Kenya : Masai Mara

The Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve
The Masai Mara borders with the Serengeti in Tanzania and is famous for the huge amounts of game and the spectacular annual migration of the wildebeest. These animals make the dramatic crossing of the Mara River to reach the seasonal grazing grounds for a few months each year. Huge numbers of game make this vast open grassland their home and are resident all year round. The Mara is a very popular destination and there are a number of camps and lodges dotted around within the reserve. There are, however, smaller camps which take care to try and avoid other visitors and explore quieter parts of the reserve.

Quick links:
Rekero Tented Camp	Elephant Pepper Camp
Kicheche Mara Camp	Governors Camps

Rekero Tented Camp
I would say that Rekero Tented Camp is the best camp I have seen in the Masai Mara. The main reason being it is situated in an area where there are not many other camps or lodges. It is practically impossible in the huge flat areas of the Mara not to see another vehicle but the guides from Rekero, if they see another car will drive in the opposite direction and will give you as an exclusive a safari experience as possible. The guides are excellent, all local Masai and incredibly knowledgeable about the game, birds and flora of their home land. Unlike other guides I have had, if they are not sure of something they will stop and try and find out from the books rather than guessing. The game viewing is excellent and as I sat having early morning tea in front of my tent I watched lion walking past on the other side of the river and on one drive we saw all the big cats within an hour of each other.

The camp is set up seasonally (June – October, December – March) and is a simple safari camp but with all the luxuries you will need. There are 6 accommodation tents and a dining mess tent set along the Talek river. In August/ September time when the migration is passing through you can sit and have lunch and watch the Wildebeast crossing the river just upstream. The tents are ensuite with flushing loos but no running water. Hot water can be brought to you at any time of the day and there are authentic bush showers, which are filled up at your request. The lighting is with rechargeable lamps and tilly lamps. The camp is owner run by Gerard Beaton and Jackson Ole Looseyia, a local Masai who is in partner ship with the Beaton family. It really is a lovely camp all the staff are very professional and extremely friendly and helpful and I could not recommend it highly enough. Drinks and all activities are included in the price.

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Kicheche Mara Camp
Kicheche Mara camp is a classic luxury bush camp. It is hidden in a grove of wild olive trees in a prolific wildlife area. Kenya's Masai Mara, lying adjacent to the Great Rift Valley, boasts the single largest concentration of plains game anywhere in the world. The reserve is one of the very few areas left in Africa where wildlife can be seen in the large numbers that existed a hundred years ago.

Between July and October the plains darken with wildebeest and zebra, unending columns from the adjoining Serengeti passing through on their hazardous annual journey in search of fresh pastures, unaware that they themselves are prime targets for the relentless native predators - lions, leopards and cheetahs. But there is more to the Mara than its prolific wildlife - towering escarpments, acacia-dotted grasslands, blazing sunsets and towering rain clouds provide photo-opportunities at every turn.

Kicheche camp is set on a private concession area on the edge of the Masai Mara, there are 10 spacious ensuite tents with flush loos and hot safari showers. You will go out on day game drives into the Mara in landcrusiers or you can go for walks with an armed guide and learn about the flora and fauna of the area and track game on foot. You can also go on nights drives. In the heat of the day you can siesta in your hammock or in your tent and in the evening you will have drinks around the camp fire and dinner out under the stars.

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tent exterior	tent interior	tent bathroom

cheetah kill	giraffe from camp	walking vista

Elephant Pepper Camp
Set in a private concession adjacent to the Masai Mara game reserve Elephant Pepper Camp is a welcome peaceful haven away from the larger camps, which dominate the Mara. It is a semi-permanent camp set in a quiet area under some shady trees. The six tents are far enough apart for perfect privacy and with bushes and trees between each tent.

The tents are en-suite with short drop loos and bucket showers with plenty of hot water on call at any time of the day. The tents are comfortable and being a bush camp you lie in bed and hear the noises of the night and a lovely dawn chorus.

You can go out on game drives in the Mara and the guides will keep you well away from the other vehicles and minibuses but you still have some spectacular game viewing. As you are in a concession area you are taken out on walks with an armed guide, the most peaceful way to view game and learn about the insects and flora and fauna of the area.

There is an intimate feeling to the camp and your every need will be met. On walks and game drives you will come across a breakfast table or sundowner in beautiful locations.

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camp	tent exterior	tent

lion	impala	breakfast

Governors Camps
Governors have three camps along the Mara river. The main camp is the largest with 37 tents set along the river where you can watch the crocodiles and hippos below.

Little Governors is more intimate with 17 tents set around a small lake. The en-suite tents are very comfortable if a bit close together, with plenty of hot and cold running water.

You can sit at the bar or on the verandah of your tent and watch the elephants bathing and drinking in the lake. At night the hippos come up to feed around the tents and you can hear them chatting through the night. There are askaris to walk you from your tent to the dining and bar areas as the camp has no fence around it and animals and walk through camp at any time.

Breakfast and lunch are buffet style and there is an a la carte menu for dinner. It is a friendly camp. The staff are excellent, the guides are extremely knowledgable and guests come back time and time again.

The most intimate of the Governors camps is Il Moran, with only 10 tents set high on the bank above the mara river. The tents are huge and beautifully furnished with chunky olive wood furniture. The en-suite bathrooms have a free standing double ended bath and a power shower. Run by a lovely South African couple, Innis can take you out on nature walks and all activities and drinks are included in the price.

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main camp	tents set along river - Governors	tents around lake - Little Governors

tent interior	tent interior - Il Moran