Serian "The Original"

Serian sits inside Mara North Conservancy, a private concession beside the Masai Mara that only eleven camps in total can access. Five large marquee tents stand on hardwood decking — four standard tents and one family suite, which pairs two separate sleeping tents with a shared living area and a private bathroom in each. The bush bathrooms face out toward the river valley; each has a bath, shower, and twin basins. The mess area looks toward the Siria escarpment and the river below.

Each group has its own open vehicle, guide, and spotter — no fixed schedules, no sharing with other guests. From that base you can go out on game drives, guided walks, or night drives that run well past the sundowner stop. Hot air balloon flights leave early in the morning, float over the plains and forest along the river for roughly one hour, and end with a champagne breakfast in the bush. Horse riding and fishing are also available.

The camp's organic garden, tended by the resident Masai Mara managers, produces herbs, fruit, vegetables, and honey for the kitchen. Manure is sourced from local Masai herders, and beehives are rigged around the plot to discourage elephants from raiding it. Serian was the first camp Alex Walker built; the name means peaceful and calm in the Masai language.