Fellow Explorer!

We are proud of what we have achieved since the founding of our first destination - Basecamp Masai Mara – back in 1998 . Today we have hotels, camps and projects in India, Kenya, the Pyrenees, and on Svalbard – four new hotels are established in 2008: Basecamp (BC) Isfjord Radio, BC Lamu, BC Wildernes and BC Pyrenees. We believe our company is different. Many of our guests and supporters seem to agree.

DO IT JUST: The Basecamp ‘difference’ is often described as a special blend of unique destinations, operated with a strong focus on sustainability, with a core commitment towards local communities and the environment. Hence our slogan “Do It Just …leave a positive footprint.”

HIDDEN SECRETS: On this web-site you will travel to special places – the Basecamp “hidden secrets”. You will find stories and experiences from guests. Hopefully you will see why we have chosen precisely these locations, through reading about the nature there, the cultures and the traditions.

FAIR TRAVEL: Tourism can of course have negative impacts on local communities and on the environment. At Basecamp Explorer we have therefore developed a model for responsible tourism in close cooperation with key partners and local communities. In Kenya and India our operations and projects help reduce poverty, improve health and strengthen local education. In the Pyrenees and on Svalbard we focus on environmentally friendly operations, and on nature and species conservation.

CO2: Should we emphasize one project at this web site - in 2008 – it would have to be our tree planting initiative. Climate change is a severe threat to plants, animals, and human communities worldwide. Basecamp have taken the challenge to start our “own” carbon-capture project. In Kenya we monitor a large and growing plantation. Here we plant trees to bind CO2, thus offsetting the emissions caused by our business – from 2009 including all guest flights. This is based on our principals: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

LEAVING A POSITIVE FOOTPRINT: By choosing a Basecamp Explorer experience you choose to travel in a less harmful way. Signs that we are on the right track include numerous environmental awards, and the many visits from international dignitaries such as Barack Obama, the Winfrey Oprah Show, environmental ministers, artists and wildlife enthusiasts. Just like you, they have made a conscious choice to come to Basecamp for a deep-felt experience, perhaps taking a walking safari with a Maasai guide or spending a night at our Trapper’s Lodge in the Arctic. We appreciate your support, and hope to see you again at one of our destinations !

Svein Wilhelmsen
CEO Basecamp Explorer