The professional Canon camera set and Swarovski binoculars available to each guest set the tone for Mara Nyika: this is a camp for travelers who are looking for an undiluted visual wildlife experience. Tucked under grand thorn trees and located on the privately managed Naboisho Conservancy, Mara Nyika gives its guests the advantage of exploring the famous Masai Mara but in exclusive comfort, right down to the luxurious viewing vehicle and 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) suite.

Part of the Great Plains Conservation group and open all year, the camp has a good pedigree. Drawing on the expertise of legendary wildlife film-makers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, Mara Nyika lies not only in an exceptionally rich wildlife area but also on the path of the Great Migration when tens of thousands of wildebeest arrive onto the Naboisho plains. The emphasis is firmly on the game viewing with morning and afternoon game drives but expect all-day safaris (with a gourmet picnic lunch) if the viewing is exceptional. Moreover, a further advantage of a private location is that you can end your game viewing with a spot-lit night drive, a great chance to catch Africa’s elusive nocturnal animals on the prowl.

There are only five tented suites at camp, with an additional guide’s tent if required. The intimate and personalized service at camp lends Mara Nyika a suitable ambiance for romantic travel but the camp also welcomes families with children over the age of eight and would make a great option for an exclusive booking. Solar power provides electric light and recharging facilities and there is even Wi-Fi in your room. Hot-air ballooning and a visit to a local Maasai community are available at an extra cost.

Highlights

• Private location in a game-rich Masai Mara Conservancy
• Day and night game drives plus bush walks for birders
• Canon 5D camera body, 100-400mm and 24-70mm lenses in each suite – tuition available
• Swarovski binoculars supplied to each guest if required
• Full-day safaris for exceptional game viewing
• Spacious, elevated tented suites
• Recommended for the Wildebeest Migration (August to November)
• Excellent game viewing all year
• Family-oriented and wheelchair-accessible accommodation available

Activities

• GAME DRIVES
• HOT AIR BALLOONING
• NIGHT DRIVES

Rooms

Tented Suite

The three guest suites at Mara Nyika are raised off the ground and lie under great sprawling thorn trees, lending the camp a ‘tree-house’ feel. Elegantly furnished, each is very spacious (1,000 square feet or 93 square meters) and is made up of a lounge and bedroom with an en-suite bathroom complete with a copper bathtub, indoor shower, and flush toilet plus double basins. There is reasonable cell phone reception as well as Wi-Fi access in your suite as well as solar-powered electric light, battery recharging points, and a low-voltage hair dryer.

A welcome addition to each tent is a Canon EOS 5D camera body, monopods, and selection of 24-70mm and 100-400mm lenses plus a pair of high quality 8 x 42 Swarovski binoculars, all for your use, and the camp will provide you with a memory stick of all your images when you leave.

Mara Nyika Family Suite

Mara Nyika also caters to the traveling brood with its two Family Tents. Each tent comprises two bedrooms, a lounge area, and a bathroom with either a bath or shower.

The Family Tents have all the creature comforts and special features of the Guest Tents, from the magnificent views down to the Swarovski binoculars. In addition, the services of a private safari vehicle and a dedicated guide are available throughout your stay.

Facilities

Raised above the ground and commanding grand views, the main camp at Mara Nyika is made up of a large open lounge and dining area with a reference library, tea and coffee station, and a well-stocked bar. Outside is a broad viewing deck, an outdoor fire pit and comfortable seating, and a set of elevated wooden walkways that lead to the guest suites – all designed with wheelchair access in mind. The camp provides a complimentary laundry service (back the next day weather permitting) and solar power means electric light and recharged batteries.

Further facilities include a boutique shop and wellness spa with in-room treatments available plus a children’s safari program with age-appropriate activities such as bird watching, traditional cooking, and tracking wildlife – perfect for younger children on safari with their parents.

Dining

Three meals a day are prepared under the care of an executive chef and state-of-the-art kitchen but the timing – and location – of meals is very flexible to accommodate exceptional wildlife viewing. Indeed, picnic breakfasts and lunches are considered normal procedures, especially during migration season. Vegetarians and vegans can be catered for with advance notification, as can families with a child-friendly choice of meals.

If not served out on the savannah, meals are enjoyed indoors or outdoors at camp depending on the weather and served at group or individual tables as required. Breakfasts and lunches are wholesome, hearty, and home-cooked; dinner is a grander affair with a la carte options.