Spanning 50,000 acres of vast landscapes, amazing wildlife sightings, and luxury accommodation, Mara Naboisho Conservancy is the hidden jewel in Kenya’s crown.
A two-hour road trip takes me from Rekero Camp to the arrival point of Naboisho Camp, where camp manager Angie is standing ready with an umbrella. En route to the lodge, rumbles of thunder and a torrential downpour turned the terrain into puddles of water, and receiving their guests unscathed by the storm seems to be of great importance to the staff. I am offered a pair of gumboots to keep my feet dry and avoid any accidental slides in the mud on the path to the main area known as The Mess.
Naboisho Camp was reimagined in 2023 by architectural interior designer Caline Williams-Wynn from Artichoke, who worked in collaboration with Helen Schutte, styles and standards coordinator for Asilia. What used to be a long thatched roof at the entrance now extends all the way to the view of the bushveld, so when guests walk in, the roof crosses the length of the room and it opens up. Hanging lights were added as well as two fireplaces in the lounge and one in the dining area.
Joining me for lunch is the lovely Camp manager Becca, who hails from London but has found her calling in the African bush. Sporting a shiny engagement ring on her left hand’s ring finger, she excitedly tells me about her and fiancé Lewis’s plans to get married next year, which also includes a special Maasai blessing ceremony. “We love Africa,” she admits. “Lewis worked in Tanzania, and he convinced me to move to Zambia with him, where we managed a lodge in South Luangwa. We’ve been in Kenya for five years and couldn’t be happier.” Becca has a salad and pasta for lunch, and I choose the salad with strips of meat, and dessert is the delectable chocolate brownies!
I am shown to my tented suite for the next three nights by butler Vincent. The tents are spaced far apart from one another to provide privacy and give a feeling of exclusivity. I’m staying in tented suite number 5, a brisk walk along the grassy path to the front door. Opening the glass and wood sliding door, I gasp in amazement. The suite is super spacious with two leather chairs, a writing desk and chair, a King-sized bed, a slimline fridge, a cabinet with coffee and tea-making facilities, and a large bathroom that has His and Hers vanities, an indoor and outdoor shower, and a flush loo.
“Naboisho is such a stunning camp, and we needed to create more warmth and presence,” Caline tells me. “My color choices were all about what you see in the Mara – the greens and the reds, but I didn’t want to go with a bright red and opted for a muted tone in its colorings, more of a rust hue for the curtains and throw at the foot of the bed. I tried to incorporate blue and green into the design, which came out so well in the beadwork around the lights. The use of rusted brass and leather, in turn, makes for a homey atmosphere.”
It’s clear to me that a lot of thought went into redesigning the tented suites. Melding seamlessly into the surroundings, this is tented luxury at its finest. Looking out of my picture window, a herd of elephants amble by, and we find them again on our afternoon game drive. The A-frame thatched roof that covers the tent is unique in style and simplicity, but definitely has a wow factor.
With a prototype tent done six months in advance by Caline of her vision for Naboisho Camp, Helen went in search of Kenyan suppliers for some of the furnishings. “It was quite a challenge,” Helen discloses. “But the end result speaks of being able to interpret Caline’s creativity while supporting local artisans in Kenya, as community involvement and sustainability are cornerstones of Asilia’s ethos. What made the procurement of the pieces even more inspiring is that we found and got to work with a number of really talented ladies who were able to meet our timeline and deliver exquisite products”.
Caline and Helen speak highly of Lynn from Santana Africa, a young Kenyan woman who made the bedside tables, some of the bigger pieces of furniture, and brought a few of the older pieces back to life. Wooden off-cuts were used for the parquet look in the public loos. Cherie from Savannah Space made the high-end solid furniture and screens in the tents. The textured look of the shutters that separate the bathroom and bedroom form a focal point in the tented suites and can be left open in the daytime and closed at night. The Maa Trust did all the beadwork in the main area, at the pool, and around the lights. The pool loungers are the handiwork of Kaa Hapa Furniture.
