Sustainable Tourism
Earth Camp is a hidden gem overlooking Lake Elementaita and the famous sleeping warrior and Ugali hills. It has been in existence since 2019.
It is a destination less known to many but treasured by the few that have been there. It is a spot that attracts mainly cyclists, individuals, and families that wish to be in a quiet environment.
Earth Camp’s uniqueness is that it utilizes locally available materials and homegrown ideas to develop its structures.
It is a definition of developing sustainably without compromising the needs of the current generation and future generations’ ability to benefit from the same resources.
Earth Camp uses mud to construct its buildings. The majority of the locals have mud houses; however, the difference is that Earth Camp attracts local and international tourists.
Banda and camping ground- Earth Camp
To ensure strength and stability of the structures, rocks and sand-filled sacks are used. Concrete is used in specific sections. All structures apart from one have grass-thatched roofs.
The camp makes maximum use of natural light. Translucent iron sheets have been installed to allow transmission and diffusion of light. Besides, solar energy is used for lighting and charging mobile phones. Nonetheless, visitors are expected to carry their torches and headlamps.
In most of the structures, mainly the camping site, a compost toilet has been installed where sawdust is used to suppress any bad odour and speed up decomposition. The plan is to use the decomposed waste as organic manure.
Compost Toilet at earth Camp- Photo by Caroline Kibii
Water scarcity in the area justifies the reason for opting for a composting toilet over the normal flushable ones.
The mother of all is the natural sauna- Japanese style. Earth Camp makes use of the naturally occurring steam. The resident guests get unlimited access to the sauna.
The concept of Earth Camp is fundamental now that the globe is shifting towards sustainable development. The facility not only uses locally available materials but also transforms waste into valuable resources.
Single-use plastics are discouraged in the facility. Thus plastic pollution is not welcome.
The water used within the camp is rainwater that is harvested during the rainy seasons. There are no boreholes and no rivers or streams close by.
The camp, therefore, is an eye-opener to the remote village. Giving a chance to the locals to work and experience the unique aspects applied within the facility allows them to understand the need of exploiting the few available resources for social, economic, and environmental prosperity.
