Narok County

Attractions in Narok County

20. Mara Triangle

The 510 km2 Mara Triangle, that section of Masai Mara Ecosystem between the Siria Escarpment in the west and Mara River in the east – that also separates it from the Masai Mara National Reserve, is managed as a not-for-profit complex by the Mara Conservancy on behalf of the Trans-Mara County Council. In 1994 management of the Maasai Mara National Reserve was divided into the eastern side, managed by the Narok County Council, and the northwestern sector of the Mara Triangle then managed by the Trans Mara County Council. It represents about a third of the greater Mara Reserve. In the year 2000 the Mara Triangle was reestablished as the Mara Conservancy. “Mara Serena and Little Governors’ Camp are the only two lodges set up within the Mara Triangle. Kichwa Tembo, Mpata Club, Olonana, Mara Siria and Kilima Camp are set on the periphery but use the Triangle” – Magical Kenya. The Mara Triangle is serviced by two all-weather airstrips at Mara Serena and Kichwa Tembo. The main road access into the less-travelled Mara Triangle is through Narok Town and the Sekenani Gate.

View inside Mara Triangle. Image Courtesy of Masai Mara National Reserve

21. Mara North Conservancy

The 320 kms Mara North Conservancy, formerly known as the Koiyaki Lemek Conservation Area, occupies the north-western section of the Mara Ecosystem and borders the Maasai Mara National Reserve in the south. Much the same as the Mara Triangle, this was founded as a not-for-profit organization in January of 2009 to bring together 13 tourism partner members (7 camps, 3 lodges and 3 riding outfits) and over 800 Maasai landowners. Both these areas are marked by sweeps of the ethereal beauty of the savanna split into ridges by bushland, hosting a high density of game. Unique to Mara North Conservancy is its strong resolution in low bed density tourism, restricting it to a princely minimum ratio of 142-hectares per bed both to guarantee an exclusive safari experience and to minimize the impact on the environment. The member camps are Alex Walker’s Serian Camp, Elephant Pepper Camp, Neptune Mara, Rianta Luxury Camp, Karen Blixen Camp, Kicheche Mara Camp, Mara Bush Houses | Asilia Africa Mara Plains Camp, Offbeat Mara Camp, Offbeat Riding Safaris, Richard’s River Camp, Royal Mara Safari Lodge, Safaris Unlimited, and the Saruni Mara Lodge.

Elephant Pepper Camp, Mara North. Image Courtesy of Art of Safari

22. Oloisukut Conservancy

Situated between Mara North and Lemek Conservancies in the western quarter of the Mara Ecosystem, the 202 km2 Oloisukut Conservancy established in 2011 brings together 109 Maasai landowners and community members. It has three member lodges – Elojata Camp, Balloon Camp and Mara Timbo. It is notable as the only community conservancy in the Transmara Conservation Area and has diverse wildlife habitats like forests, grasslands, woodlands, and riparian haunt.

23. Lemek Conservancy

Originally part of the Koiyaki Lemek Conservation Area, this was reestablished in January 2009 as the Lemek Conservancy under a board of elected members responsible for ensuring efficient and transparent revenue collection and equal distribution to its members. The 73 km2 Conservancy, a short distance north of Masai Mara National Reserve and Mara North, is jointly owned by 450 Maasai landowners. “Lemek Conservancy is one of the high wildlife density areas in the Great Plains offering pleasant scenery and the best wildlife viewing areas of the Maasai Mara Ecosystem”. It has five member camps – Saruni Wild Camp, Mara River Lodge, Naserian Mara Camp, Losokwan Camp, and Mara Concord Lodge.

Map of the Masai Mara Ecosystem. Photo Courtesy of The Maa Trust — Map of the Masai Mara Ecosystem. Map Courtesy of The Maa Trust

24. Olare Motorogi Conservancy

Originally known as the Olare Orok Conservancy, the 129 km2 Olare Motorogi Conservancy, bringing together 277 Maasai landowners, has hitherto become a model for the Mara Conservancies and a blue-print for the sustainability of the Maasai Mara Ecosystem since its establishment in 2009. “After many meetings with the local Maasai it was agreed that a new community conservation vision should be tried to address sustainability of their land and to add value in both income and conserving vegetation, so that a combination of wildlife tourism and sustainable rotational grazing could create a win-win situation for both the Maasai landowners and the wildlife of the Maasai Mara Ecosystem”, The Great Plains Conservation. Further, tourism within Olare Motorogi Conservancy was limited to a maximum of 6 member camps – Kicheche Bush Camp, Mara Plains Camp, Mahali Mzuri, Porini Lion Camp, Nomadic Encounters Topi House and Olare Mara Kempinski, all with a total of 94 beds, to aggrandize the wilderness experience and reduce the environmental impact. Unique to this Conservancy is that game safaris are limited to a maximum of 4 vehicles at any given moment.

Safari Tent at Olare Mara Kempinski. Image Courtesy of Bookings

25. Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy

Situated between Lemek and Enonkishu Conservancies in the northerly extents of the Masai Mara Ecosystem, the 64 km2 Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy which was established in 1992 has 4 member camps – the Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Richard’s Forest Camp, Ngerende Island Lodge and Enkerende Tented Camp. It brings together 86 Maasai landowners and community members, creating 150 jobs in hotel and conservancy management and 17 ranger and scout jobs. Seiya Ltd is contracted by Fairmont Mara Safari Club to manage the conservancy and ensure the area’s holistic land management and community development. The revenue collected here is distributed to the 86 Maasai landowners on a per acre basis. Unique to this Conservancy is that it is flanked by the Mara River on its entire western boundary. Ol Choro Conservancy is served by Ngerende Airstrip.