Uncategorized – RAW Africa EcoTours

So What is Ecotourism?

Adrian Duncan — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 12:17:23 +0000

What is eco-tourism and why are we so obsessed about it?

You probably know you should choose a company that claims to be an eco-tourist company when you’re travelling.

Afterall, eco-tourism seems to be the latest buzz word when it comes to marketing tours.

You probably also know that you should tread lightly on the earth and be respectful of all the world’s creatures, especially when you travel, but do you know what eco-tourism actually means?

At RAW Africa Eco-Tours wildlife is very close to our hearts. It’s why we exist. Our founder and director, Brooke Squires was a wildlife specialist (a rhino expert to be specific) before setting up RAW, a company that doesn’t just want you to see the world, we want you to make small changes to the way you travel – and encourage others to do the same – so that you can reduce your impact on wildlife and local communities.

So you could say that we are obsessed with eco-tourism.

If you look up eco-tourism in Google you’ll find thousands upon thousands of suggestions and explanations. That’s a lot of information to wade through.

Eco-tourism is probably best described as travelling lightly through natural environments. It’s the ‘take only pictures, leave only footprints’ approach to travel.

But let’s break that down even further.

Every day more and more people travel the world. Who doesn’t want to see a lion in the wild? Or walk with mountain gorillas. But when too many people travel, particularly if they leave rubbish behind, encroach on the land formerly frequented by wildlife or even inadvertently let poachers know where wildlife is by enabling geotagging on their phones, they’re no longer ‘treading lightly’ or ‘leaving no trace’.

By encouraging your driver on a tour to get closer to a wild animal than the animal is comfortable with, you could be encroaching on its space or forcing it to walk a path it wouldn’t normally take. You could be increasing its stress levels or getting between the animal and its pack or family.

Good tour leaders or safari drivers will understand wildlife behaviour. They will ensure the welfare of the animal or wellbeing of the community is always a priority.

Eco-Tourism is about working alongside communities to ensure their way of life is protected and the environment they live in remains sustainable.

At its best, there should be an educational component to eco-tourism, so that as you travel you learn to better understand the impact even small actions can have on communities and wildlife. Things like saying ‘no’ to plastic straws will have a minimal impact on you but will reduce the number of straws ending up in waterways and ultimately threatening ocean wildlife. As someone once said “one straw never hurt anyone – said 8.5 billion people”.

Ecotourism isn’t just about the impact on wildlife though, it can also be about where you stay or the villages you visit. Staying at places that are locally owned and operated helps to keep local people employed and helps ensure tourism dollars stay in the country or region you’re travelling to.

And buying locally and ethically made products when on the road can help to give local communities different streams of income to ensure their future livelihoods and prospects.

Ms Squires says eco-tourism or travelling with minimal impact is becoming more important as pressure on our wildlife and wild places increases.

“Imagine going to Kenya (or any of the amazing countries across Africa) and knowing when you left that you left the wilderness a better place than when you arrived, that’s ecotourism.”

But she says remembering to do all the right things to travel sustainably can be overwhelming.

“Most travellers want to do the right thing, but often they don’t know where to begin,” she says.

“That’s ok, at RAW we’ve got you covered. We make it easy to be a true eco warrior.

“What makes me happy when I travel with our guests is when I see people using locally made bags for shopping or asking for drinks without the straws. That’s awesome and it can honestly be that simple to support wildlife and communities on your African journey.”

Travel should be fun, it should open you up to new experiences, it should make you go ‘wow’ but it shouldn’t impinge on local communities or the natural environment.

Learn more about how RAW Africa Eco-Tours makes a difference every time we travel here.

The Magic of Maasai Beadwork

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 03:55:03 +0000

Why are the beads in Kenya so important?

There are some things that are synonymous with Africa – wildlife, epic sunsets and brightly coloured beads.

In the often dry, harsh conditions of Africa’s savannahs, women’s beadwork – whether worn as a headpiece, necklace or bracelet – brightens the landscape and provides a visual highlight for tourists visiting local communities.

