Namunyak on Wanderlust’s Prestigious 2026 Green List
Selected from hundreds of applicants, the recognition celebrates Namunyak as a global leader in community-led conservation and sustainable tourism.
Every year, Wanderlust – the UK's longest-running travel magazine – unveils its prestigious Green List, one of the travel industry's highest sustainability recognitions. Celebrating destinations and organisations that are setting the standard for responsible tourism, the Green List recognises those creating meaningful, measurable impact for communities, wildlife, and the environment.
It’s therefore a great honour for Namunyak Community Conservancy – home to three of Sarara’s ecolodges – to be featured in the Destinations category of the 2026 Green List. Chosen from hundreds of applicants, the accolade is a testament to the extraordinary Indigenous-led efforts to safeguard this rare and remote wilderness.
What makes this achievement even more special is that it further cements the growing recognition of Sarara’s blueprint conservation and tourism model, following the 2025 inclusion of Sarara Camp in the Green List’s Accommodation category and Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in the Experiences category.
Namunyak’s inclusion this year shines a light on the wider landscape, people, and partnerships that make these achievements possible, recognising the conservancy as a leading example of how community-led conservation and sustainable tourism can work hand in hand.
“Namunyak Conservancy is a positive example of where tourism fits the objectives of land regeneration, rather than the other way around. This is poignant at a time when the mismanagement of communal lands elsewhere in Kenya is rife.”
Force for good on global stage
With entries reviewed by sustainability experts and travel industry specialists, earning a place on the Green List is highly coveted. As a meaningful acknowledgement of programmes creating enduring change, it also helps raise global awareness among travellers, the media, and the travel industry of the far-reaching impact of grassroots conservation. It celebrates the vision, dedication, and collaboration that continue to make Namunyak one of Africa’s most inspiring conservation success stories.
As Wanderlust’s fourth annual celebration of sustainability in travel, the list showcases 101 destinations, initiatives, and places to stay that demonstrate how travel can be a force for good. Featuring exceptional locations and projects that actively protect ecosystems and empower local communities, it highlights sustainability pioneers from across the globe – from Indigenous-led tourism ventures to regenerative travel hubs.
By recognising the wider ecosystem that underpins the success of Sarara and Reteti, Namunyak’s inclusion in 2026 shines a spotlight on the conservancy as a leading example of community-led conservation and sustainable tourism on the global stage.
Delivering and defining sustainability more meaningfully
When the Green List was launched four years ago, the travel industry was at a crossroads, searching for more meaningful ways to define and deliver sustainability. The tide has started to turn, and as Wanderlust reports, “Many of the nominations we received this year showed the understanding that sustainability in travel is achieved by creating a healthy and secure environment for local communities.
“Conservation initiatives have evolved from simply protecting landscapes for wildlife. Now they work more closely with Indigenous leaders and communities to preserve ancient traditions and regenerate native ecosystems. Many are even reviving agricultural land to benefit both healthy food systems and thriving nature, and tourism is supporting that change.”
Echoing so many of our core values and the heart of our mission, this year’s inclusion in the Green List celebrates the vision, dedication, and collaboration that continue to make Namunyak one of Africa’s most inspiring conservation success stories. At the same time, it inspires us to deepen our impact and continue building a future where people, wildlife, and nature thrive together.