Syd Downey and Donald Ker founded safari company Ker & Downey in Kenya in 1946, but their legacy lives on as a highly regarded name in the luxury travel industry.

Ker & Downey has since split into several different companies that all retain the Ker & Downey name, one of which is Ker & Downey Africa, based in Cape Town. Ker & Downey Africa caters to a select group of boutique international travel agents and private clients looking for luxury travel in Africa.

Taking inspiration from the original founders, we still include an element of challenge, connect, and legacy in each of our tailor-made trips, CEO Lee Kelsall, 36, says. He says that adventure is an important part of his companys excursions.

In recent years, Ker & Downey Africa has focused on sustainable tourism. Weve found an increased desire for purposeful travel experiences which contribute to the wellbeing of our planet and its people, Kelsall says.

Whether it means partnering with local NGOs or working to minimize visitors carbon footprints, Ker & Downey takes a holistic approach toward responsible tourism.

THE ITEM

Ker & Downey Africa offers personalized LuxVenture Experience tours that allow visitors to give back to local communities during their high-end travels. Though the tourism company specializes in safari trips, it also offers a wide breadth of other luxe expeditions to Southern and East Africa, Madagascar, Reunion Island, the Seychelles, and Antarctica.

Ker & Downey Africas trips include the South Africa & Seychelles Trip by Private Jet, the Botswana + Zambia Horseback Safari, and the Reunion Island LuxVenture, which involves hiking to the rim of active volcanoes and explorations by helicopter.

Ker & Downey Africa also operates two more specialized travel brands: Grand Africa Safaris, a destination management company specializing in luxury travel to East Africa, and Jumbari Family Safaris, which serves Ker & Downey Africas most eco-conscious clients traveling to Africa with their families.

PRICE

As with most bespoke services, the prices of Ker & Downeys curated LuxVenture Trips span a wide range. While some group trips such as the Benin Safari are priced starting at around US$3,000 per person, prices for more exclusive trips jump to US$20,000 to US$25,000 per person. Ker & Downey Africa advertises its South Africa to Antarctica Expedition as starting at US$45,772 per person on its website. After consultations with a LuxVenture Expert, trips are tailored to the clients needs and interests.

DESCRIPTION

Ker & Downey Africa weaves together arts and culture, adventure, and social responsibility in its tours.

The South Africa & Seychelles Trip by Private Jet, for example, takes travelers to the worlds largest contemporary African art museum, the ZEITZ MOCAA before they are whisked off to private accommodations in Kruger National Park for big-game safaris and a cooking class with a purpose at the Singita Community Culinary School, a community partnership program that serves local youth. Clients cook traditional dishes alongside students and chefs, and 1% of their trips cost is donated to the schools expansion and development of the local community.

Kelsall says, We create opportunities for our clients to truly engage with the people, culture, and spirit of each destination that they visit and make a positive impact through conservation and community upliftment.

After cooking school, clients take a private jet to a private island in the Seychelles, where they can discover local coral reefs, practice yoga, and learn about the local conversation program for the islands giant Aldabra tortoise.

WHATS THE GOOD?

Ker & Downey Africas approach to social responsibility is multi-pronged, focusing on investing in local communities, preserving Africas wildlife and promoting eco-conscious practices. Ker & Downey Africa, and especially its sister company, Jumbari Family Safaris, encourage their clients to leave a smaller carbon footprint by supporting environmentally and socially conscious products and services, like solar-powered eco-lodges and electric vehicles.

Ker & Downey Africa offers a selection of Conservation Trips, including a Gorilla Trek, where clients explore the deep Congo forest alongside conversationalists. Meanwhile, Jumbari Family Safaris follows a strict selection process when vetting sustainable lodges.

Leaving a positive legacy in Africa is the foundation of everything that we do, Kelsall says. Being based in South Africa, we believe that it is our responsibility to preserve Africas wildlife and to empower local communities that call the continent their home.

Ker & Downey Africas Legacy Program includes several partnerships and collaborations with local organizations like the Project Brave Foundation, African Parks, and Harambee. Project Brave focuses on uplifting underserved women and children living on the streets of South Africa through education and development, psychological and medical support, food, and toiletry packs and shelter.

During the 13-day Art Safari in South Africa, guests get to meet the founders of Project Brave and 1% of their booking value is donated to the non-profit organization. Ker & Downey Africa also donates an additional $100 to Project Brave for each guest on the tour.

The company is also an official Conservation Travel Partner to African Parks, a non-profit conservation organization aimed at rehabilitating and managing national parks in partnership with governments and local communities.

Harambee, based in Cape Town, helps to connect young, unemployed members of the local community with career opportunities. Ker & Downey partners with Harambee and has an internship program with candidates from the organization.

WHATS NEXT

Kelsall says that Ker & Downey Africa plans to grow its brand in the U.S. and other global markets. We are also always on the lookout for new opportunities in the luxury travel space and actively seek out innovative brands and ideas to invest in or collaborate with, so watch this space for new developments, he says.

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Good Company: Ker & Downey Africas Focus on Sustainable Tourism - Barron's