But in countries like Kenya, the intricate beadwork plays a far greater role than just decoration, they tell a story about the women wearing it. When you visit the arid regions of northern Kenya, the women of the Maasai, Samburu, Rendille and many of the pasturalist tribes create patterns and use specific colours in their beadwork to show their situation in life, their tribe and even their age.

Every colour in the beadwork has meaning. Green is the colour of the grass that feeds the cattle which is central to pasturalist culture. Blue is the colour of the sky and the rain which gives the land life. Red is the colour of the blood which keeps the people alive as they move across the plains. White is the colour of the milk from the cow which sustains the people during the dry season. Orange is the colour of hospitality and welcoming people into the home. Yellow is the colour of the cow skin which covers the floor of the house. Black is the colour of the people and the cycle of life.

Each woman creates a unique piece of beadwork using the colours to talk about her life. Her beadwork tells which “age set” or generation she belongs to, if she is married, how many sons she has, amongst other things. The beads are a colourful and lively part of the traditional dance and the women are able to move their necks and shoulders in such a way that make the beads dance. A woman will never leave her home without the beads that cover her neck and shoulders and such adornments can weigh up to 7 kgs.

Beads have been a part of Kenyan culture since the Arab traders first sailed down the east coast of Africa bringing glass beads from the now Czech republic. Even today, the glass beads the women use come from this region, and the women will only use glass beads in their adornments, never plastic which is considered to be inferior in quality and beauty.

While traditionally the beads help show where a person fits into the fabric of the community and shows the creativity and skill of the women developing the works. Some communities have taken the traditional art of beadwork and transformed it into a local business to provide diverse income streams.

In northern Kenya communities have traditionally relied on various activities in their environment to generate income. For generations these practices had no impact on wildlife but with more and more communities settling in one place and needing cash to pay for services such as school fees and medical clinics, some of these practices are no longer sustainable.

One traditional income stream is livestock. Cattle plays an integral role in the culture of northern Kenyan tribes but with increasing incidences of drought, large herds of cattle are no longer sustainable and start to compete with species such as the rare Grevy’s Zebra and Beisa Oryx, for grazing and water.

Grassroots organisations such as BeadWORKS Kenya have been working with the women to create beautiful beaded pieces that not only look incredible but that also provide a more sustainable income than cattle.

In this way the women of Northern Kenya are able to rely on the income from selling their beadwork rather income from livestock which means more grass and water for the northern Kenyan wildlife.

If you’ve ever travelled with RAW Africa Eco-Tours you know that a percentage of all our tours goes to helping conservation projects in the local communities we work with. And in Kenya, we support BeadWORKS.

So when you come with us on a journey to northern Kenya, we encourage you to purchase a beautiful piece of beadwork from the community or through BeadWORKS Kenya. Not only are you helping a woman generate sustainable income which keeps food on the table and children in school, you are also helping rare species like the Grevy’s Zebra survive alongside the communities of this stunning part of Africa.

Interested in travelling to Kenya? Check out our tours here, or talk to us about organising a bespoke tour for you.

Learn more about Beads for Wildlife here.

Searching for lions in Uganda

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 03:47:54 +0000

On this week’s blog, writer and guest blogger Diane Squires tells us what it’s like to search for lions at Murchison Falls in Uganda.

Once known as the ‘pearl of Africa’ there is something quite intriguing and very beautiful about Uganda.

It’s a country with a troubled past, who can forget the days of Idi Amin or the movie – the Last King of Scotland which portrays a barbaric nation. But it’s a country that is leaving that past well and truly behind and evolving as a real drawcard for those wanting to travel to Africa.

What surprised me about Uganda, was the diversity of the landscape and the stunning vistas everywhere we travelled, but it was the people I fell in love with the most, the Ugandans are truly some of the friendliest and most welcoming people on earth.

I’ve travelled to Africa before and taken safaris in Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania but Murchison Falls was different again.

