I think people who have lived there are not tourists. There is a difference. I am assuming the OP is not going to school! I was talking about going out on dusty safari vehicles and most people wear neutral colours but not full safari kit that looks retro. Obviously not!
Don’t book a safari with locals! Book from here. No one books with locals unless they are backpacking.
Also 5 camps is too many. You should get to see something of the migration but you need to be near the Mara River crossing points. Miles outside the park might mean you are not near the river.
Other areas would be Samburu, Lake Nakuru, and possibly Amboselli. There are private reserves but if you are booking for this summer, I’m not sure what will be left.
You will be spending a lot of time on the road! Definitely cut down from 5 camps. We just paid with cards when we needed to. Yes, we tipped. Food is meat based. However eggs are plentiful and lodges have salads. You might find vegetarian options but not many.
Linguaphile: safari destinations have different price points. Botswana has small and quite sophisticated camps and has the jewel of the Okavango. Namibia has more desert living animals but is fantastic. You can self drive there. Zambia has the Zambezi and camps that offer night safaris and small camps with walking safaris. This is the real safari! They were pioneered in Zambia. Zimbabwe is up and running. Vic Falls can be visited as it’s on the border between Zambia and Zim. South Africa has superb game viewing and small lodges. Also some wildly expensive luxurious ones. It also has converted farms with a very managed safari experience. Tanzania has the Serenghetti and the unforgettable Ngorongoro crater. There are other destinations!
There is a wide choice but you have to narrow it down to time of year and cost. Some areas are renown for leopards and others for elephants. Check out the best areas for what you want to see. Large herds of wildebeeste are in the Mara in Kenya in July/August so its prime time and expensive.