Explore The World

Kicheche Naboisho, the latest addition to the Kicheche portfolio of camps in Kenya will launch on 1 June 2011, offering guests a new location from which to view some of the world’s most stunning wildlife and dramatic scenery.

Kicheche Naboisho is the newest opening in the recently established Mara Naboisho Conservancy. Launched in December 2010, the 200 km2 (50,000 acre) conservancy is a pioneering new sustainable tourism project and is located in Narok South district within the Great Rift Valley, bordering the world famous Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Conservation is at the Heart of Things

Naboisho, which in Maasai means ‘coming together’ is a community driven initiative to create a wildlife conservation and tourism area that supports the livelihoods of the landowners and surrounding communities. The conservancy is dedicated to empowering local communities, supporting a healthy ecosystem and promoting wildlife conservation.

Working with the Maasai People

Kicheche Camps is a founding partner in the five-year project to establish the conservancy. Pioneered by the Maasai landowners themselves, the project involves more than 500 landowners and partners. Fundamental to the conservancy is the goal of long–term financial security for the Maasai community and the Koiyaki Guiding School. The conservancy is committed to the preservation of the socio ¬cultural heritage of the region and the support of local people through education and skills training. The income that will be generated by tourism will be reinvested, bringing long-term benefits to the community including education, access to health care and clean energy.

Supporting a Guiding School

Kicheche Naboisho also supports the Koiyaki Guiding School which offers members of the local Maasai community the opportunity to learn the skills essential for wildlife conservation and tourism management, with modules covering anthropology, animal behaviour, wildlife management, First Aid and guest relations. Kicheche supports the education of two students annually at the Koiyaki Guiding School and offers internship placements, whilst two members of the team at Kicheche Naboisho are graduates of the school.

The Naboisho Conservancy boasts some of the most stunning terrain in the Masai Mara eco‐system with acacia woodlands, savannah grassland plains, forest and rocky hills providing a varied habitat for a wide range of wildlife. The largest population of giraffe in the Mara is found in Naboisho and elephant herds frequent the area. Big cats are in abundance with three prides totalling 35 lions identified and three prides of another 30-35 lions move between the conservancy and Olkinyei, Bardamat hills and the northern plains. Leopard and cheetah are also present, whilst a large hippo pod and crocodiles are resident on the Eneskaria River. Rare species such as black rhino, aardvark, caracal, serval cat, aardwolf and painted dog are also resident in the conservancy. Naboisho is a bird watchers paradise and species rarely seen elsewhere in the Mara such as white headed buffalo weavers, northern white-crowned shrike, pigmy falcon, Von-der Deckens hornbills and bush pipits are commonly seen.

The new Kicheche Naboisho camp is located in the east of the conservancy and will make the most of its spectacular location. Six luxury tents will be nestled in a picturesque valley offering an intimate, secluded base from which to embark on superb walking safaris and wildlife drives.

Kicheche Naboisho Camp is unfenced, allowing for unrestricted access to the conservancy; and each tent offers guests the ultimate in luxury under-canvas living, with en-suite bathrooms and beautiful wooden furniture. The lounge tent, overlooking the game filled plains to the south, provides the perfect environment for guests to relax between wildlife drives. With strict controls on vehicle numbers a high quality wilderness experience is assured.

Kicheche Naboisho is a True Coming Together

Greg Monson of Kicheche Camps commented: ‘Kicheche Naboisho has indeed been a coming together of the community and tourism partners. We are committed to sustainable tourism and our involvement in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy is part of a partnership which will fundamentally change the dynamics of community involvement in Kenya’s tourism. Kicheche Naboisho offers an exceptional and sustainable wildlife viewing experience and we are very excited to be part of the Mara Naboisho Conservancy. We very much look forward to welcoming guests to the Kicheche Nabiosho’. Kicheche Naboisho builds on the success of the established Kicheche camps in Kenya which include Kicheche Bush Camp in the Olare Orok Conservancy, the newly relocated Kicheche Mara Camp, now in the Mara North Conservancy, and Kicheche Laikipia in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Direct Flights from Heathrow.

For further information please contact W&O Travel Rainbow Tours on +44 (0) 207 226 1004 or www.rainbowtours.co.uk

For more information, visit www.kicheche.com

About Kicheche Camps

With the launch of Kicheche Naboisho Camp, Kicheche Camps will consist of four privately owned luxury camps in the Kenyan Mara. The others include Kicheche Bush Camp, just six luxury ensuite tents, perched on the edge of the reserve in the private Olare Orok Conservancy, Kicheche Mara Camp which now boasts eight luxury tents overlooking Olare Orok stream, set in a beautiful Acacia valley in the Mara North Conservancy with prolific wildlife year-round. Kicheche Laikipia is a small luxurious tented camp, catering for 12 guests, nestled at the foot of indigenous forest overlooking a waterhole, in the centre of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Photographs by Kind Permission of Paul Goldstein of Kicheche