But first, before visiting the Falls, we make a quick stop at Ziwa Rhinocerous Sanctuary where for a walking trek to see the rhinos.

The Sanctuary was established to reintroduce the white rhino into Uganda. They currently have about 17 rhinos in the park.

After a quick lesson on the lives and habits of rhinos our small group sets off on a short trek in search of the stars. We trek for about 40 minutes across relatively flat reserves and dense shrubbery. Our guide stops to point out various geographic features of the park along the way and then we see them. The stars of the sanctuary, four rhinos sleeping soundly under a tree.

If you’ve never seen a rhinoceros in real life, trust me when I say they are huge, far bigger than I had thought possible. And even more unusual looking than the pictures would suggest. I still can’t decide whether I think they are ugly or cute, but they are certainly prehistoric looking.

Rhinos have an acute sense of hearing, but can’t see very well, so while they likely can’t see us, they will know we are nearby. Our guide assures us we will get three warnings if any of the rhinos are going to charge.

But looking at these rhinos it’s unlikely they’re even aware of our existence. It’s so hot the rhinos barely move beneath the shade of a large tree canopy. We spend about 20 minutes with the rhinos, photographing them from every conceivable angle, studying their features and watching their ears flick away the flies.

When it’s time to leave, we are well and truly ready to see what other wildlife Ugandan parks have in store for us and so we begin the four-hour drive to Murchison Falls National Park.

Along the way we stare out the windows and watch the rolling change in scenery pass us by. Despite being a relatively small country, the landscape in Uganda changes frequently, one-minute dry savannah, next lush green forests.

Like the rest of Uganda, the landscape within the park changes frequently too – open savannahs, dense forests, huge estuaries and swamp areas, all divided by the River Nile. The park is Uganda’s largest national park and is home to a variety of African wildlife as well as the spectacular falls.

Despite arriving late in the day, and racing against the sunset to get to our lodge and home for the night, we see many warthogs, antelope, hartebeest and even an elephant or two, not to mention the most amazing sunset. I’m not sure what it is about Africa but the sun always seems bigger and more orange in this part of the world.

The next day we are up early to spot as many animals as we can. It is a successful morning, as well as more antelope, buffalo and warthogs we see some very curious giraffes – I’m sure they found us just as interesting as we found them – elephants and not one, not two but three lions resting under a tree. There is something quite magical about seeing wild animals in their natural environment. The thrill of travelling through great open spaces in search of these majestic creatures is an unreal experience.

In the afternoon we take a boat ride out to see the Falls. They say you can’t say you’ve been to Murchison Falls without actually taking a boat ride out to see them. And sitting at the base, not too close mind you, there is a lot of power in that volume of water tumbling down the crevasse, it certainly is an awesome feeling.

The Falls are said to be the most powerful Falls in the world. A massive volume of water – about 300 cubic metres per second – squeezes through quite a narrow space of about seven metres wide down a drop of about 43 metres. Before we even reach the Falls we hear the raging torrent of water and see the white swells forming in the water from the power of the drop.

The Falls were named after Sir Roderick Murchison, then President of the Royal Geographical Society. They sit on the White Nile and it is quite a thrill to get our first look at the Nile.

There are truly so many amazing sites packed into this one small part of Uganda, each more amazing than the experience before. Go for the gorillas, but don’t miss the other adventures this country offers.

Want to experience this for yourself? Check out our Uganda tour here.

Spotting leopards in the Masai Mara

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 03:39:43 +0000

Photographer and tour host Adrian Duncan shares his experiences of travelling in the Masai Mara in our latest blog post.

It’s fair to say I love wildlife photography, so you can imagine how excited I was to get the opportunity to host a tour to Kenya and Uganda with RAW Africa Ecotours and Two’s a Crowd.

I was even more excited when I received the itinerary for the tour. It was a fantastic blend of wildlife, community and culture. It not only included the “must see” Masai Mara, but several unique cultural, community based encounters in the Mt Kenya region. I knew this was going to be uniquely different from other tours I had taken in East Africa.

