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Staging Site

Travel Tips

Conservancy Or National Park: Why The Price Differs

4 Sep 20261 min read

A night in a conservancy often costs noticeably more than one inside a national reserve. What you are paying for is fewer vehicles and more access.

Who owns the land

National parks and reserves are government managed. Conservancies are land leased from Maasai families who receive a direct share of every bed night, which is why the fee is higher.

Vehicle limits

Conservancies cap the number of vehicles at a sighting and the number of beds per acre. In the reserve, twenty vehicles at a leopard is possible. In a conservancy it is typically three.

What you can do

Night drives, walking safaris and off road driving are permitted in most conservancies and prohibited in the national reserve. That access is a large part of the premium.

Where the money goes

Conservancy fees fund land lease payments to families, ranger salaries and community schooling. It is the most direct conservation contribution a visitor makes.

Is it worth it

If you have three nights or more, splitting between reserve and conservancy gives you both the migration density and the quiet exclusive sightings.

Plan your safari

Tell us your dates and we will build a route around them. See our safari packages or request a free quote.