Kenya’s Most Well-known Safari Vacation spot Has a New Luxe Lodge — and It is Set in a Treehouse

“The hippos can be your neighbors,” my safari information, Nancy, tells me as she picks me up from the Ol Kiombo Airstrip and drives me via the seemingly infinite savanna to the brand new Mara Toto Tree Camp.

Opened July 2024, the ultra-intimate four-tent camp is hidden on the northern border of the Maasai Mara Nationwide Reserve, made well-known by the Nice Migration, which usually happens from July via October. With simply 4 elevated tents lifted practically 10 toes above the tea-colored Ntiakitiak River, hippos will certainly be my neighbor, alongside extra-cheeky vervet monkeys, bush infants, and the occasional croc. Fortunately, elevated picket walkways and the camp’s 24-hour safety patrol — native Maasai folks, wrapped in blue tartan shukas and carrying spears — control the animals and are all the time obtainable to information me to my tent (a requirement come dusk).

This new riverine camp comes care of Nice Plains, an eco-chic safari firm spearheaded by Nationwide Geographic explorer-filmmaker couple Dereck and Beverly Joubert.

“Residing with the birds at their stage is remodeling,” says Dereck, who ensured no timber had been minimize down in the course of the constructing of the camp. Along with the birds and different animals, count on to see the couple’s personal fine-art wildlife prints in each the visitor tents and the communal tent, which is dressed like an old-world explorers’ lair, with lighting fixtures handmade from baobab seeds and brass-forged acacia-leaf hanging sculptures, alongside overstuffed couches, virtually demanding to be lazed in.

Nevertheless snug the camp is (and it’s really a surprise), probably the most enjoyable occurs within the open plains, on my twice-daily sport drives with Nancy, who — like 90 % of the workers — can be Maasai. “I used to be born right here, raised right here, and now I work right here,” says Nancy, who was not solely the primary feminine safari information from her village within the east of the Maasai Mara but in addition Nice Plains’ first feminine safari information in Kenya.

The gold grass Is gilded with dew on our morning drives in a grumbling open-sided Land Cruiser. We watch the lions snack on their kills from the night time earlier than — cape buffalo and even long-lashed giraffes. (It is arduous to see generally, however as we’ve all realized from The Lion King, it’s the circle of life).

We now have breakfast on the highway, with Nancy pouring sizzling Kenyan black tea from a thermos and setting out an expansion of yogurt, contemporary watermelon juice, and boiled eggs. From there, it’s again to camp for a contemporary feast of three or 4 completely different crunchy backyard salads made by Chef Pemba, additionally Maasai. Late afternoon, we set again out for a night sport drive, this time with sundowners (cocktail hour within the bush), adopted by a comfy dinner at camp across the fireplace on the out of doors deck.

It is one thing out of your wildest goals, and even veteran safari goers can be impressed by the extent of consolation, type, and beneficiant hospitality right here. Right here’s what else I beloved about my Mara Toto Tree Camp keep.

The Rooms

Every of the 4 tents is a personal treehouse with fashionable sitting areas of leather-based loveseats, terraces with hanging chairs, and big loos decked out in glowing lanterns. There’s no air-con, however a fan circulates air, and tents keep cool in a single day.

All tents are large enough to accommodate two separate beds if wanted, although Tent 4 is the most important. Complimentary mini bars are housed in weathered picket cupboards and stuffed with Tusker, the native Kenyan lager, selfmade cookies, and the ginger-based East African soda, Stoney Tangawizi. Different issues to like are a choice of fitness center gear (together with weights and a stationary bike) and Nice Plains toiletries smelling of orange, grapefruit, and marula. As with most high-end safari camps, laundry service is complimentary (which is an enormous assist contemplating weight restrictions on gentle plane).

Meals and Drink

You’ll eat very properly right here, and all-inclusive charges embrace meals, drinks, spirits, and wine (together with upmarket worldwide Champagne like Taittinger).

