Ol Kinyei Conservancy

This was the first reserve that was created in 2005 within the Great Masai Mara Ecosystem and it was founded thanks to an agreement between 171 Maasai, who own the land, and a company organizing safaris; the Maasai have committed to allocate the exclusive use of their land to the reserve where wild animals can move without barriers, in this regard the villages were removed and it was also forbidden to lead the cattle to pasture; doing so also the vegetation, without exploitation due to the pastures, could return to its original state.

 

The area of the conservancy, initially of 32 sq km, was subsequently extended and now comprises an area of 65 square kilometers; it is located North-East of the Masai Mara National Reserve and is separated from it by the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, while bordered to the East by the Siana Conservancy.

 

This is one of the most remote and beautiful areas of the Serengeti Mara Ecosystem and many parts have maintained their primitive nature and it contains within different landscapes like the open savannahs, forests along the perennial rivers, springs and seasonal streams and smooth hills.

 

The efforts for conservation yielded positive results, over the years the vegetation has grown back florid, and many species of mammals, birds and reptiles, have returned to this area.

 

The variety of animals is amazing, here you can easily spot elephants, several species of antelopes including elands, Thomson gazelles, Grant gazelles, giraffes, impalas, buffalos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas; and with a little luck you may also spot wild dogs.

 

From here it also passes the Loito Hills Migration, these herds of wildebeests move from the National Masai Mara Reserve to the Conservancy located to the North and to the Loito Hills.

 

In particular, in January the wildebeests and zebras arrive here, before continuing on their way to the Mara Naboisho Conservancy and the Olare Motorogi Conservancy to then return to the Loito Hills; in the months of January and February usually here happens the birth of calves.