ECO TRAVEL GUIDELINES

THE FOUR ECOTOURISM COMMANDMENTS

1. Wherever you go, do not litter. Please keep your rubbish with you until it may be disposed of properly. If you bring it into the area, take it out when you leave.
2. Water is a precious resource. Please use water sparingly wherever possible, using simple actions such as turning off the tap while brushing your teeth.
3. Electricity is expensive and in short supply. Please switch off the lights if you are not using them or if you leave the area.
4. Never touch, chase or harass the wildlife or marine life.

YOUR PART
You can help protect the natural resources when you travel.

a. You can help support the Marine Park Rangers, build school classrooms, fund local community medical clinics and sponsor children through school. (More information can be provided upon request). However, simply obeying the rules and regulations within each protected area and respecting local traditions and cultures makes the greatest contribution to local community and conservation projects.

b. Local cultures vary tremendously throughout East Africa. With over 60 different tribes, each with their own traditions, beliefs, language and culture, it is impossible to learn all the cultural taboos during a short vacation. However, there are a few general "Dos and Don'ts" that will ensure you do not offend local custom throughout the region.
i. Nudity or semi-nudity is not permitted. It is especially offensive to the Muslim Community on the Coast. Visitors are expected to wear a bikini or swimsuit when swimming; topless sunbathing is illegal. Shorts, t-shirts, trousers, skirts and dresses are suitable for all other activities. Africa tends to be casual, and western dress is perfectly acceptable.
ii. Do not take photographs without permission. Photography of airports or any government buildings is illegal. Save your film for the wildlife and cultural villages where photos are encouraged!
iii. The elderly are very respected in East African culture and when introduced to a local family, addressing the eldest member first generates an excellent rapport!

c. The flora and fauna within East Africa is often fragile and endangered. You are requested not to collect any form of flora or fauna when on your safari, whether inside a National Park or not. In particular, do not purchase any form of handicraft or souvenir that requires the death of an animal, such as shells, starfish, ivory, animal hides, bird eggs etc. Within the National Parks and Reserves, there is a published "Wildlife Code". Obeying these rules and regulations helps to ensure everyone's enjoyment and safety, while protecting the area for the future.

d. Animals on the CITES protection list are numerous in East Africa. Trade in products made from these animals is illegal and will result in prosecution. Purchasing these products also encourages the illegal trade and leads directly to poaching. Ivory, rhino horn and animal hides are all prohibited items. If these items are offered to you at any time, please report the matter to the authorities immediately.

Many local handicrafts are hand carved from indigenous trees. Please ensure that you purchase carvings made from woods such as mango, neam and jacaranda. Avoid the hard woods such as ebony and bamba kofi as these trees take centuries to grow and are now endangered through extensive forest cutting.

e. When purchasing your souvenirs and handicrafts, choose the work of local craftsmen and artisans. Woven baskets, beadwork, jewelry, woodwork and cotton cloth are some of the more common handicrafts. Most tribes have traditional designs, shapes and sizes providing a wide variety from which to choose.

f. East Africa is known as the Cradle of Mankind. There are a number of extremely important pre-historic archeological sites in both Tanzania and Kenya, including Olduvai Gorge and Koobi Fora. These sites are still being excavated and the National Museum staff are generally very happy to show guests the sites. Please ensure that you follow the paths and guidelines and do not venture into the excavation sites without permission.

It is very easy to step on and destroy the artifacts! Along the Coast, there are numerous ruins, such as Gede Ruins near Watamu, which are excellent examples of the old Swahili trading culture. These areas are managed by the National Museums and are open to the public. Lamu in Kenya and Zanzibar in Tanzania are also sites of great interest for any East African history buffs!

g. KiSwahili is the language spoken by most people in East Africa. Originally developed on the Coast from a mixture of the African Bantu languages and Arabic, this ancient trading language has become the common language for all the tribes in the area. Learning a few words of Swahili allows better communication and helps build a rapport with the people you meet on safari.

Swahili Basics

NATIONAL PARKS
East Africa is proud of its heritage. Thousands of visitors enjoy the unspoilt beauty of the land, scenery and wildlife living. East Africa's parks and reserves were created to preserve and showcase the often delicate and endangered eco-systems.

