A Maasai-Owned Safari Tour Company Makes All the Difference

Kipe, second from left, with two friends from his village and our family.

Is this the year for your family safari? An East African safari is a bucket list dream for many families. And given that it can be expensive to fly to East Africa and hire the safari company, it requires careful thought and planning. In Tanzania, there are over 2,000 tour operators offering Serengeti, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and nearby excursions. How does one even start to choose?

At Fortuna Redux, we are committed to supporting local cultures and environments through tourism. This includes choosing locally-owned businesses whenever possible. In Tanzania, some safari companies are owned by foreigners, many are foreign+local partnerships, and it’s not too hard to find some fully locally-owned companies. But there’s only a handful that are founded and fully owned by local Maasai, the nomadic people whose land, lives, and livelihoods are most affected by safari tourism.

Lebahati (left), a Maasai warrior that works with Kipe, accompanied us on our entire journey. We learned so much from him, especially about the Maasai's relationships to land and animals.

Understanding a bit about land conversation, history, local economies, and current policies in relation to wildlife and the peoples of Tanzania is an essential part of having a safari vacation experience that provides meaning and connection beyond encounters with wildlife. Many travelers enjoy seeing and romanticizing the Maasai–with their traditional ways, picturesque red shukas and beaded jewelry, and lion-hunting lores of the past. But at the same time, Maasai are discriminated against within Tanzania, facing voter exclusion and land evictions. And in a complicated mix, safari tourism continues to drive the displacement of the Maasai when more lands become national parks and conservation areas, some solely for luxury game hunting.

visiting with Kipe

Kipe Adventure

One of the the Maasai-owned companies leading the way is Kipe Adventure, owned by Kipelian Olesisian. Our family had an amazing five day safari with Kipe and his team to the Tarangire National Park, Central and Northern Serengeti, Ngorogoro Crater, and Kipe's home village last summer. Having a Massai-owned company and Maasai guide with us the whole time provided a local experience that the other tour companies did not provide, and also supported the Maasai community in a more direct way.

After our trip, we talked with Kipe about the importance of supporting Maasai-led businesses:

Fortuna Redux: What is the difference between working with a company that is Maasai-owned versus one that employs Tanzanians, including Maasai?

Kipe: A business owned by a Maasai often offers a deeper, more authentic connection to the Maasai culture. The values, experiences, and decisions tend to align more with preserving traditions and providing an insider’s perspective on the Maasai way of life. A Maasai-owned company typically channels more resources and profits back into the Maasai community, supporting local development, education, and preserving culture. The representation of Maasai culture in marketing, customer interactions, and services is likely more genuine, reflecting a true Maasai voice. Customers may have a more immersive and personal experience, often gaining a deeper understanding of Maasai values, lifestyles, and challenges.

While many safari companies take you to visit a Maasai village, we knew that since we were visiting Kipe's own village and family, that our visit was welcomed, authentic, and would support the community.

Fortuna Redux: How does the safari tourist economy help and hurt Maasai and local populations?

Kipe: The safari tourism economy helps Maasai community because tourist income helps them run their families, and through the income, they can send their kids to school. Personally, I help my community by ensuring that kids get an education. In the future, we hope to have a hospital in the village to help the community.

But local populations and Maasai people are also hurt by the government taking their land and making it into tourist areas. Whenever the government sees an opportunity for tourism attraction, they have the power to take the land and make it a park, and people have to find other places. Also, safari tourism decreases the culture. For instance, many tourists who visit for leisure, once they meet the locals, want them to leave their culture behind, which is very hurtful to the locals because they do not really want to or are not ready to leave their culture it’s just because of life.

Fortuna Redux: What is happening now with the expansion of preserved lands for tourism?

Kipe: Right now there is a misunderstanding between the locals and the government, and it drives conflict. These preserved lands for tourism are people’s homelands. So, it is really tough to tell someone to move from that land where all their ancestors are buried. At the time the contract for preserving these lands was made, it wasn’t open about the fact that after some time, people would need to move. Instead, it said, ‘You will be living here, and you will benefit from the tourists staying in the hotels around and visiting the villages.’ So, it is really a hard time right now. But from my point of view, the government will have to sit down with those communities and discuss the solution. Nothing will end if they don’t do that.

Income from Kipe's tour company has gone to build a preschool in his village.

Fortuna Redux: How are you making a positive impact with your company and ngos?

Kipe: I am empowering the community through providing employment and income opportunities directly within the community and employing local guides who guide our clients. We focus on promoting sustainable tourism practices and environmental conservation.

The NGO has three components:

1. Our school project supports underprivileged children and helps preserve our culture for future generations.

2. Drilling clean water has not only improved health but also supports the long-term well-being of the environment.

3. We have several training sessions and meetings, and the goal is to make gender equality a reality in my community

What was unique about working with Kipe?

1. Kipe answered our emails directly, and was patience with all of our questions

2. He customized our plans for us based on what we wanted to do

3. Kipe met us the day before safari and welcomed us to lunch in his office

4. Kipe's prices are comparable to most companies, and lower than most of the international companies

5. We gained a first-hand understanding of Maasai life, traditions, and worldviews

6. The village we visited was Kipe's home, where we met his family

7. We know that our money was going to support local cultures and local development, including Kipe's preschool and water project

"Safari" in Kiswahili loosely means "journey," and is not limited to animal expeditions. Our safari was a true journey. While we had incredible animal viewing (see above), our journey was richer and more meaningful because of our friendships made with Kipe, Lebahati, and the other Maasai that we met through Kipe. For a true family journey in East Africa, we hope you choose a Maasai-led company. Happy travels and let's continue to support local communities through our travels!

Contact Fortuna Redux for more information and guidance on family travels to Tanzania or elsewhere. To work with Kipe, contact him directly at kipeadventure.com