Mara Nyika: Our full report
Set in a tree-filled valley and raised above a little stream, Mara Nyika is one of the newest camps in the ...
... private 200km² Mara Naboisho Conservancy. Nestled beneath a canopy of umbrella thorn trees, Mara Nyika’s tents are built on a network of raised wooden walkways constructed from old Zambian railway sleepers.Mara Nyika is the most recent camp built by Great Plains Conservation – a top-quality operation owned by renowned conservationists and filmmakers, Dereck and Beverly Joubert. Also owned by them are Mara Plains, Mara Expedition, and Mara Toto, three sister camps located in the neighbouring Mara Conservancies and National Reserve, as well as Ol Donyo Lodge in the Chyulu Hills, plus various others located in Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Similarly to its Kenyan cousins, Mara Nyika’s interesting design blends traditional safari style with unique and unusual pieces of art from southeast Asia. This combination of cultural design creates a somewhat colonial impression that is evidenced immediately upon approaching the main area. When we last visited, we were struck by the understated opulence of the camp, reminiscent of the old-school grandeur once enjoyed by colonial travellers.
In the main area, the lounge and dining tent’s large curtains are rolled apart to reveal rich leather sofas, canvas director’s chairs, and ornamental wooden chests. Thick rugs line the floorboards and silver-studded shelves gleam in the atmospheric lamplight.
The communal area opens onto wide decking which encompasses the front of the camp and looks out over the surrounding valley. A shop where you can find delightful curio items and a well-stocked wine cellar where you can select the evening’s wine can be found either side of the main area.
Bordered by rope-handles, the elevated wooden walkway then leads on to four guest tents which can be configured to accommodate either double or twin beds. Each of these standard guest tents is made up of three connecting tents and feels more akin to a spacious private suite than a tent: a lounge area recedes into a bedroom, which in turn has a bathroom beyond. The fifth guest tent is a 2-bedroom family tent, consisting of two identical bedrooms connected by a central lounge. The final addition to the camp is the Sambuk Suite, a vast suite with a double and twin bedroom connected by a central lounge, and two en suite bathrooms either side of the bedrooms. The Sambuk Suite also boasts a large outdoor decking area equipped with exercise bike and a refreshing infinity pool overlooking the plains.
As in the communal area, colourful rugs line the floor and patterned storm lanterns throw dappled lighting across the walls. The beds are made up with soft linens and complimentary dressing gowns hang from polished hooks on the wardrobes. At the front of the tent, more decking with seating opens onto spectacular views across the plains.
Despite the bedroom’s comfort and the entrance’s brilliant views, in many ways it is the bathrooms that feel the most impressive in this camp. They feature enormous, standalone, copper bathtubs that sit beside an insect-screen-covered, floor-to-ceiling window, allowing you to take in the view while having a soak. Two matching brass basins, signature across Mara Nyika's sister-camps, sit in front of a large mirror and numerous thoughtful touches, such as the silver plugs which look like swimming hippos or roaring lions when the basins are filled, help bring the room alive.
To further enhance the sense of luxury, all the guest tents are equipped with a range of additional accessories. They each include a tea and coffee station; a writing desk; a pair of Swarovski binoculars and a Canon camera and lens which you are welcome to take with you on game drives. Your images are then downloaded onto a memory stick for you to take away when you depart. Then, for those who wish to attempt to burn off their delicious meals, yoga mats and weights are also found within the room, with an exercise bike located on the outdoor decking
As well as day-time safari drives, several other safari activities are on offer. Mara Nyika provides the opportunity to seek nocturnal predators during night drives with infrared equipment, whilst balloon flights are also available to book and provide a different perspective. Local village or school visits can also be arranged for some engagement with the region’s Maasai culture.
As at all Great Plains’ camps, the small team of guides here are truly first-class. Their knowledge of the local flora and fauna is evident throughout each of their drives and we found our guide’s warm personality and interesting conversation a real joy.
Our view
There is no doubting that Mara Nyika is a top-quality camp and it holds its own among the best camps in the Maasai Mara ecosystem. Its small size and friendly, professional team ensure a really personal, intimate stay. The camp is beautifully designed and is perfect if you’re seeking a luxurious, relaxing safari experience.
Kenya expert
Geographics
- Location
- Maasai Mara Conservancies, Kenya
- Ideal length of stay
- Stay for 3-5 nights to explore the Mara Naboisho Conservancy and the Maasai Mara National Reserve itself.
- Directions
- Naboisho (Ol Seki) airstrip, for schedule light aircraft flights, is only about 40 minutes away.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- Everything about Mara Nyika’s dining experience is excellent, from the food’s quality and presentation to its flavour and creativeness.
The camp’s chefs are highly trained professionals and approach each meal with considerable culinary flair, able to cater to all dietary requirements when given advance notice.
