Editor’s note: Philip Briggs, a travel and guidebook writer who has visited the region regularly since the 1980s, has brought to our attention that the comment from Shannon below is factually incorrect.

He states "The conservancies mentioned in the comment do not lie within the Maasai Mara National Reserve but, as this map from Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies shows, on Maasai community land outside the unfenced park boundary. These conservancies have all been created over the past 20 years, as a collaboration between the local Maasai people, Kenya Wildlife Service and a long list of respected tour operators and international conservation bodies, to ensure the protection of a wider buffer area outside of the national reserve. 

Collectively, they have effectively doubled the size of the conservation area, not reduced it, and they have contributed to greatly to a reduction in conflict between wildlife and local people. And unlike the national reserve itself, the conservancies are geared towards low-volume, low-impact tourism in areas where people and wildlife co-exist. The suggestion that these conservancies are a “conservation nightmare” is misleading and untrue". 

Tourism Update will do a follow-up article to look at the broader picture and the history behind this.  

Note that the views/opinions expressed by readers in our comments section are not necessarily the views of our publication. However, when facts are stated, as in this case. The onus is on us to verify them before publishing.

News of Kenya’s increased park fees in the Maasai Mara reservehas stimulated a lot of debate amongst Tourism Update readers, with Shannon commenting: “The issue is the park has been highly subdivided into private conservancies that are now just farms for high density cattle and goat with sporadic grazing wildlife sightings. Fences and overgrazing from domestic production animals have not only blocked local migrations but significantly reduced the carrying capacity for any other animal.

“Wildlife are being driven from the farm lands that are encroaching on their habitat. It’s a conservation nightmare that needs urgent attention. No surprise that visitor numbers are increasing in a decreased game-viewing area. No amount of money will improve this unless private conservancy classification is changed to expand the Maasai Mara National Reserve. If funding is directed to reclaiming conservancies then it’s worth it.”

Colin Fryer added: “It is important to hold centre of mind that the financial aspect of a visit to Africa is only one part of the equation. Authenticity, unique experience and a life-enhancing experience by the visitors is held within their mindset when the visit is completed. Quality and authenticity will always call for a higher financial investment and yet, will be the sustainable attraction into the future. We need to focus outside of the financial box to create the brilliance of attraction.”