By The UNCHARTED® editors · 2 min readThe spirit of independently owned camps and Outposts runs through UNCHARTED's DNA.
It goes back to Chip and Sandy Cunningham's stint managing Richard Bonham's Ol Donyo Wuas in the 1990s, and to their original partnership with Bush Homes of East Africa — a consortium of owner-operated camps and lodges that evolved into today's UNCHARTED Global Safari Brand.
UNCHARTED partners with plenty of first-rate safari companies that run lots of very good camps. But the independents hold something different: the personal touch. "You are treated as a family friend not a stranger, and that's the magic," Chip says.
"You’re treated as a family friend, not a stranger. That’s the magic."
Some of these owner-operated Outposts have stayed in their families for generations, and evolved over time from rustic to state of the art. "It's wonderful watching these family-run properties and ranches grow more polished," Sandy says, "but they've kept the soul. You still sit down with the legendary grandparents and hear the old stories."
These legacy properties in Kenya have also built lasting relationships with their Samburu and Maasai neighbors and stakeholders who elevate the guest experience to the next level.
“There are all these incredible people who have touched our lives over time, and we're richer for it,” Sandy says. “I just had lunch with dear clients who've been going to Africa since the late '70s, and they go back every year for the people.”
With just these kinds of special relationships in mind, Sandy designed the "Spirit of Independents" safari — four camps and lodges spanning Kenya from north to south over two weeks. Chip and Sandy have known each property’s owners for decades, and all four are past recipients of UNCHARTED Global Safari Awards.
"It runs year-round,” Sandy says, “and it works for everyone, not just families with kids who need to stay active, but couples traveling together. These places really do cater to everyone."
THE SAFARI
Kenya's Most Personal Safari: Four Owner-Run Camps
Before there was UNCHARTED®, there was Bush Homes of East Africa — a handful of family-run camps that specialized in personal, hands-on hospitality. Decades later, that same owner-operated spirit shapes this new safari across Kenya, north to south.
