Africa Travel WeekThe Maasai Mara in southwestern Kenya stands as one of the world’s premier safari destinations – and one of its most successful conservation areas. But as Calvin Cottar, Director and Owner of Cottar’s Safaris explains, this success has brought unique challenges.
In fact, as much as the Mara is celebrated on one hand for its conservancy model and approach to responsible tourism and conservation, it is routinely criticised on the other for overtourism, overcrowding and poor wildlife management.
The Mara—and its lessons—was the subject of a recent Africa Travel Week (ATW) webinar, where Cottar, alongside Mohanjeet Brar, Managing Director at Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps; Samson Parsimei Lenjirr, Wildlife Conservation and Management Advisor to the Governor, Narok County, based in the Masai Mara; and Chris Roche, Co-Founder Wild Expeditions Africa, discussed “Profit vs Preservation” and what it means to balance conservation, community needs, and tourism in protected areas.
The Power of Community Conservancies
Perhaps the most remarkable success story from the Mara has been the development of community conservancies surrounding the main reserve. These conservancies now cover an area larger than the Maasai Mara National Reserve itself, creating crucial additional protected habitat for wildlife. The model works by having tourism operators partnering with communities and having these operators (for example, lodge owners) lease land outside the reserve directly from local Maasai landowners, creating a direct financial incentive for communities—and boosting conservation efforts.
“About 60-70% of Kenya’s wildlife exists outside official national parks and reserves, primarily on community land,” explains Brar. “The conservancy model helps protect these areas while ensuring that local communities benefit directly.”
Challenges of Success
However, the core Maasai Mara Reserve faces mounting pressure as a result of its popularity. With over 100 lodges and camps in and around the reserve, concerns about overdevelopment and overtourism are growing.
“In the Mara today, there is less than five kilometres from one camp to another,” says Lenjirr. “There is congestion as a result, and if we’re not careful we will be chasing wildlife from their own habitat.”
Lenjirr explains that the Maasai Mara National Reserve has been managed since independence without a management plan in place, with the last 15-20 years the worst in terms of over-crowding and development (of camps and lodges both inside and outside the reserve).
But there is good news. “The current administration has prioritised the development and gazetting of the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan 2023-32,” says Lenjirr. “It’s a milestone moment. The challenge now will be how it’s going to be funded and implemented.”
Importantly, there is political goodwill, which Lenjirr says is a major factor.
“The development of the Maasai Mara Conservation Centre with the Earth Ranger System is a clear indication that the management of the reserve is moving in the right direction,” says Lenjirr. “But the role of community conservancies remains important; they’re critical wildlife buffer/dispersal areas and will be vital for the survival of the Mara ecosystem for many years to come.”
Lessons for Sustainable Tourism
Despite the challenges, all four of the webinar’s panellists agree that several key lessons are emerging from the Mara:
- Direct community benefits are crucial: Conservation only works long-term when local people receive meaningful, equitable benefits from protecting wildlife.
- Land security is essential: Without formal protection through leases or other mechanisms, habitat will be lost to both agriculture and speculative development (for those looking to buy property and live on the edge of the Mara).
- Development density matters: Strict limits on tourism facilities help prevent negative impacts on wildlife and visitor experience.
- The conservation of land is critical: Eco-systems simply can’t function without land.
Roche believes the last point is particularly important. “Eco-labels and certifications are still Northern Hemisphere-centric,” says Roche. “They’re not relevant to Africa. People need to realise that sustainability is not about the lightbulbs you use in your lodge. Rather, it’s about conserving the land so ecosystems can function.”
For Roche this means bumping land conservation and meaningful conservancy schemes up the hierarchy of sustainable practices. “But the entire tourism value chain, be it agents, operators or lodge owners have to be talking the same language—so that visitors know what is important.”
Visitors
In good news, Brar believes that today’s visitors have a genuine interest in conservation, the future of the Mara, and interacting with local communities.
“There is no conservation without communities,” says Brar. “Visitors are looking for real proof that their stay is making a difference—and word of mouth when they return home is invaluable.”
This is especially true for visitors who are worried about the carbon impact of long-haul flights and Cottar dreams of a day when a calculator can show that in terms of social equity, biodiversity, and carbon impact a two or three-week safari is still better than staying home in New York!
Looking Forward
For Roche, the Mara remains an inspiration. “We’re seeing multi-land use adjacent to the park generating meaningful revenue for people. It’s a model that’s now being used in Rwanda, Madagascar and even Botswana,” explains Roche. “The Mara’s profile also means that there is increased scrutiny and accountability in terms of where the money is going—to the benefit of all.”
Brar agrees. “It’s not about avoiding the Mara—it’s about making smart choices about where to go and when to visit,” suggests Brar, recommending the green season for an incredible safari experience, and staying in lodges that lease land in conservancies that actively support habitat protection.
Ultimately, the Mara shows that tourism can be a powerful force for conservation when structured properly. However, it also demonstrates that success brings its own challenges that require constant adaptation and innovation.
For travellers, this means looking beyond traditional metrics when choosing destinations and accommodations. Understanding how tourism businesses contribute to land protection and community benefits is increasingly crucial.
The Mara’s experience suggests that sustainable tourism isn’t just about eco-friendly buildings or low-impact practices—it’s about directly funding habitat protection and ensuring communities benefit from conservation.
For Cottar, this powerful webinar barely “scratched the surface” about what we can—and should—learn from the Mara.
For anyone interested in the topic, and ready to increase their knowledge about conservation and sustainability, you can access the webinar here.
