Step-by-Step Booking Process
Booking your dream safari is simple and hassle-free with Gamewatchers Safari.
- Send an Enquiry – Fill out our Online Enquiry Form with your preferred travel dates and chosen itinerary.
- Get Expert Assistance – Have questions? Our friendly and knowledgeable safari specialists are just a call or email away!
- Receive Confirmation – We’ll promptly confirm availability and pricing, so you can give us the go ahead to secure your booking.
Secure Your Booking – Once you’re ready, we’ll finalize your booking and ask you to complete a Booking Confirmation Form. You’ll receive a confirmation invoice by email with all the details of your booking and how to make payment.
Key Booking Details
Currency – prices in US$
Our prices are shown in US$ and our invoices are in US$ to overseas residents or in Kenya Shillings to Kenya residents. For overseas customers resident outside of Kenya payments are made at the prices shown on our invoice in US$ to our US $ bank account in Nairobi or by credit card in US$.
Payment of deposit and balance
Payment terms: 25% deposit per person at the time of booking a safari. The remaining balance is due 60 days prior to commencement of arrangements. Payments (deposit & final balance) may be made by direct bank transfer to our Nairobi bank account or by credit card. Payment details will be included with our confirmation invoice.
Payment by credit / debit cards
We accept payment by credit card (Visa or Mastercard) through our secure online payment system or PayPal.
Once your booking is confirmed and your sales consultant has emailed you the invoice, if you wish to pay by credit card, you will then receive an email from Gamewatchers Safaris with a link that directs you to our secure online payment system, where you can enter your details and process your payment. No transaction fee is added by us for payment of the deposit by debit or credit card or if the full amount is paid at once. However your credit card company may add their own handling fee for processing a payment outside your home country. If the final balance is paid by credit card then a transaction fee of 3% is added to the amount of the balance to cover the credit card processing charges. Payment can also be made by debit card in the same way as credit cards but the banks in Kenya apply the same transaction fee for debit cards as for credit cards, so a fee of 3% is also added for payment of the final balance by debit card.
Your Financial Security when booking a safari in Kenya with Gamewatchers Safaris
Gamewatchers Safaris is a member of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators bonding scheme, backed by a leading insurance company, to ensure your payments are fully protected if a bonded KATO member ceases trading.
If you are resident in the United Kingdom and pay for overseas travel arrangements using a credit card, under British law the Consumer Credit Act 1974 gives you full protection in the event that an overseas tour operator goes into receivership. If you paid for the services (even part of them) using a credit card, then you’re entitled to a full refund from your credit card company in the United Kingdom. The law covers goods worth between £100 and £30,000 but you’re completely covered even if you paid as little as £1 deposit with your credit card and the remainder some other way. Please note that this protection applies only to credit cards, such as Visa and Mastercard, and not to debit cards, such as Maestro and Delta.
Talk to a Specialist
Gamewatchers Safaris has been operating for 30 years and is based in Nairobi.
We have an experienced team of Safari Consultants based in Nairobi as well as in the UK, USA, Canada, India & Australia. Each will be delighted to help and advise you in planning your safari and making all the arrangements for your chosen itinerary.
Choose one of our dedicated Safari Specialists in your time zone and start planning your tailor-made safari today.
Rick McIntyre
Hello, I'm Rick, based in Ontario, Canada, with over 15 years in the travel industry and a passport filled with stamps from over 70 countries. My heart was captured by Africa during my first visit to Kenya, and since then, I've journeyed back repeatedly, exploring the diverse landscapes and wildlife of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Whether you're dreaming of a "once in a lifetime" vacation or you're a seasoned safari traveler, I'm here to assist in planning your perfect African adventure.
You can contact me at rick@gamewatchers.com or give me a call at +1-877-710-3014.

