This post is for days 11-16 in Kenya of a four-country savanna, sky, and sea African safari that we did in September 2023. After the majestic early morning hot air balloon flight in Serengeti Kogatende, I left the group to continue with their quest of witnessing the wildebeest Mara River crossing, while I travelled by land to Maasai Mara crossing the Tanzania-Kenya border in Isebania. It was a long and arduous roadtrip but there's nothing I would do to ensure that all is well when the group arrives at Maasai Mara's Olkiombo airstrip the next day.
Maasai Mara is God's gift to Kenya and the world and it's a precious part of the Serengeti ecosystem. As a wildlife-rich savannah with a large population of diverse animal species, it is one of the best places for game drive experiences, easy big cat spotting, and high chances of witnessing the migration from July to September. However, I panicked when I saw trash around the vicinity of the national reserve. This is not the Africa and the wildlife experience that I want my clients to witness. I just comforted myself that they will be flying-in and flying-out directly to/from the airstrip and will not be passing the gates by land, but I still couldn't help but feel dismayed to see nature desecrated this way. I thought it was only around the gate and community areas, but during game drives with clients I saw some trash as well in bushy areas where safari goers eat their lunches. It was disheartening.
There were also lots of day tourists doing self-driving from Nairobi who don't know how to observe proper game viewing etiquette. Take for instance an incident where we were patiently waiting for giraffes to cross the road and we positioned the vehicle in a spot where clients could take proper videos of the crossing only to be rudely blocked by another vehicle and scaring the giraffes away. Never had that unfortunate experience in Tanzanian national parks. That's why when Narok County Government, which is in charge of the Maasai Mara, decided to increase park fees for Maasai Mara to USD 200 per day during the high season, I rejoiced while other local tour operators in Kenya were unhappy about it coz it's less business for them. I hope this means more funds for conservation efforts and park maintenance. Starting July 2024, self-drive is also no longer allowed with the implementation on a ban of private safari vehicles inside the park and the requirement that all visitors should be accompanied by licensed driver-guides. Such welcome developments for the sake of sustainable tourism.
As a lover of nature, I believe in conservation and sustainability above profit. As a traveler, I am for quality of experience over quantity. And as an African travel designer, my main priorities are safety, best possible cultural immersion, and the optimum wildlife experience for clients. So please let's practice sustainable and responsible tourism.
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