Established 30 years ago, the company is headed up by the founders, Kenya born renowned safari guide and raconteur, Peter Lindstrom, and Steven Laiser, a Maasai and former Senior Game Ranger for the Tanzanian National Parks.
Hoopoe is no ordinary safari company and from the outset took a path that included developing real partnerships with local communities and setting up camps on village lands which, as game dispersal areas, form an integral part of the larger wilderness ecosystem of the great plains of East Africa. Our aim has been to ensure a sustainable future for the local communities and ourselves as stakeholders in conservation aimed at realizing tangible benefits for all parties - a true “win-win” formula for the local communities, the flora and fauna, the extremely fragile environmental balance, for visitors and for Hoopoe. This process of creating protected game areas with local communities, has naturally been challenging and has required a long term view and an ability to navigate through the time consuming and often frustrating path to establish partnerships, make them work, and to become a success for all concerned.
Our efforts in this regard, and our business ethos, were thankfully recognized, and we are very proud to have been awarded The Condé Nast Traveler's Annual Award for BEST ECOTOURISM COMPANY IN THE WORLD. The award was made to Hoopoe Safaris “For their continued and outstanding community-based Ecotourism partnerships across East Africa and specifically Northern Tanzania.” (July, 2004 USA edition) and, “specifically for being committed to preserving the local environment, assisting and employing the people who live there, and educating the guests who visit.“
Hoopoe has been actively involved in philanthropic project support for many years. Our experience at the grassroots with some of our own community based work stands us in good stead and we can seamlessly shift to logistical support on the ground but also provide liaison with community leaders when a bridge is required between donors and recipients. On certain projects we even provide a supervisory role to ensure that donations are used efficiently & properly.
Wildlife Safaris are often chosen by supporters of charitable organizations that come out to see community projects that they have so generously funded and our professional, personable and well trained guides are on hand to complete a visit to East Africa. We have had the pleasure to work with The Tribes Foundation, Destiny of a Child, Ace Africa and World Runners (now Global Partners). The Clinton Foundation has also called upon us to organize a major conference for CHAI (Clinton Healthcare Access Initiative) which took place in Arusha and more lately all the in country air logistics and ground transport, accommodation and expert guiding for an interval of game viewing for former President Clinton and his foundations donors.
