The truth is, I wasn’t in any kind of immediate danger. But navigating the rugged African bush by foot isn’t for the faint of heart, either. As we approached the hillside where seven rhinos were grazing, Rianto ( Borana Conservancy ’s anti-poaching head of security) chambered a round in his AK-47 and we proceeded cautiously in a single file, keeping an eye out for cape buffalos and lions.
A bit closer, he knelt down to scoop up sand into his palm. “You see what direction this is moving in?” he asked as it fell to the earth. It was blowing in the direction we didn’t want.
If we pushed forward, the temperamental black rhino would catch our scent and likely begin charging in our direction. Instead, we observed the critically endangered species from a distance. In northern Kenya, this sort of experience that pairs thrill-seeking adventure with conservation efforts is beginning to take center stage.
It speaks to the broader push for regenerative tourism that—unsurprisingly—finds its natural footing within the context of fragile African ecosystems. “There is no safari business without the regenerative side,” Tanya Carr-Hartley tells me. A born and raised Kenyan, she co-founded The Safari Collection with her husband Mikey in 2009.
Within their portfolio of luxury lodges is Sasaab , a tented camp in the Samburu wilderness. The property has earned Global Ecosphere Retreat (GER) Status; a sustainability certification for nature-based tourism businesses by The Long R.