Topi standing sentinel in front of the Oloololo Escarpment

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Every year, between mid-June and earlyAugust, the wildebeest start to arrive insearch of pasture from the dry plains of theSerengeti in Tanzania. In chaotic andunpredictable spurts, they pour into thereserve and wade or swim across the riverswhere crocodiles and other predators lurk inwaiting. This Great Migration – now billed asone of the natural wonders of the world – isin reality one phase in a continual cycle ofnomadic pasture-seeking, mating, calvingand more pasture-seeking, that sees themajority of the herds ever on the move,according to the onset of the seasonal rains,the rise and fall of the river waters and thegrowth of the rich oat grass and otherpastures across the Mara-Serengeti eco-system.

It’s true that the migration is an awesomeexperience, and you shouldn’t be in anydoubt that, as a consequence, the MaasaiMara tends to be very busy, with well over100 camps and lodges. The migrationseason, from July to October, can see somecamps booked solid and vehicles jostlingfor position at key wildebeest crossingpoints. For this reason, we recommend youdon’t focus exclusively on the migration:there are always ways to avoid feeling toocrowded and a visit to the Mara isrewarding at any time of year. We’ve seenthe vast majority of the region’s camps andwe’ve used that experience to choose thebest across a range of prices. We’ll help youwork out an itinerary that will make the mostof your time in this fabled part of Africa.

Nowhere in Kenya has captured the world’s imagination quite like the MaasaiMara. On the short-grass savannahs of the Mara River basin, between the LoitaHills in the east and the Oloololo Escarpment in the west, hundreds of big-manedlions and other predators, some 1,500 elephants, tens of thousands of antelope,gazelle and giraffe, and hundreds of thousands of migratory zebras andwildebeest make the region a magnet for safaris of every stripe.

THE MAASAI MARA The Mara Reserve & ConservanciesThe Maasai Mara is just one part of the Serengeti-Maraeco-system (or Greater Serengeti eco-system) thatstretches from the Mau Escarpment above Kenya’s RiftValley to the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. In Kenya,the Maasai Mara National Reserve itself is split intothree areas, divided by the Mara and Talek rivers: theMara Triangle, between the Oloololo Escarpment and theMara River; the Musiara sector, between the Mara andTalek rivers; and the Sekenani sector, south-east of theTalek and Mara. Outside the reserve, many of the former Maasai grazingareas have been converted into wildlife conservancies,where safari camp operators pay rent and bed-nightfees to their partners, the Maasai landowners.Sometimes the Maasai retain limited livestock grazingrights in these areas. Most conservancies are exclusiveto their guests and here the camps can organise bushwalks and night drives, while still enabling their gueststo visit the national reserve if they wish (indeed mostconservancy camps automatically include a full-day visitto the reserve with every three-night stay during themigration season). Conversely, visitors staying in thereserve don’t usually have the option of visiting theconservancies, or of enjoying walks or night drives. Remember that none of these areas are fenced. Thearea’s few fences are used to keep people and livestocksafe rather than to enclose the wildlife, which continuesto roam freely.

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MAASAI MARA NATIONALRESERVE Most of the 1,500km² area of the MaasaiMara National Reserve consists of rolling,short-grass plains, cut through by themeandering Mara and Talek rivers, whicheffectively divide the reserve into three main‘sectors’. The Mara has only two bridges,and the Talek River just a few points wherevehicles can cross, meaning that morningand evening game drives are usuallyconducted in one sector or another. Manycamps organise all-day game drives with apicnic lunch to explore a different sector,especially during the annual migration.Finding a pride of lion from some of the 200to 300 lions resident in the reserve isnormally relatively easy – and high on manyvisitors’ must-sees. Leopards are also seenincreasingly often, and good sightings ofcheetahs can be expected. Spotting anyof the reserve’s carefully monitoredblack rhinos, however, is a muchtougher prospect.

The oldest tented campin the Mara, locatedon a thickly forestedmeander of the

Mara River, Governors’ Camp is also oneof the biggest, with 37 tents. Perenniallypopular and nearly always busy, there’s noquestion that its location in one of therichest corners of the reserve is superb,with outstanding game viewing around theMusiara marsh. If you’re comfortable with abigger camp, and meal service and gamedrives that run to a daily plan, then we thinkGovernors’ is well worth considering, andfamilies with younger children will find thefamily tents ideal.

