Good news from Porini is good news for Kenya too

Greetings Porini Enthusiast!

Welcome to the 5th edition of in the Wilds. With the rains in the Maasai Mara, the migration is still on, and guests are seeing huge crossings. On a weekly basis, we get interesting updates from our camps, and fantastic photographs of the simplest things in nature. Majestic elephants, the king of the jungle and our feathery friends are just some of our SPOTS in the wilderness that is Africa.

Despite the unfortunate incident at the Westgate Mall, we continue to receive great support from Porini guests, and we look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful country. Please contact your agent for more information.

Karibu Kenya

Aleema

Aleema Noormohamed
Marketing Executive

Gamewatchers Safaris

Nairobi Tented Camp has just undergone a new look! This beautiful little gem is located deep within a riverine forest, minutes from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Wilson Airport and the busy city of Nairobi. The camp is a true wilderness experience that visitors can experience by getting straight under canvas and starting a game drive within fifteen minutes of their arrival into Kenya.

Nairobi Tented Camp is the first accommodation of any sort to be allowed in this unique safari destination. There isn’t anywhere else in the world like it; a wilderness escape where you can savor the thrill of camping in the heart of thick bushland right on the doorstep of the capital city.

The camp has eight tents that house accommodation for two people, and have their own toilet and shower. You can enjoy the luxury of en-suite living "safari-style" with hot water brought to your shower when you are ready. Each tent has low watt LED lighting that run off rechargeable solar panels, otherwise guests can enjoy the romance of candles and lanterns…a truly authentic tented camp experience. Comfortable beds are wrapped in cozy duvets and soft towels are ready for you to wash away the red Nairobi dust from the day’s game drive.

Nairobi Tented Camp is open through out the year, and there is always availability. To make an inquiry and a booking, please contact your agent.

Porini Safari Camps are proud to announce their new partnership with the Wildlife Foundation Organization.

The Wildlife Foundation promotes and implements conservation projects in wildlife dispersal areas outside Kenya’s national parks, teaming with the Kenya Wildlife Service and the local Maasai pastoralists who share their savanna grasslands with abundant wildlife. For many years, Nairobi National Park had been facing enormous pressure from unsustainable and uncontrolled land subdivision. In response, The Wildlife Foundation began in 2000 with the Wildlife Conservation Lease Programme, enrolling two Maasai families and a total of 214 acres of grassland. Over the past thirteen years, the programme has expanded to include 55,000 acres of land under conservation, increasing the protected area of Nairobi National Park by 200%. Today, the Conservation Lease Programme directly benefits 3,096 people in 385 Maasai families. The program also indirectly supports an additional 4000 Maasai individuals.

The Wildlife Foundation have recently launched a campaign to raise $50,000.00 to make lease payments to Maasai pastorialists for the conservation of their grazing land and their willingness to live in harmony with the wildlife of Nairobi National Park. Some of the benefits of this campaign will allow pastoral landowners to:

– send their kids to school from first grade to University

– retain ownership of their land
– leave land open, uncultivated and unsubdivided- graze livestock sustainably
– share both pasture and water among livestock and wildlife
– allow free movement of livestock and wildlife
– play a critical and active role in saving lions and leopards
For more information on the Wildlife Foundation’s Conservation Lease Program and their crowdfunding campaign, please click here.

When one hears Kenya, one hears wildlife, safaris, rift valley, national park, Maasai. Our little corner of Africa is known for its incredible wildlife, especially the migratory spectacle that occurs during the peak season between July and October. Tourists flock our country in high numbers to experience the wonders of our national parks and the surprising twists of nature when a giraffe wants to protect her young from the unyielding predators. But let us not forget what else puts Kenya on the map – the Maasai.

The Maasai people have become one of the world’s most popular cultures. They migrated from the Nile valley around the 15th to 16th century and settled into Kenya over the next few centuries. All Maasai tribes share the same language; Maa – hence the name Maasai. The world out there pictures a Maasai as tall and elegant with muscular features, and brave with their distinctive appearance of holding a spear, wrapped in their bright red shoulder cloak (also known as a Shuka). We are fascinated by the colourful beads around their neck, and the earrings that sit on large holes in their ear lobes. The bald women with their numerous children (one propped on their hip, and another 2 or 3 usually following them around) and the braided hair on the Maasai Men all lend to a fascinating culture. To continue reading this fascinating story, please click here.

" Fly like a beest"

"Proud to be Maasai"

" Fig in a tree "

** All photographs above are courtesy of Joseph Lam **

Daniel, Guide at Porini Rhino Camp

"I first joined Porini Safari Camps in June 2002 after college. Porini Amboseli Camp was my first place of work and I was mainly involved with nature walks along the eselenkei sand river but also accompanying guests on game drives as spotter. I learned more from the professional guides who encouraged me to sit for my bronze exam in guiding from the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association. With great assistance from the Directors I sat for my exams in 2005 and passed.

My interest in guiding and love for nature grew and later I became a driver guide after successfully passing my driving test. One of my favourite experiences are the night drives in the Eselenkey conservancy – this is something I will never forget: spotting chameleons perched on green bushes of tooth brush trees and watching serval cats on many occasions killing snakes.

In 2007, when Porini Rhino Camp started, I was asked to join the team of new employees to stir the good work of Porini ahead. I always wanted to see rhinos, wild dogs, grevy zebras and chimpanzees. It was breath taking to see all these animals in their natural habitats. My ambitions were exceeded when I saw for the first time reticulated giraffe, defassa water buck, Jackson hartebeest, and steenbok to mention few.

I am currently studying for my Gold level exams and hope to sit for it soon".

Daniel Mamai

Silver guide

Porini Rhino Camp, head guide.