Governors’ Camp Collection is deeply committed to responsible tourism, weaving sustainability and community support into every facet of our operations. This commitment is reflected in our partnerships, educational outreach, and direct conservation efforts across the Mara, Laikipia and The Great Rift Valley.
Empowering Communities and Sustainable Practices
Our collaboration with Cinnabar Green, an organic body care company based in Laikipia, exemplifies our dedication to responsible tourism. Cinnabar Green’s “farm to bottle” approach ensures high-quality, biodegradable products made from locally grown, ethically sourced ingredients, aligning perfectly with our aim to minimise our environmental footprint.
Cinnabar Green farmers harvest rosemary to extract essential oil- photo credit Cinnabar Green
Beyond their eco-conscious products, Cinnabar Green champions sustainability through carbon neutrality, refill programs, and using recycled materials, promoting a circular economy. They also provide vital employment in semi-arid regions and support community development. By choosing Cinnabar Green, we offer guests premium, environmentally friendly amenities while contributing to positive social and environmental change in Kenya.
A range of Cinnabar Green products are provided to guests staying in our properties- photo credit Alisa Karstad
Furthering our community support, for the past three years, we have sponsored the TAFA Community Centre’s Uji Programme in Kasarani Village. This initiative provides nearly 200 children daily with a cup of finger millet porridge, offering essential nourishment and creating a sense of belonging for the children, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This consistent support helps them to fully participate in their schooling and TAFA’s extracurricular activities.
Uji time at the TAFA Community Center- photo credit TAFA
Our Bursary Fund is also expanding and we’re pleased to report exciting growth in this space. From initially supporting two boys this past year, by May, the number had grown to five. In June and July, generous additional funding from guests and the Wilderness Trust enabled us to commit to sponsoring sixteen more deserving students from the Laikipia and Naivasha regions through their final three years of secondary schooling.
Geoffrey Muhia is one of the newly selected bursary candidates who will soon start secondary school- photo credit Felix Rome
Mary Chepkemoi is one of the newly selected bursary candidates who will soon start secondary school- photo credit Felix Rome
This transformative support offers life-changing opportunities for these children and their families, and we are profoundly grateful for these contributions.
The impact of supporting a child’s secondary education for three years, covering uniforms, transport, and stationery, ranges from USD 900 to USD 1500 depending on day or boarding status. We welcome donations of any size, as contributions can be pooled in order to fully fund a student’s education.
To learn more please contact impact@governorscamp.com.contribute. Donations can be made through our secure online payment platform.
Educating the Next Generation of Conservationists
Early in the month, children from the TAFA Community Center Eco-Club headed off on a field trip into the Eburru Forest.
The TAFA field trip group- photo credit TAFA
Guided walks allowed them to explore the diverse flora and fauna of this unique, biodiverse ecosystem. A highlight was visiting the geothermal steam vents from which the area derives it name (Ol Donyo Eburru, means ‘mountain of steam’ in Maa, the Masai language) and meeting Kenya Forest Service rangers, providing firsthand insight into on-the-ground conservation efforts.
Learning about the local flora from community guide, Chege- photo credit TAFA
Visiting the steam vents- photo credit TAFA
The team kindly expressed their thanks: “On behalf of the entire TAFA team, thank you for your unwavering dedication and inspiring support both in the Children in the Wilderness programme and academics. Your efforts have helped our youth not only deepen their understanding of the natural world but also embrace its beauty with curiosity and care. From the forest walks to the moments of discovery among leaves and notebooks, your guidance has been a bridge between learning and love for nature. You’ve empowered these young minds to explore, respect, and protect the environment—and that impact will ripple far beyond the trees. We’re deeply grateful for your part in this journey.”
On World Ranger Day, our CITW Eco-Club students in both the Mara and Mugie regions gained insights into the important work of wildlife rangers.
Suguta Mugie Eco-Club members met the Mugie K9 rangers- photo credit Ryan Smart
In Mugie, students from Suguta Mugie Primary and Luoniek Secondary Schools participated in a Bloodhound activity with Mugie Conservancy’s K9 team, observing how specialised dogs assist in tracking poachers and deterring illegal activities. They learnt about the rangers’ varied responsibilities, including wildlife protection, habitat conservation, and emergency response.