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Most camps in the Maasai Mara are accessed by light plane

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Balloon FlightsTaking a ‘balloon safari’ is atreat that many people have ontheir wishlists and it’s certainly amemorable experience. The hot-air balloons, launched at dawnafter a noisy and spectacularinflation process, carry a dozenor more passengers for aboutan hour in a southerly directionacross the reserve, at a heightthat varies from a few metresabove the ground to severalhundred metres over the plains.The best flights follow thecourse of the Mara or Talekrivers, allowing you to peerdown into the forest, skim pastvultures’ nests and watch themonkeys’ early-morning routine.Photography can be tricky,however, and very muchdepends on the light conditions.By 7.30am, the balloons aredropping down onto the plain fora bush breakfast and sparklingwine, followed by a game driveback to camp. Flights are bestbooked in advance and theprice starts from around£325/$500 per person.

Set on a wooded bend of the Mara,Governors’ Il Moran Camp is designed asa more exclusive version of the originalformula, with much larger tents. Like themain camp, location is all: the woodedsetting is superb, and just sitting on thelawn soaking up the environment with itsrich birdlife and crocs wallowing in the riveris a real pleasure.

On the fringes of a marsh frequented byelephants, Little Governors’ Camp lies onthe west side of the river (accessed bytransfer from the main Governor’s Camp, acute little ferry and two flights of 50 steps),and is one of only two places to stay in theMara Triangle sector of the reserve –though its game drives are usuallyconducted in the Musiara sector. With itsterrific location and wonderful marsh views,this is our favourite of the three Governors’camps. First-time safari-goers usually adoreit. Many come back year after year, andwouldn’t change a thing.

The other base in the Mara Triangle is MaraSerena Lodge, a large, very professionallyrun and long-established bush hotel in afabulous high position overlooking the MaraRiver. Rooms here are quite small, but thelodge infrastructure is very reliable and theonly other visitors you’re likely to share

game drives with in the Triangle are otherguests from Mara Serena.

Rekero, a traditionally styled, tented camp,sits on the north bank of the Talek River in aprime central location. During the migrationseason the plains around the camp are thickwith wildebeest, and it’s close to some ofthe biggest wildebeest crossing pointsacross the Talek and Mara rivers. However,this also makes the surrounding plains andbush an attractive target for game-viewingvehicles from other camps, and the areacan be very busy. Nevertheless, Rekero isrun by an enthusiastic and knowledgeableteam and we have been impressed by thequality of the guiding and the attentionshown by the staff.

Set on a bend on the east bank of the Marariver, deep inside the Musiara sector of thereserve, Serian Nkorombo is a small bushcamp in an excellent spot for experiencingthe migration. Great vehicles (every party isguaranteed their own), top guiding andhigh-quality meals make this a very goodchoice.

Not far away, Naibor, located in an area ofdense woodland on the south bank of theTalek, is a smart, luxurious tented campwith lovely views of the river. Watching thehippos from a hammock slung between thetrees makes for a great siesta. This is acamp that’s perfect for exploring the rollingplains south of the Talek River.

Naibor Wilderness is a simpler and slightlyless expensive version of the main camp,located just downstream. Although oftenbooked out by groups, each of its threetents, complete with wrought-iron beds andfurnished verandas, can also be taken byindividuals.

A relatively recent addition is Mara Toto, anintimate and luxurious camp located on theedge of the national reserve by theNtiakatek stream. Sister camp to MaraPlains (see page 251), Mara Toto has justfive, traditional, cream-coloured safari tents.Floods in November 2015 damaged thecamp and its new location is yet to bedecided. Please ask us for the latest news.

Sala's Camp is a semi-permanent camp inthe far south of the Mara eco-system,almost on the Tanzanian border. Its locationaway from other camps makes it relativelyexclusive and you won’t see that manyvehicles in the immediate area. It alsomeans it is one of the first camps to see themigrating herds arriving in their thousands.Its seven tents are very comfortable and

well appointed but remain quite traditionalwith dark green canvas, wooden furnitureand rustic brass fittings. They also have alarger honeymoon tent, which canaccommodate extra beds for family stays.