Rachel Chambers
Rachel Chambers
Hi, I’m Rae, based on the West Coast of Canada, on beautiful Vancouver Island. I’m a passionate traveler who has explored nearly 30 countries, but it was a solo journey to Africa that truly transformed my perspective. From the moment I arrived in Botswana, I felt an undeniable connection to the continent and was inspired to spend more time experiencing its extraordinary wildlife, breathtaking landscapes, and rich cultures. My solo travels have since taken me through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mauritius, South Africa, Uganda, Namibia, and Kenya, where I experienced Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps firsthand. It was during these immersive and unforgettable journeys that my passion for Africa evolved into a clear vision: to join the Gamewatchers team and help others discover the magic of safari. I’d love to connect and plan your wildest dreams!Â
You can contact me at rae@gamewatchers.comÂ

Julie Roggow
Julie Roggow
Greetings, I'm Julie Roggow, and I come to you with over two decades of immersion in the world of travel. My journey into the heart of safari adventures began as I traversed Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, capturing the essence of these mesmerizing landscapes through my lens. Among these remarkable destinations, Kenya and the Porini safari camps hold a special place in my heart. Their unique blend of wilderness and conservation resonates deeply with me.
My passion for travel is matched only by my dedication to sharing that passion with others. I'm here to ensure that planning your safari vacation is an enjoyable and seamless experience.
Feel free to reach out to me by email at julie@gamewatchers.com or through our toll-free telephone line at +1-877-710-3014.Â

Wayne Hammond
Wayne Hammond
Hello, I'm Wayne Hammond, and I'm fortunate to have embarked on over 30 incredible journeys to the enchanting continent of Africa. It's a place that has captured my heart time and time again. My travels have taken me to Kenya, which I've had the pleasure of visiting far more times than I can recall, as well as to Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, and Mozambique. Among my cherished bush haunts, I hold dear the Masai Mara in Kenya, the mesmerizing Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, and the wondrous South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. I'm not just a passionate traveler but also an avid amateur wildlife photographer and an occasional travel writer. Â
If you're ready to embark on your own African adventure, don't hesitate to reach out to me at wayne@gamewatchers.com or give me a call at +44 7986 978 985.Â
Andrea Landaeta
Hola, I’m Andrea and my love affair with the captivating world of safaris began during my teenage years when I embarked on my very first safari in Kenya. There, amidst the awe-inspiring wildlife and expansive plains, I found my true passion. Over the years, Kenya has called me back time and time again, leading me to explore its myriad camps, conservancies, and renowned parks. More recently, I've had the privilege of staying at all the Porini Camps, where the spotlight shines on wildlife conservation—a cause close to my heart as I traverse the globe. While Kenya holds a special place in my wanderlust-filled heart, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda have also woven their magic into my soul. If you're eager to embark on your own safari adventure or share your passion for conservation, please feel free to contact me at andrea@saririterra.com
Let's connect and embark on a journey through Africa's wild wonders together.
Pranay Chandra
Hello, I’m Pranay Chandra, a veteran of the Indian Armed Forces whose profound passion for nature and wildlife led me to the world of wildlife photography. My lens has captured the essence of the wild, earning recognition in esteemed competitions like the Sanctuary Asia annual wildlife awards and the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards. Beyond photography, I’ve dedicated myself to conservation efforts, collaborating with Ecological Task Forces and supporting WWF India’s training initiatives in tiger reserves. In the realm of education, I’ve partnered with CEC, New Delhi, to create informative video programs on Human-Wildlife Conflicts. I’ve ventured to Kenya, embracing the splendours of Africa while staying at Porini camps and other renowned lodges.
You can connect with me via email at pranay@gamewatchers.com or by phone at +91 801 788 5256
Form Off Contact Specialist Box
Talk to a Specialist
Gamewatchers Safaris has been operating for 30 years and is based in Nairobi.
We have an experienced team of Safari Consultants based in Nairobi as well as in the UK, USA, Canada, India & Australia. Each will be delighted to help and advise you in planning your safari and making all the arrangements for your chosen itinerary.Â
Choose one of our dedicated Safari Specialists in your time zone or send an Enquiry using the online form below.

