What the Press is raving about
How our Conservancies in Kenya are empowering Maasai women
An article by The Guardian (UK) showing how our conservancy concept is supporting Maasai women who are taking up roles that give them a say in community life and protecting the land they depend on.
Gamewatchers Safaris – Kenya’s game-changers
Our Managing Director, Dr Mohanjeet Brar, was interviewed by Endeavour Magazine and explained how our “conservancy concept” has been supporting wildlife and local communities in Kenya for over three decades.
Africa Prestige Awards Magazine: Maasai Mara
Porini Lion Camp, set in Olare Motorogi Conservancy, was recommended in this article on the Masai Mara by Africa Prestige Awards magazine.
The Untold Magic of Selenkay Conservancy
This article by Rupi Mangat for Nation media explores Selenkay Conservancy, home to Porini Amboseli Camp in the Amboseli region of Kenya.
Article in KLM inflight magazine
This article by Mark Eveleigh is from the “Holland Herald” KLM inflight magazine (Dec 2021) and features our Ol Kinyei Conservancy in the Masai Mara.
Article in Msafiri Magazine by Kenya Airways
An article about our role in setting up conservancies on community land, first in Selenkay and then Ol Kinyei. These conservancies were the first of their kind in Kenya and this began an exciting new model of ecotourism with people and conservation at its centre.
Leap of Faith by Mark Eveleigh
An article by Mark Eveleigh on the Masai Mara, as featured in Ng’aali Magazine (the Uganda Airlines magazine), August 2021.
Gamewatchers Safaris Adopt An Acre Plan
A report from Ol Kinyei Conservancy where our “Adopt-an-Acre” plan offers a way to support the conservancy while income from international tourism has been curtailed due to global travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Living in the heart of the African Savanna
An article for The Times of India by Nirmalya Banerjee explaining his life-changing decision to move to the African bush to run Porini Cheetah Camp.
Call of the Wild
Riju Mehta’s article for The Economic Times tells the story of how Nirmalya and Jui Banerjee fell in love with the wildlife of Kenya, and decided to change their lives by relocating to the Maasai Mara to run Porini Cheetah Camp.
Animal Odyssey in Ol Kinyei Conservancy
An article for the Daily Record by Craig McDonald following his visit to Porini Cheetah Camp in Ol Kinyei Conservancy.
Get a Big Cat Experience in Kenya, Indian Style
This wonderful article by Nirmalya Banerjee was featured in the Deccan Chronicle and the Asian Age newspapers.
Adventures in Animal Magic
Paula Murray’s feature for the Sunday Express following her visit to Porini Cheetah Camp in August 2017
A Kenyan Safari - Planes, Trains & Automobiles Across Kenya
This feature by Mei Capes gives insight into a journey across Kenya, discovering bush and beach by using as many different types of transport as possible! It also includes some beautiful images and good tips for planning a safari.
Interview for Swara Magazine
Andy Hills from “Swara” (the magazine of the East African Wildlife Society) interviews our Managing Director Jake Grieves-Cook on Kenya’s tourism industry and the future for Kenya’s wildlife.
An interview with "A Luxury Travel Blog"
“A Luxury Travel Blog” – reputed to be one the most popular travel blogs in the world – interviews our Gamewatchers Safaris Managing Director Jake Grieves-Cook.
Nairobi & the Masai Mara by Rostow Ravanan
An article from The Deccan Herald featuring the exciting safari experience of Rostow Ravanan, CEO of software firm MindTree.
Security Key to Achieving Kenya’s Tourism Potential
Our Managing Director Jake Grieves-Cook is interviewed by Nairobi’s The Star newspaper on the subject of marketing Kenya within the UK.
Spreading the conservation message to local children
We invited 42 students from neighbouring schools to the Ol Kinyei Conservancy situated in the Maasai Mara to visit the Porini Mara Camp and to experience a game drive in the conservancy. See more in this Africa Geographical report.
Maasai Mara when it rains (The Hindu)
Divya Gandhi from The Hindu spends time in Ol Kinyei Conservancy at Porini Cheetah Camp
Masai Mara: Stepping into the light
Few visitors to Kenya have more experience in the Masai Mara than the writer Brian Jackman. His first book on the reserve, The Marsh Lions, written with Jonathan Scott, is being re-released and in this issue of Travel Africa magazine.
Porini’s “small is beautiful” conservation concept
Exploring how Gamewatchers Safaris & Porini Safari Camps and the wildlife conservancies on which they operate have made a positive contribution to the sustainability of tourism in Kenya.
What Our Clients Say About Us...
In our commitment to excellence, we not only strive to exceed our clients’ expectations but also value their feedback. We are proud to present our latest clients’ feedback posted on Trip Advisor.
