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Situated on a remote wedge of private land next to the Masai Mara, Speke’s Camp is an unfenced traditional safari camp with a focus on authenticity rather than plush luxury. Structures are all made of canvas and furnished with reclaimed wood, animal bones, African fabrics and ethnic trinkets.
Eight en suite guest tents are spaced out for privacy, set among bushes or along the banks of the Olare Orok River and connected by sandy paths. Each has space for up to four guests in two double beds. Two of these traditional tents are situated close together and work well for families or groups of friends, and there is a family tent with one double and two twin beds.
The open-sided mess tent includes a large dining table and a lounge area with plenty of books on local wildlife, Kenyan history and local cultures. Mismatched sofas, wooden furniture and faded rugs add to the laid-back early explorer atmosphere. A separate tent, strewn with Zanzibari-style beds, armchairs and sofas, provides Wi-Fi access.
Throughout your stay here, you’ll embark on game drives through the Masai Mara in a private vehicle with your own guide and wildlife spotter. Lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo and Masai giraffe are all frequently seen.
Enjoy freshly prepared three-course meals in the dining tent before ending the day around the campfire listening to the chirps of crickets, the woops of hyena and the occasional roar of a lion.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Kenya specialists
Spread across the camp’s grounds and surrounded by bushes, the tents are made completely of canvas. Each has two double beds for up to four guests, though a couple of the tents are larger to accommodate families or groups of friends. You can relax in the private seating area outside, where you can often see vervet monkeys in the trees. Inside, hessian rugs and faded wooden chests are evocative of early safaris, and your en suite bathroom includes a traditional bucket shower which staff will fill with warm water on request.
Set on private land on the eastern border of the Masai Mara National Reserve, the camp feels secluded but has easy access to the reserve’s big game. The Olare Orok River flows through the camp, lined with indigenous trees that attract vervet monkeys and a variety of birdlife. Your closest airstrip is a 25-minute game drive away.
At the camp itself, you can relax in the mess tent’s lounge area, which includes a well-stocked bookshelf. There’s also a separate lounge tent with Wi-Fi access and plenty of comfortable seating sourced from across Africa. Activity-wise, your time will mostly be spent on game drives in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Your stay includes a private vehicle with both a guide and a spotter skilled in picking out even the most elusive species.
We love that this camp is owner-run and has an old-world charm. The tents are spacious and comfortable and the atmosphere is relaxed. Having a private guide and vehicle means that your safari is highly personal and flexible depending on your interests and energy levels.
Where possible, we like to offer a range of accommodation for each stop of your trip, chosen by our specialists as some of their favorite places to stay. To help you make the right choice, we give each property a rating based on its facilities and service, but we also look for hotels with distinct character or a location that can’t be bettered.
Set in a truly stunning position on the edge of the Great Rift Valley overlooking the Masai Mara, Angama Mara is an exclusive, owner-run safari lodge offering a luxurious base from which to explore this incredible reserve and its variety of game.
This small, authentic camp has an exclusive feel, being one of very few camps set within the private Mara Naboisho Conservancy. Here you can enjoy fantastic game viewing, and the family safari program means children and adults alike can explore the area’s rich wildlife and culture.
Bateleur Camp is located just outside the Olololo gate to the park, in a Masai concession area. The plains in front of camp are often frequented by warthog and zebra and wildebeest are never far away.
Elephant Pepper is a lovely little bush camp set just outside the northern boarder of the Masai Mara Game Reserve. During the day they offer game drives and walks with excellent local guides.
Governors' Camp was the first tented camp to be established in the Masai Mara National Reserve. A new chef-training program has brought the level of the food here to excellent standards, so you can be sure to enjoy some great food after a long day on safari.
A small, intimate tented camp with a focus on environmental sustainability, Kicheche Bush Camp's tents are spread over a kilometer of land. The eco-friendly camp is unfenced, runs completely on solar power and is located amongst some of the most diverse wildlife in the bush.
Hidden in a picturesque valley within the Mara North Conservancy, Kicheche Mara Camp offers a classic bush camp experience in a prime game viewing location. While authentically simple, the camp’s welcoming hosts and low guest capacity give it an air of exclusivity.
A small, very comfortable tented camp, Kicheche Valley Camp serves as a good mid-level option for guests looking to experience the Mara in an authentic environment. You may even be lucky enough to see some incredible wildlife from the camp as animals venture close to the grounds.
Little Governors' has a superb position above a small swamp where, during the day, you often see animals coming to graze and drink. Overall it is one of our favorite camps in the Mara.
Naibor is a spacious and stylish safari camp, located on the banks of the Talek River in the Masai Mara Reserve. The food and service is superb, as is the guiding. We warmly recommend it.
Offbeat Mara Camp is a luxury tented camp situated on the Olare Orok water system, on Koyiaki Group Ranch, north of the Masai Mara Game Reserve. The camp is owner-run and very friendly.
Situated high on a ridge in the Masai Mara’s Naboisho Conservancy, this luxurious camp provides a peaceful retreat while still being in the heart of the action when it comes to wildlife viewing.
Porini Lion Camp is located in the Olare Orok Conservancy, which borders the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Service is personal, the food is good and you will be well taken care of.
Rekero Tented Camp is located inside the Masai Mara Game Reserve, very close to the confluence of the Mara and Talek rivers. It is a firm favorite with repeat visitors to Kenya.
Saruni Mara is a luxurious tented lodge set in the Koyiaki Group Ranch, adjacent to the Masai Mara. Activities include guided bush walks, game drives, while fly camping is also possible.
Serian is an exclusive wilderness camp set alongside a secluded valley flanking the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy. Each of the eight tents is fitted with large double beds flanked by twin bedside tables and a writing desk.
The following activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences of the area where you’re staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident’s eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can also suggest outdoor pursuits and activities, such as cooking classes, that will introduce you to the traditions of the area’s inhabitants.
ME to WE provides you with the opportunity to experience life with locals in rural Kenya, working on sustainable projects that benefit these communities in the longer term.
Watch out for the giraffe hiding in the trees, antelope on the plains and roosting birds. As the sun comes up the views are superb - one of the most beautiful sights in Africa.