Hola, I’m Andrea and my love affair with the captivating world of safaris began during my teenage years when I embarked on my very first safari in Kenya. There, amidst the awe-inspiring wildlife and expansive plains, I found my true passion. Over the years, Kenya has called me back time and time again, leading me to explore its myriad camps, conservancies, and renowned parks. More recently, I’ve had the privilege of staying at all the Porini Camps, where the spotlight shines on wildlife conservation—a cause close to my heart as I traverse the globe. While Kenya holds a special place in my wanderlust-filled heart, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda have also woven their magic into my soul. If you’re eager to embark on your own safari adventure or share your passion for conservation, please feel free to contact me at andrea@saririterra.com
Let’s connect and embark on a journey through Africa’s wild wonders together.
Andrea Landaeta

Hello, I’m Pranay Chandra, a veteran of the Indian Armed Forces whose profound passion for nature and wildlife led me to the world of wildlife photography. My lens has captured the essence of the wild, earning recognition in esteemed competitions like the Sanctuary Asia annual wildlife awards and the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards. Beyond photography, I’ve dedicated myself to conservation efforts, collaborating with Ecological Task Forces and supporting WWF India’s training initiatives in tiger reserves. In the realm of education, I’ve partnered with CEC, New Delhi, to create informative video programs on Human-Wildlife Conflicts. I’ve ventured to Kenya, embracing the splendors of Africa while staying at Porini camps and other renowned lodges. I’m based in Bangalore, India, and you can connect with me via email at pranay@gamewatchers.com or reach me by phone at +91 801 788 5256, including WhatsApp. Let’s embark on a journey to celebrate the beauty and conservation of our natural world together.
Pranay Chandra

Hello, I’m Kristy, your Australian-based Safari Advisor with Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps. My background in ecology and conservation management, combined with a deep passion for nature and the great outdoors, led me to Kenya where I instantly fell in love with its spectacular wildlife and warm-hearted people. Having spent significant time at our Porini Camps and explored other camps we offer, I bring intricate knowledge to help craft your ultimate wildlife safari adventure. Whether you’re seeking the thrill of the savannah or the serenity of the wilderness, I’m here to make your safari dreams a reality.
Feel free to reach out to me on the Gold Coast, Australia, at kristy@gamewatchers.com or call +61 419 175 672
Kristy Thomson
Form Off Contact Specialist Box
Posted on Ak J4 December 2025Verified Top drawer service and personalised safari. We had the pleasure of using game watchers to book our safari at Porini Cheetah Camp which was exceptional. However what was also exceptional was the service we received from Wayne in the gamewatchers team. Thorough, quick and responsive to our needs and sorted everything from the room, flights and transfers seamlessly.I would highly recommend using game watchers to anyone that wants eco friendly, ethical and personalised safaris.Posted on Robert S25 November 2025Verified Great Experience Wayne Hammond and the Gamewatchers team organized and delivered a wonderful safari for our family. Wayne was responsive and gave great advice leading up to the trip and the team on the ground was first rate. It is hard to find the right company to narrow in on the right price and pacing -- they did it very well. RobPosted on Julien C23 November 2025Verified Another great trip to Kenya with Gamewatchers Safaris. Planning and booking a trip with Gamewatchers is always a pleasure and my recent trip was another great experience. As a solo, female traveller in my seventies, safety and comfort is a concern and as always Gamewatchers made sure everything went smoothly. I spent two days in Tsavo East staying at Satao Camp, and two days in Tsavo West, staying at Severin Camp. My driver, Lenny made sure my trip was a great experience and he was good company. The rest of my trip was spent revisiting favourite Porini camps - Porini Amboseli Camp at Selenkay Conservancy and Porini Cheetah Camp at Ol Kinyei Conservancy. Wildlife viewing and food was excellent throughout. In particular, elephants, birds, lions, leopard and cheetah did not disappoint.Posted on Anne L22 November 2025Verified The trip was Magical We went to 4 camps - Amboseli, ol’ Pejeta, Samburu Elephant’s Bedroom and Mara. All