With the ever-growing pressure on land use and human-wildlife conflict, the future for Kenya’s wildlife is at risk due to loss of habitat.
Here we explain why human intervention is essential to the survival of many of our most iconic species …
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Many humans create problems for wildlife every day but, thankfully, awareness of these issues is increasing. Here are 11 endangered or near-endangered animals seen on safari and the steps being taken to protect them for the future.
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Our Kenyan safaris offer travellers something perhaps even more important as they ponder their next bucket-list holiday: the chance to actually make a positive impact on wildlife conservation efforts and the wellbeing of the local communities living alongside the wild animals.
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This is a common question that we are asked by potential safari travellers. Safari (or “bucket”) showers are not only part of a unique safari experience but also a method of water conservation at Porini Safari Camps. But, it really isn’t as primitive as it sounds! Let us explain …
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It’s amazing what you can pack into two days on safari – with a multitude of wildlife, the sounds of nature away from civilisation, beautiful landscapes and welcoming hospitable people. Here’s a taster of how you could spend 48 hours at Porini Mara Camp in Kenya.
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If a safari holiday is on your radar, you probably have an idea of how you want your trip to look. Do you picture sleeping under canvas? The stark silhouette of the acacia trees at dusk? These are all iconic African safari scenes—but you’ve barely scratched the surface of what lies in store on a Porini Camp safari.
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May 7th, 2024
Parts of Kenya have experienced an unprecedented amount of rainfall over the last 2-3 weeks including some of the tourism areas such as the Maasai Mara and Nairobi. Unfortunately, this has caused several rivers to break their banks and has led to damaging floods in some areas of the country.
We wanted to provide an update to our guests who are coming out on safari soon on the situation at our camps and conservancies as well as the other areas we take guests on safari.
Fortunately, all our camps and our team are fine.
The greatest impact in a tourism area was experienced in the Mara from the flooding of the Talek River, Sand River and Mara River impacting a number of camps along the riverbanks. Fortunately, any guests in those camps along with the staff were safely rescued and no lives were lost. However, many people from local communities in the area were displaced or badly affected by the floods and we are currently working with teams on the ground to support them, so please feel free to contact us if you’d also like to offer any support as this time of need.
The rivers have all subsided now and the forecast is for more normal levels of rain for the next few weeks and then tapering off. In fact, there was no rain in many parts of the Mara yesterday with sunny days and our guests in Ol Kinyei have been enjoying their safari as usual.
Guests staying at the Porini Ol kinyei Safari Cottages enjoy a game drive in the Ol kinyei Conservancy – photo by Porini Guide, George Letoluo – 7th May 2024
The camps that were affected, especially along the Talek River, are assessing the damage with some indicating they will be ready to fully reopen in a few weeks and others that could take a couple of months. We will be in touch with all our guests that may be going to any camp that is affected or will still be by their time of travel.
There is close collaboration between the tourism industry including the Mara camp managers, national government including the Tourism Board and the Narok County government with a crisis committee having been set up that is coordinating a very effective response on the ground as well as daily updates. Our 24- hour Kenya Tourism Federation Safety & Security Centre is providing real time updates not only in the Mara but across the country so guests can come on safari with up-to-date information, while those already in Kenya, of which there are very many, can continue enjoying their time on safari or at the beach.
Currently some of the key bridges along these rivers have been damaged and the county and national government are making a focus to have these repaired as soon as possible. The county has taken swift action and is already today with heavy equipment at Talek bridge starting to have it repaired.
Our camps in the Mara (Porini Lion Camp in Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Porini Mara Camp, Porini Cheetah Camp, Porini Ol Kinyei Cottages in Ol Kinyei Conservancy and Porini Giraffe Camp in Mara Ripoi Conservancy) are all fine and those along the rivers are all positioned on raised decks and so were not affected by the increased water levels. We recommend all clients to fly in and out now as some of the key rivers are still high and can impact or delay access by road into some of our conservancies. We currently have guests at Porini Ol Kinyei Cottages and they are having a great time with all the usual activities. Porini Lion Camp opens for guests next week. Porini Amboseli in Selenkay was also not affected by the rains although the river has come up significantly and we expect this to go back to normal in a week or so. The camp is closed as we are putting in a new mess tent and replacing some older tents. Porini Rhino Camp in Ol Pejeta was also not affected and will be opening for guests after our annual maintenance next week.