Preparing for my first game drive in the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, Guide Albert meets me at High Tea, where a tasty chiffon cake is there for indulgence. We depart in the Asilia photographic vehicle, which has only three seats that can swivel 360°, giving amateur or professional photographers an added advantage when wanting to take a quick photo. Simply step on the pedal at the right side of the chair, and you’re facing right or left. A storm is brewing on the horizon, but Alfred is happy to see his favorite wildlife on safari, a small breeding herd of elephants.
Returning to the lodge for dinner, Head Chef Rafael and his team have crafted a selection of delicious food choices. I thoroughly enjoy the charred pear, creamy burrata, and house pesto for starters, seared beef fillet with black pepper sauce, served with potato wedges and creamy spinach for the main course, and the delectable chocolate tart for dessert. Following a cleansing shower with Asilia’s Invigorating body wash, I have a restful night in my bed, which feels like I’m floating on a cloud.
After a great night’s sleep, I leave my tented suite and I’m escorted by an Askari as guests are not allowed to walk alone in the dark. Heading out on safari as the sun starts making an appearance, the wildlife on the plains is ever-present and includes wildebeest, Thomson’s gazelle, warthog, and zebra. We encounter a zebra and her foal, and the baby is so fluffy and unsteady on its legs that Albert tells me it was probably born the previous night. Staying close to its mom, it wobbles along onto the grassy veld where it should hopefully be safe. We also find a leopard in a balanite tree. Her name is Sankuet, which means the shy one. A packed breakfast is enjoyed with a number of zebras grazing on the grass.
Lunch is an array of salads, and the red snapper is the ideal accompaniment. Spending time in my tented suite, a few smaller creatures show up in front of my room – a family of dwarf mongoose and a variety of birds pop out of the grass. High Tea is followed by an afternoon safari, and as the rain starts descending, Albert finds a pride of lions in the distance. We drive to the area, and the lionesses and cubs are lying on a sedimentary rock. They eventually all start yawning, stretching, and moving through the thicket, and we start counting – there are 24 of them!
For dinner, I am having red snapper ceviche with leche le tigre for starters, Balsamic honey and mustard pork chops with apple sauce for the main course, and fruit salad for dessert. The outside shower beckons, and looking up, I see a star-filled sky, with a hyena creating the background symphony.
It’s a quiet morning on safari, but we spend time with the statuesque Masai Giraffes that are feeding on acacia trees. A rare sighting is seeing two Verreaux Eagle Owls perched on the branch of a tree, exchanging a mating call. Lunch is served on the lodge lawn and consists of salads, chicken, and fish.
At High Tea, Albert is visibly enthusiastic. “They found Figlet!” he exclaims. Figlet is a well-known leopard in Mara Naboisho Conservancy, and she has two cubs. “What are we waiting for?” I ask. As we get to the area where she has been seen, a loud growl is audible, and I can just see her outline. She suddenly gets up, and we hear more snarling and what is clearly a fight with another leopard. The intruder is known as Nadala, and the two leopards battle it out for territory. An unexpected and wonderful surprise is the drinks stop, with a field bar, some snacks, and a roaring fire while appreciating the gorgeous landscape.
Tonight is Africa Night, and we dine on African delicacies which are truly Kenyan. I have an early flight with Air Kenya Express the next morning, and after breakfast, I’m driven to the Ol Seki Airstrip and flown in a De Havilland Canada, touching down 45 minutes later. The friendly Antony from Asilia drives me to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where I board my Airlink flight to Johannesburg, finally arriving home in Cape Town after one of the most incredible safari experiences of my life.
How to book with Audley Travel
B Corp-certified tour operator Audley Travel assisted in arranging Heléne’s tailor-made trip. Experts in creating custom journeys that are grounded in the real culture of a destination, every trip is designed by a specialist who has lived or traveled extensively in their respective destination. This expertise is underpinned by an excellent understanding of logistics to piece the trip together, with every experience meticulously planned so it’s just right for each client. To book, visit www.audleytravel.com or call 855 435 1768
