CULTURAL WALK
A Cultural Walk is a short tour undertaken on foot to different cultural sites within the local community where guests have an opportunity to meet local people and enjoy a cross-cultural interaction.
Our cultural walk is conducted in Talek Town led by expert Maasai Guides. Talek is situated just outside of the Masai Mara Reserve and within a 10-minute walk from our Basecamp Maasai Mara camp. Enjoy a unique opportunity to learn about the rich cultural heritage of the Maasai as well as the challenges they face. The tour takes approximately 1- 2 hours. You will begin your visit with a tour around Talek Primary School then head off to the Talek Health Center finishing off your cultural tour with a visit to the waste management area. This is an ideal trip for travelers wanting to get to grips with not only the wildlife but the culture and wonderful people of Masai Mara.
Talek Primary School
For years, very few Maasai people received any formal education. Primary schools were a rare sighting and secondary schools were virtually non-existent. But thanks to partners like Basecamp, more Maasai children than ever before are enrolled in schools. Supported by Basecamp Explorer, Talek Boarding School has about 500-day scholars from the neighboring villages, as well as another 500 boarders who live too far away to walk to school every day. Your Maasai guide will take you over to the school and explain how the school works. The school provides the children with an opportunity to access education giving them a chance for a better future.
Talek Community Health Center
The Talek Community Health Centre provides medical service to a majority of the people living near Masai Mara National Reserve. Together with other partners, Basecamp has supported the development of infrastructure and the much-needed resources at the health center which addresses the challenges of late diagnosis associated with walking long distances to reach clinics and reduce mortality from curable illnesses like malaria.
Waste Management Program
As a responsible tourism operator, Basecamp Explorer cares about the communities surrounding our camps. Not only do we sort the solid waste produced at our camps through our operations, but also extend our waste collection, management, and recycling program to benefit the local communities. With this effort, we empower the Maasai people by building much-needed capacity to facilitate the sustainable development of the communities. We welcome you to become part of the Basecamp Family by supporting our work. You may do this by making a contribution of 5 USD to help provide the revenue needed to sustain the program.