Please follow the rules and regulations below to ensure everyone's enjoyment and the continued safety of this natural heritage.

1.Please do not disturb any animal. Making noises, flashing lights or making sudden movement to frighten animals is regarded as disturbing it. Animals, if continually harassed, will avoid human contact or could become aggressive. Never chase animals and keep noise to a minimum. Too much noise disturbs the wildlife and can antagonize other visitors.
2. Where there is an existing road system, do not under any circumstances drive your car off the road. Vehicles leaving the road can damage the habitat; oil and fume pollution and plant disruption can seriously affect the eco-system by altering drainage patterns, soil erosion and pollution.
3. Do not discard any foodstuffs or litter; it is dangerous for the animals, disrupting traditional feeding patterns, creating fire hazards and potentially maiming or killing wildlife. Do not light a fire and never discard a burning object. Bush and forest fires cause enormous damage to vegetation and the wildlife itself.
4. Please do not stop your car in a position or behave in any way likely to inconvenience or annoy a fellow visitor. Consideration must be given at all times to the wildlife and other enthusiasts keen to enjoy the same experience.
5. In the interest of the wildlife and of other visitors there is a limit of 20mph inside the National Parks for all vehicles. Drive carefully at all times. Speeding results in accidents to wildlife, as well as degradation of the road surface.
6. For your own safety please stay in your vehicle at all times, except where a signboard indicates that leaving the car is permissible. Many of the parks and reserves have designated picnic sites and nature trails.
7. The animals are wild and can be dangerous. Do not stand up in your vehicle unless you have adequate protection and supervision from a professional driver or guide.
8. Visitors should only enter or leave the park at an authorized park entrance or exit.
9. Please do not collect any form of fauna or flora from any parks or reserves.
10. No person may remain in the parks or reserves between 7p.m. and 7a.m. unless accommodation is provided. Visitors must remain inside their accommodation overnight; night game driving is generally not allowed inside the parks and reserves.
11. Please do not damage vegetation or any fencepost, gate or signpost in the park. Plant damage can be irreparable, resulting in loss of feeding and breeding grounds.
12. Do not travel on a road that has been closed to the public as indicated either by notice or barrier. There may be unusual obstacles or dangers in the area.
13. Do not attempt to enter any area of the park, which has been closed. A barrier, a notice, or even a line of stones across the road will indicate closure.
14. Pets, i.e. dogs and cats, are prohibited inside all parks and reserves; they attract predators and may carry diseases or pests, which can prove fatal to certain wildlife.
15. Local conditions may vary. The Kenya Wildlife Service wardens and rangers are there to assist and advise you; please comply with any order or direction given by the warden or any other officer in the park.

AT THE COAST
1. Do not damage or remove coral. It is a living organism host to many rare and endangered species, which takes many years to form.
2. Do not remove shells, starfish or any other sea-flora and fauna. Removal seriously disrupts the eco-system and is illegal. The areas outside the parks and reefs are threatened by excessive shell collection. Empty shells provide homes for hermit crabs and some fishes.
3. Do not buy shells and other marine animal products as souvenirs as this encourages further plundering of the reefs and beaches.
4. Do not discard litter into the water; it is environmentally unfriendly and illegal. Marine turtles can confuse clear plastic waste with jellyfish and will die if they eat it.
5. Hand feeding of fish is discouraged. Certain species are dangerous and it disrupts traditional feeding patterns.
6. Hook and line fishing is allowed in the marine reserves, never in marine parks. Spear guns are not permitted.

LOCAL PEOPLE
1. Please respect culture and tradition. Insensitive behavior, such as taking photographs of people without their consent or failure to observe local customs, can cause offense.
2. Please note that being nude or semi-nude in public is unacceptable in Kenya, especially in villages or towns. Nudity is culturally offensive to the Muslim Community prevalent in the coastal region.

Copyright Melinda Rees of Eco-resorts

Eco-resorts' archives pages

ots to read and discover about ecotourism and the environment
Click here to return to the main archives page