Our history

Basecamp Explorer: Our History

With pride, wisdom and an unbending desire to influence the future of his people, Ole Taek welcomed Basecamp to Masai Mara almost 10 years ago. He was our mentor, our path towards a different way of living and our inspiration for a new vision: to help diverse cultures work together, to protect biological diversity, to promote sustainable use of the environment, and to safeguard Nature (upon which we and everything depend).

Ole Taek:"We older folks hold on to the ancient traditions so our young ones will not be led astray, but nothing stands still. The world spins fast. Everything is in movement - whether we like it or not.”

We invite you to participate in our vision and ambitions. These are to establish Basecamp where visitors can meet authentic, strong, inspiring cultures, located in some of the most magnificent areas on the planet, that offer interaction and knowledge.

Masai Mara – Kenya. We began our Basecamp ambitions at the cradle of mankind: the Rift Valley and open savannah of Masai Mara in Kenya. This place has, by far, the highest density of wildlife in the world. A safari with our Masai guides, sharing generations of knowledge and understanding, is an adventure you will not forget.

Spitsbergen – Arctic Circle. We continued to another extreme: the Arctic. We chose Spitsbergen, at 80 degrees north. We wanted to follow the legendary hunters and explorers, crossing the ice with dog sledges, sleeping in tents under the northern lights, and - like Fridjof Nansen – trapping a ship in the frozen ice. Our Basecamp includes our own “Trappers’ Lodge”, the “Trappers’ Station” (with 70 Alaska huskies in the dog yard) and the “Ship-in-the-Ice”: the world’s northernmost “hotel”, with chef and crew to take good care of you.

Solovki – White Sea, Russia. Having placed these two initial “flags” on our map, we turned to Russia, the mother country of ancient Europe (and still a continent of contradictions) that is always looking towards its future. The largest monastery in Russia - the fortified town of Solovki in The White Sea - is the ideal place to start searching for this history, so rich and filled with contrasts.

Lamu – North-East Kenya Coast. Next, we came to the archipelago of Lamu, on the north-east coast of Kenya. One of the best preserved Swahili cultures, and featuring on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Lamu still possesses a unique Swahili culture that is deeply influenced by Arab, Portuguese and Indian rule. Here the ancient, ocean-going Dhow vessels will take you to exciting and remote islands in the archipelago.

Rajasthan – India. Which civilization can be more mystical, more profound, more central to the meeting of ancient and modern worlds than India? For us, (as for many travellers) Rajasthan, the Land of the Kings, is the best representation of India’s countless contrasts. Our Basecamp is a 300 year old fort – the Ghar – newly renovated, but with its original ambience preserved. Here you can, within a few days, experience the life of the Maharajas, camel safaris in the desert and the tranquillity of the Mahatma Gandhi’s traditional village life.

Dharamsala – Indian Himalayas. India is also the birthplace of Buddhism. We have formed a partnership with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile, local Tibetan institutions and local NGOs. This is in order to offer a personal and unique destination with one of the most profound philosophies and cultures on earth. The Indian Himalaya region of Dharamsala also offers peaceful and unique trekking possibilities, close to the roof of the world.

Pyrenees - France. With 150 hectares and breathtaking scenery we have created an arena for knowledge, sharing and dialogue, focusing on Western European history and present status, seen through the eyes of the French Pyrenees – the Catalonian culture.

So this forms our history. So far, 7 projects are making our ambitions realities, to the benefit of local communities and visitors. Through working together, all these projects have begun to make positive differences to their locales. Our vision continues, so our ambitions grow.
Our intention is that all the places sustainably supporting a project have these things in common

they are highly individual
they are full of wonder
they are authentic, but secure and comfortable
they inspire the search for knowledge and for communication with the self, with others, with the past and with the future
they depend on operations based on ecologically sound solutions as far as possible
they are established and developed through long-term cooperation with local communities, on specific projects

Our belief is that each destination has its own, special story. Yet all the stories are connected, like the chapters of a book, and they all welcome you. We believe that working together, we can really make a difference.