Wilderness qualities
Although the MMNR is a relatively small and
intensively used area, particularly during the peak tourism
seasons, substantial parts of the area traditionally have very low
visitor use, and still provide a sense of wilderness, solitude and
adventure for which the Reserve is rightly famous. In a world where
protected areas are coming under intensive pressure from tourism
development and visitor numbers, such wilderness qualities are
becoming increasingly rare and sought after, and in addition to
their environmental benefits, are of significant economic value. As
set out in the Zonation and Visitor Use Scheme and Tourism
Management Programme, a major thrust of this plan is to ensure that
the ecological, environmental and economic benefits that these
wilderness areas can provide are optimised.
Mara, Talek and Sand
Rivers
The Mara, Talek and Sand Rivers are important not
only for the vital ecological role the rivers fulfil in the area,
but also from a scenic and tourism perspective. This is illustrated
by the fact that within the MMNR, and in the greater ecosystem
beyond, a high number of tourism facilities and campsites are
located on the banks of these rivers, or their tributaries. In
addition, the vegetation associated with these rivers, alongside
providing important habitat for key wildlife species, is a major
attraction for visitors, many of which enjoy picnics or relaxing
during their game drives along the riverbanks. In recent years, the
Mara River and to a lesser extent the Talek and Sand Rivers have
become world famous because of the spectacular migration river
crossings that occur at certain times of year. These migration
crossings have been compared to the Albertine Rift’s Mountain
gorilla trekking as a visitor attraction. In addition, the rivers
themselves contain many species of particular interest to visitors,
most notably large concentrations of hippos and
crocodiles.
