Update on the Masai Mara

Recently the park authorities increased Park entry fees to $200 per day in high season which is very high when compared to today’s park fees. Mind you we all thought the same when the park fees were raised to $70 from I think $30. 

There is a very strong will here to ‘sort out the Mara’ from the president down to the rangers. In fact the county has been warned; sort it out or we will bring in Kenya Wildlife Service to take over.  

Already the cattle are out of the park by day and the cattle owners are taking the threat seriously 😟 out at night too in 24. 

Those of us who work and live in the park , driver guides, rangers, etc need to change to accommodate the new culture of the park. There will be no cash transactions next year. Already payment by Credit Card has commenced and that’s a big advantage. 

With less visitors there will be less camps as already the camps are paying additional taxes and camp beneficiaries have been removed so rather than the bed fees going into individual pockets it’s going into a collective fund for all local Masai to benefit from.  

They are steps, small steps I admit but nevertheless positive steps and we remain positive. There are rumours that the fees may go down to match other parks but they are still rumours. Irregardless, we remain positive.

Kwaheri,
Brian.