Rhino River Camp, Meru was also not affected and has had little rain in the last week or so. Nairobi Tented Camp is also not affected although the roads to camp and in the park are not in good condition at the moment due to the rains.
April and May are considered the long rains in Kenya, and this is normally when we get most of our rains across the country which helps to rejuvenate the land, replenish the water table, and water courses and so leading to an abundance of new life across the country. This is also a time that every year we close most our camps for annual maintenance, the team take annual leave etc. although we do keep a few camps open as it is still a great time to be on safari during this ‘green’ season and often great for dramatic photography, especially as all the wildlife in Kenya other than the Serengeti migration is resident year-round.
The unusually heavy amount of rain this year coupled with human induced negative impacts like deforestation of key water towers like the Mau, Loita and Nyakweri forests along with land use change, over grazing and sand-harvesting has led to compaction of many areas and so less absorption of water into the soil and a much greater level of sheet erosion and runoff all increasing water into the main watercourses and rivers. As a company for over 30 years our mission has been to protect habitat in partnership with communities with every room protecting over 700 acres of habitat and generating benefits for local communities. Within the conservancies we have been able to ensure that there is no environmental degradation, and that woodlands, grasslands and forest are conserved. Guests staying at our camps are able to enjoy a great safari while helping to make a direct impact to protecting vital habitat and supporting communities.
Dr Mohanjeet Brar (PhD) Managing Director Gamewatchers Safaris & Porini Camps
There are many reasons to choose a Porini Camp for your safari adventure – including the unparalleled game viewing, exclusive areas of natural habitat, excellent safari guides and comfortable accommodation.
There are also numerous ecological and humanitarian reasons.
Here, in our latest video, we look at five reasons why a Porini Safari is the ideal choice for guests that want to ensure that their safari supports the environment, conservation and local communities.
On the 21st of February each year we celebrate International Tourist Guide Day!
The WFTGA (World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations) says “this is a day dedicated to the profession of Tourist Guiding and affords us the opportunity to highlight and showcase this profession on the global stage”.
This year the theme was particularly pertinent to us as it was “Tourist Guides: Our Guardians in promoting and encouraging Green Tourism”.
To mark the occasion we have a brand new video series, “Know Your Safari Guide”. In this first video you can meet Geoffrey Ketere, one of our amazing guides at Porini Safari Camps. With years of experience and a deep love for wildlife, Geoffrey brings the magic of the African bush to life for every guest.
From tracking elusive animals to sharing fascinating insights about the local ecosystem, Geoffrey’s expertise and enthusiasm make him a true asset to any safari adventure.
We are delighted to announce that we have now added the exciting destination of Republic of the Congo to our expanding collection of safari destinations.
Located in Central Africa, the Republic of the Congo is wild and unspoilt and captivates visitors with an abundance of natural beauty and pristine wilderness eco-systems.
The country is comprised largely of dense lowland forest. This supports a diverse array of wildlife and is home to many rare and endangered species including forest elephants, chimpanzees, western lowland gorillas, leopards and bongo antelope. Visitors can explore by vehicle, boat or on foot, each with great opportunities for seeing and photographing wildlife.
Not to be confused with its neighbour (the separate country of Democratic Republic of Congo), the Republic of the Congo is an emerging tourist destination appealing to those who may be looking for a new type of safari adventure or simply wanting to immerse themselves in nature somewhere truly remote.
Our brand new Congo program features a choice of tours to the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
This intrepid safari takes you to the unique and varied eco-systems of the Congo Basin. You will be exploring this extraordinary location with walks and boating activities as well as having the opportunity to track endangered Western Lowland Gorillas in their natural habitat, a truly thrilling and magical experience.
Starting in Brazzaville, fly to the Odzala-Kokoua National Park within the Congo Basin. Your first three nights will be spent on the western boundary of Odzala-Kokoua National Park, surrounded by towering trees of this equatorial African rainforest. From here you will set off on foot in search of Western Lowland Gorillas.
After three nights, travel to the Lango Baï, a vast wetland area. This location is a birders’ and wildlife-lovers’ paradise. Explore the waterways on foot or by kayak, learning about the delicate ecosystem and fascinating flora and fauna.
Continue onwards to the wide-open grasslands, gentle rivers, and towering forests, of a different area of Odzala-Kokoua National Park. Here you can explore some of the Congo Basin’s most beautiful habitat, with walks and water activities.
