This safari has been designed to offer the same high quality wildlife safari experience provided by the top-end safari camps, with 4×4 game viewing escorted by top class guides and in exclusive wildlife conservancies away from the busier areas of the Mara, but at a hugely reduced price by staying in small basic adventure camp in Amboseli, “real camping” instead of the luxury accommodation of the expensive up-market tented lodges before moving to the Porini Giraffe Camp in the Mara Ripoi Conservancy in the Masai Mara. Transport between the camps is by light aircraft to avoid the long drives overland on rough roads and to have more time on safari for activities from the camps.
For those for whom the wildlife safari experience is more important than the accommodation, and who are prepared to sleep in small tents in sleeping bags on a mattress on the floor with an element of “roughing it”, this gives an opportunity for an exceptional and exclusive wildlife experience with high quality guiding but at a fraction of the price.
Camping Safari Experience
The Porini Giraffe Camp and the Gamewatchers Adventure Camp, Selenkay are both sited in private conservancies with a wealth of wildlife and where you can go on walks with Maasai guides and take night game drives but they are also conveniently located for easy access to Amboseli National Park and the Maasai Mara Reserve.
- All game drives are in four-wheel-drive customised safari vehicles taking a maximum of 6 passengers. Your driver-guide is a wildlife expert and certified by the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association.
- The Gamewatchers Adventure Safari camp is set up on our own exclusive camp site in the Selenkay Conservancy in the Amboseli eco-system and The Porini Giraffe Camp is a permanent 8 tent camp in the Mara Ripoi Conservancy in the Mara.
- At the Selenkay adventure campsite we have service staff who do all the work associated with camping, like cleaning up, heating water for showers, doing the cooking and serving the food. An experienced safari cook is at the camp to prepare daily meals. Food is of the same quality as in a luxury safari camp and is included in the price, (not bought through a ‘kitty’ like some other camping safaris).
- The Adventure camp is hosted by the lead safari guide.
- Tents in the adventure Camp are Coleman Sundome tents for 2 persons or can fit one child (aged 10 years or over) with 2 adults. They are 6 ft tall and they are 10ft x 10ft square.
- Clients bring their own sleeping bag and a towel (or hire for a small fee) and sleep on comfortable mattresses on the tent floor.
- Each tent on our adventure safari has its own private bathroom in a cubicle located behind the tent with flush toilet, wash basin and safari shower.
- Mineral water is provided daily at camp and on game drives and walks.
- In Selenkay, drinks other than mineral water are not included in the price but beer, wine and sodas are available at reasonable prices and guests may bring their own drinks if they wish. However, in the Maasai Mara at the Giraffe camp – drinks including tusker beer, soft drinks, house wines, vodka, mineral water, gin & tonic are included.
- Transfers from Nairobi to the camps are by light aircraft from Wilson Airport Nairobi to Selenkay, Mara and back. While at camp all safari transport is in 4×4 customized safari vehicle.
The camping safari departs daily from Nairobi from 1 July to 31 October. Days 1,2 & 3: Selenkay Conservancy and Amboseli National Park (camp in Selenkay Conservancy for 3 nights) Days 4, 5 & 6: Masai Mara and Mara Ripoi Conservancy ( Porini Giraffe Camp in Mara Ripoi Conservancy for 3 nights).