Lisa W28 December 2024 A long awaited dream come true. I booked my trip through Gamewatchers in Queensland and Kristy organised everything for me. She was always available to me, even when I was in Kenya a my flight needed readjusting. I have nothing but praise for this group. I ave travelled to Africa on a few occasions and it usually takes quite a bit of research etc. No I have discovered Gamewatchers all I have to do now is work out when to go. laurafrangi18 December 2024 Unforgettable safari week in Kenya From the booking process with Safari Consultant Wayne Hammond to the actual experience at Porini Amboseli Camp and Porini Mara Camp, it has been perfect at every step.There is nothing I would change, I cannot think of something to improve! We felt in good hands from A to Z. I'm a super happy customer and will recommend Gamewatchers / Porini camps 100%.Thank you for organizing this unforgettable trip for us. It feels like it was all a dream, we will cherish this memory forever! carobertson1 December 2024 Kenya Safari with Gamewatchers The entire experience was phenomenal. The communication from the first contact made to Gamewatchers ( Wayne Hammond was our liason) to the transfer to the hotel at the end of the trip was outstanding. All our questions were answered fully and in warp time. We were provided with all the information that we needed to create a safari experience that was 10/10. The hotel accomodations prior and post safari were more than comfortable with staff that were friendly and helpful. The hotel restaurants provided a good choice of food that was tasty and well prepared. The actual safari bested our expectations. The Porini staff at each of the 3 camps ( Rhino, Cheetah and Porini) we stayed at were excellent - they took great care of us, made sure that every need was met and were gracious and patient with our questions and requests. Every person greeted us with a smile and most called us by name. The game tours, the walking tours, and the night tour provided us the oppoturnity to not only see and hear the animals up close and perrsonal, but also to learn about the flora and fauna, the cultures of the people. Each tour gave us a greater appreciation of the land and its inhabitants. We left the bush with new friends and a greater respect for all things African. We saw so many animals and took + 1000 photos over the 10 days in the bush. It was the trip of a lifetime. Carolyn23 November 2024 WISHES AND DREAMS DO COME TRUE. Myself and my mate stayed in Nairobi for 2 nights. We were escorted, throughout our trip from landing at Nairobi Airport to our return to Nairobi Airport to go home. This gave us time to visit the Giraffe Centre, where we hand fed the Rothschild Giraffes, which are wild and free to roam in a huge conservancy. An Absolutely fantastic experience! We were then taken to various shopping centres where bead making jewellery, recycled items were created, wood carvings, artworks and so on was expertly made. We didn’t go to Karen Blixens’ house/museum, of “Out of Africa” fame, which we will visit next time we go, as we certainly will be revisiting!Day 3 was the start of our 1st camp Safari at Amboseli Camp, run by the wonderful Massai people. We were escorted in uncovered, massive Safari vehicles which comfortably seat 6 guests. Our Massai guide and spotter were so knowledgeable, about everything from fauna, birds, all the animals. We asked so many questions about their lives and they were so honest and so proud of their Country, which is spotless, clean and friendly. Our guides found every animal and bird that was in our book plus more. I could not believe how close we were to all the animals; LIONS, ELEPHANTS, GIRAFFES, BUFFALOES, CHEETAHS!!! We called it UCAP. Up Close And Personal!!! We had a days safari at Amboseli National Park too!Our next 3 day camp was Rhino Camp, which we flew to on a small aircraft. We booked this camp as we wanted to visit the last 2 Northern White Rhinos left in the world. As they are so rare, they are protected 24/7 365 days a year along with Baraka, the blind Rhino. We saw lots of animals along with lots of Rhinos. The experience with Nijad, the very friendly Northern White Rhino was so emotional, upsetting, happy etc., it was FANTASTIC!!! She was soooo friendly. We fed her, stroked her, tickled behind her ears and scratched her HUGE horn and she loved it and I love her!!! Just MARVELLOUS!!!Our next camp was Lion Camp. It did not disappoint. Again, saw all the big 5 plus lots of Hippos. Lost count of how many different Lions and Lionesses we got UCAP to!!! There was lots of drama with the Lion and his pride on our camp, where 3 other Males came to try and take our prides’ Lionesses!!! Thank god our pride hid well and the 3 Males returned to their own area!!!After 4 days in Lion Camp, we returned to Nairobi, in a more relaxing hotel, for 2 nights.On the 1st day, we visited the world famous SHELDRICK ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE, which must be booked 3 months prior to your visit. Another experience not to be missed. The babies are so beautiful where you can pat, stroke and scratch their bums!!! DELIGHTFUL!!!The only advice I can give is check that you REALLY need to take, a flask, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, wet wipes!!! These were supplied at each camp/vehicles/bathrooms!!! These takes up so much room and weight in your 15K luggage that I could’ve taken more clothes!!!It is impossible to tell you how exhilarating and exciting this trip was in a few