Hope in action: the lasting impact of a Sarara stay
At Sarara, every guest becomes part of something far bigger than a single safari in Northern Kenya – and each visit contributes to meaningful change across this extraordinary landscape.
Simply by choosing to be here, guests join a rare and inspiring story of regeneration, shaping a brighter future for Indigenous communities, endangered wildlife and fragile ecosystems. At Sarara, tourism and conservation aren’t separate; they’re two sides of the same story: a story of hope, resilience and lasting impact.
From the moment you arrive, your presence begins to make a difference. Our lodges and camps are more than beautiful places to rest – they’re locally owned and managed hubs of sustainability.
Through accommodation levies and tourism revenue, guests help sustain local employment, conservation initiatives, rangeland restoration and grassroots solutions to the effects of climate change. They support wildlife protection, women’s empowerment, education and improved health outcomes across Namunyak’s 850,000-acre conservancy.
Every stay nurtures a future where humans and nature coexist in harmony, where culture thrives alongside biodiversity and where hope is tangible – not just imagined.
Conservation in action
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, the world’s first locally owned and operated African elephant sanctuary, has captured hearts and minds since opening in 2016. All staff are recruited from the Indigenous Samburu community, and it was also the first sanctuary in the region to employ female keepers.
The sanctuary is the result of a growing grassroots conservation movement led by local communities. This initiative is creating new economies, transforming lives and safeguarding natural resources, establishing a model for conservation in Kenya and beyond. Guests at Sarara play a vital role in this extraordinary work.
By supporting the sanctuary through accommodation fees, exclusive experiences, donations, orphan adoptions and other forms of participation, visitors help provide everything from the milk that nourishes the calves to veterinary care and staff salaries.
The Sarara Foundation (TSF) integrates Reteti’s mission with Sarara’s lodges and camps, ensuring tourism directly supports the rescue and rehabilitation of elephant orphans, employment for local community members and the growth of this locally driven program.
Economic independence for women
A highlight of any stay is meeting the incredible Milk Mamas, who provide Reteti’s elephant orphans with fresh goat milk each day. This hands-on experience reveals how every guest contributes to a story of hope, purpose and resilience.
Arriving at dawn with their canisters filled to the brim, the Mamas are truly inspiring, and learning more about their lives and work provides a unique window into the vital role of women in transforming both the sanctuary and the wider landscape.
Born in 2021 to meet Reteti’s need for locally sourced milk during the pandemic, TSF’s Milk to Market Program now benefits nearly 1,300 Samburu women. It’s enabled them to open bank accounts, fund their children’s education, save for the future and support their families – all while supplying nutritious local milk to the orphaned elephants and reducing the sanctuary’s carbon footprint.
Shaping tomorrow, today
Since 2019, TSF’s Nomadic Montessori Schools have grown from one to four, expanding access to education for Samburu children across Namunyak Conservancy. Designed to respect Indigenous pastoralist culture, the schools foster curiosity, creativity and a love of learning.
Visiting a school is a favourite guest activity, offering an intimate look at the positive changes supported by their stay. Spending time with passionate teachers and watching young minds at work leaves guests in awe of what is achieved through dedication and community spirit. These two-way exchanges leave lasting impressions on both visitors and students alike.
“A Montessori experience like no other: we were able to visit the local school, and it was such a gift for our children to interact with the students there. Watching them play and learn side by side was deeply meaningful – not only did our kids get a glimpse of another culture, but they also saw how much they had in common. I was so impressed with the handmade learning materials the teachers created – it spoke volumes about the passion and creativity here.” – Sarara Guest on Tripadvisor
Where care meets community
TSF’s Mobile Healthcare Team, led by Nurse Dorcas Lemargeroi, delivers essential care to even the most remote manyattas (homesteads). Guests can join the team in the field, experiencing in real time how their choice to visit Sarara directly supports life-changing healthcare for local families.
From routine check-ups and diagnostic tests to emergency care, nutritional support, and preventative education, the team strengthens families’ wellbeing and empowers mothers to safeguard their children’s futures. Observing the commitment, skill and compassion of Nurse Dorcas and her team demonstrates the tangible difference sustainable tourism makes in remote communities.
As the program grows, it extends maternal care and services to patients of all ages, while expanding diagnostic capacity to enable timely interventions and referrals. Guests’ engagement helps fund clinics, equipment, staff and essential resources for communities that would otherwise have limited access to care.
TRAVEL THAT TRANSFORMS
Ultimately, meaningful travel here is about more than seeing; it’s about belonging, contributing and becoming part of something enduring.
A stay at Sarara is not just a dream holiday – it’s a tangible investment in a healthier, stronger and more resilient landscape, its biodiversity and the Indigenous communities who call it home.
Every visit leaves a lasting impact, touching wildlife, communities and generations to come.