Mara Ngenche Safari Camp, on theconfluence of the Mara and Talek rivers,just downstream from Rekero and SerianNkorombo, is built to disturb as little of thesurrounding bush as possible. Each of theten tents has its own plunge pool. Ngencheis a small tented camp, but not hosted,making it rather unusual for the Mara.Coupled with the old-fashioned style of thetents, this makes it suitable if you want a bitmore autonomy without staying at a largecamp.

Tipilikwani Mara Camp is a good-valueproperty on the outside edge of MaasaiMara National Reserve, overlooking theTalek River. It has 20 spacious and recentlyrefurbished tents and a good pool, andalthough having its back to degraded goatlands outside the reserve, it still has directaccess to the park via a private footbridge.

Pioneering eco-camp Basecamp MaasaiMara is also technically outside thereserve, being on the north bank of theTalek River, but it also has access to thereserve via a private footbridge and theirgame-drive vehicles pick up guests from apoint on the other side. You might notexpect to find an example of environmentalbest practice in an area that is not the mostpristine in the Mara eco-system, but it isclearly much loved and proudly cared-forby the staff (they hosted Barack Obama in2006), and its affordability andenvironmental credentials are big pluses.

Balloons often fly low over the Mara

Karen Blixen Camp, Mara North Conservancy

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Kenya’s safari guidesSince the late 1990s, the KenyaProfessional Safari GuidesAssociation has led the way insetting benchmarks for safari-guiding in Kenya, with regularexams. While there are well over1000 bronze guides, there arenot much more than 200 silver-level guides and only 21 whohave reached gold – a level thatdemands years of dedicatedstudy. There are also still plentyof unqualified old-timersworking at camps and lodges. Inmany cases what they lack onthe Latin names front they morethan make up for in terms oftheir instinctive spotting gifts,and their insights into animalbehavior that are often relayedwith humour and panache.

MARA NABOISHOCONSERVANCYNorth of the national reserve, Mara Naboishois one of the newest conservancies in theregion. With more than 200km² of largely wildbush and savannah, it hosts big populationsof elephants and giraffes, several prides oflions and good numbers of most of the otherplains game. The innovative Koiyaki GuidingSchool, where most of the local guidestrained, is located in the NaboishoConservancy and is well worth a visit.

Appealing both to safari purists and thoseseeking a little luxury, Naboisho Camp isthe most upmarket of the camps in thisconservancy. Surrounded by untouchedsavannah and dense thicket, it is located ina game-rich area where guests arefrequently witness to spectacular wildlifeevents around the camp. Incorporatingstone and wood, the camp also has morepermanent structures than most of itsneighbours. Very well run and smoothlyhosted by an experienced South Africancouple, Naboisho Camp is hard to fault: theguiding, including fascinating bush walks, issuperb, and the standards of service andfood are both excellent.

Ol Seki Hemingways Mara, a designertented lodge with stunning 270° views, isowned by the Hemingways Collection hotelgroup. The name Ol Seki – ‘sandpaper tree’– says it all: this is a peaceful retreat wherethe stresses of a busy life can be smoothedaway by a combination of the inspiringlocation and good service, and where youhave a chance to connect with a moreelemental environment.

The six tents at Kicheche Valley Camp areset on platforms above a secluded valleythat attracts plentiful wildlife. A high-endsafari camp, embodying chic rusticity,Kicheche Valley could be ideal for returningMara enthusiasts who want to relax ratherthan cram their days with activity. Thewildlife here is excellent, however, and awide array of activities, with guiding by anall-silver team, gives plenty of reasons toget up early.

Encounter Mara is a low-impact camp, buta more luxurious set-up, tucked in a shadyforest of orange-leaf croton and Eucleatrees on the edge of a vast open plain. Weloved the tasty food, the location (which stillfeels much like a tract of wild bush wherethe property has temporarily settled) andunusual touches like having lunch in the

croton thicket and walking along pathsmade of dried elephant dung. It is nowowned by one of East Africa’s top safaricamp companies, Asilia, and is therefore asister camp to Naboisho (see above) andRekero.

