Conservancy

Conservancies are a cornerstone of modern safari in Kenya and Namibia. Around Kenya’s Maasai Mara, Maasai landowners pool their land into conservancies such as Mara North, Olare Motorogi, and Naboisho, then lease it to a limited number of camps. Namibia’s communal conservancies, created under legislation from the late 1990s, give rural communities rights to manage and benefit from wildlife on their land.

For travelers, the difference shows on game drives. Conservancies cap the number of beds and vehicles, so sightings are far less crowded than in busy parts of neighboring reserves. Many also allow activities that national parks restrict, such as off-road driving, night drives, and guided walks, though rules vary from one conservancy to the next.

Conservancy fees are usually built into camp rates and flow to landowners and conservation work, so each stay supports the model. See our Maasai Mara and Kenya guides for where conservancies fit.