Straight answers
Mara camps, answered plainly
Including the answers that cost us bookings.
Choosing
Picking a camp
How many tents is too many?
There is no hard number, but it is the best single proxy for how busy your sightings will be. Under twelve feels intimate; over thirty feels like a hotel. In a conservancy the cap does the work for you; in the reserve it does not.
What does "luxury tented camp" actually mean?
Very little — it is applied to everything from a bucket shower to air conditioning. Ask for the tent count, whether the bathroom is en-suite and plumbed, and what the power hours are. Those three answers tell you more than any adjective.
Is a camp by the Mara River better?
In crossing season, for crossings, yes — you are minutes from the banks rather than an hour. The rest of the year it is just a nice view, and river-front camps charge for it year-round.
Do all conservancy camps allow walking and night drives?
The conservancies permit them. Whether a given camp runs them well, and how often, varies a lot. Ask how many guides are trained to lead walks and how often night drives actually go out.
Practical
Money, children and logistics
Are conservancy fees included in the rate?
Usually, in a conservancy camp. Not always, and never assume. Ask for the all-in figure per person per night including every fee, and compare those numbers rather than headline rates.
What is the minimum age?
It varies by camp from none to around twelve, and it applies to game drives as well as to staying. Several camps have family tents and private vehicles that remove the issue. Tell us your children’s ages and we will only suggest camps that will take them.
Which airstrip should I fly into?
Whichever is closest to your camp — there are several across the Mara and the difference can be an hour of driving. Choose the camp first, not the airstrip.
Is a Kenya safari safe?
The safari areas themselves are well run, and camps take guest safety seriously. The practical risks are ordinary travel risks: road transfers, sun, stomach upsets and not listening to your guide around animals.
Check your own government’s current travel advice for Kenya before you book and again before you fly, and take out insurance that covers medical evacuation. We will not tell you an area is fine if the advice says otherwise.
How does the 24-hour promise work?
Send the form with your dates, party and rough budget and our Kenya specialist replies within 24 hours with a tailored outline itinerary and a costed quote — not a brochure and not an auto-reply.
If your dates are complicated or you have asked about a camp that needs a manual availability check, the first reply will say so and give you a firm time for the detail.
More from our Kenya guides
Specialist guides across our Kenya network
Each of these is a focused guide we publish. Same Kenya specialist behind every enquiry.
Still have a question?
Ask it on the form with your dates and our Kenya specialist answers it in the same reply as your itinerary — within 24 hours.