| East African expert Daniel Njaga shares his vast | | | | How popular are these tours and what is the |
| knowledge with Norm Goldman, Editor of | | | | average age group of the participants? |
| Today, Norm Goldman Editor of is pleased to have | | | | Daniel: |
| as our guest, Daniel Njaga, Director and Travel | | | | Study tours are the norm so top speak. They are |
| Consultant, Menengai Holidays Ltd located in Nairobi, | | | | becoming even more popular with Western |
| Kenya. | | | | institutions that have come to appreciate the need |
| Daniel conducts holiday and travel programs | | | | for practical exposure of undergraduate and graduate |
| throughout East Africa and he is a trained wildlife | | | | students in tropical ecology especially. Also the fact |
| biologist with a masters degree in ecology. Daniel has | | | | that Africa offers very unique ecosystems and other |
| a vast experience in wildlife, conservation and tourism | | | | natural resources that are very useful in learning. |
| in East Africa. | | | | Majority of the people we handle are university |
| | | | students. We have also had local high cost secondary |
| Good day Daniel and thanks for participating in our | | | | schools but we have not handled secondary schools |
| interview. | | | | outside Africa. From this year we shall be having |
| Norm: | | | | Youth Camps in Lake Nakuru National Park and Mt |
| | | | Elgon which will last for two weeks and will be open |
| Daniel, please tell us how and why you became | | | | to secondary school youth from any part of the |
| interested in the travel and tourism business in | | | | world. It will be a very exciting opportunity for youth |
| Africa? | | | | to interact with youth from different cultures and |
| Daniel: | | | | backgrounds in an atmosphere full of ambience, |
| The key motivation behind this was the need to add | | | | ecological peace, environmental education, social |
| value and knowledge to traveling and tourism, having | | | | serenity etc. |
| realized that tourism is a crucial ingredient of modern | | | | Norm: |
| civilization and socio-economic discourse. You realize | | | | What is the average cost of these tours and when is |
| that tourism in Africa is mainly the mainstay of the | | | | the best time to participate in one of these tours? |
| wealthy who are not necessarily well endowed | | | | Daniel: |
| intellectually and therefore incapable of giving it the | | | | Costs vary according to group size, specific needs |
| stimulus and dynamism needed to drive tourism into | | | | and places being visited (eg national parks charge |
| the 21st Century. | | | | fees while areas outside may not also camping may |
| From my experience in the field of wildlife research | | | | be cheaper than lodging etc). But on average we can |
| and national park management, I realized there was a | | | | a guiding cost is 300 dollars per participants. Actual |
| yawning demand for informed tourism services | | | | cost would be lower or higher depending on |
| where visitors not only see the wildlife, landscape, | | | | aforementioned factors. |
| etc but also appreciate these and their overall | | | | Africa being a weather independent region, any time |
| interaction with people and their aspirations. It is the | | | | would be good. But again it also depends on what is |
| need to fill this vacuum that I derived my motivation | | | | the interest driving what group. For instance, the |
| and interest and it is very intellectually stimulating to | | | | migration of wildebeests from Tanzania to Maasai |
| see visitors enjoying informed tour packaging and | | | | Mara in Kenya takes place between July and October |
| better knowledge about wildlife, ecosystems and | | | | November. Hence if this would be one of the needs |
| socioeconomic life of the people in Africa. | | | | of the group, it would be restricted to that time. |
| Norm: | | | | Also we count birds in Rift Valley Lakes in the |
| I understand you specialize in study tours concept or | | | | months of January and July. Anyone or group |
| academic tourism. Could you give our readers some | | | | interested in such activities would have to book such |
| idea as to the kind of tours you organize in East | | | | periods. For mountain climbing in Mt Kenya, June/July |
| Africa? Where do these tours take place? How many | | | | are usually very cold and we tend to discourage |
| days do these tours cover? | | | | those periods etc |
| Daniel: | | | | Norm: |
| The academic tours target the Western institutions | | | | Would you recommend these tours as a romantic |
| and scholars who have special needs in Africa like | | | | destination and which would you choose as being the |
| taking brief courses in tropical ecology or just | | | | most unique and romantic in Nairobi and elsewhere? |
| academic expeditions. We usually study the specific | | | | |
| needs of these student groups including their | | | | Daniel: |
| academic biases so that we ably draw up study | | | | Well, we have special packages for romantically |
| programs. For instance, if they are interested in | | | | inclined. This is because large groups hardly conduce |
| studies on conflict between human development and | | | | romance! We have special packages to exclusive |
| conservation or just human wildlife conflicts, we | | | | lodges and tented camps around the Rift Valley, |
| choose their itineraries in areas where such problems | | | | within Game parks and around the Coast. You realize |
| are recorded with more severity than others. We | | | | we have some of the most romantic beaches and |
