Offbeat Mara Camp

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A small, traditional camp set with the beautiful Mara North Conservancy, Offbeat Mara offers all the comforts of home within the wilds of Kenya.

With an emphasis on cozy and private, accommodations are limited to a maximum of twenty guests providing an intimate and more secluded safari experience. Guests can choose between seven luxurious canvas tents, four doubles/twins and three family tents. All are furnished with an en suite bathroom with flushing toilets and hot safari showers. Each tent is furnished with large, handmade cedar beds, fine linens, and solar lighting. In the interest of privacy, the tents are situated with their own secluded verandas, allowing for an undisturbed view of nature, away from the crowds.

Offbeat Mara is part of an exclusive group of twelve member camps with access to Mara North Conservancy, a private wilderness within the north-western area of the Maasai Mara ecosystem of Northern Kenya. Bordering on the Maasai Mara National Game Reserve in the South of Kenya, the Conservancy is a non-for-profit company with a strong commitment to protecting the wildlife and the environment. The M.N.C. boasts one of the most populated wildlife areas in the Maasai Mara with large numbers of wild plains game and, most famously, the big cats. In addition to which, the Mara North Conservancy is also home to 95 species of mammals including two million wildebeest, zebra, Thomsons gazelle, and 570 species of birds.

Offbeat Mara offers many activities. Expert guides from the Maasai tribespeople lead three games drives a day in custom land cruisers with a chance to view the wildebeest migration in July through September. The Conservancy boasts the highest lion density in the world and includes the neighboring Offbeat Lion Pride. Nearby Leopard Gorge, a sanctuary and breeding ground for big cats is proud to call home to five lion prides, seven cheetahs, and six leopards. The sanctuary also gained fame with a feature on the B.B.C.’s Big Cat Diary.

Another popular tour is the walking safari through the Mara savannah with an armed guide. Also, a visit to the rhino sanctuary is a must. The Mara North Conservancy strives to protect and promote the repopulation of the endangered black rhino. There are also cultural tours of the Maasai Village, Koiyaki Guiding School, and, Aitong Primary School.

The main mess and dining tents are the heart and center of the camp, a place to enjoy a delicious English breakfast before heading out on a game drive. The camp also serves light lunches and delectable three course dinners with the chef’s specialty being desserts, especially his signature banoffie pie. After an exhilarating day viewing wildlife on a game drive, guests can lounge and unwind in the bar or living room tent on a cozy sofa, write postcards home from the writing desk, or peruse the library. For added convenience, there is also a small gift shop and Wi-Fi and charging tent nearby.