Masai Mara Conservancy Safari Packages & Tours

The Masai Mara Conservancies have been a conservation game changer. Championing community ownership and the benefits of conservation and safari tourism around Kenya's premier national park, the Masai Mara, the Mara Conservancies are increasingly on the safari radar. Open savannah landscapes, abundant game, significant community benefits, excellent cultural exchanges, and an intimate safari experience all combine to make the Masai Mara Conservancies a world-class African safari destination.

Varied and diverse habitats from savannah to acacia woodland, riverine bush, and rocky rolling hills form a patchwork over an area almost the same size as the Masai Mara National Park itself. Privately run on land leased from the local Maasai communities, the 15 Masai Mara conservancies have their own set of rules. At its most basic, the Masai Mara Conservancies run on a low-impact tourism model that limits the number of guests allowed at any one time. In addition to lower numbers, the privately run conservancies also allow for activities not allowed in the government-run Masai Mara National Reserve.

Activities within the Masai Mara Conservancies include guided bush walks in the African wild, nighttime safari drives, horseback riding, and Maasai cultural visits. The fact that local communities directly benefit and are part of the conservation efforts adds to the sense of authenticity that is expected from the Masai Mara Conservancies. Often staff at the private bush camps become your guides at the Maasai village, not a tourist attraction, but their home. Tourist partners also have a vested interest in developing infrastructure like roads, schools, and clinics.

Because tourist numbers are strictly controlled, safari traffic in the Masai Mara Conservancies is considerably less than in the Masai Mara National Park. Game viewing is excellent and the in-depth knowledge of local guides is unparalleled. The Mara Conservancies tend to be on the expensive side of the spectrum but the exclusivity is well worth the price tag. That said, the Masai Mara Conservancy Areas are not all cut from the same safari-cloth, and there are some excellent budget safari options.