Inside Kenya’s Remote Wilderness Where Conservation Comes First

A stay at Sarara in northern Kenya offers more than traditional wildlife viewing. Located within Namunyak Conservancy, the community-led conservation project protects more than 850,000 acres while creating livelihoods for the Samburu people through tourism, conservation, and cultural programs. Beyond game drives, Sarara connects visitors to local life through the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, Africa’s first community-owned elephant orphanage, and the Milk Mamas program, an initiative that provides the goat milk used to feed the elephants. Wildlife encounters include elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, cheetahs, leopards, and serval cats. Yet the defining feature is the relationship between tourism and the local community. Through its guides, hosts, conservation work, and cultural programs, Sarara creates an experience centered not only on the landscape but also on the people who protect and inhabit it.