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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As the saying goes, familiarity breeds contempt. Growing up in Kenya, visiting our national parks felt like a routine part of school life. If you were a student taking Geography or Biology, there was a high chance you’d end up on a school bus headed for places like Lake Nakuru National Park, Lake Bogoria National Reserve, or Hell’s Gate.
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Our USA-based safari expert Julie Roggow has had thrilling animal encounters across the globe. Here, Julie gives a useful insight into gorilla trekking experiences in both Uganda and Rwanda …
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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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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.
Our camps and conservancies are popular with many professional photographers and videographers. Among our recent visitors was photographer and blogger Joe Ng.
Joe’s itinerary included Porini Amboseli Camp in Selenkay Conservancy, Porini Rhino Camp in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Porini Mara Camp in Ol Kinyei Conservancy and Porini Lion Camp in Olare Motorogi Conservancy, and he has kindly shared these wonderful images (above and below) from his safari.
Joe said, “The wild wonders of Kenya have not just been a journey; they have been a soul-stirring revelation, a reminder of the profound connection between all living beings, and an invitation to return and be enveloped once more in the embrace of this remarkable land”.
Speaking of our Porini Camp safari guides he added, “Their expertise and dedication were the guiding stars of my safari adventure. With eyes that could spot the most elusive wildlife and hearts brimming with deep knowledge of the land, they transformed every game drive into a thrilling exploration”.
Read more about Joe’s trip (including his useful photography tips) and see more of his images here on his web site:
Exploring the Untamed Beauty of Kenya’s Masai Mara Conservancies
As 2023 draws to a close, we’re taking time to look back and reflect on the past year and what it has brought to us here at Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps.
We’d like to thank our clients and travel partners for all their support during this year. This has enabled us to continue our work to protect conservation areas for wildlife and support our local communities.
Here are just a few highlights of the year:
Guests at our camps have had some sensational wildlife viewing throughout the year and we have been very lucky to have hosted many professional photographers who have kindly shared with us some wonderful images.
One of these was first-time Porini Safari Camps guest Todd Martin from Canada who has shared his thoughts on his safari experience (and some wonderful images) following his recent trip.
“All transfers, internal flights, and logistics were flawlessly executed by the Gamewatchers team, with not a single hiccup. We were in great hands from start to finish. The four Porini camps were superb, as were their teams. The accommodations, food, teams, and animal sightings were fantastic”.
You can read Todd’s full review and see more of his images in this blog: “Porini’s Masai Guides – a photographer could not hope for more!” …
Our focus for over 30 years now has been to use small scale tourism to protect habitat in partnership with communities in Kenya. Due to an ever-increasing population, land use change and other factors it is crucial that wildlife corridors are created and protected to ensure that there is a genetic flow of wildlife and that the current safe areas of habitat don’t become ‘islands’.
As such, we have become founding tourism partners of the new 13,500 acre Mara Ripoi Conservancy which is located next to our Ol Kinyei Conservancy (Masai Mara) and with this we can create a protected corridor for wildlife along the Ripole River that comes into Ol Kinyei. This is a great area for observing many animal species, and particularly for the big cats (lions, leopard, cheetah). The open plains attract large numbers of wildebeest that come up through the Mara Reserve and Siana conservancy and these, in turn, attract the predators.
The brand new Porini Giraffe Camp opened in June within the Mara Ripoi Conservancy with six spacious guest tents (each comfortably furnished and with private facilities including shower and wc). The camp will be fully inclusive of meals, snacks, selected drinks, game drives / activities.
The Porini Ol Kinyei Safari Cottages are four new cottages which opened in August in Ol Kinyei Conservancy. Just like our Porini Camps, they are fully inclusive of meals, snacks, selected drinks, game drives / activities.
With no permanent structures, our tented Porini Safari Camps have been designed to leave no footprint on the land on which they have been placed. But, for those guests wanting a more substantial accommodation, the Porini Safari Cottages do have a traditional solid structure but they have also been carefully planned to ensure that there is minimal impact on the surrounding wilderness.
The building has been kept low-rise and every effort has been made to use local / natural materials so that it is in keeping with the environment. We have also ensured that we have kept within our policy regarding maximum guests per acre of land (1 room per 700 acres) by closing one of the tented camps within the conservancy.
These are perfect for those travelling with friends or family and wanting something a little different. Each cottage has four en suite rooms with hot and cold running water, inside and outside showers, fireplace, media room with TV and an outside campfire seating area.
The cottages each have a kitchen at the back with their own personal chef and guests will be hosted by their safari guides.
See more on our web site: Porini Ol Kinyei Safari Cottages …
Many travellers take note of reviews on TripAdvisor when planning where to stay and we are pleased to note that all of the Porini Safari Camps have been recognised as TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice winners. The Travellers’ Choice Certificate is given only to establishments that consistently achieve Excellent traveller reviews for at least five consecutive years.
