Ol Kinyei conservancy gives tourists a taste of the wild

Tourists watch a herd of wildebeest run through a field during the annual wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Every year it grabs global attention for the wildebeest migration, a spectacle that draws in hundreds of local and international tourists to the reserve. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By  George Sayagie

What you need to know:

  • Ol Kinyei Conservancy is home to more than 20 prides of lions as well as leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, wild dogs among others.
  • Porini Camp is preferred by animal lovers, bird watchers and fun seekers and has been used as a spot to shoot films for the "Big Cat Diary" by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The Maasai Mara needs no introduction in the world of tourism.

Every year it grabs global attention for the wildebeest migration, a spectacle that draws in hundreds of local and international tourists to the reserve.

But Maasai Mara is not just a seasonal tourist destination. Throughout the year, it plays host to thousands of visitors, who arrive to savour its menu of wildlife – arguably one of the richest in the world.

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This famous wildlife paradise is made up of 16 conservancies, across which the wildlife move without any restriction.

AN INTIMATE MOMENT
One of them is Ol Kinyei Conservancy, which measures some 18,700 square kilometres is part of the 6,000 square kilometre Serengeti Mara ecosystem that support more than 95 game species and over 550 birds species, making the region one of the most appealing safari destinations in Africa.

More specifically, Ol Kinyei Conservancy is home to more than 20 prides of lions as well as leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, wild dogs among others.

Both local and international tourists who have been here brag of a more exclusive wildlife viewing experience.

There are tented camps spread across the conservancy that ensure eager tourists have the closest encounter possible with wildlife.

One of them is Porini Camp, located within Ol Kinyei Conservancy in Narok County. The camp is situated off the Narok-Maasai Mara road, some 70 kilometres from Narok Town.

INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM
Porini Camp is preferred by animal lovers, bird watchers, fun seekers and has been used as a spot to shoot films for "Big Cat Diary" by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Ol Kinyei Conservancy owes its existence to the Loitole stream that have never dried up, and Loitole springs that originate from Oloiboo Hills inside the conservancy.

More than 1000 community members who own the land derive direct financial benefits from the tourism fees.

Local youth — Maasai morans — are employed as game scouts, guards, chefs, tour guides and drivers in the camp. At Ol Kinyei, tourists get an opportunity to support Maasai Community’s wildlife conservation efforts.

The community also benefits from the establishments’ support for education

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