Karen Blixen Camp brings back the romance of 1920s safari, with solar power behind the scenes and tents designed for wheelchair users.
The camp sits on a wide bend of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy. Persian rugs, polished wood and canvas set a yesteryear mood, but the comforts are thoroughly modern.
Its green credentials run deep. The camp holds a Gold Eco rating from Ecotourism Kenya, the highest the organisation awards. Solar panels provide electricity around the clock and heat the water for the outdoor showers, wastewater is treated on site and waste is recycled.
Access is taken seriously too. Specially designed tents allow easy access, wheelchairs are available for getting around camp, and itineraries can be tailored on arrival.
Days revolve around game drives across the conservancy, with night drives and balloon flights also on offer. Back at camp, the open-plan mess sits on a raised deck above a resident hippo pod, and meals are served in the restaurant or bush garden as animals come down to drink. Between drives, a pool shaded by acacia and olive trees is the place to cool off.
ACCOMMODATION
Each tent stands on a wooden platform along the riverbank, with a large verandah looking over the Mara River and a cushioned daybed made for afternoon siestas. Inside, you’ll find a large bed, Persian rugs and a cosy armchair. The en-suite bathroom has twin basins, a flush toilet and a solar-heated outdoor shower open to the sky. Tents can be set up as doubles or twins, with extra beds for children under 12 on request. Families can book two tents sharing one verandah. Accessible tents are designed for wheelchair users.
Karen Blixen Camp sits on the banks of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, with the Oloololo Escarpment ahead and the Mara plains behind. The conservancy forms the north-western zone of the Masai Mara ecosystem and borders the National Reserve. Scheduled flights from Nairobi take around 45 minutes to reach Mara North airstrip. By road, the journey from Nairobi takes around four and a half to five and a half hours. The conservancy prohibits the use of private vehicles during game drives.
Speak to a specialist for availability and pricing.