With the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Certificate based on guest reviews, the accolade is a vote of confidence in our camps and to our continued commitment to excellence. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our past guests that have taken the time to leave reviews for our camps and services, either via TripAdvisor, as a video or as a Safari Diary on our web site.
We were delighted that Porini Safari Camps won the category of “Kenya’s Leading Safari Camp Brand” at the prestigious 30th Annual World Travel Awards (the “Oscars of the Travel Industry”)! The Africa, Indian Ocean & Middle East Awards were declared at a colourful ceremony held at the Atlantis The Royal Dubai hotel in the United Arab Emirates.
Our team at Porini Mara Camp has been working hard with upgrading the Mess / Lounge area to ensure that it is as comfortable as possible for guests. Take a look around the new space in this video.
Porini Mara Camp is situated in Ol Kinyei Conservancy, which is a designated wildlife conservancy that borders the Masai Mara National Reserve. The location offers a more private and exclusive safari experience compared to staying within the main reserve. Guests have the opportunity to see a diverse range of wildlife. Day and night game drives by 4×4 vehicle and guided nature walks are all included.
Find out more: Porini Mara Camp …
Have you seen our new web site? We now have porinisafaricamps.com as an additional and dedicated space for the camps that we own and operate: ie our Porini Camps, Porini Cottages, Nairobi Tented Camp and Rhino River Camp.
Our current porini.com web site will remain as our main site for Gamewatchers Safaris, but do take a look around the new site for more details about our collection of properties in Kenya.
This year we have introduced some exciting new destinations to our program, including Mozambique, the island of Madagascar and Republic of Congo.
We have included Mozambique as an add-on to South Africa in this new itinerary: 12 day South Africa & Mozambique tour
This lets you explore the wonders of Cape Town and its surroundings, then enjoy the thrill of a Big Five safari in a private nature reserve in Kruger National Park before flying to Mozambique to relax on the white-sand beaches of the Indian Ocean.
Madagascar is a wildlife-lovers’ dream with ancient rainforests, unique bio-diversity and many rare and endangered plants and animals – including over 100 species of lemur. There are also some spectacular white sand beaches on which to relax at the end of a busy tour.
We are featuring a choice of itineraries including 9, 11 or 13 day options taking in the highlights of the island and, due to convenient flight connections from Nairobi (just over 3 hours), Madagascar can also be combined with any of our safaris in Kenya. See details here: Madagascar …
And for those wanting a different experience of Africa we have added tours in the Republic of Congo.
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.
Our brand new Congo program features a choice of tours to the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, including: 8 Day Odzala Discovery Safari …
We were proud to be partners and supporters of Wildscreen Festival Nairobi 2023. This prestigious event is aimed at celebrating the role of Kenya and Africa in the international wildlife film industry and elevating African storytellers within the global wildlife storytelling industry.
A short film “Karibu Nairobi” was produced for the festival by Clement Kiragu, featuring renowned conservationist Paula Kahumbu. Beautifully shot, the film shows the magic of Nairobi National Park and the importance of protecting it. Our Nairobi Tented Camp (situated within the park) supported the production crew during filming.
We have been supporting schools in the communities surrounding our Ol Kinyei Conservancy with digital learning resources. This smart learning project is a collaborative effort with WiLearn 4 Life, backed by the PD Foundation, with a mission to empower the community with digital and tech skills. WiLearn 4 Life’s CEO, Roland Diethelm, personally delivered digital learning equipment last month and students and teachers were trained on its usage.
We have numerous schools now receiving this program which greatly benefits remote schools and complements Kenya’s DigiSchools project which offers efficient charging solutions for tablets via solar-powered kits.
We were excited to have award-winning photographer Alison Mees training our guides at the Rhino River Camp in Meru and Porini Rhino Camp in Ol Pejeta on better fieldcraft when it comes to guiding wildlife photographers during game drives. Alison is a wildlife expert, conservationist and qualified guide with a passion for wildlife and photography.
Ideal for photographers, Porini Camps operate open-sided 4×4 safari vehicles with each person guaranteed a “window” seat. In addition, our well-trained and experienced safari driver-guides know how best to position the vehicle for you to take the perfect shots.
Publication “Kwetu Laikipia” featured a great article on our Porini Rhino Camp, highlighting the popular photography hide.
The hide is carefully placed just a few meters from the camp’s mess and lounge area, overlooking a waterhole which regularly attracts wildlife such as zebras, lions, elephants, buffalo, baboons, gazelles, waterbucks, birds, and more. This enables guests to observe and photograph wildlife safely, yet in close proximity.
This eye-level image of a Cape Buffalo was taken from the hide by our colleague Julie Roggow.
In November our staff took part in Kenya’s first National Tree Planting Day. This vital initiative saw the entire nation join forces in support of the environment.
The day, 13 November, was declared a “special holiday” and we contributed to Kenya’s ambitious goal of planting 500 million seedlings this year and the longer term target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. It was encouraging to see so many people dedicated to a greener, more sustainable future.