| choose the best accommodation facilities and other | | | | wilderness areas in the part of the world. |
| allied areas of attractions and book lecturers in their | | | | Norm:How safe are these tours? |
| specific areas of specialization depending on the | | | | Daniel: |
| needs of the study tour group. | | | | The first thing we consider in all our operations is |
| Ideally we receive such groups and offer them | | | | safety. This is something we never compromise even |
| transport to different study centre areas and have | | | | if it means denying our customers the chance to do |
| them make practical reviews of the real situation and | | | | what they would prefer or visit where they would |
| receive lectures from us and invited lectures. So the | | | | prefer if we are not convinced of 100% safety. In |
| tours cover select national parks like Lake Nakuru | | | | the last 4 years we have been in operation, we have |
| National Park and Meru National Park both with totally | | | | never had an incident that could be directly linked to |
| different conservation challenges and histories. The | | | | poor planning or insecurity in our country or national |
| accommodation is arranged in hostels and they last | | | | parks. The worst incident we recorded last year was |
| and average of 1 week in a given area. Most study | | | | a baboon grabbing a camera from one of our clients, |
| tours average 1 month in the whole country or East | | | | mistaking it for a piece of food. But the person was |
| African region. The most popular theme we have | | | | not injured at all. |
| include human-wildlife conflict politics and conservation | | | | Once again, safety is our number concern and its not |
| poverty and conservation pollution of national parks | | | | something we can ever compromise. |
| from human activity etc. | | | | Norm: |
| Last but not least, we keep a data base of activities | | | | Could you tell our readers something about the |
| taking place regarding wildlife ad conservation | | | | climbing tours your organize and how experienced |
| activities. We organize clients on study tours to | | | | must one be before attempting these tours? |
| participate such activities like counting of birds, | | | | |
| census of mammals etc which are routinely carried | | | | Daniel: |
| out in select parks. We also have very popular | | | | Climbing expeditions are extremely exciting. These |
| activities like translocation of animals like rhinos and | | | | can range from habitual climbing for fun sake in small |
| elephants and organize to have people participate by | | | | hills like Menengai Crater in Nakuru or in Amboseli |
| way of going there where the action is as it were | | | | National Park. For such, no experience is needed. Just |
| and witnessing first hand how it is done and | | | | some enthusiasm and energy. |
| appreciating all. | | | | We however have others that take several hours |
| Norm: | | | | like Mt Longonot and Mt Elgon. You once again don't |
| Could you describe a typical day on one of these | | | | need experience but just some normal fitness and |
| tours and what can one expect by way of lodging | | | | enough energy. In one of the pictures you can see a |
| and meals? | | | | family group which climbed Mt Elgon with us in |
| Daniel: | | | | December 2005 at a platform called Endebbess Bluff. |
| Most student groups ideally seek out for budget | | | | It took us 3 hours to reach there and even a young |
| accommodation. We usually seek group | | | | girl of 8 yrs managed to reach the top. |
| accommodation in safe and ideally located hostels or | | | | The most challenging of all is Mt Kenya because it's |
| camping sites often inside the national parks. Meals | | | | cold (snow on top) and very high. Climbing here |
| are also prepared by people grounded in such | | | | needs some few weeks exercise and ability to |
| services and picnics are well arranged depending on a | | | | withstand high attitudes. We have very experience |
| day's program. | | | | climbers who assist non professional climbers. We also |
| We are always keen to have visitors experience | | | | arrange for mock climbing of Mt Kenya to some few |
| African cuisine and drinks and our meal times are | | | | kilometers which can take just one day. |
| always very exciting and fabulous!! | | | | Norm: |
| Norm: | | | | Is there anything else you wish to add that we have |
| Where do these tours originate and how does one | | | | not covered? |
| reach this area from North America or Europe? | | | | Daniel: |
| Daniel: | | | | Yes, wildlife viewing is a popular activity in our |
| Ideally we prefer adequate interaction with potential | | | | portfolio. We have very well trained guides and we |
| participants, mostly their lecturers who organize it for | | | | offer deeper insight into wildlife ecology than can be |
| them. Nairobi is the economic hub of East and Central | | | | found among the conventional operators. In east |
| Africa and most airlines land here. From here there | | | | Africa we have some of the most unique national |
| can be transfers to the countryside depending on the | | | | parks and wildlife and it's a great pleasure taking our |
| theme of each visit or the agreed itinerary. | | | | clients to any of these wildlife safaris. |
| Nairobi is quite accessible from any part of US or UK | | | | Thanks once again. |
| we also book air tickets for customers from any part | | | | It was much honored to participate in this interview, |
| of the world. | | | | thanks. |
| Norm: | | | | |