About 1.5 kilometres from the centre of town lies the Maralal Wildlife Sanctuary, a conservation area of 5sqm covering the rocks and plains to the southwest of Maralal. The Sanctuary has been put under legal protection at the beginning of the last century as it sits at the intersection of a famous wildlife corridor. It surely constitutes the potentially biggest tourist attraction of Maralal. Only two other major Kenyan cities, Nairobi and Nakuru with their world famous national parks, boast a comparable jewel in their immediate vicinity, and the unfenced Sanctuary is one of only two of its kind in the whole of Kenya.
Wildlife in Maralal Wildlife Sanctuary ranges from the elusive aardvarks and zorillas and extends to the exciting leopards and hyenas. Among the other creatures you will find warthogs, jackals, zebras (sometimes even the rare Grevy’s zebra!), hyrax, giant leopard tortoises, genets, impala, monkeys, baboons, rock hoppers, elands. And eventually, even elephants do pass through on their way from Mugie conservancy to the forests of Kirisia hills. Ornithologist can trace two hundred species of birds, with the White Bellied Go Away Bird being a favourite.
Apart from the freely roaming animals, there is an animal orphanage for orphaned or injured animals with changing residents who are re-introduced to the wild whenever possible. The orphanage has responded to an urgent need for wildlife welfare, as the next such institution is found in Nairobi, but it also adds to the attraction of the Sanctuary. The management of the lodge and the sanctuary offers the opportunity to volunteer alongside their professionals at the animal orphanage. In general, animals can be seen at an incredible close range in the Maralal Wildlife Sanctuary. The reserve can be explored on a walking safari with one of the resident rangers, and to approach the wild creatures on foot surely is an unforgettable experience. In the heart of the conservation area lies the Maralal Safari Lodge, one of the best hotels in Maralal. Guests having a meal at the lodge or are even staying there can watch plenty of animals at the watering whole just a couple of metres in front of the terrace. Animals do even come right up to the guest rooms. Zebras mingle among the guest cabins and the monkeys scamper overhead.