Recently I had an opportunity to go to Kenya for the first time. It was with the Corporate Unplugged Forum, where one of the members is a part owner of an incredible safari camp called Saruni Basecamp. It was a trip of a lifetime that I knew I couldn’t miss. There were 18 of us together on this trip. We all deeply care about the planet and are using our platforms, whether it is businesses, academics, research, or investing, to make the world a better place.
I didn’t know if I would write about this trip, but it was such a profound experience that I thought I would share some learnings that we can apply to our lives, business, and outlook towards the future.
First of all, we had four incredible days with sunrise and afternoon game drives. We were in Masai Mara, which is a part of Kenya that has the highest percentage of large mammals on the planet. The feedback from others who had been on safaris before was that they hadn’t seen so many animals with such frequency as on this trip.
When I try to explain the impact of the trip it is hard to put to words. Many people were saying it felt like we had come home, like it was the garden of Eden, that this was heaven on earth. How I would describe it is that it was a magical experience to have extended hours (roughly 5 hours a day) where I was in complete and utter awe. This shifted something deep inside of me.
There was so much love, joy, and excitement to witness these majestic mammals in their natural habitats. And they were so used to the game trucks that they weren’t bothered by them. In fact, some of the lions used the trucks to hide so they could hunt better. We saw prides of lions, elephants, a cheetah, giraffes (I fell so in love with them!), hippopotamus, the elusive leopards, zebras, monkeys, and so many more! I made a 12 min video of the collection of incredible animals that you can watch below to share the magic of this trip.
Of course, we had wonderful conversations with incredible meals. The camps really outdid themselves. The people working there were so open, friendly, and happy to share their deep knowledge of the land and animals, and their experiences.
The most fun spontaneous moment was on the last night when all the locals stood around the bonfire and then walked around our long dinner table, singing their native songs to us after dinner. One of the Americans asked if the Swedes have a similar tradition. We said our midsummer tradition is to dance around the maypole singing and dancing a silly song about frogs. So the nine Swedes got up enthusiastically to show them. Keep in mind, most Swedes have been doing this since they were children and as adults have often had a lot to drink. Well, the local people loved it and filmed us and then everyone joined in together. Without understanding the silly words, they picked up on the dance immediately and put their hearts and souls into it. We were all laughing so much from the silliness of this tradition!
I was asked to do a collective painting for the group where each person would be able to take a smaller portion to remember the experience. Since painting is a passion of mine, I loved this project and it was well received by everyone below
One of the most impressive things, besides the animals, was the business concept of this area. The short story is that the local farmers put their individual lands together to form a conservatory. They understood that individual farming was negatively impacting the natural migratory paths of all these large mammals that put them at risk of extinction as well as the bio diversity of the area. So together with a visionary Norwegian businessman, they agreed to develop a partnership between eco-tourism and nature, building beautiful basecamps that offer great safari trips, and give good jobs to their people that they wouldn’t otherwise have.
Together with impact investors, they have built 12 lovely basecamps, a caring community center, and will continue to develop the area. It is a triple win, for the Masai Mara tribes, the stunning animals, and the tourists who come to experience the beauty and wonder of the area. There is much more to this story, and it was a long road to get to this point, but it is a great example of using business as a force for good for both the planet and the people.
So, what did I take away from this life changing trip?
- Build a community—we need the human-to-human connection more than ever now. Companies are our tribes these days. This is why culture is so important! When we can feel connected to the people, we spend time with and have a common goal, it makes life richer.
- Spend time in nature—being connected to nature somehow is so vital to our mental health and well-being. When we are out in nature, we get into coherence with the electromagnetic fields of the earth. Grounding is not a luxury; it is a necessity. We aren’t meant to sit at desks by computers all day long. Take time to walk and enjoy the beauty around you.
- Respect each other—there was such a natural sense of curiosity on both sides, from the local people to those who had travelled far to visit. There is also a deep reverence for the animals and helping them thrive. We all have so much to learn from each other because we all have such unique life experiences. Let’s use curiosity to connect us rather than being quick to judge and divide us from each other.
- Use business for good—this is a deep value of mine and the Corporate Unplugged group. Businesses truly can make a difference through a strong purpose, living values that bring people together, and a great product or service that gives a unique experience. The Saruni Basecamp is a beautiful example of what happens when people come together with a higher purpose of preserving both nature and their own tribal traditions.
- Find the joy, gratitude, and awe in each day—choosing to look for these things in our own lives changes our neurochemistry long term. Regardless of our circumstances and where we are, we can always find things to be grateful for. And focusing on joy, laughter, and being in awe are choices we can make—if we choose to focus on that. These emotional states make it easy to be kind to others as well. When we can master our own emotional states and how we interact with others, that is when we truly step into our power. Making a change in our environment certainly helps but it isn’t a given. This is a mindset we can choose to live our lives from on a day-to-day basis.
If you’ve read this far, it is my hope that you are inspired. Take 12 minutes to watch these majestic animals, living as they should be in their natural habits. And take these lessons into your own life. We cannot change the whole world, but we can definitely change our own experience of it. Let’s continue to bring joy into our own lives that will positively impact those around us!
Karin Volo, Chief Joy Bringer
Beautifully put and I couldn’t agree more with your statements. And, it was a true pleasure to share this incredible trip with you Karin
Thank you so much! Appreciate your kind note here 🙂
Beautifully written! Thanks for bringing me back to this paradise on Earth, and the time we shared there.
It really was a paradise on Earth wasn’t it? Glad you liked my article <3