Gamewatchers/Porini conservancy camps except for Samburu. Whilst the Samburu camp was slightly more comfortable, we really preferred the Porini camps for their super service, attention to the visitors and pretty good food - two of us have food allergies and they were very attentive to those.As for the safari part, all drivers and guides were very knowledgeable about the wildlife and their environment taking us to the right destinations not hesitating to depart from the route should some special wildlife be reported. There was not a day when we did not see amazing action. Knowing that wildlife does not always cooperate we felt very lucky!I would definitely recommend Gamewatchers!Posted on Laura D22 November 2025Verified Truly a trip of a lifetime Our safari experience was absolutely incredible, truly a trip of a lifetime. We spent 9 days in Kenya and saw every animal we could have hoped for and more. Some standout moments included watching a herd of elephants with their babies cross directly in front of our vehicle in Amboseli National Park, along with more lions than we ever expected to see. Every moment felt magical and unforgettable.The guides were exceptional, especially Thompson and Edison at the Amboseli Porini Camp. Their deep knowledge, passion for the wildlife, and warm personalities made our game drives so special. We left feeling like we had made lifelong friends.The hospitality and accommodation exceeded expectations. While tented, the rooms were incredibly comfortable and offered all the amenities of a high-end hotel. The food was fantastic, and the thoughtful touches throughout our stay made the experience truly stand out: welcome drinks, hot water bottles tucked into the bed at night, beautifully arranged sundowners, morning wake-up calls with coffee and tea, warm water for a morning face wash, and cosy flannel-lined ponchos for chilly game drives. These details showed such care and made us feel so well looked after.We would return in a heartbeat and have already been recommending Porini to everyone we know. Thank you for creating such a special and memorable safari for us.Posted on Nancy B22 November 2025Verified Trip of a Lifetime!! Our Safari experience was simply Excellent and every other superlative adjective one could use. EVERY single person we encountered at the Porini camps and game drives were fantastic. I can't say enough about these Maasai gentlemen. So knowledgeable and kind!It is my sincere hope that we can visit Kenya again with our children.Posted on Birgitta D21 November 2025Verified Top marks for this trip that did me good in the soul I needed to get away to recharge my batteries and contacted Wayne Hammon to help with bookings earlier. I stayed two nights at Porini Nairobi Tented Camp to "land" then I was four nights at Elephant Bedroom in Samburu and on to Porini Giraffe Camp four nights. There were a few tourists so I had my own guide and vehicle in Samburu and was the only guest two nights at Porini Giraffe Camp it was a special feeling and so nice. I got to see my favorite animal cheetah almost every day, all the elephants in Samburu, gerenuks, oryx, grevey zebra, leopard, lion group that not only lay asleep and much more. Buschbrekfast several times and knowledgeable guide and tracker at Giraffe Camp. The staff were outstanding throughout.Posted on Mollie B16 November 2025Verified A holiday that delivered above all expectations The service in booking and then on holiday was excellent from the beginning to the end. We opted for the 9 day safari which gave us an experience of different conservancies and animals in them, eg: some were dry, others were green, and one was cold at night but cosy because of the water bottles waiting in our beds as we went back to our tents. The Masai guides could not have been more knowledgeable or helpful. The safari was such a great experience that we are considering another soon. We might consider a couple of 3 night camps next time as we were on the move every other day which was tiring. However, What a Wonderful and Memorable time from a company that puts back into local communities and has very happy staff as a result. We did question how this worked but every Masai we discussed this with was enthusiastic about the benefits for all. Keep up the excellent work Gamewatchers!And for anyone reading this, the conservancy model here allowed us to view animals right next to the vans. We were given a real insight as to the differences between the National parks, also visited, and the conservancies.Posted on tinkbee151 November 2025Verified Unforgettable experience Wow where to begin. Firstly, Wayne, our organiser was fantastic at making recommendations and