Operated by an environmental organisation– the Basecamp Foundation – BasecampEagle View is located in a stunning spotoverlooking a natural waterhole witharguably the best views in the conservancy.Formerly the Koiyaki Guiding School’scamp, it has nine stylish tented suiteswhich are well equipped and spaced out toensure privacy. A visit to the guiding schoolis a must; the enthusiastic staff who workthere will be more than happy to explain theimportance of the school in supporting andimproving the lives of the localcommunities.

Nearby, Wilderness Camp, on the site ofthe Dorobo Bush Camp, has five newlyinstalled secluded and spacious en-suitetents with private terraces, set in a peacefulvalley. When it operated as a fly camp, weloved the back-to-nature simplicity of theminimal-footprint infrastructure here: welook forward to revisiting the refurbished,permanent camp.

Conflict between lions and hyenas iscommon in the Maasai Mara

MARA NORTH CONSERVANCYThe Mara North Conservancy is a 320km²sweep of classic savannah country, the landbroken into ridges by bush-choked luggas,and with high densities of game. The wildlifeincludes several much-studied lion prides,such as the Acacia pride and the Gorgepride, named after the iconic LeopardGorge, 5km north-east of Musiara Gate. Thelocal Maasai and their herds still have somegrazing rights here, so you will see theoccasional herder out with his cattle.

Serian is one of the Mara eco-system’smost distinctive camps, with six tents onthe east bank of the Mara River. Each ofthese is set on a wooden platform and isspacious and bright. The polished floors,cream canvas, and four-poster beds arevery elegant. As with its sister Seriancamps, a private vehicle and guide areguaranteed for every group of guests, nomatter how small the number. The mainareas are comfortable and relaxed butretain an air of quality – and have greatviews of the river.

A peaceful camp with a great reputationamong serious wildlife photgrahers for itsall-silver-qualified guides, Kicheche MaraCamp is elegant but unfussy – a trickybalance to achieve. The tents are veryspacious and all look out over thepicturesque valley of the Olare Orok stream.The large cedar beds and crisp linen arehigh-quality and the deck chairs on theprivate verandas are great for watchinggame in front of camp. Two of the tents are

larger, accommodating three or four people,making them perfect for families. Thelounge and dining area are in two separatetents, but as many meals as possible aretaken al fresco.

Ngare Serian is accessed from the mainSerian camp just across the river via apedestrian suspension bridge – if you havea fear of heights you should probably avoidthis camp! The four tents are larger than themain camp’s, and very stylish, and thecentral area is intimate and beautifullyfurnished. Central areas have solar-powered electricity, whereas the tents are litby 24-hour solar power and kerosene. It’s agreat example of how a beautiful high-endcamp can also be eco-friendly.

A short walk upstream from Ngare Serian,The Nest Treehouse is a simple treeplatform, looking across the river, accessedby a steep ladder about 5 metres above thebush. It is set up by the Serian team for anovernight stay on request, and isparticularly popular with honeymooners.

Elephant Pepper Camp, sitting in a densegrove of elephant pepper trees, offers avery high level of service and excellentguides. The eight tents pitched in twowings either side of the central area – plustwo honeymoon/family tents (which alsoserve as extra-large family tents) – havebeen upgraded with spacious new tan-coloured tents, featuring plumbed-inshowers rather than safari showers. Thecamp’s main central area has recently beenrefurbished and has some lovely antique-

style travel furniture. The camp is entirelysolar-powered and uses a non-permanentconstruction (no cement) for minimalimpact, although it feels quite established.

Romantic and secluded, Saruni Mara islocated in the northern reaches of theconservancy in spectacular, hilly bush. Itsfive spacious, secluded, open-plancottages, plus one family villa and oneprivate villa are scattered across thewooded hillside and beautifully furnished.There are wonderful decks for relaxing andreal attention has been paid to the details,from the sumptuous beds to the stylish,plumbed-in bathrooms. Saruni seems tohave got everything right: top guiding, first-class food and complete avoidance of thecrowds.