Meal arrangements are flexible, allowing you to eat out in the bush so as to extend the morning’s drive or to take packed lunches on full day drives. Back in camp, the main area includes a dining table and various smaller tables spread across the surrounding decking, allowing you to eat in private or with the other guests. Private dining can also take place on the decking outside your tent if you request it.
The camp’s breakfast generally includes a cold buffet as well as hot options which are cooked to order. The chefs can whip up healthy smoothies whilst daily specials, such a green shakshuka or pancakes, add further variety to what is already quite an extensive range of options.
Lunch in camp includes a lovely selection of dishes which are laid out for guests to help themselves to. There is always fresh bread and a variety of salad options which are wonderfully healthy. Picture a mixture of beetroot, avocado, grains, and delicious dressings. Lunch is usually accompanied by a cheeseboard and either grilled meat or fish with tasty sauces.
For dinner, Mara Nyika has a set dinner menu, with interesting alternatives available for vegetarians. When we last visited we particularly enjoyed seared steak with carrots, green beans and a rich, sweet garnish. They additionally have a lighter 'supper menu' including options such as vegan grain bowls, for those who would prefer a less substantial meal. - Dining style
- Mixture of group dining and individual tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- Mixture of group dining and individual tables
- Drinks included
- All drinks available in camp are included in the rates, including premium brand spirits and Champagne.
Special interests
- Honeymoons
- Mara Nyika is an exclusive and romantic camp with lots of thoughtful touches that would help make a honeymoon feel extra special – for example the big copper bathtubs and the private decks, overlooking the sweeping plains of the Maasai Mara.
- See ideas for Honeymoons in Kenya
- Photography holidays
- Mara Nyika equips each guest tent with a Canon camera, including 100-400mm and 24-70mm lenses for complimentary use. Your images will be downloaded onto a memory stick for you to take away with you at departure.
- See ideas for Photography holidays in Kenya
- Luxury
- Although understated, Mara Nyika is undeniably luxurious. Beautiful design, well prepared meals and top-quality guiding help make for a very well-rounded experience, while the camp’s small size and location on a private conservancy allow for real exclusivity.
- See ideas for Luxury in Kenya
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Mara Nyika has a fairly adult atmosphere but welcomes children from the age of 6.
- Property’s age restrictions
- 6, apart from when booking the Sumbak Suite or camp on an exclusive-use basis.
- Special activities & services
- Children can take part in the Great Plains Young Explorers programme which includes a range of activities that are meant to be entertaining and will educate them about conservation. The Mara Nyika team will adapt activities to suit the needs of children.
Activities can include: painting; Maasai beading; kite flying; a bush survival skills course; and learning how to put those skills to the test by living like a warrior.
Children also get a Great Plains Young Explorers pack to take away with them, which contains items such as an animal tracking book, information on Swahili vocabulary, and facts on the local flora, fauna and night sky. - Equipment
- There is no special equipment, but the camp has two new family tents.
- Generally recommended for children
- Mara Nyika definitely has an adult vibe to it, so we do not think it would suit very young children. Younger families could, however, book the camp on an exclusive basis or be based in the separate family tents.
- Notes
- The camp is unfenced and children must be supervised at all times.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Mara Nyika
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Mara Nyika have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.
100% success
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0% success
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Communications
- Power supply notes
- All the tents have 24-hour electricity and British style 3-pin sockets. The camp has an extremely impressive bank of solar panels that work even on cloudy days, so the back-up generator is very rarely required.
- Communications
- There is very good WiFi inside the guest tents, though not in the communal areas.
- TV & radio
- No
- Water supply
- Borehole
- Water supply notes
- Plumbed-in hot water is available 24/7 and bottled drinking water is provided in the tents.
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- Mara Nyika has a first-aid kit on site which the managers and some of the guides are trained to use. They also have first-aid kits in the vehicles. In an emergency, they would contact the flying doctors and a a helicopter could easily land at the camp.
- Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- There is a guard on duty during the day, and at night guests are escorted by guards between the main area and their tents. An iPad is available in every room with the camp manager and guides' phone numbers pre-loaded so you are able to contact them with additional requests or in case of an emergency.
- Fire safety
- The camp has fire extinguishers outside all rooms and they organise regular fire drills. There is also a firebreak around the camp.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Cultural excursion
Hot air ballooning
Night drive
Private activities
Extras
- Disabled access
- Not Possible
- Laundry facilities
- A full laundry service is included in the rates, including ladies underwear. A white bag is provided inside the washing baskets for ladies' delicates to be placed in for the laundry team. Washing powder is also provided in the rooms.
- Money
- There are safes in all the rooms.
