Mara Explorer

Opened in early 2001, Mara Explorer has elevated the art of the African safari to spectacular new heights. This exclusive five-star camp, situated on a thickly forested river in the middle of the Maasai Mara reserve, offers guests the ultimate wilderness retreat, where you can watch elephants or giraffes drinking from the privacy of your verandah or from your own outdoor Victorian bathtub!

Situated in the heart of the Masai Mara game reserve, Mara Explorer enjoys prime views of the spectacular wildebeest migration between June and September, and some of the world’s most rewarding Big Cat sightings during the remainder of the year.

Mara Explorer has been 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.

All the public areas are decorated with old African artefacts and memorabilia from the earliest days of the African safari.

Accommodation

This exclusive five-star camp has 10 luxurious and well-spaced tents, each with its own private river frontage and views over the Talek’s southern banks. Seven of the tents have giant double beds, while three have twin beds. Each tent is furnished in a classic ‘Explorer’ style, with fine hand-carved mahogany furniture, antique chests and historic prints, and equipped with a luxurious en-suite bathroom with twin basins and all modern amenities.

The tents have been specially designed to open up to the sky and, on a deck on one side, a Victorian claws foot bathtub offers secluded open air bathing and a unique new perspective of the African bush. Each tent has a personal tent attendant and radios for tent service.

An intimate canvas covered dining area looks out over the river close to the camp entrance. Meals are served from own kitchens, using fresh vegetables and herbs grown in the camp gardens. Meals can also be enjoyed on your veranda, 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 area offers luxurious sofas for reading, playing board games, or swapping safari tales.

Activities

At Mara Explorer, you will enjoy private game drives with experienced professional safari guides, walking safaris in the Mara Conservation Area, Bush Breakfasts and dinner under the stars, Romantic sundowners in spectacular selected areas. You can arrange early-morning hot air balloon rides or fishing safaris to Lake Victoria. Attend and learn from lectures and slide shows on the Maasai Culture and human-wildlife Ecology. Participate in Environmental activities such as tree-planting with local residents.

Together with a sister camp, the Mara Intrepids camp, Mara Explorer support local primary schools and medical clinics. Guests are invited to visit these facilities as well as the villagers’ own Manyattas, which offer a fascinating insight into traditional Maasai life.