getting everything organised for us in the build up to the trip. We stayed at Mara Camp and Lion Camp in the Maasai Mara conservancies and it was amazing. Firstly, having heavily debated if the conservancies were the right option for visiting the Mara, they were. The ability to off-road and the minimal vehicles are well worth it. Getting to the camp was straight forward and everything was smooth. Mara camp was great, a really intimate camp with a friendly atmosphere. The tents are fantastic with everything you need, and the people are so friendly and attentive. The food was great, and we also made some great friends around the dinner table and in our vehicles. From just the front porch of our tent we saw elephants, giraffes, vervet monkeys, hyrax, malachite king fishers, baboons, and bushbook. The guides , Ben and Joseph were great, and we saw lions on every single drive, often with cubs. Lion camp was larger but it still had a very friendly feel, and our tent over looked the river giving us crocodiles to watch. At night we had hippos wandering right around the tent. Our guides at Lion camp were Dennis and Moses, they were super friendly and we really feel they were dedicated to making our experience great, with a big effort to see my favourite animal, cheetah - we ended up seeing three, including one hunt. We also managed to see leopard at lion camp including an amazing sighting of one in a tree as our very last sighting of the trip. We did 6 nights / 7 days and didn't want to leave, although there was never more than 6 people in any of our vehicles, and in fact there were some drives where we had a vehicle just to ourselves, we still booked one day with a private vehicle. It was well worth the cost, especially if you're in to photography or have a particular animal you want to see. We were able to stay sitting with a cheetah for a few hours and got to see it hunt, something that probably wouldn't have been possible with other people in the car.If you're thinking of doing a safari, and want an experience where you'll feel part of your surroundings, part of a little community, but above all else that gives you intimate sightings of beautiful animals while respected them and their environment, then porini in the mara is what you're after. Thank you to everyone on our trip, Tink (Andrew) and DelfinaPosted on Lisa B29 October 2025Verified A Life-Long Dream, Realized! My husband and I are coming up on a week, since being on Safari and still it is all we can think about! Gamewatchers made everything simpler and so much more enjoyable than it might have been. At a time when, everywhere I turn, people and organizations are vying for attention, Gamewatchers seems to put their collective energy into creating the best possible experience for their clients and then trusting those clients to go out and spread the word. It was incredibly refreshing! And no hidden costs!Because going on Safari had been a life-long dream, I hoped my expectations would not disappoint. They did not. We saw and experienced everything we wanted to in Porini Amboseli, Amboseli National Park and Porinin Mara,,,our choices.The Maasai taught us about the Big Five, the Small Five and the Ugly Five. That said, I went with my own personal five. Four were animals I hoped to see and the fifth was getting to know the Maasai people. I realized all five. Maasai men lead and served us in the camps. In addition, we visited a Maasai village, near Amboseli, where we met Maasai women and children. I can only describe it as joy, pure joy. Traditionally, the women create various arts, mostly beaded jewelry, that they made available to us with absolutely no pressure to purchase. To meet these artists and to learn that the money they receive sends their children to school, gave even more meaning to the pieces I brought home.From the morning wake-up coffee/tea call, to being walked back to our tent each night, there was a connection with these beautiful, strong Maasai men. They were present not only to our needs, but also seemed to have a genuine interest in our lives. Of course, we saw lots of animals, and up close, too. Our guides and trackers took us through the bush and out on the Savannah morning, afternoon and night. At the close of each run, we enjoyed a scrumptious meal. In short, I would take the exact same trip all over again. Gamewatchers and the Maasai people will hold a place in my heart forever…and I can be quite particular.
What Our Clients Say About Us...
In our commitment to excellence, we not only strive to exceed our clients’ expectations but also value their feedback. We are proud to present our latest clients’ feedback  posted on Trip Advisor.
