Masai village - Boma

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Masai village in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area:

On your way to any safari, your drivers are going to stop in one of these Masai village as part of a "Cultural Experience".
Its a scam. Just be wary of it.

There is nothing "cultural" about this other than the experience of being 'taken for a ride'. Before you are allowed inside the village, you are accosted outside the village gates by an English-speaking Masai wearing a fake Rolex and the whole getup, demanding that you pay him $50 directly before you are allowed inside their Boma (village gate).

I thought this was supposed to be a cultural experience of where they live and work!

After you pay, you are allowed inside the village they will do a quick 3 minute song and dance and immediatly start pushing their "art and crafts work" on to you. (poorly carved wooden animals and jewelry made of beads). They insist that you buy something from the person whose house you already paid to visit anyway. So shell out another $15-20 on the 'souvenir' for home :-}

Then they proceed to take you to the "village school", which is a thatched hut...and have the kids sing the same song to tourist after tourist and ask you for more "donation to buy chalk"....
Question: Exactly how much chalk does $20 buy??

See YouTube Link:

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Photos

Masai village "cultural extortion experience"
soft-hearted beware!

Masai village "cultural extortion experience"
They solicit donation at every turn of the way. They were getting busloads to come in every 20-30 mins!

Masai village "cultural extortion experience"
The Primary school donation 'scam'.