Safari to Mara Ripoi

a relatively small conservancy for combination with other areas

Mara Ripoi is a small private conservancy which lies immediately to the northeast of the main Maasai Mara reserve in southwest Kenya.

At around 55 square kilometres, this is the one of the newer conservancies which form a critically important conservation area to the north of the main Maasai Mara National Reserve.

The landscape contains a pleasant mix of open grassy plains and undulating valleys filled with light acacia woodland.

Although this is almost certainly too far north for the main migration herds, we would anticipate that the Loita migration should pass through in May-Jun and Nov-Dec.

Although there’s a good range of resident wildlife in the greater area, being a relatively small conservancy means that animals with larger ranges (such as lions and elephants) tend to come and go, so wildlife viewing can be a little hit and miss.

Being a private conservancy means that vehicle traffic is strictly limited. Only guests of the handful of small camps here are permitted to explore this area. Vehicle clusters of any type are virtually impossible. It also means that camp operators are free to offer off-road driving, walking safari, bush meals and some limited night vehicle safari, which helps to produce a much more rounded experience.

There are also significant opportunities for cultural interaction with the local Maasai people, who are shareholders in the conservancy and therefore tend to be very welcoming.

The Maasai Mara tends to feature in almost all safari trips to Kenya. As well as being the best known reserve, it is also the most productive for wildlife.

The usual stay duration is 4-8 nights split between two camps, less frequently 3-4 nights in just one camp.

Seasonality

The best time of year to visit is generally considered to be the Jul-Oct dry season, when the weather should be reliably good and the wildlife concentrated around the permanent water sources.

The Nov-Jun green season may be much less dependable for weather, but remains really strong for wildlife viewing.

Visitor traffic is less of an issue in this private area, but you can expect the camps to be fully booked during the Jul-Oct and Dec-Jan high seasons. So there can be slight advantages to visiting during quieter periods.

Getting around

You’re most likely to arrive into the Maasai Mara area via the regular light aircraft services that operate from Nairobi, which means that you will travel around the area with a guide and vehicle from the camp in which you are staying.

If you’re staying in more than one camp in the greater Maasai Mara then inter-camp transfers are usually operated by the departing camp and generally pass through wildlife areas for most if not all of their routes.

It’s also possible to travel down from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara by road, which is quite a long and tiresome journey, but not without interest. The trouble is that the better lodges in the Mara will offer you no discount for having your own guide and vehicle along, so you end up paying for both, which works out more expensive than flying down.

Where to stay

The Mara Ripoi area contains just three small camps, all under the same ownership.

Porini Giraffe Camp is currently the only recommended property in the area.

a handful of relatively simple camps