The Environment and Land Court in Narok, Kenya, has dismissed a petition seeking to halt operations at the Ritz-Carlton Maasai Mara Safari Camp.
The petition, filed by Joel Meitamei Ole Dapash, raised concerns related to the camp’s location along the Sand River within the Maasai Mara National Reserve. In response, the camp’s developers confirmed that all required approvals were obtained prior to construction, including an Environmental Impact Assessment licence issued by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) in May 2024.
According to statements from Kenyan authorities, the safari camp is located within a designated tourism investment “low-use zone” under the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan (2023–2032), an area identified through scientific and ecological planning processes for carefully managed tourism development.
Long-term wildlife monitoring data collected between 1999 and 2022, including GPS tracking of migratory wildebeest, has also confirmed that the site does not lie within a defined migration corridor and does not interfere with wildlife movements across the reserve.
In her ruling, Justice Lucy Gacheru upheld a preliminary objection raised by Narok County Government and dismissed the petition.
Lazizi Mara Limited, the owner and operator of the safari camp under licence from Marriott International, welcomed statements from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and NEMA confirming that the project obtained all required approvals and complies fully with Kenyan regulatory requirements.
Operational since August 2025, the Ritz-Carlton Maasai Mara Safari Camp continues to work closely with Kenyan authorities and local stakeholders while supporting conservation initiatives and community programmes in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
