“Mara Expedition Camp, offering affordable Kenyan safari experiences, is positioned on high ground in a grove of typical East African acacia trees overlooking a valley in the Maasai Mara Reserve. It is on private land, offering exclusivity with access to some of the region’s best wildlife. Wildlife drives are in Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve and the private Mara North Conservancy. The camp tells the story of early explorers to Africa with campaign furniture and open air space under light canvas. It is an ideal camp to start your safari looking for big cats such as cheetah and lion. Most days, you don’t even have to go very far!” – Dereck Joubert, CEO

Mara Expedition Camp is a magical revisiting of the past, drawing from Africa’s original explorers’ designs and designed for those who search for East Africa’s romantic safari era. Here, you will experience the best of both worlds: the intense action of the Maasai Mara ecosystem, as well as the more private 70,000-acre Mara North Conservancy. Mara Expedition Camp is a stylish experience and adventure camp unique to the industry and fits the service levels, specialised guiding and design associated with Great Plains Conservation.

It is safari chic with six light and airy, spacious canvas tents, each with en-suite bathrooms where you enjoy piping hot water from huge brass safari showers. The affordable Kenyan safari camp itself is tucked away below the tree line, hidden from the lights and noise from neighbouring camps or any other sign of humanity. Under the grove of Africa ebony trees, its humble main area is lit by lantern and candlelit, simple in design, but just enough for all the comforts. This camp’s ambience and ‘back to the classics’ safari design will be a sure hit with private groups and safari enthusiasts.

Whilst offering affordable Kenyan safari opportunities, Mara Expedition Camp is the perfect place for the ardent safari-goer. The camp is locally famous for its leopard residents wandering nearby. Mara Expedition Camp offers guests the best advantage of two migrations – the famous annual Serengeti migration and the green season migration from Loita Plains, an additional 50,000 wildebeest and over 100,000 zebras vying for grazing rights. With picnic breakfast (and often lunch, too), guests can enjoy full day safaris across some of Africa’s most prosperous game country, which is renowned for extraordinary predator density and frequent hunts. Access to both the Masai Mara Reserve and Mara North Conservancy give guests options of more privacy.

Mara Expedition Camp is a member of our Explorer Collection of safari camps located in the greater Maasai Mara. Mara Toto Camp is a fellow Explorer Collection safari camp only a short drive away and tucked discreetly into a forested grove. Mara Plains Camp and the Mara Plains Jahazi Suite are situated across the river in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy. Mara Nyika Camp is in the private Naboisho Conservancy to the northeast. Mara Plains and Mara Nyika are Réserve-Collection safari camps as well as Relais & Chateaux members. Combining a stay with ol Donyo Lodge in the Chyulu Hills ensures a perfect safari combination for any visitor looking to experience an ideal Kenyan safari.