Overview

Set on a bend in the Ntiakitiak River in the 35,000-acre Olare Motorogi Conservancy and bordering Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve, Mara Plains is a stunning and intimate safari camp in one of the most iconic wildlife destinations on the planet.

Upon arriving at the camp, crossing a bridge and climbing a few giant steps, you are greeted by an endless horizon with a single, flat-topped acacia, the quintessential shape of East Africa. It is a small detail but one Great Plains co-founder Dereck Joubert spent days considering. Just one of thousands of small decisions that together make Mara Plains Camp the perfect combination of romance, adventure and exploration.

Set in middle of one of the planet’s richest ecosystems, Mara Plains’ design honors rather than upstages what nature has provided. The decor pays homage to the essence of East Africa; Swahili heritage is reflected in large wooden doors from the island of Lamu, and accents of red and purple honour the great Maasai chiefs and warriors. Add to this cultural melting pot a nod to the colonial era, with rich leathers, copper and brass used in campaign-style furniture and you have a lavish yet comfortable atmosphere that complements, rather than overwhelms the surrounding wilderness.

One of only five camps on the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, guests at Mara Plains have unrivalled access to more than 100,000 acres of exclusive, low-vehicle density tourism land, prime habitat for a vast number of wildlife species, as well as unfettered access to the 375,000 Maasai Mara Reserve.