Maasai Mara Reserve is the theatre stage for the annual migration where over one million wildebeest and zebras cross from Serengeti, in Tanzania, to the Mara in search of pasture. The annual migration season is between July and November. Photo/Reuters
A 300-kilometre drive, or a 45-minute flight from Nairobi will take you to one of Kenya’s most popular tourist attractions, the Maasai Mara.
The Mara, as it’s popularly known, is a large eco-system with the main attraction being the game reserve, which was established in 1948 as a wildlife sanctuary.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve, which is run by the Narok County Council, only makes up a third of this system.
Surrounding it is the dispersal area, or animal corridor, where migrating animals have sought refuge, especially during the dry season, for years.
Today this dispersal area is home to several conservancies which are created from the land in the hands of the local communities partnering with investors.
The land is leased to achieve a sustainable form of tourism which provides real benefits for the local communities.
Kahindi Lekalhaile, chief executive of Ecotourism Kenya, says that the land held by the community is three times bigger than the reserve.
As it’s an ecosystem-based area, there are no boundaries for the animals, as is the case in national parks, so they move freely in and out of the reserve.
“The conservancies offer a diversity of tourist products in the region.”
These conservancies create an alternative to the main game reserves offering luxurious tents, wildlife – including the big five – and exclusivity.
The main conservancies in the area are Mara North, Naboisho, Olare Orok and Motorogi, Ol Kinyei, Lemek and Ol choro.
Maasai Mara Reserve is the theatre stage for the annual migration where over one million wildebeest and zebras cross from Serengeti, in Tanzania, to the Mara in search of pasture. The annual migration season is between July and November.
There is also the less famous, but equally impressive Loita Hills migration, where wildebeest within the Mara ecosystem move from the hills into the reserve and surrounding conservancies.
Though most the conservancies do not offer a front seat to the migration, along the Mara River, the properties offer guests packages to visit the main reserve to witness this spectacle. Sometimes at no extra charge.
Other than the actual crossing of the river, most of the animals end up in the conservancies as they graze and roam around.
Kahindi says the conservancies offer more lush grass, as a result of grazing by livestock so there is a renewal of food mainly around the Mgoringori, Loita, Majimoto and Koiyaki planes.
Once they cross, the animals leave the reserve to the dispersal area and only congregate in October to cross back into Serengeti.
The population of the national reserve saw an increased number of developments leading to mass tourism, with photos of over 10 plus vans surrounding one animal being circulated in the international media showing how the Mara was getting crowded by tourists. This led to a Government moratorium banning any more development.
By 2011, there were 160 camps and lodges in the reserve with 7,000 beds compared to only one lodge with 100 beds in the 1960s.
New developments in the ecosystem are in conservancies most of which are exclusive tented camps with less than 30 beds.
It is in Motorogi Conservancy where Virgin Limited Edition, Sir Richard Branson’s collection of retreats, will build a 12-tented camp, named Mahali Mzuri, to be opened in 2013. It will host 24 guests at a time and cost $580 (Sh48,140) per night.
Conservancies are helping change the image of crowding in the game reserve with low-density, low-impact tourism formula that limits the number of beds and vehicles in the area.
“In the conservancies, there is a limit on the bed density to no more than one bed for every 350 acres. And only 4-wheeled vehicles are allowed in and no white vans, only qualified guides... so it gives a much higher quality experience.”
“Your guide is someone who has grown in this planes and has been trained to interact with the guests,” says Melinda Rees, Ol Seki Hemmingway’s camp manager.
The property, which lies in Naibosho conservancy, has hired tour guides and drivers from the local Koyiaki Guiding School.
Mohanjeet says at Porini Camps, which are owned by his organisation, Gamewatchers, 90 per cent of the staff are from the local community so they also enrich the clients’ experience with their knowledge of the local communities.
This offers the local people a livelihood along with the earnings from their leased land. “The local communities are starting to see the benefits of tourism and why it is paramount to preserve the wildlife instead of hunting them down,” says Kahindi.
In order to protect these areas, the money paid to the land owners, as a monthly lease fee is quite high. This cost is passed on to guests.
You will pay more to enjoy the experience of an exclusive tented camp in a conservancy compared to a large lodge with over 50 guests.
However, Kenyans pay about 50 per cent less than international tourists, and this cost can be lower during the “low season” from April to end of June.
“The number of local tourists who are getting to appreciate this close to nature experience is growing and will continue to increase as the country’s middle class grows,” he adds.
