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

“The hippos will likely be your neighbors,” my safari information, Nancy, tells me as she picks me up from the Ol Kiombo Airstrip and drives me by way of 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 generally happens from July by way of October. With simply 4 elevated tents lifted practically 10 ft 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 wood walkways and the camp’s 24-hour safety patrol — native Maasai folks, wrapped in blue tartan shukas and carrying spears — keep watch over the animals and are all the time out there 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.

“Dwelling with the birds at their stage is reworking,” says Dereck, who ensured no timber have been reduce down through the constructing of the camp. Along with the birds and different animals, anticipate 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 comfy the camp is (and it’s really a marvel), essentially the most enjoyable occurs within the open plains, on my twice-daily sport drives with Nancy, who — like 90 p.c 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 evening earlier than — cape buffalo and even long-lashed giraffes. (It is laborious to see generally, however as we’ve all realized from The Lion King, it’s the circle of life).

We have now breakfast on the street, with Nancy pouring scorching Kenyan black tea from a thermos and setting out a diffusion of yogurt, recent watermelon juice, and boiled eggs. From there, it’s again to camp for a recent feast of three or 4 totally 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 comfortable dinner at camp across the fireplace on the outside deck.

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

The Rooms

Every of the 4 tents is a personal treehouse with trendy sitting areas of leather-based loveseats, terraces with hanging chairs, and large 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 biggest. Complimentary mini bars are housed in weathered wood cupboards and crammed with Tusker, the native Kenyan lager, home made cookies, and the ginger-based East African soda, Stoney Tangawizi. Different issues to like are a number of health club tools (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 a giant assist contemplating weight restrictions on gentle plane).

Meals and Drink

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

A chilly breakfast is normally ready for the morning sport drive, however you possibly can request a extra fancy “bush breakfast,” the place a cellular kitchen involves you within the bush and a chef whips up scorching eggs and tangy mimosas. Lunch is often again at camp, with a brand new set menu of sunshine day-after-day and recent fare. (There’s a common menu, too, if the set menu isn’t to your style).

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

Actions and Experiences

Camp friends 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 executed 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 embody dawn scorching air balloon flights and personal photographic guides. (Every tent is outfitted with pro-level binoculars and cameras to your journey, with images 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

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

Household-friendly Choices

Like all Nice Plains camps, Mara Toto Tree Camp is open to friends aged 6 and up. Youngsters 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 focus spans. Mini hand and foot massages are additionally out there for younger explorers.

Accessibility and Sustainability

There is no such thing as 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 nearly solely off solar energy and is provided 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.

Relating to accessibility, don’t be delay by the treehouse structure. “Paradoxically, our most risky-looking camp, the one within the timber, is essentially 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, an extended ramp runs into the timber, winding its approach to the principle space. From there, each tent is ADA-accessible. I really like that as a result of many vacationers with mobility points typically get caught in camps on the bottom or in unstylish lodging.”

Location

Count on to journey by way of 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 by way of the bush from Ol Kiombo Airstrip and about an hour’s flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport.

Personal plane could be organized, however friends might also use the safari airline Safarilink, which generally stops at different airstrips en path to your remaining vacation spot. For sport drives, camp friends have entry to the Maasai Mara Nationwide Reserve, which it borders, and Mara North Conservancy, which is about an hour’s drive away, by way of the conservancy.

The right way to Get the Most Worth Out of Your Keep

Nice Plains solely accepts bookings by way of its trusted journey advisors, and on the very high of the checklist are the final word safari specialists Pure Migrations, which — because of their longstanding relationship with Nice Plains — affords the absolute best charges, in addition to particular extras, resembling bush dinners underneath the African stars, scorching bush breakfasts, or shock “room drop” presents, in addition to room upgrades based mostly on availability.