Dubbed ‘the greatest wildlife roadshow on Earth’, the Great Migration attracts enormous global attention to the Maasai Mara ecosystem. It is therefore unsurprising that the luxury hotel chain chose this area for its new tented camp.

STATEMENT ON CLAIMS OF WILDEBEEST MIGRATION BLOCKAGE IN THE MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE pic.twitter.com/jzmGW4a3sO

— Kenya Wildlife Service (@KWSKenya) November 27, 2025

Since August, the project has faced fierce pushback when conservationists and Maasai leaders filed a lawsuit accusing the newly opened lodge of disrupting a critical migration corridor.

Every year, around 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebras, 12,000 elands and 300,000 Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles travel from Tanzania’s Serengeti to Kenya, covering approximately 800 kilometres in a clockwise loop, to spend several months on the plains of the Maasai Mara. The timing of their arrival depends on rainfall patterns, grazing conditions, and wider climatic shifts.

The legal case was filed on 7 August by Meitamei Oloff Dapash, director of the Maasai Education, Research and Conservation (MERC) Institute. He argues that the 20 tented suites, each with private decks and plunge pools, built along the Sand River violate the 2023–2032 Maasai Mara Management Plan, which imposed a moratorium on new tourist accommodation in ecologically sensitive areas until 2032.

“The preservation of wildlife migration is a treasure that we cannot afford to lose,” said Dapash.

The controversy escalated after a video circulated online seemingly showing confused wildebeest confronted with a barrier, with people in the background attempting to move them away.

In a detailed statement issued on 27 November, KWS said it had “noted with concern” the allegations circulating on social media. The authority stressed that the camp lies within a designated low-use investment zone, as defined by the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan. This zoning, KWS explained, is based on comprehensive scientific assessments, ecological sensitivity analyses, and spatial planning frameworks informed by over 20 years of GPS-collar tracking data.

These long-term datasets demonstrate that migrating wildebeest “use the entire breadth of the 68-kilometre Kenya – Tanzania border and have no specific or preferred corridor”.

KWS also stated that several images circulating online, which are being used to blame the Ritz-Carlton camp, are “outdated, misleading or presented without context”.

This video shows how the Ritz-Carlton concealed a section of its construction from the official drawings, placing it directly in a migratory corridor. A hotel charging $350,000 per night means it will never even be accessible to most Kenyans, but choosing short-term profit over… https://t.co/zHiisJANRK pic.twitter.com/6xenwBCzmB

— Nelson Amenya (@amenya_nelson) November 20, 2025

The agency insisted that all ecological, environmental and regulatory requirements had been met prior to the camp’s approval and emphasised that all developments in protected areas undergo mandatory assessments to ensure they align with conservation priorities.

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has confirmed that the Ritz-Carlton camp is not located on any wildlife migratory corridor, ‘in line with its statutory mandate under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act’.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in line with its statutory mandate under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, has formally testified and certified that the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara is not situated on any wildlife migratory corridor.

This confirmation is supported by…

— NEMA Kenya (@NemaKenya) November 28, 2025

David Ongare, NEMA’s Director of Compliance, said that the Environmental Impact Assessment had been carried out in full, involving public participation forums and stakeholder input. He added that the project’s certification was supported by ecological surveys, GPS-referenced field studies, and scientifically verifiable data, all of which were consistent with the EIA licence and subsequent environmental audits.

Narok County officials have also dismissed the accusations as unfounded and misleading.

Undeterred, activists argue that the issue goes beyond this one development. They say that the case reflects mounting concern about the rapid expansion of high-value tourism in Kenya’s protected areas.

‘It is deeply troubling that a company known for maintaining strict environmental and ethical standards would abandon those same standards in Kenya,’ said Dapash.

L’article Kenyan authorities reject claims Ritz-Carlton camp blocks wildebeest migration est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

This was the case on a recent Hi Fly flight from Dzaoudzi, a commune in the French overseas department of Mayotte, to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. Described by the airline in an Instagram post as a “miraculous moment”, a baby boy was safely born prematurely aboard the Airbus A330, registered CS-TCE.

Luckily for the woman, who was travelling with her young doctor, not only were there three doctors aboard the same flight, but one of them was even an obstetrician. Assisted by the cabin crew, they all helped the woman through a safe delivery. The family of the three was taken into care by health professionals waiting for them upon landing in Nairobi.

