The Ultimate Safari: Comparing Stays at Masai Mara and Naboisho Conservancy
Masai Mara Reserve
The Masai Mara Reserve is one of Africa’s most famous and rich wildlife regions. It is located in southwestern Kenya, bordering Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. The Masai Mara Reserve is a public park; anyone can enter and tour it. Many tour operators offer safari tours; this is where my research on Kenyan safaris started.
The Masai Mara is home to a kaleidoscope of wild and rocky landscapes, warm and hospitable Masai people, and an amazing diversity of large and tiny animals. It is world-famous for hosting the dramatic Great Migration, which brings 1.5 million wildebeests to its expansive savannahs every July through October. Mara also supports about 95 animal species and almost 550 bird species. The Mara is home to the African Big Five—lions, elephants, rhinoceroses, Cape buffalo, and leopards.
Masai Mara National Reserve is one of Africa’s few national reserves that is lucky enough to host all of “The Big Five”, but seeing rhinos and leopards can be as challenging as striking gold! The Masai Mara National Reserve is the “Home of the Big Cats” (lions, leopards, and cheetahs). It is famous for having the largest numbers of big cats in East Africa and worldwide, delivering exceptional big cat sightings and unrivaled cat encounters.
Park Entrance Fee:
Visitors pay park entrance fees to support conservation efforts and sustain the park’s ecosystem. As of January 1, 2024, the Masai Mara National Reserve has two different entry fee structures based on the travel season:
- January 1–June 30: Non-resident adults pay $100 per day, children ages 9–17 pay $50 per day, and students and citizens of Masai Mara pay different rates.
- July 1–December 31: Non-resident adults pay $200 per day, children ages 9–17 pay $50 per day, and students and citizens of Masai Mara pay different rates.
- Children aged 8 and under receive free admission.
Conservancy
Private conservancies, such as the Naboisho Conservancy, are not just areas of land set aside for wildlife conservation. The Masai people own these exclusive havens, and local organizations or private businesses are in charge of running them. Though smaller than the Masai Mara Reserve, these conservancies offer a more intimate and personalized safari experience, making you feel like a privileged guest in the heart of the wild.
The Naboisho Conservancy consists of 50,000 acres of pristine wildlife territory and spectacular scenery in the Great Rift Valley. Situated within the greater Mara Region, it borders Mara National Reserve to the southwest, Olare Motorogi Conservancy to the west, and Ol Kinyei Conservancy to the east.
The number of tourists at the Mara Naboisho Conservancy is limited—about 100 people at any given time—ensuring you’re not just another vehicle in a crowd. You might find yourself the only one around, enjoying unspoiled views of the wildlife. The Conservancy is home to one of Africa’s highest populations of lions. Their passionate and knowledgeable guides promise a memorable and thrilling time.
The Conservancy supports land and wildlife conservation while generating wealth for Masai landowners. By visiting Mara Naboisho, you contribute to protecting the cultural heritage of the local Masai people and improving access to their vital services.
Spanning 145 square kilometers, Mara Naboisho Conservancy is the second-largest Masai Mara region. It has one of the highest wildlife concentrations in the region. Its rolling hills, riverine acacia woodlands, and sprawling grasslands host elephants, giraffes, wildebeests, and many lions. With only nine safari camps, it offers an exclusive safari, is free from crowds, and provides a more authentic feel.
Due to the limited number of accommodations, booking early is essential, especially during the peak travel season from July to October. Each camp and lodge offer unique qualities, ensuring a comfortable, satisfying, and special safari experience.
What are the differences between staying at Masai Mara Reserve and Naboisho Conservancy?
Access
The Masai Mara Reserve is open to the public, meaning there are more tourists. This positively affects the wildlife, as they are familiar with humans’ presence. The reserve accommodates both day and overnight visitors, guided and unguided.
When people stay at the conservatory, they can get up close and personal with wildlife. For instance, at a big cat sighting in the Masai Mara Reserve, you might see 20 to 30 cars, and sometimes even more. Most of the time, you will only see three or four cars at a time in a private reserve.
Private conservancies only let a certain number of people in each day, and park tourists are not allowed to stay there all day. During the day, people who stay in private conservancies can visit the reserve. However, this isn’t the case; only those who reside in conservancies have access to safaris.
Game Drives
At the reserve, there are strict rules and regulations about where you can go and what you can do during a game drive. The Masai Mara Reserve restricts game drives to the main road only during daylight hours. Your guide must stay on the road and get closer to the animals. However, the reserve is the best place to see the famous river crossings of the Great Migration in July.
Game Drive at Masai Mara National Reserve
The Naboisho Conservancy allows guides to drive off-road, allowing visitors to get closer to the animals. The number of cars at a spot is also limited. This makes it easier to see the animals and enhances viewing enjoyment.
Naboisho Conservancy Game Drive
Night Drives
Night drives are not allowed within the Reserve, but they are allowed in certain private conservancies, such as Naboisho. Every safari-goer should have the exciting encounter of seeing nighttime animals like leopards prowling at night at least once. On our night game drive, we saw a leopard, which was unforgettable!