Located 10km from the main Saruni Mara,Saruni Wild lies in a remote valley . Withonly three tents and no electricity, it is asimple bush camp with lovely views of theYaile hills. This area has resident elephant,giraffe, buffalo and impala. It is also goodfor leopard, and is one of the very few partsof the Mara where wild dog canoccasionally be seen.

With its brightly furnished central areas,Offbeat Mara is a very nice, boutiquetented camp and something of a hiddenjewel. The four double or twin and twofamily tents (all recently renewed) aresurrounded by untramelled bush, keepingthem quite private and giving each one aslightly different view. Charming hosts,outstanding staff, silver-qualified guides,and very good food and wine make thisone of our favourite camps, with lovelyviews over the plains on one side andacross the Olare Orok stream on the other.The local Offbeat pride makes lion-watching here a joy.

Overlooking a broad bend on the easternbank of the Mara River, not far from thereserve, Karen Blixen Camp has 22 large,comfortable tents and was one of theearliest members of the Mara NorthConservancy (a strong responsible tourismthread runs through the camp). The tentsare relatively close together, but they dohave great views of the river – views oftenfilled with dozens of snorting hippos. Dininghere is at individual tables and game drivesare conducted in six-seater, open-sidedLand Cruisers. The camp’s location, thesmall swimming pool for whiling away thehot hours of the day, and 24-hour solar-powered sockets and hot water make it areally attractive safari base.

Young giraffe with the OloololoEscarpment in the background

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Many camps organise bush walks

Mara lions typically have big manes

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OLARE MOTOROGICONSERVANCYUnusual for its highly focused conservationwork and the success of its communityintegration, the 133km² Olare MotorogiConservancy has set the benchmarks forsustainable Mara tourism by proposing alimit in the conservancies of 12 tents percamp and a minimum of 3km² of game-viewing land per tent. On the boundary ofthe national reserve, Olare Motorogi hasexceptional wildlife-viewing, with all thepredators present and some of the bestlion-watching in the Mara eco-system. In2012, the original Olare Orok joined withMotorogi Conservancy, to the north, to forma single tourism and conservation area,managed by the same warden and rangers.

Mara Plains Camp is the most luxuriousoption in Olare Motorogi by quite a way.Tucked into woodland on the banks of theNtiakatek stream, and surrounded by opensavannah, there are just seven, very largeand beautifully finished tented rooms. Eachguest has complimentary use of the camp’sCanon camera equipment for the durationof their stay and the whole of the OlareMotorogi Conservancy to use it in.

Richard Branson’s Mahali Mzuri camp ispart of his Virgin Limited Edition range, andthe camp has gone much further than anyother camp in the Mara in the use ofconcrete, steel cables and Germansynthetic membranes in place of canvas. Itwon’t be to everyone’s taste – indeed forsafari purists it would be anathema – but ithas enlarged the conservancy areas,bringing income into a poor area of theMara eco-system.

Kicheche Bush Camp is a very populartented camp offering six luxurious tents,with huge bedrooms, built-in safarishowers, and large, very private verandas –all furnished in a fresh, minimalist way thatdoesn’t divorce you from yoursurroundings. Avid photographersappreciate the beanbags in the open-sidedLand Cruisers, and the ability of the all-silver-qualified guides to offer you just theright angle every time. One of this camp’sstrongest suits is the sociable, inclusiveatmosphere created by the very engagingmanagers and their friendly team.

Porini Lion Camp is a fine eco-camp, in abrilliant game-viewing area renowned forbig cats. Managed in collaboration with thelocal Maasai community, and responsiblyrun to minimise its impact, the camp has

ten, very spacious, airy tents and isperfectly suited to ardent conservationistsand environmentalists, keeping itsenvironmental footprint as low as possibleand employing an excellent team of localguides.

OL DERIKESI CONSERVANCYThe remote Ol Derikesi Conservancy hasonly one, spectacular, camp. The district isteeming with wildlife (including some hugelions), especially since the camp negotiatedan agreement with the Maasai stakeholdersin the area to create a strict cattle-free zonearound the camp in exchange for thecommunity charges levied from visitors.

