Exclusive, Private & Intimate
Mara Naboisho Conservancy
Mara Naibosho Conservancy In Greater Masai Mara
Overview
Bordering the famed Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, the Mara Naboisho Conservancy is one of the second largest Masai Mara conservancy, an example of success stories of community conservancies.
Naboisho (Maasai for ‘coming together’), has one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in the Masai Mara region, and while high game-viewing standards are enforced – not only to improve the viewing experience, but also to protect the wildlife – the conservancy is free of the restrictions that make so many national park safaris.
Expect Kenya’s luxury tented camps, a strong track record on sustainability, walking safaris, night safaris and so much more.
Landscape & Scenery
The Mara Naboisho Conservancy is a 50,000 acre wildlife conservation area in Kenya’s Greater Mara Region. It borders the Masai Mara National Reserve to the south west, the Olare Motorogi Conservancy to the west and the Ol Kinyei Conservancy to the east.
The terrain of the Mara Naboisho is a wonderful mix of picturesque rolling hills, low rocky escarpments, acacia filled woodlands, scenic river valleys and extensive savannah grasslands dominate, providing a wildlife sanctuary to herds of elephant, giraffe, wildebeest and many lions. With only nine safari camps in operation at the conservancy this is just the place to be.
Reasons To Visit Naboisho Conservancy
What sets the Mara Naboisho Conservancy apart is not only the quantity of wildlife, but also the quality of game viewing given its size and the limited number of guests. Simply put, the experience is exceptional not only because of what you get to see, but also because of how you get to see it.
Thanks to the limit on the number of safari camps and vehicles allowed inside the conservancy, wildlife sightings are as good as its bigger sister, the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Today, the conservancy boasts one of the highest densities of lion in Africa, large herds of elephant, resident leopard and a variety of plains game. The border to the Masai Mara is unfenced, allowing animals to move freely between the reserve and the conservancy. During the high season safari months, when the Masai Mara is very busy, neighboring Naboisho Conservancy provides the perfect stopover for impressive game viewing and exclusivity.
Generally, guests usually enjoy two game drives daily, one in the morning and another in the afternoon.
Morning drives ensure you capture the day’s first sightings, they’re also the perfect way to capture the beauty of the African landscapes at sunrise, and you have an advantage of requesting a stopover for a cup of coffee breakfast in the bush.
Afternoon drives are a compulsory safari experience, allowing you to catch the breathtaking view of an African sunset. They’re the perfect way to close off your day before returning to your camp, with an additional advantage of a safari sundowner stop to enjoy a lovely drink- a pink gin and tonic or a glass of bubbles as you watch the sun setting.
Additionally, safaris to conservancies in Masai Mara allows you to enjoy night game drives– an experience like no other that invites you into the dark of the night to safely watch as big cats and hyena take advantage of the cover darkness provides, and nocturnal creatures venture out from their daytime hiding places.
Walking safaris in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy is possible. This is best enjoyed in the early morning hours as soon as it’s light enough to safely explore on foot. The focus of a walking safari shifts towards observing the smaller ecosystems, and tracks that are often overlooked from the height of a vehicle, but bigger wildlife game is always seen and observed from a safe distance.
Explore the villages and Bomas of the Maasai families where many aspects of their lifestyle and culture remain unchanged to their heritage and traditions. Visiting a traditional boma and experiencing the conditions of the lifestyle offers a genuine and eye-opening immersion into the daily life of these Maasai. Besides just visiting, there is also the opportunity to see how the communities have benefitted through the creation of the conservancy.
These safari camps within the Naboisho Conservancy provide an exclusive and intimate safari experience, bringing you closer to the wilderness than you could imagine. These luxury camps enables you to indulge in a range of curated safari experiences not available in other Kenya national parks.
Activities At Mara Naboisho Conservancy
There exists a number of things to do at Mara Naboisho Conservancy including; guided game drives in search of animals and birds being the main activities in Naboisho. In addition, you can also enjoy night game drives, walking safaris, and visits to local communities and explore some of the conservation projects.