After an initial overnight stop in Nairobi, our group of five, our awesome RAW Africa Ecotour guide Jaros and I hit the road. Several hours later, we were still hitting the road.

It’s tough going in the traffic in Kenya. Difficult roads and busy thoroughfares mean getting around can take longer than expected. But our group was pumped. We were off to the Masai Mara – the “Mara” is the Kenyan section of an eco system that is continuous with the Serengeti (in Tanzania). It is the site of the annual wildebeest migration and of all the places I have been it is the best place to view wildlife.

After another hour or two, we were exhausted, spirits started to wane when, like a mirage, Narok appeared in the distance. Time for lunch. Well rested we hit the road again. Narok is about the half way mark. But if we thought the road was slow going before, now it really got rough – ahh the Masai massage. It’s a tough drive to the Mara, but well worth it. If you’re cashed up you can take a charter flight and avoid the drive. But where’s the fun in that? Part of the beauty of travel, and particularly travel in Africa, is about experiencing life on the road and seeing the unique sites along the way.

It was late afternoon and we were getting close to our home for the night, when Jaros yelled “look to the left”. And there, before us, a female lion with two cubs was relaxing in the grass. We weren’t even in the Mara yet. By the time we got to our lodge, which was really a selection of luxury tents, we were ready for a shower and a cold beer.

We weren’t disappointed. The view from the dining area of our hotel was spectacular. It took in the Mara river, with herds of hippo wallowing in the murky waters and giraffe wandering along the banks. It was breathtaking.

The next morning, we were up early and ready for a full day in the Mara.

As we drove through the conservancy toward our destination, it was there’s a “Masai Giraffe to the left” a “Hyena to the right” and, in the distance, wading in the marsh a large elephant. Throughout the morning we got to see a large herd of elephants, mongoose, lions, buffalo, crocodile, hippos and baboons. So that’s three of the “Big 5”, and a whole lot more in just one morning’s safari.

However, when you’re travelling, anything can happen and our wildlife viewing took an interesting turn when we found our exit path had been blocked by another vehicle while waiting for a possible wildebeest crossing of the Mara river.

Our plan B had us ‘leaf spring deep’ in a warthog hole. Remember this is the Masai Mara, and we’re here to observe African wildlife – none of us were getting out of that jeep to help move the vehicle! After trying two high-lift jacks, to no avail, we had to be snatch-strapped out. Only to land the whole axle in the warthog hole. More snatch strapping and we were out again – just. It was certainly an interesting adventure to add to the travel diaries.

After a quick stop for lunch there was more waiting for a potential wildebeest crossing, which still never happened. I must be cursed with wildebeest crossings, they never seem to appear for me, no matter how patiently I watch and wait, but there was something just as amazing around the corner for us. While driving back to our ‘spot’ on the Mara River, we had spied a fresh carcass up a tree. A sure sign that there was a leopard somewhere nearby. Leopards can be incredibly difficult to spot, they are elusive and blend well into their surroundings so this looked like it might be a great opportunity to see one.

We opted to head back to the tree and wait. By this time the tree had about 15 cars around it all waiting for the leopard to make an entrance, so we took a spot, crossed our fingers and waited.

On safari, you never quite know how long you are going to have to wait to see, well, anything. These are wild animals afterall, they don’t have a curtain call or operate to our whims. Fortunately for us, it wasn’t too long until the leopard appeared, walked to the base of the tree, posed for a couple of photos and then climbed up to the carcass.

I was blown away. Leopards, while not rare, are really good at not being seen. So this was just amazing. But wait, there was more. Another leopard. It turned out, the first one was a cub (almost fully grown), the second was its mother. It was simply amazing to see them greet each other. The cub disappeared back up the tree, while mum did a quick last-minute scout of the area, then followed. You couldn’t wipe the smile of my face.

Yep, gotta love the Masai Mara.

Want your own adventure in the Masai Mara? Check out our tour here.

Adrian Duncan was a photographic host with Two’s a Crowd on this tour organised by RAW Africa Ecotours