A cosy bushcamp with a secluded setting in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy
A mess tent with a lounge, help-yourself bar, and dining area, as well as outside dining and a fire-pit
Eight comfortable tents, including a 2-bedroom family unit, all with en-suite facilities and delightful views
Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, cultural activities, conservation visits, a Young Explorers Club, and hot air balloon rides
Basecamp Wilderness offers plenty of wildlife viewing and cultural activities in the Mara, as well as a dedicated programme for young explorers.
The Mara is one of Africa’s most exciting wildlife destinations, characterised by its wheat-coloured plains and high predator density. Explore the Naboisho Conservancy accompanied by an excellent professional guide who’ll divulge plenty of interesting details about your sightings. Whether it’s a cheetah on the prowl, a stealthy leopard camouflaged by the trees, or a lioness ready to hunt, the Mara provides every opportunity for quality wildlife sightings. Drives typically last between 2 and 5 hours, dictated entirely by what you find on the day!
As darkness falls, the Mara transforms, and a new world of wildlife awakens. Night drives introduce guests to some fascinating and elusive nocturnal species, which might include genet cat, civet, bat-eared fox, honey badger, and even the shy porcupine if you’re extremely lucky.
Morning and afternoon walking safaris shift the focus to the Mara’s intricate details. Led by Maasai guides, these walks reveal the nuances of the ecosystem – from medicinal plants and seed pods to the behaviours of insects and reptiles. This is a gentle, insightful exploration of the bush that provides a perspective often missed from a vehicle.
Visit a traditional Maasai manyatta to understand the daily rhythms of life in the surrounding communities. These homesteads, secured by thorny fences to protect livestock, offer a window into an enduring way of life. In the evenings, join the warriors by the fire for storytelling and insights into a culture that remains proudly preserved.
You might like to visit a local conservation or community project during your stay. For example, there’s the Enjoolata Awareness Centre, which provides insights into Maasai culture and lifestyle, from daily tasks to key coming-of-age ceremonies. Learn about the Seedballs Kenya Regreening Project, an award-winning reforestation initiative, and purchase seedballs. Your guide will show you where to throw them so your seedling can thrive. You can also take a tour of the organic fruit-and-vegetable garden, followed by a stroll through the tree nursery.
The camp encourages children to learn about the environment through educational activities while allowing them to have fun. From learning bush survival skills, shooting bows-and-arrows, and beading with local Maasai ladies to learning how to track animals, and baking cakes with the chef, there’s plenty here to keep young minds entertained!
For an additional fee, take to the skies over the Maasai Mara in a hot air balloon, and marvel at the landscape and roaming wildlife beneath. This is a truly iconic Mara experience and one you’ll never forget.
*Although Basecamp Wilderness offers walking safaris, these are operated without firearms and take place in big game areas. So we don’t recommend our clients go on these safari walks.
**This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.
Basecamp Wilderness is located in the wildlife-rich Mara Naboisho Conservancy, adjacent to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Guests arrive by light aircraft at Naboisho Olseki Airstrip, which is approximately 20 minutes by car from the camp. Domestic flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport take approximately 45 minutes.
The communal tent at Basecamp Wilderness is a cosy, comfortably furnished affair in the heart of the bush.
Help yourself to a drink from the informal bar, sink into the sofa for armchair wildlife viewing, or spend an hour or two with a book from the camp’s collection. Meals are served communally at the dining table or outside, surrounded by the sounds of nature. By night, the glowing campfire is lit, inviting guests to gather round beneath the stars within earshot of passing elephants. The camp also arranges private dining, from bush breakfasts beneath a lone acacia tree to romantic dinners on a dry riverbed where storm lanterns add to the ambience.
Basecamp Wilderness comprises seven luxury canvas tents and a dedicated family unit with two adjoining en-suite bedrooms.
The interiors balance simplicity with high-end comfort, featuring twin or double configurations, writing desks, and hanging storage. Local rugs and textiles provide a distinct sense of place, while zip-up mesh panels ensure a mosquito-free environment as the breeze flows through. Each tent includes a private veranda with camp chairs overlooking the savanna. Every bathroom has a bio-flush toilet, a single basin, and a traditional safari shower, heated on request. While there’s a variable mobile signal, please be aware that Wi-Fi is not available, giving guests the option of a restful digital disconnect!
Kicheche Mara is a small, traditional bushcamp in Kenya’s wildlife-rich Mara North Conservancy, bordering the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Game drives, bush walks, fly camping, and community visits ensure guests receive the perfect balance of wildlife…
Offbeat Mara Camp is a friendly, unpretentious camp with plenty of character and a fine location in the Mara North Conservancy. Bordering Kenya’s infamous Maasai Mara National Reserve, the area boasts wildlife densities that are truly epic. Night drives are…
Angama Mara is a world-class safari lodge with an enviable location high above Kenya’s iconic Mara Triangle, recognisable from some of the scenes filmed in Out of Africa. The Swahili word ‘Angama’ means ‘to be suspended in mid-air’, aptly so, given the…
One of eight camps in the Serian series, Ngare brings all the characteristics of the collection to the riverside. Nestling between the Mara River and the escarpment, the camp’s defining feature is its air of seclusion. If you are after peace and quiet, you…
Hemingways River Camp Mara continues the legacy of the iconic Maasai Mara property, formerly Richard's River Camp, built by Richard Roberts. This was originally Richard’s ‘home away from home’, and his wife Liz lovingly selected many of the beautiful…
Ol Seki Mara is listed in the Hemingways portfolio, which is made up of four high-quality properties spanning the Maasai Mara, Nairobi, and Watamu. The name Ol Seki means ‘sandpaper tree’, a tree that symbolises peace and harmony for the Maasai people. And…
Kicheche Valley is a permanent tented property, and like its sister camps, Kicheche Laikipia, Kicheche Mara and Kicheche Bush Camp, its small size guarantees superb service – a big thumbs-up from Yellow Zebra! It has won a few safari awards, including a…
The camp is owned and operated by Asilia, a company renowned for its enduring interest in wildlife conservation and habitat restoration as well as, of course, its high-quality accommodation. Overall, Naboisho is a stylish and luxury camp in an awesome area –…
