Masai Mara tourist ban

By Mike Pflanz in the Masai Mara
12:01AM GMT 19 Jan 2007
The Masai Mara game park in Kenya could be closed to "budget" tourists in an attempt to curb visitor numbers and preserve its fragile ecosystem from ruin.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1539956/Masai-Mara-tourist-ban.html

WS

I am inclined to agree with the article - at times there are way too many vehicles in the Mara, the damage being done to the eco-system and the wildlife is obvious. We've all seen photos of the big cats completely surrounded by vehicles and then being constantly harrassed and followed as the animals are trying to get on with their lives.

I love with Mara with a passion but hate to see what is happening there.

Thanks for the link WS.

Lai

I completely agree that the number of vehicles at time surrounding the animals is far to many as we have all seen time after time on video clips, and also by the evidence of Jackson, and other responsible guides who have all raised concerns about the amount of vehicles. There is no doubt that it needs to be reduced, and brought under control.
However, I have concerns about doing it by price. The top end of the market may well be able to afford these increases, and budget package will then be no longer available to those who cannot afford the top rates. Are we in danger of alienating some of the most passionate lovers of the very animals we are seeking to protect, those who campaign, and donate to causes that are looking to save the wildlife of Africa. Who may only be able to afford to go there perhaps once in their lifetime, and possibly the only way they can afford to do it is on a budget package. This would also affect the next generation, who’s enthusiasm we need to carry on the conservation work being done in Africa, because of the economic climate of the world today, a lot of them will never perhaps have the jobs needed to afford to go there, and they could be forgiven for thinking why should we care if the only people getting the benefit are those, who are rich enough or have jobs good enough to be able to afford top of the range trips.
I think the way forward aught to be tighter regulations, more strictly imposed, and they could impose a tax on the higher packages for those that can afford them to pay for more wardens, and vehicles to enforce them. There should at least be a certain quota of budget packages, or we risk alienating a whole future generation from caring about African wildlife
WS

WS - it needs careful thought and not to be made too elitist by making it so expensive. The children from the local schools benefit a lot from getting access and being able to learn about wildlife and conservation.

There has to be a way forward.

Lai

with what you have said WS, lot of good points there.

Park fees increase from £21 a day to £48 that's quite a hike If that was to happen to us this year it would mean an extra £270 per couple for a 5 day trip

Our 'off season' price to go to the Mara in June is £1,660 per person - that's return flights from London to the Nairobi, flights from Nairobi to the Mara & five nights full board at the Intrepids inc park fees. Now that's not cheap and it's dearer, quite a bit dearer in the high season. We also have to pay for flights to get fm Aberdeen - London. It's a lot of money so to think that they might be increasing this is a worry, goodness know what price going in August / September would be if they did increase the prices

I do think that something needs to be done about the amount of tourists that are in the park, particularly in high season but I'm not sure a hike in prices and curbing the budget tourists is the answer. Perhaps only allowing qualified drivers attached to camps could be a possibility but then you are penalising people who do drive / act properly, I'm thinking of people like the Skinners.

Not an easy one to sort out but I'm definitely not for a hike in prices

A very good point Doogs - responsible drivers yes but those who hound the animals and go off the beaten track no - but how to monitor it all? In high season it can be like Piccadilly circus out there

You forget just how much the park fees are and just how much it all adds up!

We've decided not to visit the Mara this year but to go to the north, one of the reasons was just how crowded it was when we were there and we couldn't bear to see these poor animals being hassled by vehicles constantly.

Let's hope they come up with a better solution than just increasing fees.

Lai Pai

I hope so to, but its a really difficult problem. Apparently in peak season there can be upto 8,000 people in the area at one time, thats a lot of traffic, and its doing a lot of damage to the roads. Thats aggrevated by the number of irresponsible drivers that are going off road, and the damage they are causing. The number definatly needs to be reduced, but at the same time can Kenya afford a drop in tourist numbers in its economy. That I guess is where the idea of increasing the prices at the top end comes from to balance the loss of revenue from the loss of the Budget holiday numbers. At the same time you would want as many people as possible to be able to appreciate the wildlife of the Masai Mara, and its invironment. So that they understand how important it is to support the conservation, and protection of it all, for future generations, and for the wildlife itself, but not at the expense of the invironment, and the wildlife itself
WS

Just had some info from Bob on J&A's Blog. Although the Telegraph page is dated 19th Feb 2012. The article itself was written in 2007, so I'm not sure why they have re printed it. Sorry for any confusion
WS

WS - how strange!

Lai