Cottar's 1920s Camp is a very well-known,camp with a finely tuned colonialatmosphere. The décor here features realantiques and oriental carpets, while beyondthe ten huge, sumptuous tents you’ll findorganic kitchen gardens and a beautifulswimming pool. To focus on the decadentluxury, however, would be to miss the point.This is one of the best wildlife camps inKenya, and employs three of Kenya’s 21gold-level guides – the highest level ofguiding from the Kenya Professional SafariGuides Association.

Nearby, Cottar’s Private House is verydifferent. Rather than colonial, this brand-new five-bedroom residence iscontemporary in style, and is booked on afully staffed, exclusive basis, so it has hugeappeal for families, enhanced further by itsown 25-metre lap pool.

The MaasaiThe Mara region is one of theheartlands of Maasai culture inKenya. Traditional cattle-herders,who settled in this region in the18th century, the Maasai rarelyhunted, living in relativeharmony with the wildlife forgenerations and ranging far andwide throughout south-westernKenya with their herds. Withpopulation and land pressureand the advent of safari tourism,they have had to reinvent theireconomy and many havebecome expert safari guidesand camp managers. You’rebound to have plenty of chanceto interact with Maasai guidesand staff, and village and schoolvisits are usually an optionalactivity, perhaps as analternative to an afternoon gamedrive. Most of the camps wefeature have positiverelationships with their localcommunities and most fees paidfor such visits go direct to theelders or village council.

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OL KINYEI CONSERVANCYCreated as recently as 2005, with just onemain camp from which the local communitybenefits substantially, the 75km² Ol KinyeiConservancy was the Mara region’s firstcommunity-owned conservancy. Itdemonstrated that Maasai landownerscould make a living from tourism, and themodel has since been replicated all overthe greater Mara region. This is an area inwhich guided walks and a good degree ofcultural immersion are the norm. There areat least 20 lions in the conservancy, plusother cats and plenty of plains game.

The first tented camp in the Mara region tobe run with support from the localcommunity, Porini Mara Camp is an eco-camp of just six tents nestling around thebanks of the Ole Laetoli stream and, likethe other pioneering Porini camps, appealsto keen wildlife enthusiasts who areenvironmentally aware and enjoy closecultural contacts with the local community.Porini Mara isn’t fancy, but it’s very nicelyestablished in a beautiful, quiet corner of aconservancy that is exclusive to its guests.

Run separately, but using the same supportinfrastructure as Porini Mara, the simple OlKinyei Adventure Camp offers basic dometents, and limited comforts for safaritravellers looking for excellent guiding andgame drive vehicles on a much moremodest budget.

SIANA GROUP RANCHSiana Group Ranch covers the area fromSekenani Gate to Ololaimutiek Gate andcontains a great range of habitats, fromshelving plains to forested hills. The area ishome to good quantities of wildlife, includingparticularly large numbers of elephants andgiraffes. Although not yet a fully-functioningconservancy, the local community and campoperators were about to sign a formalagreement as this brochure went to press.

Mara Bushtops is an exclusive, hotel-style,tented lodge a few kilometres outside thenational reserve’s busiest gate. Basedaround the former home of Mara legendGlen Cottar, it features personal butlers anda well-stocked wine cellar. We appreciatedthe professionalism of the staff, the old-house dining room and the beautiful pool.

Located on the wooded banks of the RopileRiver, Leleshwa is in a relatively remotearea of mixed herding and wildlife, whichhas dense concentrations of plains game,

including elephant and giraffe and big cats.Personably hosted, with just seven tents(two of them larger suites), and oozing withbush atmosphere, this is a camp for safari-lovers who really want to get away from itall. Leleshwa also has very good relationswith the local Purko Maasai community andis a driving force in the creation of theSiana Conservancy.

Entumoto is a permanent tented camp in atranquil dell swathed in bush, with a viewabove the trees to the west. The namemeans ‘meeting place’ and it’s quite anappropriate name for a very civilised camp,with high standards of service andparticularly good food (they have avegetable garden). With its paved paths,tent platforms (which include family roomswith two bedrooms and a lounge) and agood swimming pool, the camp feels likean area that has been to some extenttamed. We think it has high appeal forcomfort-seeking, first-time safari-goers,families and honeymooners.

Rhinos are rare in the Mara, andamorous couples a very unusual sight

On most evening game drives you'll stop for a sundowner, sometimes the highlight of the day

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