A Kenyan conservationist has gone to court to stop the launch of the Ritz-Carlton’s first safari lodge in Kenya, accusing the luxury brand of threatening one of the world’s most celebrated wildlife migration routes.
The high-end camp located inside the Maasai Mara reserve is set to open on Friday, August 15, with nightly rates starting at Ksh451,423 ($3,500) per person.
The price is for tented suites complete with private decks overlooking a river, plunge pools, and personalized butler service.
However, Meitamei Olol Dapash, the director of the Institute for Maasai Education, Research and Conservation (MERC), says the 20-suite lodge sits directly on a crucial corridor used by wildebeest migrating between the Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti.
Marriott operates the property under a franchise agreement with Lazizi.
Dapash has argued that the route is a lifeline that sustains the herds’ search for food and helps maintain genetic diversity.
Consequently, on Tuesday, August 12, Dapash filed a lawsuit at the Environment and Land Court in Narok against Ritz-Carlton, its parent company Marriott, local developer Lazizi Mara Limited, and several government agencies.
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The Kenyan Maasai Conservationist Makes Arguments Against the Lodge
Dapash is asking the court to suspend the opening and prioritize hearing the case.
In his suit, he explains that there is no evidence that an environmental impact assessment was conducted before construction began.
Further, researchers supporting the claim argue that building on migration paths not only disrupts wildlife movement but also risks damaging the delicate balance of the Maasai Mara ecosystem. The annual wildbeest migration sees a million plus wildebeest and zebra, along with other animals, migrate from Serengeti National park to Masai Mara. Many travelers visit both parks to enjoy seeing the migration and some travelers book a Safari in Serengeti which ends up bringing them across the border into Masai Mara as they follow the large wildebeest herds crossing the Mara River.
In a statement, Marriott said it is committed to respecting the environment and insisted the developer had secured all necessary approvals.
Additionally, Lazizi’s managing director, Shivan Patel, explained that an official environmental assessment found the lodge site was not a wildlife crossing point.
Dapash, who founded MERC in 1997 as a grassroots network of Maasai leaders, says this is part of a pattern where lucrative tourism ventures are approved at the expense of local communities and wildlife.
“Without the county government regulating tourist behavior and activities, we have seen the habitat degraded so badly,” he told Reuters.
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Inside the Ritz-Carlton’s Lodge
Set within a 45,000-acre wildlife sanctuary and the 19,000-acre Solio Ranch Conservancy, the camp offers guests a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in nature at the heart of one of the world’s most successful rhino conservation initiatives.
The property features 20 luxury tented units, including two spacious two-bedroom suites, each with its own private plunge pool.
Guests can unwind in a quiet setting designed for both rest and rejuvenation, with wellness amenities such as the signature JW Garden, a space dedicated to fostering relaxation and harmony with the natural environment.
Culinary experiences at the camp will be captivating, with four distinct dining options, from a classic restaurant to an elevated sky deck offering sweeping views of the African wilderness, where visitors can enjoy world-class dishes while taking in the breathtaking scenery.
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