Mara plains camp is set within the olare motorogi conservancy, a private reserve on the edge of masai mara that covers 35,000 wild acres. Accommodation, return airstrip transfers, all meals, laundry, and twice daily game drives experiences. Detailed map of masai mara national reserve showing the location of all major lodges, tented camps, attractions, campsites, rivers and roads. Following the status change, a few major grazing areas were removed from the reserve and attached to existing group ranches. The maasai mara national reserve also known as masai mara and by the locals as the mara is a large game reserve in narok county, kenya, contiguous with the serengeti national park in mara region, tanzania. For the past decades, it has seen continuous growth in highvolume, lowrevenue tourism. This is the world cup of wildlife, and together with the serengeti national park there is no. Maasai mara includes accommodation as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more. Mmnr, on the kenyan side of the serengetimara ecosystem. Maasai mara national reserve was responsible for introducing the world to the concept of safaris. Anthony is a renowned africa expert and author of the lonely planet guide to kenya. Maasai mara, also known as masai mara, and locally simply as the mara, is a large game reserve in narok county, kenya, contiguous with the serengeti national park in tanzania. Masai mara national reserve located in south west kenya is a vast scenic expanse of gently rolling african savannah plains measuring 1510 square kilometers in area and bordering the serengeti national park in tanzania to the south.
The maasai mara national reserve mmnr is a world renowned wildlife reserve and conservation area that has global significance because of its concentration of flora and fauna. Our mothercamp, basecamp masai mara is situated bordering the masai mara national reserve, making this the ultimate place for welcoming the great migration as they arrive from the serengeti. Its southern boundary marks the kenyatanzania border and the beginning of the serengeti. Home to nearly 100 species of mammals and 570 bird species, the mara offers a chance to see the classic big fiveelephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopardwhile. The masai mara national reserve impresses on every level. It is government land, effectively a national park, bounded by the oloololo or siria escarpment on the west, and the tanzanian border and the serengeti to the south. The mara is not a national park, and the land still belongs to the maasai, with much of the reserve being under the control of the narok county council, an organization that is the bete noire of conservationists. That is the only way i can describe my week at the oltepesi tented safari camp in the maasai mara national reserve, kenya, with professional wildlife photographer arnfinn johansen, his partner john siololo and the team at the oltepesi camp. Conflict and conservation in masai mara, kenya was a three year research and training programme based in and around the masai mara national reserve, kenya. The masai mara masai mara national reserve versus masai. Named in honour of the maasai people who call this corner of africa home, the mara is world renowned for its exceptional populations of lion, leopard, cheetah, herdsathousandstrong of buffalo, the rare black rhino and a thriving elephant population. Masai mara national reserve kenya at the brink of precipice.
This process has increased in most of the kenyan national parks and the wildlife reserve. The mara triangle west of the mara river, beneath the oloololo escarpment and bordered by tanzania to the south lies the jewel of this great reserve. The masai mara is a relatively small reserve, covering an area of approximately 580 square miles in southwest kenya. The positive and negative impacts of ecotourism on african. It is bounded by the serengeti park to the south, the siria escarpment to the west, and maasai pastoral ranches to the north, east and west. It hosts over 95 species of mammals and over 570 recorded species of birds. The maasai mara national reserve mmnr is located in southern kenya, adjacent to the serengeti national park across the national border in tanzania see. Book the best masai mara national reserve hotels on tripadvisor. The masai mara national reserve is a unique resource for the maasai.
