Karen Blixen Camp

Rooms

The generously sized tents are raised on platforms and spaced along the riverbank, each with a large private deck so you can sit and look out for hippo, birds and plains game drawn to the water. The sound of the flowing river, grunts of hippo, and birdsong form a constant backdrop to your stay.

Made of canvas, the tents are sheltered by a high thatched roof. Inside, the dark-wood floors are strewn with Persian rugs, you’ll find a large double bed or twin beds and an en suite bathroom, with a walled off outdoor shower and dressing area.

Location

The camp is situated in the Mara North Conservancy, which is owned and leased by local communities who graze their cattle on parts of the land. There are just a handful of camps here, so you’ll see far fewer vehicles than in the main reserve. A maximum of five vehicles are allowed at an animal sighting to reduce disturbance and improve guests’ safari experiences. Lion, wildebeest, buffalo and Masai giraffe are all commonly seen here.

Food and drink

• Breakfast, lunch and three-course à la carte dinners are served on individual tables in the main dining area or outside in front of the river.
• The food is of a high quality and takes influences from Europe, with ingredients sourced from different areas of Kenya.
• Bush breakfasts and dinners can also be arranged, as well as sundowner drinks and snacks at the end of your afternoon game drive.
• The main area has a bar (at an additional cost) and a coffee machine (complimentary) during your stay.

Families

• Each tent can have up to two extra beds added for young children, while the family tent has two bedrooms and a shared veranda.
• The camp is unfenced, allowing animals to roam through, so children must be accompanied at all times.

Facilities and activities

The camp has a swimming pool with loungers, a spa offering a range of massages and treatments, and a shop selling local crafts.

Your stay includes morning and afternoon game drives through the conservancy, with the option to drive into the main reserve during the Great Migration. For an additional cost you can also join a guide and armed ranger on foot for a walking safari, or take a more leisurely nature walk around camp focused on finding out more about the smaller animals and plant life found here. Dawn hot air balloon safaris over the Masai Mara can be arranged, as well as visits to a local Maasai manyatta (village).

Environmental and social responsibility

The camp is solar powered and offers ‘eco walks’ for guests to find out about its efforts toward protecting the environment, conserving wildlife and benefiting the local communities. Projects include IT education for staff and the local Maasai community, foreign language and literacy courses. The camp is also passionate about green technologies, including an extensive solar panel system, solar heaters for showers and an eco-friendly cool room used to store vegetables. You can also plant a tree in the camp’s grounds (a small cost applies).

It has a well-run cooking school for local young people, who over 18 months can earn a City & Guilds qualification as well as gaining IT and language skills and experience in a real kitchen. It also runs a project for single mothers in the region to take part in beading workshops and make eco-friendly briquettes for fuel, helping them to earn a living.