Conservation with a Purpose

From the Maasai Mara’s conservancies to turtle protection in Watamu and gorilla conservation in Rwanda, Hemingways ensures that each guest's stay contributes to something bigger.

Protecting Wilderness in the Maasai Mara

At Hemingways Ol Seki Mara and Hemingways River Camp Mara, conservation begins with place.

• Ol Seki Mara in Naboisho Conservancy: This 50,000-acre conservancy is one of the Mara’s greatest success stories, balancing thriving wildlife populations with strong community partnerships. Guests support over 600 Maasai landowners who benefit directly from tourism.
• River Camp Mara in Mara North Conservancy: Covering 74,000 acres, Mara North is co-managed by local families and conservation partners. Stays here help protect vital migration corridors while funding schools, healthcare, and livelihoods.

By staying at either camp, guests contribute directly to conservancy models that keep land wild, wildlife thriving, and communities empowered.

Marine Conservation in Watamu

The waters around Hemingways Watamu are part of a protected marine reserve, home to dolphins, whales, turtles, and coral reefs.

• Turtle Projects: Local initiatives monitor nesting beaches, rescue injured turtles, and release hatchlings into the sea.
• Marine National Park: Hemingways guests enjoy snorkelling and excursions in a protected environment where fishing and harmful practices are restricted.
• Guest Role: By visiting, guests directly support these initiatives, helping to protect endangered species.

For families, watching a turtle hatchling scurry towards the ocean is more than a magical moment; it is a lesson in resilience and conservation.

Conservation in Nairobi

In Nairobi, Hemingways connects guests to some of Kenya’s most inspiring conservation projects.

• David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: A world-renowned elephant orphanage where calves are rescued, rehabilitated, and reintroduced into the wild.
• Giraffe Centre: Focused on breeding endangered Rothschild’s giraffes and educating local schoolchildren.
• Hotel Gardens: Even at Hemingways Nairobi and Hemingways Eden Residence, conservation continues through landscaping with indigenous plants, which attract birds and support biodiversity.

Guests leave not only with memories, but with a deeper understanding of how conservation can thrive even on the city’s edge.

Gorilla Protection in Rwanda

At Hemingways Retreat Kigali, conservation takes the form of supporting gorilla protection in Volcanoes National Park.

• Tourism Revenue: A significant portion of trekking permit fees funds park management and anti-poaching patrols.
• Community Empowerment: Local cooperatives benefit from tourism, ensuring communities value and protect gorillas.
• Guest Awareness: Trekking experiences highlight the fragile balance that makes encounters possible.

This model has been so successful that mountain gorilla numbers, once critically low, are now slowly increasing.

A Shared Ethos: People, Place, Purpose

Across all Hemingways properties, conservation is never a separate initiative. It is woven into the guest experience, shaping every detail from community partnerships to environmental choices.

Guests are not passive observers; they are active participants. By choosing Hemingways, they help sustain coral reefs, fund conservancies, rescue elephants, and protect gorillas.

Travel That Leaves a Legacy

Luxury may define the Hemingways experience, but purpose defines its legacy. Every stay is part of a wider conservation story, one where communities thrive, ecosystems are protected, and future generations inherit a richer natural world.

For guests, this is travel with meaning. For wildlife and communities, it is a lifeline.