Maasai Mara: The Quintessential African Safari
Home to the Big Five and the Great Migration
Welcome to Part 2 of our Maasai Mara exploration!

In February's newsletter, we showcased 6 of our favourite tented camps and lodges in Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve and Conservancies. This month, we are showcasing an additional 5 properties. Have you ever thought of the origins of the name Maasai Mara? The first word honours the Maasai people, with the second word 'Mara' meaning 'spotted' in Maa, which is the language of the Maasai. Spotted refers to the speckled appearance of the vast landscape when looked upon from afar, due to the circles of the trees coupled with the shadows from the clouds.

This month, we are highlighting the benefits of utilzling the services of a Destination Management company (DMC) located in East Africa, that specialises in providing local expertise and resources. Leveraging our understanding of the distribution chain of tourism products and services, we outline why Travulous is your perfect locally-based partner to design inspirational travel itineraries and exclusive, one-of-a-kind events in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

This leads us to the topic of Travulous' Familiarisation Trips in 2023 and 2024. Although our FAM trips in 2023 are now fully booked, we still have a few places remaining on our 2024 departures. Site inspections will include luxury properties in Kigali, Akagera NP and Volcanoes NP, including The Retreat, Magashi, Kwitonda Lodge, Bisate, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge and Gorilla's Nest, to name a few. For 2024 departure dates and further information, please refer to the FAM Trip section below.
FAVOURITE ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE MAASAI MARA
Watch our in-house designed videos featuring a selection of leading properties located in the Maasai Mara National Reserve and surrounding conservancies.
Kichwa Tembo Camp
Little Governors' Camp
Ngare Serian
Richard's Camp
Serian 'The Original'
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7 REASONS FOR USING TRAVULOUS
Whether you are a Travel Advisor, Tour Operator, or an Independent Traveller, here are 7 reasons why you should consider using a local DMC with offices and staff based in East Africa for your next journey:
Competitive Tour Pricing
When dealing with a local DMC, book direct instead of using multiple intermediaries, thus eliminating unnecessary layers of additional costs
Local Destination Expertise
Create unique and meaningful tailor-made itineraries featuring properties and activities that truly reflect your interests and passions
Superior Customer Services
Speed up booking turnaround times and boost customer satisfaction levels by dealing directly with local staff and eliminating middle companies
Tailored One Stop Solution
Benefit from one point of contact for the provision of ground transfers, flights by private jet or helicopter, and accommodation bookings
Comprehensive Duty of Care
If something on your trip does not go according to plan, a DMC with local staff has the best connections to solve any issues in a timely manner 
Wider Accommodation Choices
Choose a DMC that is not affiliated with any accommodation brands to receive impartial advice that is best suited to your needs
Complete Financial Protection
Your money is fully protected, safely held in a trust account managed by independent trustees, with the funds only used to pay for your trip


If in doubt, ask your supplier(s) to answer the following questions:

  1. Do they contract with accommodation establishments direct?
  2. Are they affiliated with any particular brand of accommodation providers?
  3. Do they hire their own Driver Guides and Tour Leaders?
  4. How many safari vehicles do they have available for their guests?
  5. Do they own independently managed offices in East Africa?
  6. Do they provide financial protection for the services they offer?
If you are not already working with Travulous, why not test our services to determine if we are able to meet your specific requirements?
FAMILIARISATION TRIPS
Travulous will be offering Familiarisation Trips for Travel Advisors and Tour Operators to visit Rwanda in late 2023 and early 2024:

  • 30 OCT - 06 NOV 2023 : Fully booked
  • 02 - 09 NOV 2023 : Fully booked
  • 08 - 15 APR 2024 : Spaces remaining
  • 04 - 11 NOV 2024 : Spaces remaining
As a special addition to the Volcanoes NP segment of the FAM trip, you will be led and be hosted by one of Travulous' inspiring and knowledgeable Tour Leaders who worked with Dian Fossey at the original Karisoke Research Centre in the 1970's and 1980's. They will share their stories of what it was like working with Dian and will provide insights into how conservation has progressed over the years.
AFRICA'S LEADING SAFARI DESTINATIONS
Tailor-made Tours
We specialise in designing exclusive one-of-a-kind luxury travel experiences, taking great pride in our ability to plan and execute every trip to perfection.
Small Group Tours
Travelling on one of these tours, you will join an international mix of like-minded people. To keep our tours intimate, we limit the group sizes to 12 individuals.
TRAVULOUS NEWSLETTERS
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