Suguta Mugie Eco-Club members met the Mugie K9 team- photo credit Ryan Smart
At Irbaan and Margaret Kenyatta Primary Schools in the Mara, the CITW Eco-Club members were visited by Mara Elephant Project (MEP) Rangers, who discussed their work in anti-poaching and human-elephant conflict mitigation.
Rangers took time to come and talk to our Eco-club students- photo credit Dan Palmer
A drone demonstration particularly fascinated the students, showcasing how technology is transforming conservation efforts.
Eco-club members at Irbaan Primary School enjoyed learning about drones – photo credit Dan Palmer
Both events highlighted the unwavering dedication and sacrifices of rangers in preserving Kenya’s biodiversity and encouraging future conservationists.
Protecting Wildlife and Habitats
We are proud to support the Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MPCP) in their efforts to foster coexistence between local communities and wildlife. Recently, MPCP conducted targeted Livestock Herder Training sessions, reaching 169 herders across various villages in the Mara.
A livestock herder training session- photo credit Kenya Wildlife Trust
These sessions focused on improving traditional herding techniques, enhancing predator identification skills, and promoting collaboration with Lion Ambassadors and conservancy rangers. The training also educated herders on the ecological role of predators and the provisions of the Kenya Wildlife Act (2013), aiming to reduce livestock depredation and prevent retaliatory killings.
Such initiatives are crucial for empowering communities to manage livestock more effectively and sustainably in predator-prone areas, contributing to both livestock safety and the conservation of iconic predator species in the Mara.
Our commitment to conservation includes habitat restoration within our camps. Over 1000 young seedlings are currently growing either within our nurseries or within the campgrounds of our Mara camps, contributing to the regeneration of the unique riverine forest habitat.
Tree-planting in camp- photo credit Isla Grammaticas
In the vast Laikipia landscape, where wildlife and livestock coexist, Mugie Conservancy is pioneering a groundbreaking approach to predator management. Facing historical challenges with lion predation, Mugie began collaring individual lions in 2021. The successes to date demonstrate that technology is a critical tool for both carnivore conservation and safeguarding livestock.
A collared lioness on Mugie Conservancy- photo credit Alisa Karstad
Complementing this, their recent implementation of Ultra-High-Density Grazing (UHDG) ensures cattle are concentrated and closely monitored, significantly reducing their vulnerability to predator attacks. This innovative blend of lion collaring technology, advanced grazing techniques, and strong community engagement has drastically lowered human-wildlife conflict, creating a successful model of carnivore conservation and sustainable land use within Mugie’s diverse ecosystem.
Mugie cattle- photo credit Alisa Karstad
The Chongo cheetah coalition, comprised of two brothers, continues to thrive, ranging widely without a single reported human-wildlife conflict incident within the conservancy, highlighting the comprehensive success of Mugie’s integrated strategies.
A collared cheetah on Mugie conservancy- photo credit Alisa Karstad
Mugie Conservancy’s K9 team is another crucial line of defence in safeguarding wildlife and supporting communities. Comprised of three dedicated dogs—Tusker, Ulinzi, and Radi—and their three skilled handlers, this team plays a vital role in combating wildlife crime and deterring trespassers on Mugie, while also addressing livestock and property theft beyond the conservancy’s boundaries.
Guests at Governors’ Mugie have the unique privilege of witnessing the remarkable scent-tracking capabilities of these dogs during engaging mock training exercises, a testament to their accuracy and dedication, making for a memorable and fun activity for all.
Mugie Conservancy K9 unit- photo credit Sam Whitton
Governors’ Camp Collection remains committed to positively impacting communities, educating future generations, and protecting Kenya’s diverse wildlife. Your stay with us directly contributes to these efforts.
By Alisa Karstad, Impact Manager for Governors’ Camp Collection. If you would like to learn more about any of our Impact efforts, you can reach out to us via email at impact@governorscamp.com
If you’d like to support our work, you can use our secure online payment platform – DONATE NOW