thousand words. The pictures and videos we’ve taken have shown our family and friends just how wonderful this trip of a lifetime was. The staff, the posh tents, the food, the itineraries were just excellent plus everything worked seamlessly.We will be coming back with GAMEWATCHERS SAFARIS.NOT ONCE DID WE FEEL THREATENED OR AFRAID!!! Even when the Lions walked past us, nonchalant, within 5 feet away!!!Having just watched Gary Barlow on his Safari in South Africa, I can honestly say that our Safari was a 1000% better.I would also add that Wayne Hammond, one of the advisors who helped me choose our trip, was also excellent. All my wishes and dreams were catered forHow he put up with my emails, I’ll never know!!! ipbchlvr20 November 2024 Can I give 9.99 stars out of 5? My husband was not at all interested in going but by day 2 he was in awe! Our consultant wayne arranged everything and it went amazingly smooth. I was so anxious because people kept telling me we were crazy not going on a “tour” with a tour company. Do not hesitate to book with gamewatchers. Amazing staff in the camps. Polite , nice, easy to talk to. Camp managers amazing. Accommodations clean, neat, plenty of food. Excellent spotters & driversEtson, Dixon, John, frank, Jackson and Edward stand outWe stayed 2 nights each at porini amboseli, porini rhino, porini rhino river, and porini cheetah campOh did I mention the amazing wildlife?Non stop, every turn held something new and fun. Saw the big 5 and so much moreEvery camp located in a different ecosystem but all were greatWe saw some other groups in closed vehicles. I was attracted to the open proper safari Land Cruiser-exciting!And I liked the conservancy ideaIt was my #1 bucket list item and I am in awe that it was beyond fabulous Gamewatchers delivers Vacation3675952353318 November 2024 Best time ever! My dream come true. Everything was exceptional from the camps, food, service and game drives. The people are lovely! I could not have asked for more. Marie-Annick G10 November 2024 Kenya: A dream come true I had high expectations for this safari and GameWatchers delivered. As a solo traveler, i felt that I was being taken care of from the moment I landed in Nairobi to being dropped off back at the airport 8 days later, I only have positive comments. On the twice-daily drives, the drivers and spotters were all very knowledgeable about our surroundings and the wildlife. I felt safe 100% of the time being escorted to/from my tent at night time. The accommodations are clean, comfortable and the food plentiful and delicious. I truly can’t come up with one negative point. I visited the Nairobi National Park, the Rhino camp and the Masai Mara and finished with a few hours visit in Nairobi before catching my flight back which included Karen Blixen’s property now a museum. I also booked a hot air balloon ride in the Mara: not to be missed! TwoTravelers218 November 2024 A View of the Local Culture, Wildlife and Geology of Madagascar We chose Gamewatchers for our trip to Madagascar having enjoyed our safaris in Uganda and Kenya two years ago. Our driver/guide, Franco, was outstanding by all accounts. How he managed to drive on those roads and keep us relatively comfortable and on time is beyond my understanding. The car was clean and comfortable, Franco knew when to talk and when to let us rest. He is knowledgeable, a fantastic driver, and very friendly. All of our area guides were excellent.Balita (Patrick) in Antananarivo was very knowledgeable and aware of our abilities vs. the time we had.Emil in Ranomafana NP with his knowledge of the wildlife and plants he enabled us to see much more than just the lemurs and chameleons. We also visited his vanilla plantation and loved that.Adrian in the Anja Reserve allowed us to find our own places from which to photograph the lemurs. Many guides just tell you what to do and we appreciated his understanding.Nirina at Isalo patiently helped us hike into the gorge and kept up a fascinating stream of conversation about the geology and the wildlife.We truly appreciated not feeling pressured to buy things from the gift shops.Madagascar tourism is not as mature as Kenya and South Africa which meant that Gamewatchers needed to be extra aware of time and needs. We thought they did a fabulous job finding activities that fit our desires to learn about the culture, wildlife, and geology in this truly remarkable country. Mike Q4 November 2024 19 Day trip to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Our trip to Africa was amazing! Truly a trip that will give us wonderful memories for a lifetime. We saw so many animals, it will take a week just to sort through the photos and videos. We loved the different accommodations, from the Elewana Tarangire Treetops and Serengeti Nimali Camps to the more rustic Porini Mara and Amboselli Camps. It was a very nice change of venue throughout the trip that made it interesting. All of the guides and camp personnel were very gracious, informative, and entertaining! We met many other travelers that we enjoyed and became friends with. I cant think of enough nice things to say about Gamewatchers. It started with the trip layout and suggestions that was made by Wayne Hammond, our representative. The other personnel at Gamewatchers kindly helped us with all our connection needs and even allowed us to rework our last day’s schedule to give us amazing views of the Rinos in Nairobi National Park. We love Gamewatechers and all their representatives and will recommend them for trips by our friends.