By Nicky Fitzgerald, founder and non-executive director of Angama
You know that slightly awkward feeling of arriving late to a party that started hours ago? You slip in through the side door and try to blend in, joining conversations mid-stream and hoping your contribution still adds value. That’s exactly how I feel wading into the Great Migration Crossing Debate – somewhat belatedly. But I’ll ask for your patience as I add my five cents.
The real question
What are we all going to do to fix this? Emphasis on the word all.
For over three decades, I’ve worked in East Africa urging guests, agents, operators and just about anyone who’d listen to come and witness the Great Migration. The Greatest Wildlife Show on Earth, we called it. And if we’re honest, everyone who’s had a hand in marketing, selling or operating in the Serengeti or Mara has contributed to the scale of what we now see at the crossings.
Yes, we can point fingers:
- At tourism boards for decades of poster-boy promotion
- At park authorities for mismanagement
- At driver-guides for poor training
- At overzealous tourists for aggressive behaviour
But this has been happening for years and we’ve all been part of it.
The easy sell
The Migration is easy money. It aligns neatly with northern hemisphere holidays. It’s breathtaking. It sells itself.
And now, with the release of Nick Kleer’s video (thank you, Nick), the world is suddenly horrified by what’s happening at the crossings. But this isn’t new. What is new is the scale – and the speed – at which outrage now spreads online. Some are even threatening to boycott East Africa altogether.
So let’s pause and remind ourselves of two important things:
- The Migration is a 12-month cycle, not a four-month spectacle. The herds move year-round through two vast ecosystems.
- The so-called “Crazy Crossing Season” is short. For the other eight months of the year, these wild places are still wild – and often blissfully empty.
So what now?
Everyone deserves the chance to witness a river crossing once in their life. But if we want this spectacle to survive, for visitors and wildlife alike, we need to do two things:
- Manage the crossings properly
This means:
- Strict vehicle limits at crossing points
- Crossing tickets (pre-booked by time slot and location)
- Enforced penalties for bad behaviour: blocking, pushing and alighting from vehicles
- Trained rangers on-site (and, yes, this creates jobs)
- Modest fees – perhaps as little as US$20 – that fund the whole system
Hard work? Absolutely. Complicated? Undoubtedly. But entirely doable. Or we can carry on tut-tutting from the sidelines.
2. Stop building on the herds’ ancient paths
Environmental impact assessments (Tanzania) and National Environment Management Authority processes (Kenya) exist for a reason. Travellers and agents alike should start asking if new camps are compliant – and push back if they’re not.
What we’ve been doing at Angama Mara
Just in case you’re wondering:
- For 388 consecutive weeks, our guides and resident photographers have shared sightings across the seasons, showing just how exceptional the Mara is all year round.
- Through the Angama Foundation, we launched and funded (for six years) The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year – again highlighting the full-year richness of this landscape.
- Our nightly rate drops by 40% outside of peak season – not because the wildlife disappears but because the crowds do.
- Our guides receive annual training, including managing expectations during crossing season.
- We encourage guests to witness one crossing and then head off to simply spend time with the mega herds in peace.
- And we are proud to work alongside and support the Mara Conservancy team, led by Brian Heath, showing us every year what determined, thoughtful conservation looks like.
Final thoughts
There is always more to be done. And, at Angama, we’ll keep showing up, speaking up and, hopefully, lifting up this ancient and wondrous spectacle.
As our grandmothers used to say: “When you point one finger, three more point back at you.” So I’ll leave you with this question: What are you doing to help, even in a small way?
Lastly… full disclosure. There’s been a bit of a murmur online about the ethics of “naming and shaming”. Personally, I’m all for it when it’s done with good intentions and irrefutable proof. I’ve been called the “Karen of the Crossings” for years. So thank you, Nick Kleer, for sharing the heat.
PS: These ramblings are mine and mine alone. They do not represent the views of Angama. I’m told I’m unmanageable and I’ll probably get into trouble again. So be it.
