Kenya Exploring: Part Two
Katie here again! Welcome to part two of our Kenya Exploring blog. Here we will discover some of the best camps Kenya has to offer in the famous Masai Mara and surrounding conservancies.
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Naboisho Conservancy
Mara Nyika Camp
Great Plains Conservation’s newest addition to their Kenya portfolio, Mara Nyika Camp is a luxurious escape located in the Naboisho Conservancy. This intimate tented camp hearkens back to old world luxury, boasting canvas walls, copper bathtubs, leather lounges, and wooden decks overlooking the vast Mara landscape.
At the time of our visit, Mara Nyika Camp had opened only two months prior and yet had already established itself as one of the must-visit camps in the region. The management and staff here are superb, and the guides are so knowledgeable and friendly.
The highlight of a stay at Mara Nyika Camp is of course the game viewing. The 50,000 acre Naboisho Conservancy is home to a high density of wildlife, and the limited number of guests allowed in the conservancy at a time ensures that your game viewing won’t be disturbed by masses of tourists. With complimentary use of binoculars and only four guests per open sided vehicle, Mara Nyika Camp offers you a truly wild safari experience.
Mara Nyika Camp is the perfect safari camp for those looking to combine excellent game viewing with a truly luxurious stay.
Image courtesy of Great Plains Conservation
Masai Mara National Reserve
Mara Expedition Camp
Set on the banks of the Ntiakitiak River within the Masai Mara National Reserve, and only a few kilometres away from sister camp Mara Plains, Mara Expedition Camp is a wonderfully intimate tented camp, hidden in its own piece of wilderness.
With only five raised tented rooms, Mara Expedition Camp is perfect for those seeking a secluded hideout to come home to after days spent exploring the Mara. You really do feel as if you are in your own world here, tucked away among the forest with the sounds of nature as your alarm clock and hippos splashing in the river nearby.
Mara Expedition Camp stands out with its intimacy and authentic style, and the personal service is superb. During our stay we were treated to a private candlelit dinner on our exclusive deck. The team went out of their way to make it a wonderful evening with fantastic food.
This Great Plains Conservation property excels at luxury, and their four guest per vehicle policy means you are guaranteed a window seat to some of the most unforgettable wildlife viewing in the world.
Image courtesy of Great Plains Conservation
Olare Motorogi Conservancy
Kicheche Bush Camp
Walking into a Kicheche camp is like coming home, and Kicheche Bush Camp is no exception. Located in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kicheche Bush Camp is a small, classic tented camp that values authenticity and rustic luxury.
The best proof as to the excellence of Kicheche Bush Camp is in its number of return guests. Each guest we met during our stay at Bush Camp had been there before. In fact, most of them returned on an annual basis, visiting around the same time every year to enjoy the comforts of the camp and the wonder of the wildlife. Such devotion speaks volumes as to Kicheche Bush Camp’s service and style.
What comes to mind when I think of Kicheche Bush Camp is the openness of the property. With no fences surrounding the camp, you are blessed with this immense feeling of vastness and freedom, which tugs at the heart even to this day. It’s no wonder guests return to this camp year after year.
Image courtesy of Kicheche Camps
Mara North Conservancy
Kicheche Mara Camp
Located in the 61,000 acre Mara North Conservancy, Kicheche Mara Camp is a classic tented safari camp that embraces an authentic safari experience and an eco-friendly ethos.
What we adore about Kicheche Mara Camp is its sustainability focus, with one of their in-camp highlights being the back of house tour. Here you are enlightened as to how an eight tent camp runs entirely on solar power 24/7, how produce for the kitchens is sourced, and what steps are being taken to make the camp as sustainable as possible. All this work has cumulated in a Gold Eco rating from Eco Tourism Kenya.
The Mara North Conservancy adheres to high density game viewing and low density tourism principles, and is blessed with excellent wildlife viewing as a result. In fact, your game viewing experience often starts in camp, with zebras and impala wandering casually by your tent. You then head out with high quality guides for game drives or guided bush walks.
Kicheche Mara Camp describes itself as ‘quintessentially Africa’, and it certainly lives up to the claim. It is truly one of the most welcoming camps I have had the pleasure of visiting.
Image courtesy of Kicheche Camps
Masai Mara National Reserve
Governors’ Il Moran Camp
Located on the banks of the Mara River, Governors’ Il Moran Camp is the Governors Collection’s premiere property in the region. It is an intimate and calm camp that offers a refuge from the daily action and adventure of the Masai Mara National Reserve.
Here you will find peace, breathing in fresh air and enjoying stunning views from your private deck. Sit back and take in the sounds of the river and the snorts of the hippos.
Guests spend their days here on either full day or half day game drives. You head out with your guide in a 4-seater Landcruiser safari vehicle, which guarantees a window seat and unobstructed views of wildlife. In the evenings guests gather around the sunken fire pit on the vast main deck with a drink in hand and great wildlife encounters to share!
With only ten raised canvas tents, Il Moran retains that original safari camp feel, and offers wonderfully personable service from truly lovely staff.
Elegance and comfort are the words that come to mind when recalling our visit to Il Moran, along with genuine management and delicious food!