Add the conservancies and the area is at least twice the size. Due to kenyas proximity to the equator, temperatures are relatively consistent throughout the year, with average highs of around 86 degrees f and lows of around 68 degrees f. Our maasai mara tours known simply as the mara to locals, maasai mara national reserve is a large reserve located in southwestern kenya. Not only is it engulfed in complete peace and tranquillity, breathtaking views and impressive wildlife. Great migration seasonal, game drives, walking safaris, hot air ballooning, maasai cultural visits. Best camping in maasai mara national reserve on tripadvisor. Mara serena safari lodge is located at the very center of the famous mara triangle of the worldrenowned maasai mara national reserve. Maasai mara national reserve masai mara national reserve. Maasai mara national reserve management plan, 2010 2020 plan presentation ktf open day april 2010. This reserve is found in narok county in kenya adjacent to the endless plains of serengeti national park that form the great mara. With the safari tour maasai mara, you have a 4 day tour package taking you through nairobi, kenya and maasai mara national reserve.
Building a sustainable management system for maasai mara. Ensure conservation of the reserves globally significant biodiversity maintain the role of the mmnr as the flagship of kenyas tourism industry improve revenues generated by the mmnr, to support cc. The masai mara national reserve has two distinct rainy seasons. Walking safari kenya custom maasai mara african safari. Founded in 1961, the famous masai mara national reserve covers 373,000 acres 1510 km2 of the south west of kenya. Maasai mara national reserve stretches 1,510 sq km 580 sq miles and raises 1,5002,170 meters above sea level. Axelrod, maasai mara national reserve case study 3 central government, all national reserves are held in trust, and managed, by county councils see exhibit 4. A case study from masai mara national reserve, narok, kenya. We get around that by showing you the hidden mara on an adjacent private reserve, where youll experience all of the wildlife without all the people. Maasai mara beyond imagination africa geographic magazine. Maasai mara national reserve kenya tourism federation. In approximately july of each year, the great migration arrives in the maasai mara national reserve for its annual fourmonth stay. Just north of kenyas famous masai mara national reserve, mara plains camp recalls the elegant safari tents of centuries past, set on a private conservancy where the wildlife is plenty and the crowds are nowhere to be found.
The mara offers unrivalled views of the worlds greatest migration a wildlife spectacle of over. The masai mara reserve is one of the most used reserves in kenya for off road driving. The maasai mara national reserve mmnr covers some 1,510 km 2 583 sq mi in southwestern kenya. And in case you are wondering why masai mara is so famous, this unique destination is home to a spectacular. Pdf maasai mara land privatization and wildlife decline. Maasai mara national reserve travel guide at wikivoyage. However, in households around the maasai mara national reserve, kenyas highestearning wildlife area, wildlifebased income contributed around 20 percent of.
Sustainable tourism development in the masai mara national. Ethnicity, cultural heritage and traditions are affected as well. Brockway hotel and tourism management institute, switzerland abstract the masai mara game reserve is kenyas finest wildlife reserve, one of the worlds top tourist attractions and vital to kenyas economy. Too many tourist disturbances can lead to the decline of wildlife populations and in the long run, the area could lose the wildlife and subsequently policy paths toward enhancing sustainable management of the masai mara national reserve. It was a collaborative programme between the university of kent, uk and six kenyan partner institutions.
Conservation efforts in the mara the creation of the maasai mara national reserve ten year management plan 20092019, organized by the mara conservancy, transmara and narok county councils. The masai mara game reserve is kenyas finest wildlife reserve, one of the worlds top tourist attractions and vital to kenyas economy. It is one of the best known and most popular reserves in. It is the northernmost section of the maraserengeti ecosystem, which covers some 25,000 km 2 9,700 sq mi in tanzania and kenya. Trans mara together with the mara conservancy, which is responsible for managing the mara triangle section of the reserve, resolved in may 2007 to jointly finance the development of a new 10year management plan for the masai mara national reserve mmnr, the first management plan for the reserve to be developed for a quarter of a century. Masai mara national reserve in kenya is a vast and scenic expanse of gently rolling african savannah plains located in the south west of kenya, bordering the serengeti national park in tanzania and measuring 1510 sq kilometers in area. These conservancies are owned by tribal communities and managed by ecotourism operators, and share unfenced borders. Their description of the area when looked at from afar. The masai mara national park is one of the worlds greatest safari destinations, sharing unfenced borders with the serengeti national park in tanzania, and encompassing endless rolling plains, breathtaking scenery, and an abundance of wildlife. The maasai people, once nomadic pastoralists, are losing their farming lands and are forced to move in more permanent settlements. Masai mara map detailed map of masai mara national reserve. By browsing through this site you agree to our use of cookies. A capacity building facility that trains young maasai. Maasai mara national reserve, maasai mara national reserve.
