What a conservancy is
A conservancy in the Mara is land that Maasai landowners lease long term for tourism and wildlife. In Naboisho the land is community-held, and the landowners and the tourism partners take part together. A conservancy is not the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The national reserve has its own entry fees. The conservancies set their own rules and fees.
Three names come up most often: Naboisho, Mara North and Olare Motorogi. Each has a different set of camps, rules and fees, so what applies in one does not apply in another. Ask your camp for the terms in writing when you book.
The three conservancies compared
What each one lists for its own area.
| Point | Naboisho | Mara North | Olare Motorogi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activities | Guided walks, bush meals, fly camping, night drives | Night drives in designated areas | – |
| Vehicles at a sighting | – | At most 5, 20 m minimum distance, waiting vehicles 100 m away | One viewing vehicle per 2,100 acres |
| Beds | – | – | At most 94 in 5 camps |
| Night drives | Listed | With a red filter, back by 22:00 | – |
Conservancy and Mara safaris
Compare safaris that visit the reserve and its neighbouring conservancies.
Naboisho
Community land with several camps.
The camps
Naboisho lists Asilia Naboisho Camp, Encounter Mara, Hemingways Ol Seki Mara, Kicheche Valley and Mara Nyika as tourism partners. These camps are in the conservancy and not inside the national reserve.
Fees at one camp
The 2026 rates of Ol Seki show a conservancy fee of $130 per adult and night and $65 per child and night. A reserve fund of $5 per person and night comes on top. If you travel with children, ask which age counts as a child for this fee.
What is included
At Ol Seki the price includes a guided bush walk and shared game drives. A shared night drive is included when you stay 3 nights or more. Do not assume the same for other camps. Entry to the national reserve is extra for excursions there.
Other activities
Naboisho lists guided walking safaris, bush meals, fly camping and night drives. Age limits and availability depend on the camp.
Mara North and Olare Motorogi
Two other names to know.
Mara North
The conservancy lists a maximum of 5 vehicles at a sighting, a minimum distance of 20 m and waiting vehicles 100 m away. Night drives take place only in designated areas, with a red filter, and end by 22:00.
Olare Motorogi
The conservancy lists at most 94 beds in 5 camps and one viewing vehicle per 2,100 acres. Its partners are Porini Lion, Kicheche Bush, Mara Plains, Olare Mara Kempinski and Mahali Mzuri. This is a limit on density, not a limit on vehicles at a single sighting.
The Mara Triangle is not a conservancy
A common mix-up.
Part of the reserve
The Mara Triangle is the western part of the national reserve. It covers 510 km², about a third of the area, and is bordered by the Mara River, the Oloololo Escarpment and the international border. The whole reserve is commonly given as 1,510 km².
Different fees
The Triangle uses the daily entry fees of the reserve and a cashless system, while conservancy camps charge a fee per night. Do not mix up the two when you compare camps.
How to choose between reserve and conservancy
Questions to ask before you book.
Where will you sleep?
A camp in a conservancy has different fees and rules than a lodge in the reserve or the Mara Triangle. The where to stay page compares the areas.
Can day visitors enter?
Access depends on the conservancy and your camp. Ask the camp to confirm in writing whether you may enter, on which days and at what fee.
What do you want to do?
If you want a night drive or a guided walk, ask which area permits it. A camp's offer does not tell you by itself which area the drive covers, so ask.
What does the price cover?
Conservancy fees are charged per person and night, while reserve entry is charged per person and day. Compare offers in the same unit. The cost page shows how.
The wildlife you can see is covered on the wildlife page. The same wider ecosystem continues in Tanzania, described by the Serengeti National Park guide.
Maasai Mara conservancies: frequently asked questions
What is a conservancy in the Maasai Mara?
A stretch of Maasai-owned land leased for tourism and wildlife. It is separate from the national reserve and has its own rules and fees.
How much does a conservancy cost?
It differs. One Naboisho camp lists $130 per adult and night and $65 per child and night in 2026, plus a $5 reserve fund per person and night. Other conservancies and camps have their own fees.
Do I pay national reserve entry in a conservancy?
Not for time spent inside the conservancy. If you make an excursion into the national reserve, entry is charged on top.
Are night drives possible?
Naboisho lists them and Mara North allows them in designated areas with a red filter, back by 22:00. Ask your camp for the rules of its area.
Which conservancy is best?
That depends on your camp, budget and plans. The three compared above differ in rules and density, so match them to what you want.