Even for confirmed urbanites who prefer watching the evening news to the evening gnus, the Maasai Mara is impressive. The most zoologically diverse region on Earth, the Maasai Mara National Reserve is a living showcase of the world’s most famous animals. That lions, elephants, and giraffes replace the more mundane squirrels, chipmunks, and foxes of Central Park and Hampstead Heath only serves to emphasise its exoticism.
The Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo) are all here, yes, but some of the greatest revelations come from observing more common species such as wildebeest, zebra, warthog, and hyena, who also play their roles in the delicate balance of the Greater Mara Ecosystem, which extends from southwestern Kenya into northeastern Tanzania, where it is known as the Serengeti.
With Kenya already being one of Africa’s major travel destinations, it comes as no surprise that the country’s tourism stakeholders are effective in satisfying the needs of ever more demanding travellers who expect WiFi and soy lattes with their cheetah sightings and tribal dances. Foremost of these considerations is the quality of accommodation; fortunately the level of expectation on the part of today’s traveller is matched by the excellence of the country’s most appealing hotels and safari camps.
Bateleur Camp, part of South Africa’s &Beyond group of high-end safari camps, is the most luxurious of them all, where tents have polished hardwood floors, stylish stone bathrooms, and exquisite furnishings. Excellence abounds in every aspect of Bateleur Camp; this quest for the best is deftly presented through culinary experiences, accommodation, staff, and setting. Bateleur goes to great lengths to perfect the guest experience, customising meals in accordance with individual dietary preferences and scheduling activities as guests prefer. The superb cuisine prepared by chef Joseph is enjoyed in full view of the Maasai Mara plain.
Impressive as the comfy beds and comfort food may be, it is the staff who make the most indelible impression. From riotously entertaining operations manager Milka, to expert safari guides like Protus, whose knowledge of the flora and fauna seems to know no bounds, Bateleur’s staff enhance the safari experience to make it memorable for many reasons beyond wildlife encounters.
One of &Beyond’s many community projects is the Wild Child Program, which takes Kenyan children on safari drives so they can better understand the natural wealth of their country. &Beyond also works to promote rhinoceros awareness through its Footprints Of Hope programme and collaborates with the Africa Foundation (www.africafoundation.org) on many community projects across Africa for the improvement of education, health and social awareness.
BACK IN TIME
On the other side of The Mara, Cottars 1920s Safari Camp offers a different interpretation of luxury. Located on a rugged hillside site, Cottars offers a camping experience recreating the era of its name, with accommodation in spacious cloth tents whose walls are rolled back by day to create the surreal spectacle of fine antique furniture sitting open to the wilds of Africa.
Among the most knowledgeable Kenyans with regard to this fascinating country’s vast resources is Calvin Cottar, the fourth generation of Cottars to bring visitors in touch with nature. The Cottars have been offering bespoke safaris since 1919, making them the oldest safari family in Africa. Recalling the era of the family company’s founding, Cottars 1920s Safari Camp sits in the wildest part of The Mara on a rise with beautiful views of Mount Koka and the Serengeti across the Kenya-Tanzania border. This not so little piece of paradise is today home to Calvin, who perfectly embodies respect for his country’s past with concern for its future.
Calvin is no ordinary hotelier, or, in his case, tentelier. A gold-certified safari guide as well as a walking encyclopaedia of the history of Kenya, Calvin Cottar sees the imperative for balancing the economic needs of the local Maasai people with the viability of nature conservation, which will only be honoured if the Maasai are not deprived of their traditional livelihoods, he says.
A series of spacious, comfortable tents outfitted in the style of generations past, Cottars 1920s Safari Camp recalls the days of the safari as a great adventure. With a canny sense of hospitality, Calvin has recently supplemented his retrochic tents with the impressive Cottar’s Homestead, a luxurious, lodge-style residence set in total privacy. With its cavernous living room, numerous other spaces, and five ensuite bedrooms, there is room to roam within the house but, impressive as it may be, the building itself is upstaged by the magnificent views of the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti.
Not that Cottars is the only place in Kenya to enjoy a taste of the past. For visitors transiting Nairobi on their way to or from the Mara, a stay at Giraffe Manor is a must. Located in the very green Karen district of rolling estates to the southwest of Nairobi, the chaos of the Kenyan capital is worlds away from the pastoral grandeur of Giraffe Manor’s 1932 mansion, constructed as the home of Scotsman David Duncan, heir to the Mackintosh toffee fortune. Now in the hands of Tanya and Mikey Carr-Hartley, Giraffe Manor is a unique property where wild giraffes roam the extensive grounds at will. Their will usually takes them to the windows of the manor house, where guests delight in feeding the animals or observing their placid temperament as they go about their business.
The recently constructed New Manor offers the same period authenticity of the main house and includes the Finch Hatton Suite, where an evening in front of the fireplace in the sitting area is a relaxing way to end the day. A stay at Giraffe Manor is reminiscent of the grand British house parties of an era which no longer exists, and interesting conversations with other guests can go on long into the night. Some guests are content to browse through the Manor’s library or simply sip some port after an exquisitely prepared and presented dinner, which may be taken at the dining-room table with others or in private. For absolute privacy, the entire Manor may be hired.
Giraffe Manor offers free transport to sights in the immediate vicinity in the Karen district. One of them is the Karen Blixen Museum, the former home of the Danish writer from whom this part of the city takes its name (www.museums.or.ke). The entire Karen district used to be Ms Blixen’s coffee farm; the farm’s main house has been preserved as a museum in honour of the Out Of Africa author. The eponymous 1985 film starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford subsequently made Blixen world famous and has helped foster an increase in visitors to Kenya ever since. The Karen Blixen Museum incorporates the possessions of Blixen with memorabilia from the film.
Other excursions from Giraffe Manor include a visit to the Kazuri bead factory – where colourful ceramic beads are made into necklaces and bracelets, which in Kenya are worn by both men and women – and to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage.
If the trip down memory lane has been long enough, a peek into Nairobi’s hip and happening social scene makes an ideal counterpoint to the nostalgia for times gone by. At Tribe, the city’s most modern five-star hotel and a member of Design Hotels, chic rooms and expansive suites take on a decidedly contemporary guise. Located within Nairobi’s upscale Village Market shopping complex in the chic Gigiri embassy district, Tribe’s restaurant, Juki, is among the best in the city. The domain of executive chef Luca Molteni, an effervescent Italian whose face lights up with excitement in any discussion involving food, Juki serves an international menu using ingredients from Tribe’s own organic farm, where quality control of meats and produce meets Luca’s demanding standards.
Even with regard to transport, Nairobi is ahead of the curve. Capital Limousines (www.capitallimo.co.k) has a fleet of shiny Mercedes-Benzes that provides a comfortable way to take on the challenges of Nairobi traffic. Owner David Mberiah returned from Singapore with a heightened appreciation for organisation and order. The perfect embodiment of Kenya’s entrepreneurial spirit, David observed a need in Nairobi for reliable luxury transport and met it with Capital Limousines, which counts local government ministers and visiting dignitaries among its clientele. Nairobi’s roads are not for the uninitiated, so it makes sense to leave the driving to a trusted company with deep experience handling VIP travellers, a characteristic equally applicable to Kenya itself.
GOLDEN BOOK
Cottar’s Safari Service
Tel: +254 733 773 377
www.cottars.com
Giraffe Manor
Tel: +254 205 020 888
www.thesafaricollection.com
Bateleur Camp Maasai Mara
Tel: +27 11 809 4300
www.andbeyondafrica.com
Tribe Hotel
Tel: +254 20 720 0000
www.tribe-hotel.com
