People
The best afternoon of a trip, or the worst
Community visits vary enormously, and the difference is visible before you book if you know what to ask.
Who the Samburu are
Semi-nomadic pastoralists who live across much of northern Kenya, closely related to the Maasai and speaking a related language. Livestock — cattle, goats, camels — is the centre of the economy and much of the culture.
They are not a museum exhibit and they are not a backdrop for your photographs. They are people who live where you are on holiday.
What separates a good visit from a bad one
| Good | Bad |
|---|---|
| A long-standing relationship between the camp and a specific community | A village that receives whichever coach turns up |
| An agreed fee that goes to the community, and you know what it is | Vague "donations", and pressure to buy |
| You are introduced to people, and can talk to them | You are walked past people who perform and stop |
| You ask before photographing, and no is accepted | Cameras raised the moment you arrive |
| It lasts as long as the conversation lasts | Forty-five minutes on a fixed schedule |
What to ask before you agree to one
"How long has the camp worked with this community, what is the fee, and who receives it?"
A camp with a genuine relationship answers immediately. A camp running a coach-party arrangement changes the subject.
Community conservancies
North of the reserves, a number of conservancies are owned and run by the communities whose land they are. There, the conservancy fee is not a donation — it is the community’s income from wildlife, and it is the reason the wildlife is protected rather than competing with livestock.
Staying in one is the most direct version of the thing a village visit gestures at: your money is the mechanism, and the people managing the land are your hosts.
Ordinary courtesy
- Greet people before asking them anything
- Ask before photographing, every time, and accept no
- Do not haggle hard over craftwork — the margins are not what you think
- Dress as you would to meet anyone’s family
- If you are uncomfortable, it is fine to say so and leave
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