Wildebeest Migration: Maasai Mara expects record visitors amid fee hike concerns

CaptionWildebeest after crossing River Mara at Maasai Mara National Game reserve on August 4, 2018. [File/Standard] More than 350,000 tourists are expected to visit the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in the coming weeks to witness the world-renowned Great Wildebeest Migration. The migration, also referred to as the eighth wonder of the world, officially kicked off two days ago. Maasai Mara Chief Park Warden Stephen Minis said the numbers are pegged on the number of bookings in the lodges and hotels between July and September. An estimated 20,000 international tourists have already arrived in the Mara from countries around the world, ahead of the peak migration season. Addressing the media at the reserve on Thursday morning, Minis highlighted the impact of ongoing infrastructure development, saying it has significantly improved the quality of services offered to tourists. "The Narok County Government has invested heavily in improving infrastructure inside the park. These efforts have greatly boosted service delivery, attracting more tourists each year," said Minis. He also reassured both local and international visitors about their safety, noting that security within the park has been enhanced in collaboration with national and county security agencies. Minis dismissed concerns that increased park entry fees would deter tourism, clarifying that the fee revision was aimed at positioning the Maasai Mara as a premium destination. "The new Mara Management Plan introduced by Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu has transformed the reserve. Roads have been paved and dedicated viewing points for the migration have been established along the Mara River," he said. He spoke as reports indicate that Kenya is losing safari allure to Tanzania following its decision to increase park entry fees that has rattled the international market, as buyers and agents struggle to convince travellers on Kenya as a preferred affordable safari destination. Latest industry trends indicate travellers are now worried Kenya is becoming an expensive destination, opting for other countries offering similar products including neighbouring Tanzania. Four out of seven of Africa's top safari destinations offer beach and safari packages, which have been Kenya's top selling products over decades. Kenya's main competitors are Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia. Park entry fees, for instance, at the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya's top selling safari destination, had been increased to $100 (Sh13,550 at current exchange rate) per non-resident adult per day effective January this year to June, a move that has been challenged in court. They are meant to go up to Sh27,100 starting July while children will pay Sh6,775. The park fees are for 12 hours (6am-6pm), with guests who arrive in the Mara as late as 4pm paying the full amount, despite having barely two hours for safari. Neighbouring Tanzania is charging Sh11,111 inclusive of VAT at the Serengeti National Park, making it cheaper compared to Kenya. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia range between Sh3,387 to Sh4,065 per day for adults. The Narok County Government has also increased bed-night levies among other charges, which players say has made Maasai Mara "too expensive" for most travellers. A section of buyers and agents in Europe (companies that book travellers in destinations around the world), have since raised alarm over disquiet among travellers. "Contrary to what some feared, we are actually expecting the highest number of visitors this year. The improved infrastructure and premium services are attracting more guests," Minis added. He also confirmed that all roads and bridges damaged by recent floods have been repaired and upgraded in preparation for the high season. This year, more than 2.5 million wildebeests are expected to make the dramatic crossing from Tanzania's Serengeti National Park into Kenya's Maasai Mara-a natural phenomenon that continues to draw awe-struck spectators from around the globe. Among the early arrivals are Anna Muller from Germany and her friend Lucas Moreau from France, who are on a ten-day safari across Kenya. "I've seen documentaries about this migration, but nothing compares to seeing it live. It's breathtaking - the animals, the landscapes, everything," said Muller, watching a herd of wildebeest thunder across the plains. "Kenya has exceeded my expectations. The hospitality, the guides, the wildlife - it's truly world-class. This is a dream come true," added Moreau, visiting Africa for the first time. The wildebeests began crossing from the Serengeti two days ago and are currently spread across the Sand River area, moving steadily north toward the Mara and Talek rivers, where pasture is abundant. "On 8th of July, a large herd of wildebeests crossed the Sand River into the greater Mara. After a long wait and push and pull from driver guides, the wildebeests finally crossed over," said Felix Migoya, Chairman of the East Africa Tour Drivers and Guides Association, while observing the early wave of the migration. Minis emphasised that the migration not only boosts the local economy but also positions Narok County as a major hub in Kenya's tourism industry. "The wildebeest migration is a unique natural event that continues to place Maasai Mara on the global tourism map and brings significant foreign exchange into the county," he noted. The huffing and snorting of the wildebeests will fill the Mara for the next two months, marking the peak of the tourism season in Narok County. The millions of wildebeests-also known as gnus-are stocky, ox-like African antelope with drooping manes, beards, long tufted tails, and curved horns. They are accompanied by large herds of zebras, stampeding across the Sand River, a tributary along the Kenya-Tanzania border, into the Mara. The migration spans an area of approximately 200,000 square miles, covering woodlands, hills, and open plains that stretch from southern Serengeti in Tanzania to Maasai Mara in Kenya. It begins in the south of Serengeti, where nearly half a million calves are born between January and March. From July to mid-September, the wildebeests move back and forth across the Mara River, crossing at different points almost daily-offering unmatched spectacles for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers.

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