My husband and I have been going to southern Africa for an extend trip at least every year since the late 90's.  Typically we go alone but over the years we have taken people with us as well as joined specialized trips with known naturalists.  The Masai Mara has been a free for all --- for most of that time.What people have to understand is the Mara is a public park -- with an entrance fee. You have many "camps" at the edge of the park and only a few that actually sit within the boarders of the park.  At sunrise and before sunset .. all action goes to the river.  There are just too many people allowed into the park -- needing too many vehicles. Only the local government w/ support of the national Kenyan government can fix this problem.The Conservancy is a section away from the river where people have gotten together and bought up farm land along the edge of the park and opened the fences -- built luxury camps. Africa is littered with old farms built on poor soil .. this is a way to bring them back to what they were before colonial times.  I'm skipping a  lot of history here.  We have stayed there and did not bother to take the trip to the river. Botswana's model is few people w/ very high fees.  Not hard to spend 5k a night per couple in the better camps .... very few people. May go all morning or afternoon and not see another vehicle.A few years ago from Tanzania ... just outside the season we had a great morning all alone w/ a Mara migration crossing.

My husband and I have been going to southern Africa for an extend trip at least every year since the late 90's.  Typically we go alone but over the years we have taken people with us as well as joined specialized trips with known naturalists.  The Masai Mara has been a free for all --- for most of that time.What people have to understand is the Mara is a public park -- with an entrance fee. You have many "camps" at the edge of the park and only a few that actually sit within the boarders of the park.  At sunrise and before sunset .. all action goes to the river.  There are just too many people allowed into the park -- needing too many vehicles. Only the local government w/ support of the national Kenyan government can fix this problem.The Conservancy is a section away from the river where people have gotten together and bought up farm land along the edge of the park and opened the fences -- built luxury camps. Africa is littered with old farms built on poor soil .. this is a way to bring them back to what they were before colonial times.  I'm skipping a  lot of history here.  We have stayed there and did not bother to take the trip to the river. Botswana's model is few people w/ very high fees.  Not hard to spend 5k a night per couple in the better camps .... very few people. May go all morning or afternoon and not see another vehicle.A few years ago from Tanzania ... just outside the season we had a great morning all alone w/ a Mara migration crossing.

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