![]() The hospitality school there teaches the Massai tribe members to work for hotels and restaurants which was great for us because they truly rolled out the red carpet. ![]() Kerala instantly made a friend of the tribe’s puppy and Julian was given a special Massai name. They took us where we really wanted to go, to see the real Kenya!Īt Massai Mara, we stayed at the Massai Education Center and we were given a super warm welcome upon our arrival! We even got to spend with President Barack Obama’s grandmother, Mama Sara Obama. We liked that part of the money we spent with Travel for Change, went directly to these kids and the other organizations that they support. It was magical to discover an area that other tour operators do not bother or dare to offer to their clients. These underprivileged kids were impossibly positive despite their situation, welcoming us with a local rendition of “row, row, row your boat”. After about 4 months of a somewhat privileged lifestyle travelling in Europe and Ireland, we really wanted to give our kids to get a taste of how many African children live…with nothing. We spent some time at a local fishing village, where our children were greeted by some kids that are extremely poor. To ensure that they empower the locals and actively contribute to its economic and social progress, Travel for Change Africa organizes visits and volunteering opportunities at local projects managed by community based organizations. Known for it’s hippo and African Fish Eagle population, Lake Victoria was an incredible addition to our itinerary itinerary. We learned all about the different tribes and customs of each area where we stayed, including the scarcely visited areas near Kisumu and Lake Victoria. ![]() We stayed in comfortable accommodations and were treated to delicious meals prepared by the families we stayed with. It felt good to get to know the real Kenya and spend quality time with the locals. In Kenya, everyone speaks English because it was once a British colony, so it was easy for all of us to make friends. We got to really immerse ourselves with the locals and the kids always had playmates, which on a marathon trip like ours, is always appreciated. They helped keep us on budget by arranging for us to do home-stays rather than being shuffled from hotel, to tourist trap, to expensive meal. One of the things that attracted us to Travel for Change Africa is their connection to the local communities. Within hours, we were deep in safari at Lake Nakuru where we saw lions… He picked us up in a clean and well equipped conversion van and we were discovering the vastness of the rift valley. We arrived at Nairobi Airport on an early November morning and were greeted by our kid-friendly and informative guide Patrick. She was perfect in her ability to design a Kenya itinerary for our family on a super cheap budget. In our research, we found Travel for Change Africa, which is run by natives of Kenya and Tanzania and instantly contacted Patricia Ouko, one of their founders. We then began the internet search for a socially responsible and especially affordable safari company that specializes in East Africa travel.
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