Basecamp Masai Mara

At the doorstep of Masai Mara National Reserve, Basecamp Masai Mara is where our journey once began. This is why now it is much a home as it is a travel destination. Guests staying in our 17 tents become more than visitors, they become part of the Maasai community, who run the camp with passion and care. Situated along the Talek river in a lush forest, the camp has a serene atmosphere. Birds and monkeys live just outside the tents, all built along the banks of the river on the border with the National Reserve. The dense riverbed foliage allows for maximum privacy and comfort, without compromising the view of the National Reserve. The team who manage Basecamp Masai Mara are from the local community and are the proud landowners who benefit from tourism and from conservation. The closeness to the community makes the camp different and special from other Masai Mara properties and represents an example of partnership and friendship between the community, and the investors and our visitors.

Accommodation

Basecamp Masai Mara has 17 spacious river-view tents, including 2 family tents. Bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve and hidden away under thatched roofs on a lush peninsula along the Talek River, the tents offer great views of the savannah, always populated by wildlife. Each tent has an en-suite bathroom that includes a shower both inside and one open-air safari shower, in addition to a private terrace with views towards the Talek river bed and the Masai Mara National Reserve. From here, guests enjoy views of the Mara landscape and its animals from the comfort of their tents. The family tents have each two separate wings, each featuring a double bed with a shared bathroom area. The atmosphere of the tents is perfect for living the classic safari adventure.

River View Tents

Each double tent offers king-size double or twin beds, a bathroom featuring bio-flush toilets and two solar-heated showers, one inside and one open-air safari shower, free in-room wifi, a private deck where you have a direct view of the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Honeymoon Tent

The large honeymoon tent has a prime location with fantastic views over the National Reserve and it offers king-size double bed, a bathroom featuring bio-flush toilets and two solar-heated showers, one inside and one open-air safari shower, free in-room wifi, a private deck over the river.

Family Tents

The family tents have two separate wings, each featuring a double bed with a shared bathroom area. The tents offers free in-room Wifi, a larger deluxe balcony to give families or groups a chance to socialize in complete privacy. They overlook the river and the National Reserve.

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Rates from US$130

See our 2024 Saruni Basecamp Rates and Terms & Conditions – simply click on the view/download button below.

Please contact us for Resident Rates applicable to residents of Kenya & East Africa.

View or download the Basecamp Masai Mara rates

Source

Saruni Basecamp Basecamp Masai Mara aerial

Saruni Basecamp Basecamp Masai Mara hot air balloons

Saruni Basecamp Basecamp Masai Mara lookout deck

Saruni Basecamp Basecamp Masai Mara sundonwers

Saruni Basecamp Family Safari planting trees

Saruni Basecamp Family Safari enjoolata centre

Saruni Basecamp Family Safari throwing rocks

Saruni Basecamp Family Safari drive with zebra

Activities & Experiences

Guided/shared day game drives
Picnics, bush meals & sundowners
The Enjoolata Educational Centre
Young Explorers Club – family activity
Maasai Women Arts & Crafts Centre
Tree Nursery Tour with tree planting
Tribal Story-Telling & Fireside Chats
Traditional ceremonies and blessings

Migration River Crossings
Local Talek market visit
Cultural walk through Talek town
Bird Walk
Nature Forest Walk
Local Maasai Village & Manyatta Visit
Hot Air Balloon Safari

Facilities

Communal bar, lounge & dining areas
Communal fireplace
Gift shop – supporting community groups & projects
Enjoolata Educational Centre
Organic vegetable garden & Tree Nursery

Amenities

Complimentary Wi-Fi
Indoor & outdoor shower
Fan
Mosquito net over bed
Private verandah & living area
In-room safe
Electricity

Basecamp Masai Mara is located at Talek River, Masai Mara

Discover where our other Saruni Basecamp Properties are in Kenya

Basecamp Masai Mara has long been considered a model for sustainability and a leading example of partnership between the local Maasai community and conservationists and investors.

Managed and staffed by members of the local community, the camp empowers the Maasai people by facilitating sustainable development on their land.

As a responsible tourism operator, we recycle the solid waste produced by our business. More importantly, we extend our program of waste collection, management and recycling to benefit the local communities.

Basecamp Masai Mara aims to implement tourism operations in a responsible way by creating positive impact in the regions where we are active. One of them is the wider Maasai Mara ecosystem, nowadays facing unprecedented environmental challenges. We have taken action to restore the biodiversity of one of the most important habitats left in the world and empower the community to become resilient towards the negative effects of climate change.

Reasons to Visit Basecamp Masai Mara

There are many reasons to visit Basecamp Masai Mara and we have selected the six main ones to make it easier for you to feel the uniqueness of this safari lodge, where nature, wildlife and people connect in a special way.

Private Game Viewing

The Masai Mara is famous for its unique concentration of wildlife, birds, rich vegetation and open savannah. From July to October or November each year, the massed herds of the Great Wildebeest Migration pass through the Mara, with over two million animals making their way north towards the Mara River crossings, in search of water and grazing.

Exceptional Landscapes

Explore the Africa of your dreams, with endless oceans of golden grass, iconic lone acacia trees, rocky kopjes crowned with fig trees and silvery ribbons of water hidden by deep gullies. The Mara is quintessential Africa, and its terrain that would be equally familiar to our ancient ancestors. Welcome home.

A More Meaningful Safari

Our community initiatives are changing lives for the better – and could have the same impact on you. Visit the Enjoolata Centre to learn about Maasai culture and Mara wildlife, or meet the ladies from Basecamp Maasai Brand (BMB), a community-based handicraft workshop, and discover their beautiful artisanal craft products. Explore our tree nursery and organic vegetable garden, and learn how our water project is supplying clean drinking water to nearly 2 000 local families.

Immersive Cultural Experiences

Engage with the local culture, spend time with our Maasai guides and discover their history, their knowledge of the wildlife and their former nomadic way of life. Enjoy insightful game drives with local guides, share stories around the campfire, and be inspired by the dreams of young Maasai for their future.

100% Kenyan Team

Wherever possible, we recruit from the local community (including offering intern opportunities), and many of our team grew up not far from the camp. Today, they are creating better lives for themselves, their families, and their community. Many of the team at the camp have been there for over a decade.

Tangible Returns

Our projects are deigned to ensure tangible returns to the local community, the custodians of this beautiful land. We are committed to community-based ecotourism and building a sustainable future for the next generation. By staying at Basecamp Masai Mara, you’re contributing to a brighter future for local people.