customers that their trip will benefit the magnificent wildlife of the region. However, these claims are often little more than a sales pitch.

Across East Africa, many ecotourism destinations are either owned or protected by international corporations. These corporations collect most of the profits leaving little to local communities. Their wildlife reserves require permanent roads, lodges, and other infrastructure which not only fragments wildlife habitats, but disrupts the traditional pastoral lifestyle practiced by the indigenous Maasai people. The result is tourism that directly funds the degradation of natural landscapes and impoverishment of local communities.

At Adumu Safaris, we are pioneering “equitable ecotourism” which benefits host communities and the planet in harmonious synergy. It means participating in or creating an infrastructure for travel that avoids exploitation of people, animals, and natural resources at all costs. It means creating cross-cultural awareness and understanding. It means contributing to the economic uplift and self-determination of East African people. It means recognizing where the status quo has failed and striving to create an alternative that works for all. Most of all, it means traveling in a way that gives back. We know that when you fall in love with East Africa, you will want to give back to this amazing region of the globe.