Protecting wildlife
We favor sightings that respect distance, park rules and the animals' own rhythms, never staged encounters.
Sustainability & Responsible Travel
Travel well. Leave a lighter footprint.
At Maarjv Safaris, we believe unforgettable journeys should also respect wildlife, support communities, and help protect the places we explore.
Our approach
Our approach to better travel
We design journeys that aim to balance adventure, comfort, local value, and respect for nature. From the guides we work with to the lodges we recommend, we try to make thoughtful choices that benefit both travelers and destinations.
- Adventure, comfort and local value in balance
- Respect for nature at every stage of the trip
- Honest choices that benefit travelers and destinations
Four pillars
What responsible travel means at Maarjv
Supporting local communities
We value local knowledge and experiences where the people who live here take part fairly and on their own terms.
Choosing better partners
Guides, lodges and operators are chosen for guest care, professionalism and the way they run their business.
Traveling thoughtfully
Slower routes, less unnecessary movement, less waste, and informed choices can make for a better trip.
How we put this into practice
Conservation
Protecting the places we visit
Uganda and Rwanda are home to extraordinary wildlife, landscapes, and ecosystems. We encourage travel that respects park rules, avoids harmful wildlife interactions, and values conservation efforts that help keep these places thriving.
People
Supporting local communities
Travel has the power to create opportunity when local communities are meaningfully included. We value local knowledge, community-led experiences, fair participation in tourism, and respectful engagement with the people who make each journey richer.
Partners
Choosing the right travel partners
We work to recommend accommodation, transport, and experience partners that align with our standards for guest care, professionalism, and responsible operations. Comfort matters, but so does the way travel is delivered.
Thoughtful technology
Making travel simpler, not more complicated
We use technology where it genuinely makes travel easier. Tools such as Curate Your Tour help travelers share their preferences clearly, save progress, and plan at their own pace. Behind the scenes, better information helps our team organise routes, accommodation and experiences more efficiently.
Technology supports our travel specialists. It does not replace local knowledge, experienced guides, or the human judgement that makes a great safari work.
Plan at your pace
Save your trip ideas and return when it suits you.
Less back and forth
Share the important details once, clearly and in one place.
Better informed planning
Clear preferences help us make smarter route, stay and experience choices.
Human expertise stays central
Technology helps organise the journey. People still design and deliver it.
Small actions, shared
How travelers can help
- Respect wildlife distance and park rules
- Reduce single-use plastics where possible
- Dress and behave respectfully in communities
- Follow guide instructions during activities
- Support local products and services
- Travel with awareness and patience
Principles
Our commitments
Responsible travel is a journey, not a finished label. Here are a few principles we aim to follow as we grow.
We would rather be honest about where we are than claim a standard we have not earned.
- Work with trusted local guides and suppliers
- Promote respectful wildlife experiences
- Encourage lower-waste travel practices
- Support experiences with local value
- Keep improving how we choose partners and design trips
What guides us
The mindset behind every journey
Wildlife-first mindset
The animals and their habitats set the terms. Our itineraries follow.
Community-aware planning
We plan with the people who live along the route in mind.
Thoughtful partner selection
We choose who we work with carefully, and review those choices over time.
Traveler-centered design
Every trip is shaped around your pace, interests and values.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
For us it means making considered choices: respecting wildlife and park rules, including local people fairly, working with partners we trust, and encouraging travelers to move through each destination with awareness. We treat it as ongoing practice rather than a badge, and we keep refining how we do it.
No. We recommend a range of accommodation to suit different budgets and travel styles. Whatever the category, we look at how a property cares for guests and staff, how it operates, and how it relates to its surroundings and neighbors. Where a stay has strong responsible practices, we are glad to point them out, and we are happy to steer you toward them if that matters to you.
Wildlife comes first. We follow park regulations and the guidance of rangers and guides, and we do not support feeding, touching or pressuring animals for a better photograph. Regulated experiences such as primate trekking operate within the permit, group-size and time rules set by the park authorities, and we ask travelers to respect them.
Yes, and we welcome it. Tell us when you plan your tour and we can look at options such as fewer transfers and longer stays in each place, smaller groups, reusable water bottles, and locally owned stays and services. We will be open with you about trade-offs so you can decide what works best.
We can, when they suit your interests. We look for experiences that are led by or genuinely benefit the people involved, such as local guiding, craft, food or cultural visits, and we ask travelers to take part with respect and curiosity rather than as spectators.
We think so. Comfort and responsibility are not opposites. What matters is how a stay or service is delivered: how staff are treated, how the property treats its environment, and how local people share in the benefit. We look for those qualities across every level of comfort.
Plan a journey that feels good in every sense
If you want a safari shaped around your interests, pace, and values, our team is ready to help.