One of the primary drivers of tourism is wildlife. In conservancies, the relationship between community engagement and sustainable wildlife tourism is vital for the balance between biodiversity conservation and the socioeconomic benefits derived from wildlife tourism initiatives. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the influence of community engagement strategies on sustainable wildlife tourism within wildlife conservancies in Kajiado County, Kenya. The study’s objectives were to evaluate the influence of the levels and types of community engagement on sustainable wildlife tourism in Kajiado County and to establish the factors that hinder community engagement. This study was grounded on the Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Theory and the Stakeholder Theory. A descriptive research design with a mixed-methods approach was adopted. The study employed a census of key stakeholders, including 29 conservancy managers as identified by the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) (2024), 29 corresponding community leaders, one representative from the KWCA, and representatives from the tourism and wildlife departments at both the national and county government levels. Out of the anticipated 61 respondents, 60 participated in the study.Primary data was collected using questionnaires and interview guides. Qualitative data was collected through interviews with representatives from the tourism and wildlife departments of the county and national governments, as well as from the KWCA. Quantitative data was collected through survey questionnaires that were paper-based and closed-ended, administered to conservancy managers and community leaders. All the respondents were selected through purposive sampling. The qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Concurrently, the quantitative data was subjected to descriptive and inferential data analysis. Simple linear regression analysis revealed significant relationships between community engagement and sustainable wildlife tourism. For levels of community engagement, participative engagement demonstrated a positive coefficient of 0.523 for community leaders and 0.487 for conservancy managers. In contrast, directive engagement showed negative coefficients of -0.297 (community leaders) and -0.271 (conservancy managers), while consultative engagement similarly exhibited negative impacts, with coefficients of -0.285 and -0.263 respectively. Regarding types of engagement, both direct and indirect engagement positively influence sustainability. Direct engagement had coefficients of 0.423 (community leaders) and 0.402 (conservancy managers), and indirect engagement followed with coefficients of 0.399 and 0.378 respectively. However, financial engagement had a negative influence on sustainability, with coefficients of -0.295 (community leaders) and -0.276 (conservancy managers). The regression models explained 56.4% of the variance in sustainable wildlife tourism outcomes for community leaders and 47.9% for conservancy managers (R²), with significant F-values of 14.73 and 11.65, respectively. The findings of this study suggest that participative, direct and indirect community engagements are key drivers of sustainable wildlife tourism in Kajiado County, whereas directive, consultative and financial community engagements may hinder it. The study recommends enforcing legislation that mandates community inclusion in wildlife tourism and conservation decision-making at both the national and county government levels, prioritizing local community participation in tourism operations by wildlife conservancies, enhancing community engagement policies through advocacy by the KWCA and investing in capacity-building initiatives to improve effective community engagement