The Wild Hill

Located in Southwestern Kenya alongside the Tanzanian border, The Masai Mara, together with the adjoining Serengeti National Park, forms one of the world’s most diverse and spectacular eco-systems.  A region characterised by short grass savannah plains interspersed with areas of riverine forest and bordered by towering rocky escarpments, The Mara is home to an incredible abundance and variety of wild animals and is renowned worldwide as Africa’s most exceptional – and loveliest – safari destination.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve covers an area of 1,510 sq. km (580 sq. miles) at altitudes which range from 1500 to 2170 metres above sea level. The area has one of the highest lion densities in world, together with significant populations of cheetah, leopard, elephant and buffalo, and this is where over two million wildebeest, zebra and Thomsons Gazelle migrate annually. Home to over 95 species of mammal and 570 recorded species of bird, excellent ‘Big Five’ year-round game viewing is virtually guaranteed.

Beyond the northern and eastern boundaries of the National Reserve, many former cattle ranches and agricultural lands have been transformed into private conservancies. These are exclusive wildlife reserves committed to high-end, low-density tourism together with community and environmental initiatives and accessed only by guests staying within these designated areas. Here, walking and riding safaris, night game drives and other adventurous activities not permitted in the National Reserve are often on the safari menu.

Enonkishu, the most northerly conservancy in the greater Masai Mara, is a re-wilding success story.

Once intensively farmed and over-grazed, the area has become a world-class conservation area, host to an incredible variety and density of mammals including some of the world’s rarest animals, white rhino, wild dog and a wealth of plains game including antelope, giraffe, zebra, eland and wildebeest.

There is a resident pride of lion, families of cheetah and a number of leopard. Herds of elephant browse among the trees of nearby Kileleoni Hill, the highest point in the Mara and home to the endangered Mountain Reedbuck. Night game drives offer rewarding sightings of nocturnal animals such as honey badgers, porcupines and aardvarks.

Several other private conservancies are also close by, as is the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Given the quantity and quality of the wildlife in Enonkishu and its uncrowded surroundings, game drives in the National Reserve are usually only recommended during the annual wildebeest migration (usually July-October)

Enonkishu – which means ‘the place of healthy cattle’ in Maa – is also host to a working livestock ranch. The conservancy works with more than 50 local Maasai families to protect the surrounding wildlife grazing areas and a holistic grazing plan enables people, wildlife and livestock to thrive together.

At Enonkishu and Naretoi – which means “working together” in Maa – responsible, high-end eco-tourism goes hand-in-hand with conservation. Funds raised through conservation fees go towards supporting sustainable rangeland management, restoring biodiversity, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, assisting in ecological monitoring and training wildlife rangers.

The conservancy supports community-led initiatives which boost small businesses, support the local provision of health care, education and clean water and encourage and assist with bee keeping, tree planting and other sustainable farming practices that serve as a model for living in harmony with nature.

There are several scheduled daily flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to the Mara Ngerende Airstrip and the flight takes one hour or less, followed by a 15-minute drive to House in the Wild.  Private light aircraft and helicopters can land at the Naretoi Airstrip which is just a minute or two from the lodge.

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