Mara Trails Camp

Set beneath forest canopy near the Olare Orok River, Mara Trails Camp keeps its footprint small: twelve safari-style tents, each with a private veranda and en-suite bathroom. Hippos move in the river within earshot of camp, and waterbuck, giraffe, and elephant pass close enough to watch over dinner. The camp sits inside the Masai Mara National Reserve itself, a rare position that means guests are not turned out at closing time like visitors based outside its borders. Founded by wildlife photographers, the camp built its game-viewing programme around them: Land Cruisers are modified with lowered sides for shooting, and beanbags stand in for tripods. Maasai guides lead two drives daily, dawn and late afternoon, tracking open plains, riverbank, and acacia woodland in turn. It is a compact stay, solar-powered and run with a light hand on the land. Guests can add a hot air balloon flight at dawn, a private bush dinner on the savanna, or a visit to a nearby Maasai village. Meals are taken in a communal dining tent, prepared fresh each day. A portion of proceeds goes toward education and economic programmes for Maasai families in the area. At night, camp staff keep watch, and the sounds of the reserve carry in unhindered.