“Huge thanks to our incredible, well-trained cabin crew who responded swiftly and worked alongside 3 doctors (one being an obstetrician) who happened to be on board as passengers,” the airline wrote on social media. “Despite the intense situation, our crew kept everything running smoothly, and their collective expertise ensured the safety and comfort of both mother and premature newborn.”

The newborn is doing perfectly well, and we wish him a lifetime of happiness!

Hi Fly Airline

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Although last year two on-board births happened within two weeks of each other, on VierJet and Wizz Air flights, it’s rare that babies are born on planes due to rules about pregnant women flying in their third trimester. According to a 2020 study, published by the International Society of Travel Medicine, 74 children were born on commercial flights between 1929 and 2018, of which all but three survived.

The rules on flying while pregnant are hard to navigate because of the huge variety from carrier to carrier, with some requiring a doctor’s certificate to fly after a certain number of weeks’ pregnancy, and others applying different conditions. It’s unsurprising therefore that the overall result is to discourage women near the point of labour from flying.

L’article Baby boy safely delivered on flight to Kenya est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Kenyan President William Ruto made the announcement during the Magical Kenya Travel Expo in Nairobi on October 2^nd. The Digital Nomad Work Permit will allow foreigners to stay in Kenya on a long-term basis, thereby boosting tourism, the local economy, innovation and entrepreneurship.

A room full of people, from across the country, the continent and the world, all come together in Nairobi for the official opening ceremony of the 14th Magical Kenya Travel Expo.

Our chief guest for the day, H.E Dr. @WilliamsRuto #MKTE2024 #MagicalKenya ExploreConnectCelebrate… pic.twitter.com/dEnJrhsKvW

— Kenya Tourism Board (@magicalkenya) October 2, 2024

“Kenya can be your home, where you and your family can experience the wonders of magical Kenya every day, all while serving clients from anywhere in the world on your digital platform”, the President stated. “I invite you to explore, connect with our people, and celebrate everything that makes Kenya a top global destination.”

No release date or price has been announced for the new visa just yet. However, the requirements for those wanting to apply have already been shared. Digital nomads wanting to station themselves in Kenya will need a valid passport, proof of remote work outside Kenya, proof of accommodation within Kenya and a clean criminal record. They will also need a minimum annual income of 50,000€. 

In order to be even more attractive to digital nomads, who will get to experience the country’s astonishing nature during their stay, Ruto also announced that the country would expand its fibre optic footprint to increase internet connectivity. 

President William Ruto: ""Tourism is more than just a sector; it's a driving force behind Kenya's economic growth. From creating jobs and supporting local communities to generating vital revenue, tourism plays a crucial role in our development. pic.twitter.com/CcJ7xdHbk7

— Magical Kenya Travel Expo (@MKTravelExpo) October 2, 2024

During his speech, Ruto also mentioned that Kenya will be creating an electronic travel authorisation system that will allow travellers with long flight layovers in Nairobi to leave the airport and explore the city while they’re waiting for their next flight. 

“They can come and enjoy a meal in the city, they can go to the National Park, they can see our wildlife, they can visit our national museum and be able to travel back. And that visa arrangement is being rolled out to make sure that we have additional numbers of people visiting our country”, Ruto said.

The two new announcements come months after the introduction of a 90-day visa-free travel for many nationalities in January. Travellers who obtain their ETA at least 72 hours before setting off can thus stay nearly 3 months in the country. That period can be prolonged to 6 months for a fee of 45€.

L’article Kenya is introducing a Digital Nomad Visa est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Ruto has been advocating for Kenya to become a completely visa-free country for a long time, building on a campaign that invites people from around the world to return home, repeatedly reminding people that humans first developed in Kenya, then spread around the world from there.

“Science tells us that the earliest remains of man are in Kenya, meaning humanity started here”, the President said earlier this year. “And therefore, the people in Europe and America and all those other places, they came from here and it is not fair to ask anybody for a visa when they are going home. (…) We could possibly drive our tourism numbers from our 2 million to maybe 20 million by just telling everybody ‘Please come home!’ “

To echo the call of the Turkana people to the world: ‘Tobong’u Lorre!’ Kenya has a simple message to humanity: ‘Welcome Home!’

William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya

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After gradually scrapping visas for citizens of other African countries throughout 2023, Ruto’s wish is finally coming true starting in January 2024. “It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya”, he said on Jamhuri Day.

To implement the new policy, the government has developed a digital platform where all travellers must register before arriving to the country. Thus, visitors will still be identified, but will receive an electronic travel authorisation instead of needing to apply for a visa.

L’article Kenya invites all international visitors to “come home” visa-free from 2024 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.