A chilly breakfast is often ready for the morning sport drive, however you’ll be able to request a extra fancy “bush breakfast,” the place a cellular kitchen involves you within the bush and a chef whips up sizzling eggs and tangy mimosas. Lunch is usually again at camp, with a brand new set menu of sunshine daily and contemporary fare. (There’s a basic menu, too, if the set menu isn’t to your style).

Count on sundowners on night sport drives, full along with your drink of alternative (attempt a G&T with Nice Plains’ personal South African-distilled gin) and a brass tiffin stuffed with selfmade snacks like polenta chips and spiced nuts. Dinner is again at camp, with maybe a glowing South African wine in entrance of the hearth first. There’s often a creamy vegetable soup to start out, and three selections of mains (meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes like wealthy risottos or spooling piles of noodles or pasta), plus moreish desserts like selfmade strawberry ice cream, sticky toffee pudding, or turmeric lemon posset.

Actions and Experiences

Camp company get twice-daily sport drives (one within the morning and one within the night) in an open-sided Land Cruiser pushed by a personal information. Drives are finished in each the Maasai Mara Nationwide Reserve and the far-less-busy Mara North Conservancy, which is land privately owned by the Maasai however a part of the identical ecosystem.

Different actions embrace dawn sizzling air balloon flights and personal photographic guides. (Every tent is outfitted with pro-level binoculars and cameras in your journey, with photographs downloaded onto a USB stick upon departure). Alongside the communal eating and lounging area, there’s additionally a Nice Plains Safari Boutique. Don’t miss the hand-beaded treasures made by the Naboisho Girls Craft Centre.

The Spa

Remedies like massages, scrubs, facials, and even manis and pedis are finished in room, utilizing pure, uncooked components like jojoba, rose hip, and African potato. After the therapies, heat baths are drawn, infused with lavender oils and muscle-slackening tub salts.

Household-friendly Choices

Like all Nice Plains camps, Mara Toto Tree Camp is open to company aged 6 and up. Children obtain a Younger Explorers pack, together with an exercise e-book and a safari journal, and guides modify sport drives to accommodate their pursuits and a spotlight spans. Mini hand and foot massages are additionally obtainable for younger explorers.

Accessibility and Sustainability

There isn’t a want to decide on between sustainability and luxurious right here: Pure and recycled supplies add to the safari-chic aesthetic, and the camp runs virtually solely off solar energy and is supplied with a water filtration program. (Don’t even take into consideration single-use plastics.) Nice Plains additionally has its personal basis, contributing to conservation and benefiting the native communities.

Concerning accessibility, don’t be postpone by the treehouse structure. “Paradoxically, our most risky-looking camp, the one within the timber, is probably the most ADA criticism,” says Dereck. “I used to be very cautious to make all of it one stage to be wheelchair-friendly. Even on the entrance, a protracted ramp runs into the timber, winding its option to the primary space. From there, each tent is ADA-accessible. I like that as a result of many vacationers with mobility points usually get caught in camps on the bottom or in unstylish lodging.”

Location

Count on to journey through gentle plane to achieve Mara Toto Tree Camp, which is in the midst of the bush on the border of the Maasai Mara Nationwide Reserve and Olare Motorogi Conservancy. It is a few 45-minute drive via the bush from Ol Kiombo Airstrip and about an hour’s flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport.

Personal plane might be organized, however company may use the safari airline Safarilink, which usually stops at different airstrips en path to your closing vacation spot. For sport drives, camp company have entry to the Maasai Mara Nationwide Reserve, which it borders, and Mara North Conservancy, which is about an hour’s drive away, via the conservancy.

Tips on how to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Nice Plains solely accepts bookings through its trusted journey advisors, and on the very high of the checklist are the final word safari specialists Pure Migrations, which — resulting from their longstanding relationship with Nice Plains — gives the very best charges, in addition to particular extras, equivalent to bush dinners underneath the African stars, sizzling bush breakfasts, or shock “room drop” items, in addition to room upgrades primarily based on availability.