5 Best Conservancies Close to Masai Mara National Reserve
Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most iconic safari destinations globally. Located in Kenya’s southwest, the reserve is a 1,500-square-kilometer that hosts various animals you probably never knew existed.
Unlike most national parks, the Maasai Mara is unfenced and is bordered on the west by the Ololoolo Escarpment and runs south to the Tanzanian border, where it joins with the Serengeti National Park. However, the north and east borders of the national reserve are bordered by private wildlife conservancies.
Aside from the main reserve, the Masai Mara National Reserve has smaller conservation zones that have been established to safeguard and provide additional habitat for wildlife. Conservancies are particular areas set aside for the protection and conservation of wildlife.
The Masai Mara conservancies are areas of land set aside by the local Masai communities in efforts to provide additional room for wildlife to dwell while remaining protected from poachers, human-wildlife conflicts, and other hazards.
Before conservancies were set up, the land was primarily utilized for cattle grazing, agriculture, and settlements by the indigenous Maasai. Thus they put established migration routes, water, and food resources for wildlife in jeopardy. As a result, Maasai landowners, together with lodges and other travel partners, worked to develop conservation zones that allowed these regions to revert to their natural, pristine form, allowing animals to return.
The conservancies expand the Mara ecosystem by 350,000 acres, and animals are free to roam wherever within the ecosystem. There are about fourteen conservancies in Masai Mara, but the top 5 conservancies are Mara North, Mara Naboisho, Ol Kinyei, Olderkesi Wildlife Conservancy, and Olare Motorogi.
The Big Five Masai Mara Conservancies
Mara North Conservancy
Mara North is the largest of The Mara conservancies at roughly 70,000 acres. This Conservancy is exclusive and private, allowing only a few visitors into the area at any given time. All member camps are devoted to having a low impact on the surrounding environment, thus the low number of visitors.
Mara North conservancy has a diverse habitat, ranging from secret areas of woodland to large open plains, attracting many animals from all over the Mara ecosystem. The Conservancy has something for everyone, from the big cat maternity ward at Leopard Gorge to the lesser-known wildebeest migration at Loita Hills.
Additionally, there are 15 camps in Mara North that fall under the luxury and mid-range category.
Mara Naboisho Conservancy
Located on the Maasai Mara’s northeastern boundary, the 50,000-acre Mara Naboisho Conservancy is the second-largest Conservancy in the Maasai Mara. Naboisho, which means ‘coming together in Maasai, represents the 500 Maasai who donated their land to the Conservancy.
With less than one bed per 350 acres and just four cars allowed for each wildlife sighting, Mara Naboisho provides a very unique and intimate safari experience. At Mara Naboisho, you may go back to basics and sleep under the stars on walking safaris led by Maasai leaders who grew up on the land, or you can go back to basics and sleep under the stars on a fly camping adventure.
In Mara Naboisho, there are eight camps, all of which are in the higher mid-range to luxury budget bracket. These camps are all dedicated to minimizing any harmful influence on the land and wildlife while benefiting the Maasai community.
Olare Motorogi Conservancy
Olare Motorogi Conservancy is located northwest of the Maasai Mara national reserve. Spanning 33,00 acres, this Conservancy is characterized by Prime grasslands, riverine woods, and acacia woodlands that attract a variety of wildlife.
Olare Motorogi is known for having the densest lion population in East Africa, making it an excellent alternative for lion enthusiasts. It also has a low tourist density, thus offering intimate safari experiences.
It is also one of the most exclusive and finest conservancies, with only 95 rooms spread over eight luxury lodges. The Conservancy allows one bed per 650 acres and one game-viewing vehicle every 2,100 acres. Olare Motorogi Conservancy is a safari dream come true as it aims at maximizing the guest wilderness experience while minimizing the environmental impact of tourism.
Ol Kinyei Conservancy
Ol Kinyei is one of the first private Mara Conservancies, established in 2005. Even though it is the smallest among the big five conservancies, Ol Kinyei attracts a variety of animals, including The Great Migration, to its verdant pastures. The Conservancy is marked by undulating hills, riverine forests, open savannah grasslands, and an abundance of water in the form of rivers, streams, and springs, attracting plenty of animals and birds.
Ol Kinyei has two camps, both small but offering amazing views and excellent places for exploring the Mara. On your safari at Ol Kinyei, You’re not confined to the dining room. Breakfast can be served with a view of the plains or a picnic enjoyed under the shade of an acacia.
Olderkesi Wildlife Conservancy
If you’re looking for privacy, exclusivity, and a high concentration of animals on your Masai Mara safari vacation, the Olderkesi Wildlife Conservancy is the place to be. Located southwest of the Mara region, Olderkesi Wildlife Conservancy is an 80 square kilometer area with elephants, big cats, and giraffes roaming.
The Conservancy is considered the most remote of all the conservancies, as it has only one camp with twenty rooms. However, thanks to conservation measures and wildlife protection, the area’s elephants, big cats, and giraffes are free to roam the Conservancy in peace and therefore do so in abundance.
The Masai Mara conservancies exemplify what good can come out of teamwork. In the efforts to practice sustainable tourism and conservation, these areas have provided a safe haven for the wildlife and a chance for people to interact and appreciate nature.
