PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Mara Plains is an elegant and intimate camp with seven elevated tents and the main camp area are crafted of rough-hewn wooden floors and billowing canvas and filled with an exquisite collection of furnishings and decor that recall the colonial influences of bygone centuries, as well as Kenya’s Swahili and Maasai roots.
  • The camp is a member of the prestigious National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World as well as Relais & Chateaux Collections and blends the finest in wildlife viewing with the absolute best of safari hospitality and guiding.
  • No other camp offers the extensive traversing area, with access to 100,00 acres of private conservancy land as well as the world renowned Maasai Mara, home to the Great Migration.
  • Whether you come for the thundering wildebeest, the rainbow-colored birds, or to experience the culture of the Maasai person firsthand, Mara Plains Camp is the perfect setting for immersing yourself in the mystique and the beauty of the East African savanna.
  • Set out on game drives over 100,000 acres of protected private land, encountering wildlife of all sorts in a setting away from the crowds.
  • Get acquainted with the Maasai on visits to schools and villages, and learn local crafts at workshops with Maasai women.
  • Go on a walking safari with a seasoned guide to get a close-up view of the lesser-known flora and fauna of the bush.
  • Visit a local Maasai village, or “Enkang”. Game drives traverse the Olare Orok Conservancy, Mara North Conservancy as well as the vast Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
  • Have a bird’s eye view of the Maasai Mara from a hot air balloon ride.

EXCLUSIVE LUXE VOYAGER VIP BENEFITS & BEST PRICE

We negotiate rates & benefits for our clients directly with the hotels’ senior management. Our rates match or in many cases are lower than the best online rate for the property. Our clients also enjoy a suite of extra VIP privileges and recognition while staying at a partner hotel.

  • Complimentary room upgrade on arrival.
  • Daily complimentary buffet breakfast for two.
  • Up to $100 dining or spa credit per stay, and or in-house dining / spa discounts.
  • Welcome amenities (wine/chocolates/fruit) and card from the GM.
  • Complimentary private airport transfers.
  • Complimentary roll-away bed if required.
  • Early check-in and late check-out.
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi.
  • Enhanced recognition through VIP status at all touch points in the guest experience.

A complete or partial suite of VIP benefits will be offered, subject to the property T&C, including availability, category of room & length of stay.

ACTIVITIES:


Game Drives

Game drives (day & night) take place in some of the Mara’s most coveted vehicles. Each of the four Toyota Land Cruisers is open-sided, canopied and customised for photographers (fold-down screens, raised roofs, photographic bars, multi-plug invertors). With just four to six guests each, the Cruisers also have fully-stocked fridges stocked with drinks and snacks. No two days are the same on safari. Game drives typically start at sunrise, returning for lunch and depart again in the mid-afternoon before returning just after sunset. However, very often we will go out all day, deep into the Reserve or Conservancy with a packed breakfast and lunch. One visit per guest per 3-night stay.



Cultural Visits

If a chance to learn about the Maasai is of interest, then cultural visits to a nearby Maasai village (locally known as an “enkang”) are also a highlight. Locally produced crafts are available for purchase at the camp, all proceeds of which go toward the community, and particularly the women’s groups and schools. Guests are also able to visit the local ladies beading workshop to try your hand at beading or just to learn about how these beautiful goods are made.



Photography

Each of Mara Plains’ guest tents has a professional Canon camera set, including a Canon 7D camera body and Canon 100-400mm and 24-70mm lenses. Photos will be downloaded to a memory stick on guest’s departure. Each tent comes with a pair of Swarovski binoculars for guest use as well. Photographic tuition can be arranged for guests (at an additional cost) and we recommend prior booking if possible. Tuition can be either on company cameras or own guests’ personal cameras.



Hot Air Balloon

Hot air ballooning is available, but should be booked in advance and is subject to availability and additional cost. Departures are very early in the morning to allow time to transfer to the nearest launching point.

Chat with one of our expert travel designers today to begin planning your perfect vacation

Call: +852 9465 4577

Email: travel@theluxevoyager.com

OVERVIEW

Mara Plains Camp Tent Kenya

Set on a bend in the Ntiakitiak River in the 35,000-acre Olare Motorogi Conservancy and bordering Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve, Mara Plains is a stunning and intimate safari camp in one of the most iconic wildlife destinations on the planet. Upon arriving at the camp, crossing a bridge and climbing a few giant steps, you are greeted by an endless horizon with a single, flat-topped acacia, the quintessential shape of East Africa. It is a small detail but one Great Plains co-founder Dereck Joubert spent days considering. Just one of thousands of small decisions that together make Mara Plains Camp the perfect combination of romance, adventure and exploration.

Set in middle of one of the planet’s richest ecosystems, Mara Plains’ design honors rather than upstages what nature has provided. The decor pays homage to the essence of East Africa; Swahili heritage is reflected in large wooden doors from the island of Lamu, and accents of red and purple honour the great Maasai chiefs and warriors. Add to this cultural melting pot a nod to the colonial era, with rich leathers, copper and brass used in campaign-style furniture and you have a lavish yet comfortable atmosphere that complements, rather than overwhelms the surrounding wilderness.

ROOMS

Mara Plains has seven canvas tented rooms, situated on raised platforms and which open on three sides to give an incredible feeling of space and openness and with your own private deck you can soak in the incredible views that surround you. Each room has a separate dressing area, and is en-suite with flush loos and shower and hot water. The camp is run on solar power. There is also wifi available in each guest tent.

Mara Plains Camp Large Canvas Tents on Raised Decks
Mara Plains Camp Badroom Interior
Mara Plains Camp Bathroom
Mara Plains Camp Tent Kenya

Large Canvas Tents on Raised Decks

The camp is nestled in lush forest on the meandering bends of the Ntiakitiak River, and careful thought was given to every detail. The camp is not an imposition on the landscape, but rather a subtle refuge among the wild. The camp’s main area takes your breath away; positioned just so, the horizon lies ahead, punctuated by a single acacia tree. It’s the Africa of the mind’s eye. Flanking the main mess area is the library, an area to enjoy a quiet afternoon passing the time reading books or editing photographs. Flowing fabrics, open-air spaces and strong teak structures ground the space.

DINING

Brunch and dinner at Mara Plains are enjoyed around a grand wooden table in the canvas dining room or on the outdoor deck overlooking the river. Meal times are flexible, so you won’t find yourself constrained to return to camp, for example, if you are on a game drive and come across a great wildlife sighting.

Mara Plains Camp Bush Dinner
Mara Plains Camp Bush Breakfast
Mara Plains Camp Lunch

The Dining

The main areas at Mara Plains consist of a single large lounge and dining tent which is completely open sided with sweeping views. The furnishings are slightly colonial in style, in a rich, earthy, red-and-brown colour scheme, and the plush leather sofas provide a nice spot to relax with a drink. Although there’s a long ironwood dining table, guests often eat under the stars – weather permitting.

FACILITIES

The tented camp is centred around three open air tents all connected together featuring a dining room, two lounges, one of which has a small library and writing area and an open air campfire. Sit by the open-air fire and sip a nightcap after dinnner as you listen to the local pride of lions begin their nightly rituals.

Area & Location

Area, Country
Maasai Mara, Kenya
Nearest Airport
Nairobi Wilson Airport, Laikipia
Local Currency
Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Time Change
GMT +3
Language
Swahili, English
Best time to go
July through February

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