Posted on Ak J4 December 2025Verified Top drawer service and personalised safari. We had the pleasure of using game watchers to book our safari at Porini Cheetah Camp which was exceptional. However what was also exceptional was the service we received from Wayne in the gamewatchers team. Thorough, quick and responsive to our needs and sorted everything from the room, flights and transfers seamlessly.I would highly recommend using game watchers to anyone that wants eco friendly, ethical and personalised safaris.Posted on Robert S25 November 2025Verified Great Experience Wayne Hammond and the Gamewatchers team organized and delivered a wonderful safari for our family. Wayne was responsive and gave great advice leading up to the trip and the team on the ground was first rate. It is hard to find the right company to narrow in on the right price and pacing -- they did it very well. RobPosted on Julien C23 November 2025Verified Another great trip to Kenya with Gamewatchers Safaris. Planning and booking a trip with Gamewatchers is always a pleasure and my recent trip was another great experience. As a solo, female traveller in my seventies, safety and comfort is a concern and as always Gamewatchers made sure everything went smoothly. I spent two days in Tsavo East staying at Satao Camp, and two days in Tsavo West, staying at Severin Camp. My driver, Lenny made sure my trip was a great experience and he was good company. The rest of my trip was spent revisiting favourite Porini camps - Porini Amboseli Camp at Selenkay Conservancy and Porini Cheetah Camp at Ol Kinyei Conservancy. Wildlife viewing and food was excellent throughout. In particular, elephants, birds, lions, leopard and cheetah did not disappoint.Posted on Anne L22 November 2025Verified The trip was Magical We went to 4 camps - Amboseli, ol’ Pejeta, Samburu Elephant’s Bedroom and Mara. All Gamewatchers/Porini conservancy camps except for Samburu. Whilst the Samburu camp was slightly more comfortable, we really preferred the Porini camps for their super service, attention to the visitors and pretty good food - two of us have food allergies and they were very attentive to those.As for the safari part, all drivers and guides were very knowledgeable about the wildlife and their environment taking us to the right destinations not hesitating to depart from the route should some special wildlife be reported. There was not a day when we did not see amazing action. Knowing that wildlife does not always cooperate we felt very lucky!I would definitely recommend Gamewatchers!Posted on Laura D22 November 2025Verified Truly a trip of a lifetime Our safari experience was absolutely incredible, truly a trip of a lifetime. We spent 9 days in Kenya and saw every animal we could have hoped for and more. Some standout moments included watching a herd of elephants with their babies cross directly in front of our vehicle in Amboseli National Park, along with more lions than we ever expected to see. Every moment felt magical and unforgettable.The guides were exceptional, especially Thompson and Edison at the Amboseli Porini Camp. Their deep knowledge, passion for the wildlife, and warm personalities made our game drives so special. We left feeling like we had made lifelong friends.The hospitality and accommodation exceeded expectations. While tented, the rooms were incredibly comfortable and offered all the amenities of a high-end hotel. The food was fantastic, and the thoughtful touches throughout our stay made the experience truly stand out: welcome drinks, hot water bottles tucked into the bed at night, beautifully arranged sundowners, morning wake-up calls with coffee and tea, warm water for a morning face wash, and cosy flannel-lined ponchos for chilly game drives. These details showed such care and made us feel so well looked after.We would return in a heartbeat and have already been recommending Porini to everyone we know. Thank you for creating such a special and memorable safari for us.Posted on Nancy B22 November 2025Verified Trip of a Lifetime!! Our Safari experience was simply Excellent and every other superlative adjective one could use. EVERY single person we encountered at the Porini camps and game drives were fantastic. I can't say enough about these Maasai gentlemen. So knowledgeable and kind!It is my sincere hope that we can visit Kenya again with our children.Posted on Birgitta D21 November 2025Verified Top marks for this trip that did me good in the soul I needed to get away to recharge my batteries and contacted Wayne Hammon to help with bookings earlier. I stayed two nights at Porini Nairobi Tented Camp to "land" then I was four nights at Elephant Bedroom in Samburu and on to Porini Giraffe Camp four nights. There were a few tourists so I had my own guide and vehicle in Samburu and was the only guest two nights at Porini Giraffe Camp it was a special feeling and so nice. I got to see my favorite animal cheetah almost every day, all the elephants in Samburu, gerenuks, oryx, grevey zebra, leopard, lion group that not only lay asleep and much more. Buschbrekfast several times and knowledgeable guide and tracker at Giraffe Camp. The staff were outstanding throughout.Posted on Mollie B16 November 2025Verified A holiday that delivered above all expectations The service in booking and then on holiday was excellent from the beginning to the end. We opted for the 9 day safari which gave us an experience of different conservancies and animals in them, eg: some were dry, others