Conservation Through Exploration

In recent months, we’ve been reflecting deeply on the impact of tourism—not just the visible effects on a landscape, but the ripple it creates through communities, wildlife, and ecosystems. The recent viral reels from the Serengeti showcases how tourism has gone wildly out of control through irresponsible management and lack of understanding, impacting negatively on the immediate wildlife. As a privately owned travel company, we carry a specific responsibility: to ensure that we align ourselves with partners who look beyond the bottom line. Because when done well, travel should enrich far more than the traveller. (Credit banner image, Happy House, Nepal)

First Principles: The Case for Tourism

Our Ethiopian partner, Wild Expeditions, has a mission is to provide experiences yet unseen in Ethiopia, whilst ensuring everything they do contributes to the sustainable development of Ethiopia’s wilderness.

To understand responsible tourism, it’s essential to consider the alternative. In many remote or fragile regions, the absence of tourism would mean fewer livelihoods, fewer incentives for conservation, and less protection for ecosystems at risk. When tourism is thoughtful and well-managed, it has the power to create opportunity—opening up paths for education, employment, and environmental stewardship.

This perspective shifts the lens: it’s not just about the thread count or the wine list. It’s about where your money goes, and what kind of legacy your journey leaves behind.

The Wisdom of Experience

Hacienda Montezuma: A private estate with an 8-bedroom house in Northern Costa Rica. Here you observe the balance of farming with conservation practices.

With decades of travel experience behind us, we’ve seen the trade-offs that come with chasing the lowest price—whether it’s in a cut-rate safari camp in the Masai Mara or a mass-market boat charter in the Whitsundays. What often gets lost is integrity: of the place, the experience, and the people delivering it. And once that’s gone, no discount can restore the magic.

The Difference for Our Travellers

House in the Wild, Masai Mara, Kenya. A family owned and run lodge where guests eyes are opened to the various layers that make up a safari; heart stopping wildlife encounters, expert guiding, an understanding of daily conservation efforts, Maa and Masai cultures, local cuisine and, of course, being part of a Kenyan family home.

As a privately owned and run company, we intentionally choose to partner with like-minded individuals and properties – those that are owner-led, grounded in place, and deeply invested in the areas they serve. These are not just accommodations, they are labours of love, shaped by people who live and breathe the land. The result? Experiences that feel personal, connected, and intentional.

Where corporate operations may prioritise scalability and brand consistency, privately owned properties offer something different: individuality, intimacy, and an emotional connection to the local community. You’re more likely to meet the owners, hear the real stories behind the lodge, and engage with staff who call this region home. These stays are rich in character and authenticity—luxurious, yes, but never at the expense of soul.

What We Look For in Our Partners

The owners of Sujan Jawai, India, hold the conservation of the local leopard as high as ensuring positive enhancement in the local Rabari community.

We take our time in choosing who we work with, seeking out those who share our values and who demonstrate a real commitment to their community and environment. This includes:

• Supporting Local Communities
  We work with partners who create long-term impact—through education, healthcare, and employment opportunities for those living nearby.
• Wildlife Conservation
  Many of our partners are actively involved in conservation efforts that feed into national and international initiatives, ensuring the protection of species and habitats for future generations.
• Habitat Protection and Restoration
  Our partners are acutely aware of the pressures of overgrazing, urbanisation, and environmental degradation. They’re actively working to manage and reverse these impacts with sensitivity and foresight.

A More Meaningful Way to Travel

Our friends at Sol y Luna, Peru, have set up a school for young ones in the Sacred Valley. Currently with 191 children, students, teachers and volunteers are also given a daily healthy meal.

In a world where travel is often fast, impersonal, and transactional, we choose to do things differently. Our partnerships with independently owned properties and experiences allow us to deliver something increasingly rare: journeys that are grounded, human, and filled with meaning.

This is the difference our clients feel – and why so many return to us, time and again.