Wildlife At Mara Naboisho Conservancy
Over 100 lions roam the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, with wonderful sightings on game drives and bush walks. In addition to the notable population of lions, you’ll also find elephants, buffalos, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes and more.
With the strict rules on the number of safari camps allowed. This means there are fewer vehicles out, and more wildlife in a smaller area. Only four vehicles are allowable at any one sighting in Naboisho; meaning the wildlife is never crowded and you’ll always have a front-row seat, even if you sometimes have to wait a little until another vehicle leaves.
Birdwatching in Naboisho. Bird lovers need to be on the lookout for the native pygmy falcon or bush pipit, just two of the rare bird species found in the area. The other sightings include the African fish eagle to the shrike, famed for its weird behavior of impaling prey onto thorns! Watching the weaver birds tirelessly build nests might end up being one of your walking safari highlights.
Best Time To Visit Mara Naboisho Conservancy
Given the good wildlife sightings, one might be curious to ask – when to visit Mara Naboisho. The best time to visit the Mara Naboisho Conservancy is from the dry months from June to October. During these months animals draw near to water sources, making it an ideal time for visiting Naboisho.
The off season periods starts from March to May and October to November. During these months, there are fewer crowds, with the arrival of short rains. The other dry months include January and February, also a good time to visit. As for bird watchers, migratory birds are present from November until April.
Weather & Climate At Mara Naboisho Conservancy
The weather and climate of Naboisho Conservancy is identical to that of the Masai Mara in general.
Due to the altitude, the climate in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy is slightly colder and wetter than might be expected this close to the equator. Daytime is pleasant with temperatures in the mid to upper twenties, whereas it cools off considerably at night.
Consider this the perfect time for going on a Kenya safari; the days are sunny and it’s rarely very hot. Nevertheless pack some warm clothes for the morning game drives which can be very chilly.
June, July & August – During this time, consider Masai Mara generally sunny and dry with afternoon temperatures averaging at around 25°C/ (77 degrees Fahrenheit), and during the night you will experience cold evenings and early mornings when temperatures are at around 12°C/54° Fahrenheit.
September & October – At this time of year, it’s mostly dry although you can expect occasional rain showers. Daytime temperatures in October are slightly at an average of 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit). On your early morning game drives expect it to be chilly at around (around 12°C/54°F).
It’s that time of the season when we experience rainfall in the Masai Mara. Talking about abrupt short afternoon showers. We recommend that on your list of what to pack for your Kenya safari bring with you warm clothing.
November & December – marks the start of the ‘Short rains’ – expect short rain showers during these two months with afternoon temperatures at an average of around 27°C/81 degrees Fahrenheit).
January & February – Rainfall slows down, although incidental rain shower do still occur.
March, April & May – this is the long rainy season with April being the wettest month. However – you don’t have to worry about it raining all day long but it does rain regularly, typically in the form of afternoon showers. Early morning game drives can be slightly warmer with average temperatures in Masai Mara around 13°C/55°F.
How To Get To Mara Naboisho Conservancy
Your flight entry point to Kenya for safari will most likely be Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) – Nairobi, 15km/9mi southeast of the capital city Nairobi.
Travelling by road, Naboisho Conservancy is approximately 230km/145mi from Nairobi. The access roads could take 5 and a half hours to drive from the capital.
If you’re the type of traveler not into the drive times, we have airlines & flight tickets to Mara Naboisho Conservancy which you can easily book.
Flights are available from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport. The flight time from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport is approximately 100 miles with the flying time around 45 minutes whereby guests will land at the Ol Seki airstrip.
Or connect with flights from Mombasa, Migori, Diani Beach, Samburu, Loisaba, Lewa Downs, Nanyuki or Meru.
Safari Tours To Mara Naboisho Conservancy
Browse some of our favorite Naboisho safaris & tours which promise a more intimate adventure especially for travelers longing for a more private safari experience far away from the crowds with plenty of flexible safari activities, this is your one chance to do one of Kenya conservancy safaris & tours. Maybe you’re planning your honeymoon safari in Africa or rather you just desire a more private family safari experience just know that you have plenty of options to choose from.
