Category: Great Migration, Lodges & Camps | Date: Jul 12 2008 | By: William

Wildebeest today on the move toward Milima Tatu

I went round most of the lodges and camps who are in or use the Mara Triangle yesterday delivering the posters for the Most Responsible Guide 2008 Award. There were some very nice camps indeed which would have looked lovely with guests in them.

In response to the comments left on the previous post, tourism is not as high as we had hoped for July. The industry is forecasting 50% for the months of July and August, although some of the camps I visited yesterday were completely empty. Forecast for the rest of the year after August, is back down to 20%.

It is true that there are many lodges and camps in the Masai Mara with over 4,000 beds, however the Masai Mara reserve falls under two county councils; Narok and Trans-Mara. The Mara Triangle is in Trans-Mara and is managed independently from the Narok side, and is dependent on the beds (guests) in lodges and camps in the Mara Triangle, or who use the Mara Triangle.

Wildebeest massing today.

So out of 4,000 beds in the Masai Mara, only 186 of these beds are inside the Triangle: 150 beds at Serena and 36 at Little Governors. We also collect revenue from four more lodges outside of the reserve who use the Triangle for their game drive: Olonana (24 beds), Mpata Safari Club (40 beds), Mara Siria (12 beds) and Kilima (20 beds).

This means that the Mara Conservancy collects park gate fees from those who sleep in a grand total of 282 beds. Which is not much compared to the Narok side; 850 beds inside the reserve (at the last count) and about 3,000 outside. This does mean less revenue for us, but it is what keeps the Mara Triangle so unique and beautiful - even when the tourists were here there were many parts of the Triangle which you could have all to yourself.

Before the crisis hit in January we could manage on 282 beds. There are of course those who came into the Triangle and weren’t staying at the lodges, and the average revenue collection (before the crisis) for the Mara Triangle was US $3 million a year, with the Conservancy share being 36% of that, at about US $1.2 million - we are a not-for-profit organisation, and so all of this went into park operations.

With so many empty beds at the moment things aren’t looking so good for the Conservancy, and neither will it anytime soon. Please, if you are able, think about setting up a monthly donation for the Triangle. We would truly appreciate it as it will help us in the long term.

Thank you.

12 responses so far

Category: Lodges & Camps | Date: Jun 30 2008 | By: Kimojino

We would like to commend the management of Kichwa Tembo for taking the initiative to work more closely with the Mara Conservancy. For the last week I have been taken out guides from Kichwa Tembo. So far I have had four groups of guides and trainee guides who have accompanied me on an anti-animal harassment patrol and also a tour of the Triangle.

Guides from Kichwa Tembo

It has been a very good experience, with both the guides and myself thoroughly enjoying the time spent together. They learned and understood why we stop guides from harassing animals and also why it is important to not offroad around the Mara Triangle. Also, they were very happy because I took them all around the park, and showed them parts of the Triangle that they have never before explored, and which they can now in turn show to their guests all of the beautiful places that are here.

Zebras and Buffaloes at the Salt Lick

They also learned that there are so many animals and other tourist attractions in every part of the Mara Triangle.

I appreciated their coming on the patrols, and I believe that there cooperation will benefit both sides enormously in the future.

I also encourage other camps and lodges to partake in this experience.

Joseph Kimojino with guides from Kichwa Tembo

Thank you to Kichwa Tembo!

7 responses so far

Category: Lodges & Camps | Date: Jun 17 2008 | By: Kimojino

William and I have spent most of the day closing off all the tracks that lead from the bottom road to the river between Olpunyata and Serena. It is a tiring job of shifting stones in the midday sun and even more frustrating when you find that drivers have mostly ignored the road blocks by going round the stones and damaging the delicate river area further.

Road Closed!

I can tell from the tracks that it was drivers from another lodge this time who went round the stones, and managed to make a brand new road next to the water in just a couple of days.

13 responses so far

Category: Lodges & Camps | Date: Jun 14 2008 | By: Kimojino

By request, this photo has been removed. (23.6.08)

23 responses so far

Category: Lodges & Camps, Tourists | Date: Jun 13 2008 | By: Kimojino

It is such a beautiful day today in the Mara. These last few days it has been overcast and we have been feeling the cold, but this morning the sun eventually broke free and from then until now the day has been too beautiful.

Masai ostriches in the morning sun.

I went out for a final drive this evening to monitor the few tour drivers that are out and about. I caught a couple of drivers who were too close to the lions, about 5 metres away from where they were lying and so I told them that they need to keep the full 25 metres distance between them and the animals. It was good to see that the resident drivers were all respectful of this distance when they approached the lions.

I was rather annoyed however when later on in Olpunyata I saw this.

Tour Driver ignores closed road. 

Annoyed not only because the road is clearly closed, but because I recognise the tyre tracks and know that this is a resident driver.

The track leads to a very fragile area next to the river, and we must ensure all that we can to protect it from overuse.  I wish that the tourists in the car had spoken up when they saw this as they too must have known this was wrong.

Closed road leading to the fragile river area. 

Today with William Deed we have worked out how we will distribute the digital cameras that you kindly donated. We will post more about this tomorrow.

Please also feel free to receive the latest blog posts from the Mara Triangle to your email inbox by clicking here. It takes just two seconds, and you’ll always stay up to date and feel part of this beautiful land. Karibu!

4 responses so far