- Accepted payment on location
- Payment for any extras is accepted in US dollars, pounds sterling, Euros or Kenya shillings, either in cash or using a MasterCard or Visa, with a 3.5% surcharge.
Other lodges in Maasai Mara Conservancies
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Kicheche Bush Camp
Kicheche Bush Camp is a smart and intimate tented camp with a relaxed atmosphere and the perfect base in the Mara for keen photographers.
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara Camp has just ten tents and a rustic and comfortable feel. It is set by a stream in a pretty area of the Mara ecosystem's Mara North Conservancy.
Kicheche Valley
Kicheche Valley is a boutique tented camp in a wooded district of the Mara ecosystem's Naboisho Conservancy, with plenty of wildlife in the area.
Naboisho Camp
Naboisho Camp is one of the most luxurious of the handful of camps in the Naboisho Conservancy. It offers day and night game drives, game walks and full creature comforts in the bush.
Offbeat Mara
Offbeat Mara is a small traditional camp that appeals to safari traditionalists, located in one of the Maasai Mara’s quiet conservancies.
Encounter Mara
Encounter Mara is located in the private Naboisho Conservancy – a game-rich area of the Mara ecosystem – and offers a contemporary take on the traditional, low-impact luxury safari camp.
Elephant Pepper Camp
Elephant Pepper Camp is a small 10-tent bush camp, put together in the traditional "campaign" style, and including a large honeymoon/family tent.
Serian
Serian is a luxury tented camp on the east bank of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy. It is the sister camp of Ngare Serian, on the west bank.
Mara Plains Camp
Mara Plains is one of the very best camps in the Mara ecosystem. Located in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just outside the Mara reserve, it has access to three wildlife-viewing areas.
Basecamp Eagle View
Basecamp Eagle View is a community-focused safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy, with a strong emphasis on responsible tourism and a spectacular location.
Kicheche Fly Camp
Kicheche Walking Wilderness Fly Camp is a temporaray dome tent camp set up for participants in Kicheche's two-day walking safari between Kicheche Valley and Kicheche Bush Camp.
Hemingways Ol Seki
Magnificently located tented lodge on a bluff looking south across the Naboisho Conservancy toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Saruni Wild
Saruni Wild is a rustic and traditional safari camp in the Lemek Conservancy, with just three tents and limited electricity.
Porini Lion Camp
Porini Lion Camp is a pioneering, community focused eco-camp, with excellent guides and game viewing, in the predator-rich, Olare Motorogi Conservancy.
Offbeat Ndoto
Small and intimate, Offbeat Mara is set in a valley above the (often dry) Olare Orok River within the Mara North Conservancy.
Basecamp Leopard Hill
With six beautiful tents, Basecamp Leopard Hill is a smart safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
Porini Mara Camp
Porini Mara Camp is a small, pioneering eco-camp in the first private conservancy in the Mara region, with comfortable accommodation and a range of activities.
Ngare Serian
The luxurious Ngare Serian and its sister camp Serian face each other across the Mara River on the western side of the Mara North Conservancy
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp sits on a meander of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, just beyond the northern boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Cottars 1920s Camp
Cottar's 1920s Camp is a classic, luxury tented camp with a 1920s safari theme, located in its own conservancy on the southeast border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Leleshwa
Leleshwa was a delightful, boutique safari camp on the picturesque banks of a tributary of the Talek, with an extensive, little visited game area on its doorstep.
Saruni Mara
Saruni Mara is a luxurious permanent lodge, on the remote northern edge of the Mara North Conservancy, with stunning views, good guiding and very private and comfortable rooms.
Mahali Mzuri
Mahali Mzuri is a strikingly modern tented camp in the Virgin Limited Edition group, in a remote part of the Mara ecosytem's Olare Motorogi Conservancy. It has lovely views and all the luxuries of a five-star hotel.
Basecamp Wilderness
Basecamp Wilderness Camp is a simple, traditional tented camp, set in a remote valley in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Mara ecoystem.
Mara Bushtops
Mara Bushtops is a luxury safari hotel on a private concession, outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve, with the emphasis on comfort, relaxation and good food and wine.
Mara Toto Tree Camp
Mara Toto Tree Camp is located on a wooded bend of the Ntiakatek River, 1km south (as the pied crow flies) from its sister camp, Mara Plains. It's the offspring of the original "Mara Toto" which was swept away in floods.
Cottars Private House
Cottar's Private House is one of the few truly luxurious, modern private houses in the Mara ecosystem, spoiling its guests with first-rate staff, a swimming pool and wonderful views.
Basecamp Mara Houses
Basecamp Mara Houses consists of three private houses located in the northernmost part of the Mara North Conservancy.
Entumoto
Entumoto is a high-end tented camp, with a swimming pool, situated in a very pretty location on the east side of the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
