House in the Wild

Enonkishu Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya

House in the Wild

Eco Lodges

since October 2017

The Wood family founded the 6,000-acre community-based conservation Enonkishu Conservancy through an Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund grant. With this, alongside the Savory Institute and MaMaSe (WWF and Unesco-IHE), they also developed a bespoke curriculum for Sustainable Rangeland Management for communities living in areas where livestock and wildlife coexist.

House in the Wild provides guests with a charming home-away-from-home on the banks of the Mara River. With only 8 rooms, it is often booked out exclusively and is well geared up for family-friendly adventures. Being in such an intimate setting, 90% of employees are within a 5 km radius, and their unrivalled local knowledge means that experiences can be tailor-made to suit everyone’s needs. 80% of produce is sourced locally and where there is appetite, guests are encouraged to meet the local community, visit the school and get involved in conservation efforts. The Mara Training Centre is a hive of activity. It allows our guests to understand and explore the different layers of conservation and community development projects going on in front of and behind the scenes.

CONSERVATION

Restored overfarmed land.

Diverse wildlife migrations occur in a 6,000-acre community-based conservancy.

COMMUNITY

90% of the staff employed are local.

Mara Training Centre focuses on building community capacity to sustainably manage their natural resources.

CULTURE

Emphasis on Maasai traditions.

Conservation education in schools.

COMMERCE

Supports local markets and local produce sourcing.

Committed to sustainable rangeland management, allowing spaces and resources for all people, cattle, and wildlife.

House in the Wild Highlights

House in the Wild works with a community-based organisation, The Women Treeplanters of the Mara, that has a space next to the vegetable garden where fresh vegetables and salads for the menus are sourced.
House in the Wild has a "constructed wetlands" system that naturally filters all water that goes through the sewage systems to be clean, so what returns to the Mara River carries no pollutants.
The Mara Training Centre is a hive of activity. It allows guests to understand and explore the different layers of conservation and community development projects going on in front of and behind the scenes. Guests can learn about Safari guide training, House in the Wild conservation model, and the Sustainable Rangeland Management program. Guests can have a go at beading, learn about candle and soap making or play a game of "biodiversity jenga".
House in the Wild commits in the area to improve access to quality education, including early childhood development (playgrounds) to onsite environmental education libraries for schools, eco training scholarships for local guides, wifi support for remote communities, and gender empowerment for women and girls.