Mara Expedition Camp offers a chic, nostalgic and adventurous experience. It is unique to the industry and sits perfectly with the expert hospitality, specialised guiding and design that have become signature to the Great Plains Conservation. Guests visiting here will get the best of both safari worlds – the vibrant Maasai Mara ecosystem and the more private 70,000-acre Mara North Conservancy. The core of the camp’s ethos is the learning from and respecting of nature, where the Maasai Mara itself is the teacher. Unlike some other locations, there is a higher density of predators in the area so there is a constant reminder that the wilderness is not ours and must be respected at all times.
Mara Expedition Camp, Narok, Kenya
Mara Expedition Camp sits in a small bend in the Ntiakitiak River, surrounded by a merging of forest and savannah in the north-central section of the Maasai Mara. Its sister camp, Mara Plains, is only a few km away. Mara Expedition Camp is approximately a 45-minute drive from the Ol Kiombo airstrip, which can be reached via Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
- Chic and secluded
- Locally famous leopard residents
- Front-row Great Migration sightings
- Horse riding and horse-back safaris
- Photography facilities
- 24-hour security
Guests can choose from 5 spacious, stylish and shaded canvas tents. ‘Each of the tents is decorated with a nod to the style of early exploration and discovery, with brass chandeliers, old Indian chests and local natural materials.’ Bed configuration is flexible depending on each guest’s preferences, with options for twin or king-size beds. Every tent is fully equipped with mosquito nets for safety and comfort, and has its own en suite bathroom complete with a flushing toilet, shower, wash basin and complimentary soap, shampoo, conditioner and lotion.
Mara Expedition Camp provides its guests with breakfast, lunch and dinner, with options for indoor and outdoor dining. Picnics for breakfast and lunch can be prepared for guests to take with them on game drives and other activities. Chefs are fully prepared to cater to all dietary requirements.
Guests can embark on daytime game drives in one of the camp’s two specially designed open-sided Land Cruisers, providing rare and unique views of the plains. Each vehicle is fully-equipped with a fridge and photography equipment.
Take to the dawn skies and experience the sight of the Kenyan plains and wildlife in a completely new way as the sun rises around you
During their stay, guests can visit the local Maasai village and school. This is an incredible opportunity to learn about their culture and the day-to-day lives of the locals!
Mara Expedition Camp offers guests the rare chance to mount up and go for a ride, and to even take to the wilds on horse-back for an even more intimate and up-close experience
Great Plains Conservation works to make the best use possible of sustainable eco-tourism through camps like Mara Expedition to preserve, protect and restore natural habitats and wildlife, and benefit local communities at the same time. So far the Conservation has conserved nearly 1 million acres of land in Africa and supports the Great Plains Foundation in their more localised initiatives and commitments to wildlife, local communities and natural environments in Kenya, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Staying at a Great Plains Conservation safari camp like Mara Expedition directly contributes to these initiatives and the protection of African wildlife and environments
Great Plain proudly supports the Project Ranger imitative. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a damaging affect on many things – with travel and tourism having been brought to a grinding halt, many areas of wilderness have been left vacant and local workers with unstable income. This means that much wildlife and natural environments have been left open to exploitation and crime. Project Ranger fills this critical need to ensure animals and their habitats are kept safe, funding wildlife monitoring, surveying, and anti-poaching operations, and those on the front-lines of conservation work
The camp’s access to the Maasai Mara and Mara North Conservancy allows for a very low density of tourism, minimising the impact on the environment and wildlife
Great Plains Conservation is committed to creating experiences that where neither conservation, sustainability, nor luxury is compromised. Great Plains camps therefore aim to reduce their carbon footprints as much as possible and find eco-friendly alternatives. Air travel especially is responsible for substantial carbon emissions – most major airlines can offer detailed calculations of the emissions for specific flights and thus the opportunity to offset them. Camps work to offset these emissions with tree planting and solar lantern projects and raising awareness with all their guests about how they can help reduce their carbon footprints during their safari.
The camp is fully run by an impressive solar farm
All materials used in the construction of Mara Expedition camp are “green” and/or recycled from elsewhere and the camp can be quickly deconstructed if need be and the materials returned to be used again.
- Children over the age of 8 are welcome to stay at the camp but must be under supervision at all times
- Children under 8 may be allowed to stay if the family exclusively books the entire camp