Another quick flight takes us to Seringet Mara Camp by Nigel Archer Safaris, on the border with Tanzania. The camp is positioned in a secluded, shady pocket of forest right at the confluence of the Mara and Talek Rivers, a prime seat for viewing wildlife. During the Great Migration, huge herds of wildebeest and zebras pass right through the area, bringing a high concentration of apex predators such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
Run by Nigel and his wife, Carys, the camp is small and highly exclusive, with the tents spaced out for privacy, each of them featuring a veranda looking out onto the wild. There is a central, beautifully appointed mess tent and campfire zone where guests gather for hosted dinners and fireside storytelling under the stars.
The cars they have for game drives are particularly good for photographers. They are specifically equipped with adjustable camera arms and stabilising bean bags; and as they are fully open, they offer completely unobstructed, low-angle shots.
SERINGET MARA CAMP keeps luxury close to the land: a welcoming central tent for drinks, conversations and meals, and guest tents that feel rooted in the colours and materials of the Mara.
We are very lucky to have Nigel himself being our guide. Nigel is a fourth-generation Kenyan with decades of elite bush-craft experience. With him, tracker Amos, who has spent his life in this region, so he knows inside out the habits and territories of the local animal prides. From topi to leopard, hypos to elephants, there is no grassland animal I can think of that we didn’t see with Nigel. We even had the privilege of witnessing a group of lionesses preparing for hunting. An incredible game of strategy that ended with the nail-biting chase of a warthog, which, miraculously, managed to escape.
“Lions don’t have stamina,” explains Nigel when we stop for sundowners, “and the warthog, despite its short legs, can reach speeds of up to 55km/h and make sharp turns and twists. The lioness’ chances are actually pretty low.”
We spot a herd of buffalo, their dramatic silhouette set against the fiery orange Maasai Mara sunset. I point out that they seem to look at us with disdain and Nigel comments, “Yes, as if you owed them money.”
Left: Jackal pups shelter in the grass near SERINGET MARA CAMP. Usually raised in dens and guarded closely by their parents, they learn early to stay hidden, alert and ready to vanish at the first sign of danger. © Julia Pasarón
Right: Lionesses are the great strategists of the grasslands, often hunting together by stalking, flanking and waiting for the right moment to break cover. Near Seringet Mara Camp, we watched this silent teamwork unfold in the long grass. © Julia Pasarón
At dinner, I take a minute to appreciate the magic of the moment. Not a screen in sight, people who 24 hours earlier were total strangers are now chatting and laughing together, showing each other photos, exchanging the day’s anecdotes. The food is outstanding, made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and paired with global wines, which Carys’s team, headed by Samuel and Joseph, served generously.
Sundowners near SERINGET MARA CAMP become a full Mara theatre: cocktails and aperitivo laid out in the open grasslands as members of the Maasai community perform the traditional Adumu against the fading light.
Three days go in a flash. We feel part of the family, moving around the camp with the ease we do at home. Everybody knows our names and we have learnt theirs. None of us want to leave. To make our departure even more difficult, Nigel and Carys surprise us with an evening extravaganza in the openness of the Maasai Mara. The tone is set by members of the staff performing the traditional Maasai Adumu. They insist we join in. After the first moments of embarrassment, we let our inner child free and soon we are all jumping upon and down and comparing moves. In the meantime, the rest of the team has set a beautiful table overflowing with delicious snacks and a bar as well stocked as The Connaught’s. Before we realise, the giant orange sun disappears under the horizon, leaving a furiously red sky behind, which slowly turns to purple, as we are packing up to make our way back to camp. By the time we arrive, the sky is heaving with stars.
Our last stop is Watamu,[…]
Author: Julia Pasarón
This is part three of Into the Blue and Wild, I-M. Magazine’s four-part journey through Kenya with Seas4Life. Read part one: Kenya – Conservation Begins in Nairobi and part two: Kenya- Walking Safari at Tumaren Camp, Laikipia. The last destination in this epic trip is Kenya – Dolphins and Turtles in Watamu.
Lead image © Julia Pasarón
Show Comments +