Big Cats of the Masai Mara

Ol Kinyei Conservancy

Located in the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem, this 18,700 acre Kenyan wildlife conservancy is on a tranche of land belonging to a Maasai community and is set aside for the purposes of wildlife conservation.

Ol Kinyei Conservancy is famous for its big cats, especially the highly visible resident pride of lion.

Exclusivity of sightings is possible since the whole conservancy is home to only two small, safari camps, both of which accommodate a maximum of only 12 guests – making this not only an exclusive experience but one that respects the principles of eco-tourism.

Along with two very small mobile camps (high season only) no other tourist vehicles are allowed into the Conservancy so you have the thousands of acres in the conservancy to enjoy in peace and quiet.

In addition you can also have game drives in the neighbouring Naboisho Conservancy which supports the Maasai community.

Located within the Serengeti-Mara eco-system, Ol Kinyei is renowned for its unspoilt and breathtaking scenery with diverse terrain offering on one hand open savannah plains and rolling hills on the other.

The land, with its abundance of water sources in the form of springs, streams and rivers, coupled with spectacular views across the Mara plains, is home to a wide variety of animal species. There is a resident lion pride and other individual lions are also present while several leopards have their territories within the conservancy and are often sighted by guests from Porini Mara Camp on evening or early morning drives. Cheetahs are frequently seen and it is not rare to come across large numbers of giraffe as well as Cape buffalo and elephants.

This Kenyan wildlife conservancy is a great location from which to observe the Serengeti Wildebeest Migration (generally in the Mara from June to October), and there is another Wildebeest Migration which comes in from Kenya’s Loita Plains, moving into Ol Kinyei Conservancy earlier, usually by January. The annual wildebeest calving takes place in Ol Kinyei Conservancy during February and March when the plains of the conservancy are teeming with wildebeest before they move on through Naboisho Conservancy and into Olare Motorogi and the Mara Reserve.

The local Maasai make first class guides and are on hand to share their experience on what to see and do.

Olare Motorogi Conservancy

Big cat lovers will also love Olare Motorogi Conservancy which directly borders the Maasai Mara National Reserve as it ensures a true wilderness experience with one of the lowest tourist densities in the Mara region.

The only safari vehicles on the land are the few 4x4s related to the handful of small camps within this vast area and there is a rich and diverse wildlife population with good numbers of predators and herbivores.

The area is teeming with wildlife during the Great Wildebeest Migration (generally June to October) and there are several prides of lions and many elephants. Endangered species such as rhino and wild dog are also evident.

There is another Wildebeest Migration from Kenya’s Loita Plains to the Mara which moves into Ol Kinyei Conservancy usually by January. The calving takes place there during February and March then they move through Olare Motorogi and into the Mara Reserve.

Olare Motorogi has pioneered the concept of community conservancies in the Maasai Mara, and has been built upon a partnership with the Maasai community where the Maasai landowners set aside the area to return to its natural state, creating a strategic buffer zone between land for human use and additional protected areas for wildlife.

In return the Maasai receive reliable monthly payments for the lease of the land and gain employment in relation to tourism. Thus, the conservancy enables local communities to live in harmony with the wildlife whilst also benefitting from a source of income from conservation.

The resident lions of Olare Motorogi Conservancy, consist of 2 main resident prides identified by Living With Lions researcher Sara Blackburn of the Mara Predator Project.