MARA EXPLORER CAMP.
Mara Explorer Camp, a new luxury in the world's oldest wilderness, is situated on a broad thickly forest bend of the Talek River in the middle of the Masai Mara Reserve.
Opened in late 2000, Mara Explorer has elevated the art of the African safari to spectacular new heights. Mara Explorer is managed by Kenya's first Masai lady manager, Tiito Mpetti, who also runs a community charity educating Masai girls in her native Megwarra Village, to which she will happily invite interested guests.
This luxurious tented camp lies at the confluence of the reserve's four main game-viewing areas, and enjoys prime views of the spectacular wildebeest migration between June and September. During the remainder of the year, herds of watering elephant, giraffe and other animals can often be seen from your private verandah. Mara Explorer's own all-weather airstrip means you can be in camp less than an hour after leaving the bustle of Nairobi. The road from the capital provides a scenic ride of just less than five hours.
Mara Explorer was constructed as an eco-friendly camp, and its operations are designed to have a minimal impact on the fragile Talek ecosystem. All biodegradable waste is mulched for compost, while water heating is quelled by briquettes made from used coffee husks. Together with its sister camp, Mara Intrepids Mara Explorer helps to build and equip primary schools and medical clinics in the area. Guests are invited to visit these facilities as well as the villagers' own Manyattas, which offer a fascinating insight into traditional Masai life.
Accommodation
• This exclusive five-star camp offers 10 luxurious, well-spaced tents, each with its own private deck overlooking the Talek River.
• Seven of the tents have giant double beds, while three have twin beds.
• All are furnished in a classic blend of ancient and modern, with fine hand carved mahogany furniture, rich African artifacts, and luxurious bathrooms with twin basins and all modern amenities.
• Each tent reflects a distinctive "Explorer" style, with old wooden chests, tin trunks and historic prints, complemented by a fascinating collection of 'Africana' books in the camp's library.
• An intimate canvas covered dining area looks out over the river close to the camp's entrance.
• Meals are served from Mara Explorer's own kitchens, using fresh vegetables and herbs grown in the camp gardens.
• Meals can also be enjoyed on your verandah, or at one of a series of specially selected "bush sites" close to the camp. Next door, the camp bar provides beautiful river views and a well-stocked library, while the lounge offers luxurious sofas for reading, playing board games, or swapping safari tales. All the public areas are decorated with old African artifacts and me morabilia from the earliest days of the African safari.
• Mara Explorer Camp, situated on a thickly forested river in the middle of the Masai Mara Reserve, offers guests the ultimate wilderness retreat, where you can watch elephants or giraffes drinking from the privacy of your verandah - or your own outdoor bathtub!
• Situated in the heart of the reserve, Mara Explorer enjoys prime views of the spectacular wildebeest migration between June and September, and rewarding daily game viewing for the remainder of the year.
• Private game drives with expert local guides.
• Walking safaris in the Mara Conservation Area.
• Riverside bush breakfasts, sundowners and dinners.
• Hot Air Balloon Safaris.
• Arrangements for Lake Victoria fishing safaris.
• Lectures and shows on Masai culture and wildlife.