Karen Blixen Camp

 Check-in is at 11:30 AM and check-out is at 10:30 AM. This gives you plenty of time to settle in and enjoy lunch before your first afternoon game drive, and ensures you can catch morning flights back to Nairobi without rushing.

Yes, every tent has its own en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet and twin wash basins. The real treat is the romantic outdoor shower where you can wash under the open sky - it's one of those magical safari moments you'll remember forever.

The water is heated using solar panels, which is great for the environment and means you'll have hot water even in the middle of the African bush.

Your stay covers all the essentials and then some. You'll get luxury accommodation, all meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), soft drinks, local beers, and house wines throughout your stay. The big draw is unlimited shared game drives morning and afternoon, plus guided bush walks and bird watching with over 350 species to spot.

They also throw in laundry service and transfers to and from Mara North Airstrip, which is just 10 minutes away. One special treat is a night game drive in the private Mara North Conservancy where you might see nocturnal animals like aardvarks and bush babies.

The main extras you'll pay for separately are the conservancy fees ($130 per adult per night), optional activities like balloon safaris ($510), and premium drinks beyond the house selection.

The camp has 22 luxury canvas tents that really capture that classic 1920s safari feel. Most are standard tents, but there's also a family unit with two interconnected tents that's perfect if you're traveling with kids.

Each tent comes with an en-suite bathroom featuring an outdoor shower, a private veranda with a daybed, and views of the Mara River. They're all solar-powered and have outdoor mosquito screens, so you're comfortable but still connected to the wild around you.

What's great is that three of the tents are specially designed to be wheelchair accessible, and the camp provides wheelchairs to help you get around the grounds. If you're traveling with children under 12, they can add extra beds to the standard tents.

You're in prime Big Five territory here, so lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo are all possibilities. Cheetahs and hyenas are common sightings too, along with plenty of plains game like zebras, wildebeest, and various antelope species.

If you're visiting between July and October, you'll likely witness the Great Migration as millions of animals cross the Mara River. It's one of nature's most spectacular events, and Karen Blixen's riverside location puts you right in the action.

The night drives in Mara North Conservancy are special because you'll see completely different animals after dark. Think aardvarks, bush babies, and nocturnal cats that you'd never spot during daytime drives.

Most people fly from Nairobi Wilson Airport to Mara North Airstrip, which takes about 45-60 minutes. The camp provides complimentary transfers from the airstrip, and it's only a 10-minute drive, so you'll be settling in with a cold drink pretty quickly.

The domestic flights run regularly during safari season, and when you book with us, we handle all the flight arrangements and transfers for you. It's much more convenient than the long road journey, and you'll start seeing wildlife almost immediately once you land.

Kids of all ages are welcome, which isn't always the case at safari camps. Infants under 2 stay completely free, and children aged 2-12 get reduced rates. The family unit with two interconnected tents works perfectly for families, or they can add extra beds for kids under 12 in standard tents.

Game drives are shared with other guests, so you'll want to consider whether your children can handle the early starts and longer drives. But the camp's riverside location means there's always something happening even when you're just relaxing at camp.

Three nights minimum is what we recommend, that's about right to properly experience everything. You'll want at least two full days of game drives to increase your chances of great wildlife sightings, plus time to try some of the other activities like bush walks or cultural visits.

If you can swing four nights or longer, you'll get a 5% discount, which helps offset some of those conservancy fees. The longer you stay, the more relaxed you'll feel and the better your wildlife photography will get as you settle into safari rhythm.

The restaurant serves a la carte meals using fresh, organic, locally sourced ingredients with a nice mix of European, Indian, and African flavors. But the real treats are the bush dining experiences - breakfast in the wild after a morning game drive, or dinner under the stars with traditional campfire cooking.

Sundowners are a daily ritual where you'll enjoy drinks and snacks while watching the sunset over the Mara. There's also a fun "Ready, Steady, Cook!" session at their hospitality school where you can learn local culinary skills and support community development at the same time.