Saruni

The community

Saruni is involved in two of the most important and innovative conservation and community projects currently under way in Kenya and possibly Africa. Saruni Mara and Saruni Wild are founding members of Mara North Conservancy, while Saruni Samburu is located in Kalama Conservancy, one of the 17 conservancies that are part of the Northern Rangelands Trust.

The Mara North Conservancy (MNC) is a partnership between the tourism industry and the local Maasai landowners to professionally manage and protect the north-western border of the Masai Mara ecosystem.  MNC consists of approximately 31,803 hectares, effectively increasing the size of the Masai Mara National Reserve by 21%. This area is a key dispersal zone for the annual “Great Migration” and supports an extensive variety of additional species, the most recognizable including lion, cheetah, leopard, buffalo, hyena, elephant, crocodile, wild dog, giraffe, hippopotamus, and over 450 bird species.

This land formerly belonged to two Group Ranches (Koyaiki & Lemek) and years ago was subdivided into individual, private titles. Uncoordinated land-use decisions were severely impacting the ecosystem and its wildlife.  Mass tourism, human population growth, poor infrastructure, growing numbers of livestock, introduction of agriculture, and charcoaling are just some of the issues facing the area.

To form the conservancy MNC leased land from individual Maasai landowners. This marks the first time that these Maasai landowners have received guaranteed direct income from wildlife tourism. Together, MNC and the Maasai are implementing sound land management policies, including managed grazing, holistic management practices, low volume and low impact tourism, and community land-use plans.

Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy is a community conservation initiative under the umbrella of the Northern

Rangelands Trust (NRT), one of Africa’s last true wilderness destinations, an area where wildlife roams freely across a vast and diverse landscape, characterized by acacia grasslands, dry savannah and thick forests. This diversity of fauna, flora and culture make northern Kenya a truly unique experience where pastoral communities live by deep cultural values little changed for centuries whilst collectively working to conserve the area’s rich wildlife and habitat. Drought and famine are constant threats in this region where people are predominantly dependent on livestock. Thanks to NRT, alternatives are now evolving providing stability and employment.

Kalama, where Saruni is located, is 220,000 acres-large conservancy, owned by Samburu people, and bordering Samburu National Reserve.

We are proud to be part of MNC, of NRT and of Kalama.