Naboisho

Maasai Mara, Kenya

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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Naboisho Camp occupies a position on the open plains of the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, a two-hundred-and-ten-square-kilometre private conservancy that sits adjacent to the Masai Mara National Reserve. The conservancy is managed as a non-profit, with tourism fees going to conservancy management and lease payments to the Maasai landowners whose land it covers.

The camp holds nine tented suites — seven doubles and twins, two family suites — each with a king or twin bed, indoor and outdoor hot-water showers, a flushing toilet, and a private veranda with a day bed. The thatched lounge and dining area look out over the valley in front of camp, where elephant and buffalo move through regularly; lion can be heard most nights.

Game drives go out twice daily in seven-seater open vehicles or five-seater vehicles with roof hatches, all fitted with power points and fridges. Guides also run night drives with spotlights, walking safaris through the savannah, and fly camping — an afternoon walk into the conservancy followed by a night out under the stars, dinner cooked over a campfire. A dedicated photographic vehicle, fitted with beanbags, camera rests, and three-hundred-and-sixty-degree swivel seats, is available for photographers who want to shoot at eye level.

Hot-air ballooning over the Mara plains is available at an additional cost, as are walking safaris and cultural visits to a nearby Maasai village. The closest airstrip is Mara Ol Seki, a forty-five-minute drive from camp. Children aged five and older are welcome; the two family suites each include two single beds alongside the main bed.