It is named in honor of the maasai people, the ancestral inhabitants of the area. A case in point is the masai mara national reserve in kenya, world famous for its huge density and diversity of wildlife and an annual migration of more than a million wildebeest. Masai mara is one of the most famous national reserves not only in kenya but in africa at large. The maasai mara national reserve mmnr is a worldrenowned wildlife. Maasai mara, also known as masai mara, and locally simply as the mara, is a large national game reserve in narok and trans mara counties, kenya, contiguous with the serengeti national park in tanzania. Too many tourist disturbances can lead to the decline of wildlife populations and in the long run, the area could lose the wildlife and subsequently policy paths toward enhancing sustainable management of. T he case of maasai mara national reserve in kenya 9 the trend indicates that incomes and jobs, less poverty, and educational levels of communities. Benefits of protected areas to adjacent communities. Maasai mara national reserve is located in the south west of kenya and west of the capital nairobi. Maasai mara national reserve from your base at encounter mara camp, enjoy a fullday game drive in a remote sector of the national reserve where wildlife viewing is superb. In the 1980s, there were less than 300 beds in lodges in the mara. The africa geographic team arranged this fantastic safari. Aug 02, 2017 founded in 1961, the famous masai mara national reserve covers 373,000 acres 1510 km2 of the south west of kenya. Narok county government administer this delicate national resource.
Discover the maasai mara from angama mara safari lodge, kenya. Visitors pay an entry fee, and the council has long sought to maximize their numbers, and hence revenue, with reckless disregard for. About the masai mara national reserve national geographic. For a different, but equally fantastic experience, our naboisho camps eagle view and wilderness bush camp offer exclusive viewing of the. Mara means spotted in the local maasai language, due. Guests have easy access not only to masai mara, but to 100,000 acres of protected land where the wildlife is plenty and other safari vehicles are few and far between. The analysis reveals that there is a significant negative impact of off road driving, attributed to uncontrolled tourist vans and safari in the masai mara national reserve. The maasai mara national reserve located in the maasai mara ecosystem is globally unique and famous for the great wildebeest migration, one of the few great migratory systems remaining and the only one involving such a rich diversity of large wild animals. The grassy plains and regular rainfall supports a huge population of herbivores, in turn. The maasai mara is not a national park, but rather a national reserve belonging to the maasai people and administered by the local county councils. Maasai mara national reserve is in the southwest of kenya.
It is one of the best known and most popular reserves in africa. Maasai mara national reserve is located in the south western part of kenya, its 180 kilometers away from the kenyan capital city nairobi. The research is mainly based on secondary data provided by experts from kenya and field research from 1998, 2000 and 2003. Mara bush camp special offers pay for 3 stay for 4. The masai mara is one of africas most famous parks. It was established in 1961 and covers 583 square miles or 1,510 square kilometers of protected land. Commissioned in may 2007 by the county councils of narok and. Mar 02, 2010 trans mara together with the mara conservancy, which is responsible for managing the mara triangle section of the reserve, resolved in may 2007 to jointly finance the development of a new 10year management plan for the masai mara national reserve mmnr, the first management plan for the reserve to be developed for a quarter of a century. Sustainable tourism development in the masai mara national reserve, kenya, east africa j. It is named in honor of the maasai people the ancestral inhabitants of the area and their description of. Pdf benefits of protected areas to adjacent communities. We also want to acknowledge that a kenyan government research permit was obtained from the. Masai mara tourism reveals partnership benefits nature.