Karibu! Welcome to Kenya -
the original home of the great African Safari. Our country is blessed with some
of the world’s richest wilderness areas, and some of its rarest
creatures. In order to preserve this vital biodiversity, we urge all visitors
to read the following guidelines and help us protect our natural heritage;
for our sake, and the sake of all future generations.

When visiting our country, we ask you to please ....

• Travel with reputable operators and qualified safari guides.
  Your guide can make the difference between the holiday of a lifetime and an
  unsafe and unsatisfying safari. Insist that your tour operator and accommodation
  facilities use only trained and certified guides. Travelling with a qualified
  guide will ensure that you see the very best that Kenya has to offer –
  without diminishing the experience for future visitors.
• Support eco-friendly accommodation facilities.
  A growing number of Kenyan lodges and safari camps are changing to environmentally
  responsible services, using solar and wind power, keeping rubbish out of protected
  areas, treating wastewater, and supporting local conservation projects. Please
  take time to visit community projects supported by your lodge or camp, and
  support local conservation work in the areas you visit.
• Respect local cultures and promote community benefits.
  Local communities are the custodians of the wilderness of the future. While
  on safari, try to support projects and properties that benefit local people
  through employment, community development, and the preservation of traditional
  livelihoods. When you visit local villages, please respect social and cultural
  customs and ask your guide about appropriate forms of behaviour. Always ask
  permission if you wish to photograph a person, their home or their livestock.
  while on safari …
• Keep to designated roads in parks and reserves.
  Please encourage your driver to stay on roads or designated tracks when visiting
  National Parks, Reserves and Conservancies. Off-road driving can injure small animals concealed
  in the grass, alter natural drainage patterns, and cause extensive damage
  to grass and woodland habitats.
• Minimize disturbance to animals.
  Many wild animals become distressed when they are surrounded by too many vehicles,
  or when vehicles approach too closely. Cheetahs are particularly vulnerable
  to the presence of vehicles, which can disrupt their daytime hunting routines.
  Try to restrict the number of vehicles near an animal to five, and keep at
  least 20 metres away – much more if the animal is hunting. Try to remain
  as quiet as possible when viewing animals, and ask your driver to switch off
  the engine.
• Keep to the speed limit.
  Most parks have a speed limit of 40 kph – and animals always have the
  right of way. Please slow down when passing close to grazing animals, and
  be prepared to let them cross in front of your car.
• Never feed any animal.
  Feeding wild animals can upset their diet and lead to an unnatural dependence
  upon people. Animals that have been fed can lose their fear and become aggressive
  towards humans; but the animals will always be blamed for any incidents that occur
  as a result.
• Take care not to disturb the ecological balance.
  Please do not collect or remove any animal products, rocks, plants, seeds
  or birds’ nests, or alter the natural environment in any way. Explain
  to children that it is not permitted to touch or handle any animals, birds,
  reptiles or insects. In parks where you are permitted to walk, ask your guide
  to show you the plants, birds, insects and small mammals. You will discover
  that there is an equally fascinating world away from the Big Five!
• Take all your litter with you.
  Litter and garbage can be very dangerous to wild animals, apart from being unsightly. Please keep all
  litter with you in your vehicle and dispose of it properly once you have left
  the park. Be extremely careful with cigarettes and matches and always take
  cigarette stubs with you. Bush and forest fires are a serious hazard that
  kill wildlife and destroy vital wilderness areas.
• Get out and walk – where you are permitted.
  Although walking among wildlife is one of the greatest safari experiences,
  it is only permitted in a few designated areas in Parks, Reserves and Conservancies –
  both for the sake of the animals, and the safety of their visitors. If you
  would like to go walking, please enquire from your safari operator where this
  is allowed, and ask if it is possible for an escorted walk to be included
  in your itinerary.
  and at the Coast…
• Help to protect the marine environment.
  Please take care to protect our fragile marine habitats by never touching
  or standing on coral reefs. Do not dispose of any litter on the beach or in
  the sea, as some creatures can mistake plastic and other rubbish for food.
  Fishing is prohibited in all protected areas, and spearfishing is banned under
  Kenyan law. Please never drive on the beach, as this can destroy small sand-dwelling
  creatures, and turtle nests – as well as the tranquility of this sensitive environment.
• Respect and conserve all marine creatures.
  Kenya is home to several of the world’s most endangered marine species,
  including turtles, whales and dugongs. Help us protect these beautiful creatures
  by supporting local environmental events and organizations, and never buying
  products that derive from such species. Encourage your hotel to reduce noise
  and lights on the beach, which can prevent newly-hatched turtles from reaching
  the sea. Avoid restaurants that serve undersize crabs and lobsters, which
  are contributing to the rapid demise of these species.
• Never buy or remove animals or shells from the sea.
  Please do not remove anything – dead or alive – from the sea,
  as every creature is essential to the complex marine ecosystem. The sale of
  shells and starfish on our coast is decimating fragile aquatic balances; please
  do not buy starfish, shells or any product decorated with them from beach
  vendors. If you really love shells, buy a realistic ‘fake’ instead.
• Support traditional coastal livelihoods.
  Try to support inland market areas, where traders are making an effort to
  keep their business off the beaches. The building of beach kiosks can increase
  coastal erosion and destroy turtle nesting sites. If you want to support projects
  that genuinely promote and protect coastal livelihoods, ask the local community
  association, church or mosque, or your hotel about worthwhile social development
  schemes. Please never give money to children on the beach, as this can encourage
  them to stay away from school.
• Respect local cultures and customs.
  Please remember that parts of the coast are predominately Muslim areas,
  where the communities derive from an ancient and sensitive culture. Always
  dress in a respectful way when visiting towns and villages – and never
  bathe or walk "topless" on the beach.

The protection of Kenya’s
natural environment is a responsibility that is shared by tour operators,
local people and visitors.
As a visitor, you have the power to influence the behaviour
of others. If you see an incident which clearly contravenes any of these guidelines,
please record the details and request for an Incident Report Form from the
reception of your hotel. If you insist that these guidelines are adhered to,
you will be playing an important part in helping Kenya to preserve some of
the world’s greatest wilderness areas.
Help us protect Kenya’s
natural heritage!

These guidelines were developed by Friends of Conservation (www.friendsofconservation.org)
and Ecotourism Kenya (www.ecotourismkenya.org), in conjunction with the Kenya
Association of Tour Operators (www.katokenya.org), Kenya Wildlife Service
(www.kws.org) and the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association (www.safariguides.org).
They were funded by the British Government’s Foreign & Commonwealth
Office.