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Loisaba Conservancy in Laikipia Named Among World’s Top Destinations

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Starbeds go beyond just camping outside it can be a luxurious affair complete with warm blankets, champagne, a full course dinner and the ever handy telescope. PHOTO | COURTESY

Loisaba Conservancy in Laikipia has been named among the world's 100 sustainable tourist destinations. The 56,000-acre private wilderness, which has lodges and tented camps was among the few destinations in Africa awarded at ITB Berlin tourism trade fair.

Hotel rooms in the conservancy range from Sh70,000 to Sh225,000 a night. Tourists get to visit Samburu villages, ride horses and camels in the wilderness and walk with sniffer dogs with their handlers as they track poachers or keep fit.

Elewana Lodo Springs, the latest hotel to be built in Loisaba Conservancy will be opened in June.

Chumbe Island in Tanzania was the best in Africa. It has a protected coral reef sanctuary and a forest reserve with rare wildlife.

Palau that has the world's first shark sanctuary and has banned the sale and use of sunscreens containing toxic chemicals that can kill corals, was the winner.

“These destinations lead the way towards attractiveness and sustainability in tourism. They provide best practice experience to avoid overtourism problems as we have seen in many iconic places,” said Valere Tjolle of TravelMole Vision on Sustainable Tourism.

Another African destination in the list was Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda famed for mountain gorillas. The park allows only eight visitors per gorilla group each day to reduce stress on the apes.