KWS Rubbishes Claims Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp Blocks Wildebeest Migration

The statement further noted that the Mara River, Sand River, and Talek River – where lodges and camps have long been established – are all used historically by wildebeest and zebra for crossings without serious challenges.

Along the Sand River alone, KWS said there are five permanent safari camps and more than two seasonal camps, yet only the Ritz-Carlton camp has attracted the current criticism.

KWS concluded that scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that neither the Ritz-Carlton Safari Camp nor the other camps along the Sand River obstruct or interfere with wildebeest movements.

The Service stressed that every tourism development inside Kenya’s protected areas, including the Ritz-Carlton project, undergoes rigorous environmental impact assessments to ensure full compliance with conservation requirements.

KWS urged the public to rely only on verified official information and called on Kenyans to share accurate details about the country’s world-famous wildlife heritage.

"The wildebeest migration is a globally celebrated natural spectacle, recently recognised by the World Book of Records (UK) and World Tourism Market (London) as the world’s greatest annual terrestrial wildlife migration and Africa leading tourism destination respectively," KWS said.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the annual wildebeest migration – recently recognised as the greatest terrestrial wildlife movement on earth – while supporting responsible tourism and local communities.