were green, and one was cold at night but cosy because of the water bottles waiting in our beds as we went back to our tents. The Masai guides could not have been more knowledgeable or helpful. The safari was such a great experience that we are considering another soon. We might consider a couple of 3 night camps next time as we were on the move every other day which was tiring. However, What a Wonderful and Memorable time from a company that puts back into local communities and has very happy staff as a result. We did question how this worked but every Masai we discussed this with was enthusiastic about the benefits for all. Keep up the excellent work Gamewatchers!And for anyone reading this, the conservancy model here allowed us to view animals right next to the vans. We were given a real insight as to the differences between the National parks, also visited, and the conservancies.Posted on tinkbee151 November 2025Verified Unforgettable experience Wow where to begin. Firstly, Wayne, our organiser was fantastic at making recommendations and getting everything organised for us in the build up to the trip. We stayed at Mara Camp and Lion Camp in the Maasai Mara conservancies and it was amazing. Firstly, having heavily debated if the conservancies were the right option for visiting the Mara, they were. The ability to off-road and the minimal vehicles are well worth it. Getting to the camp was straight forward and everything was smooth. Mara camp was great, a really intimate camp with a friendly atmosphere. The tents are fantastic with everything you need, and the people are so friendly and attentive. The food was great, and we also made some great friends around the dinner table and in our vehicles. From just the front porch of our tent we saw elephants, giraffes, vervet monkeys, hyrax, malachite king fishers, baboons, and bushbook. The guides , Ben and Joseph were great, and we saw lions on every single drive, often with cubs. Lion camp was larger but it still had a very friendly feel, and our tent over looked the river giving us crocodiles to watch. At night we had hippos wandering right around the tent. Our guides at Lion camp were Dennis and Moses, they were super friendly and we really feel they were dedicated to making our experience great, with a big effort to see my favourite animal, cheetah - we ended up seeing three, including one hunt. We also managed to see leopard at lion camp including an amazing sighting of one in a tree as our very last sighting of the trip. We did 6 nights / 7 days and didn't want to leave, although there was never more than 6 people in any of our vehicles, and in fact there were some drives where we had a vehicle just to ourselves, we still booked one day with a private vehicle. It was well worth the cost, especially if you're in to photography or have a particular animal you want to see. We were able to stay sitting with a cheetah for a few hours and got to see it hunt, something that probably wouldn't have been possible with other people in the car.If you're thinking of doing a safari, and want an experience where you'll feel part of your surroundings, part of a little community, but above all else that gives you intimate sightings of beautiful animals while respected them and their environment, then porini in the mara is what you're after. Thank you to everyone on our trip, Tink (Andrew) and DelfinaPosted on Lisa B29 October 2025Verified A Life-Long Dream, Realized! My husband and I are coming up on a week, since being on Safari and still it is all we can think about! Gamewatchers made everything simpler and so much more enjoyable than it might have been. At a time when, everywhere I turn, people and organizations are vying for attention, Gamewatchers seems to put their collective energy into creating the best possible experience for their clients and then trusting those clients to go out and spread the word. It was incredibly refreshing! And no hidden costs!Because going on Safari had been a life-long dream, I hoped my expectations would not disappoint. They did not. We saw and experienced everything we wanted to in Porini Amboseli, Amboseli National Park and Porinin Mara,,,our choices.The Maasai taught us about the Big Five, the Small Five and the Ugly Five. That said, I went with my own personal five. Four were animals I hoped to see and the fifth was getting to know the Maasai people. I realized all five. Maasai men lead and served us in the camps. In addition, we visited a Maasai village, near Amboseli, where we met Maasai women and children. I can only describe it as joy, pure joy. Traditionally, the women create various arts, mostly beaded jewelry, that they made available to us with absolutely no pressure to purchase. To meet these artists and to learn that the money they receive sends their children to school, gave even more meaning to the pieces I brought home.From the morning wake-up coffee/tea call, to being walked back to our tent each night, there was a connection with these beautiful, strong Maasai men. They were present not only to our needs, but also seemed to have a genuine interest in our lives. Of course, we saw lots of animals, and up close, too. Our guides and trackers took us through the bush and out on the Savannah morning, afternoon and night. At the close of each run, we enjoyed a scrumptious meal. In short, I would take the exact same trip all over again. Gamewatchers and the Maasai people will hold a place in my heart forever…and I can be quite particular.




