Our Purpose

The Maasai Mara National Reserve primarily exists to protect one of the world’s most significant ecological landscapes and serve as a premium tourist destination. It also serves as the cultural and natural heritage of the Maasai, a living and vivid testimony to the Maasai’s traditional conservation-compatible and wildlife-tolerant culture.

The Maasai Mara National Game Reserve, as it is known today, was established in 1948. The Reserve then constituted the Mara Triangle in Trans Mara, covering 520 square kilometres. The area gets the name Mara Triangle from the shape of its borders: the Siria Escarpment, also known as Oloololo; the Tanzanian border (north of the Serengeti); and the Mara River, forming a triangle.

During the gazettement in 1961, the Government expanded the area, bringing the acreage to 1,830 square kilometres. However, with further community engagements, the Government hived 320 square kilometres, reverting it to the community to provide watering points for the community around Talek, Oloololo and parts of Siana, leaving the Reserve with 1,510 square kilometres.

Following the creation of the Trans Mara District in 1995, the management of the Reserve split between the County Councils of Narok and Trans Mara, with the County Council of Narok responsible for the Reserve to the east of the Mara River and the County Council of Trans Mara, the Reserve to the west of the river (the Mara Triangle).

Trans Mara County Council opted to engage a private company to manage the Mara Triangle, leading to the engagement of the Mara Conservancy in May 2001 with an initial five-year management agreement and subsequent renewals for longer periods. Under the arrangement, the Mara Conservancy collected revenue on behalf of the people.

As part of the constitutional reforms to Kenya’s local Government, Narok County replaced the two county councils in 2013 and is now responsible for managing the entire Reserve. However, the Mara Conservancy, a key player in the conservation of the Mara Triangle, continues to manage the area on behalf of Narok County. Under a recently endorsed collaboration agreement with the County, the Mara Conservancy plays an increasingly significant role in the unified management of the entire Reserve.

Our Core Values

Customer Experience:

We invest in the conservation and management of the Reserve, including investing in eco-friendly infrastructure, to enhance visitor experience and ensure they get premium tourism products. We Listen, Engage, and Act to meet our customers’ needs.

Think Big:

Our vision regarding investing in innovation, eco-friendly practices, and climate change mitigation is unrivalled. We never settle. We continually challenge our ideas for enhanced conservation outcomes, inspiring hope for a sustainable future.

Sustainable Tourism:

We work with our tourism partners and stakeholders to promote and uphold best practices compatible with conservation.

Celebrating Maasai Culture:

We honour the Maasai culture, which is conservation-compatible and wildlife-tolerant, making it possible to conserve the Maasai Mara. The rich heritage provides for cultural tourism, complementing the premium tourism products that the Reserve offers.