Walking Safaris
Only private conservancies allow walking safaris, not the Masai Mara Reserve. Exploring the bush on foot offers a new perspective and lets you learn about the smaller creatures and plants often overlooked during game drives.
Accommodations
The Masai Mara Reserve has a variety of properties, from camps and lodges to beautiful luxury properties. Accommodations in private conservancies offer a more luxurious and personalized feel. These can include private plunge pools, spa treatments, and gourmet meals. Additional activities, such as community visits, may be available, depending on your chosen camp.
Private conservancies provide a far more exclusive and personalized package with a broader range of activities while still offering access to the reserve. They also help protect a more significant part of the ecosystem and provide a sustainable source of income to the Masai community.
Whether you choose the Masai Mara Reserve or any private conservancies, both options offer an incredible opportunity to see African wildlife up close.
For the best safari experience, I recommend staying at both.
Where we stayed:
Property: Base Camp Explorer, Masai Mara National Reserve
BaseCamp Explorer provided a classic first stop and an absolute “out of Africa” adventure. Our stay at Basecamp lodging in Masai Mara was a truly unique experience. This gold-rated camp, nestled along the Talek River, bordered on one side by Masai Mara Reserve, Talek village, and privately owned land, was the epitome of sustainable eco-tourism. Offering a perfect balance of exploration, cultural authenticity, and environmental sensitivity, it provided an exclusive opportunity to connect with the incredible wildlife that calls this space home. Our tented suites faced the river, offering a private deck and a breathtaking view of the Talek River. It was a privilege to stay at a camp that hosted Barack Obama and his young family, a testament to its allure and commitment to eco-tourism.
Guards are watching the surroundings all night, as the river that runs by is a watering hole for many animals in the area. We used a walkie-talkie to call the guards for an escort if we wanted to go to the communal area for food or drinks at night. We were provided with a locker in our rooms to store any food brought to the tent. At night, you hear different wild animals stirring in the darkness. The night feels like an auditory safari—you listen to lion roars, hyena laughs, and all sorts of brays, snorts, trumpets, squeals, croaks, groans, and chirps like a symphony—so unbelievable! On our first night, a bright light and noise woke me from outside our tent. The guard informed us that a lion had been wandering by the water across from our tent all night. The guard made sure the lion did not cross the river to get close to the tents.
Destination Highlights:
- Staying for only a short time would still allow you to view many animals and have fun interactions with them.
- The Mara is busy during the high season, but when you go there in the low season, you’ll find that it’s much quieter and slower.
- There’s plenty of wildlife for you to see.
- The landscapes and skies are so expansive that you feel like you have all the space in the world.
Property: Eagle View, Naboisho Conservancy
Perched on a natural hilltop overlooking a waterhole, Eagle View offered constant entertainment in the form of unexpected interactions between predators and prey. National Geographic Travelers Magazine nominated Eagle View, located in Naboisho Conservancy, a highly acclaimed model for nature conservation management, as one of the top 25 eco-lodges in the world in 2013. This was the only lodge in Kenya to be nominated.
And as soon as we got to Eagle View Conservancy, we felt like we were part of the family. Drinks by the fireside and communal dining helped us feel at home. Guests enjoyed exclusivity, privacy, and wildlife viewing, making it one of the best safaris on the savannah.
Its minimalist design perfectly complements the camp’s stunning surroundings, allowing your imagination to soar as you gaze across the vastness of the African savannah. There was ample wildlife in Naboisho Conservancy, with guided walking safaris and day or night game drives accompanied by knowledgeable Masai guides. Eagle View was home to nine spacious and luxurious tents with en-suite bathrooms and private terraces, an elevated dining area, and a viewing deck with 18 beds.
The cabins were a lovely place to stay that was both big and cozy. Our room was on the side of a hill and had a beautiful view of the conservatory. It hadn’t rained much in this part of Kenya in the past few years, but the recent El Niño brought enough rain to turn the land into an Eden. It rained a lot, and the grass that was once straw-colored was now thick and bright green.
Eagle View is a beautiful place to stay in Masai Mara Naboisho Conservancy, with its sweeping open savannah in one of the Mara ecosystem’s most magnificent and protected regions. Our tents were beautifully designed, the guides were great, and the food was delicious. And lots of cats! We saw plenty of big cats during the three days we spent at Naboisho.
Destination Highlights:
- On a night game drive, you could see animals that only come out at night, such as leopards and other small animals.
- You could also walk around the conservatory in the morning or afternoon.
- You can request to dine in the bush after your safari and enjoy a bush dinner with a dedicated staff exclusively to your needs.
Whether you stay at the Reserve or the Conservancy, Masai Mara is a great place to see these beautiful “Big Five” (African Buffalo, Lion, Elephant, Rhino, and Leopard)! It was cool that the rhino sometimes appeared—the first time after three months!
I want to emphasize that I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in this post. However, I genuinely recommend them based on my personal experiences and the positive impact they have had on my journey. I believe they offer exceptional services and can enhance your visit to Masai Mara.”
Author and photo credit: Cristy
