Mara Intrepids Club, Masai Mara, Kenya

Sitting above a sweeping bend in the Talek River, at the confluence of the Masai Mara's four game-viewing areas, Mara Intrepids enjoys one of the most spectacular locations in the world's best-known wilderness.  The camp is a short drive from the Mara River, where more than a million wildebeest and zebra make their perilous migration crossing every July and August.  For the remainder of the year, the camp offers some of the world's finest game viewing, with large local populations of plains game, elephants, rhinos, buffalos, and all the Big Cats.  Mara Intrepids is 298 kilometres due west of Nairobi - a five-hour drive on well-maintained roads - while our all-weather airstrip enables guests to be at the camp within 45 minutes of leaving the capital. As one of the Mara's most established camps, Mara Intrepids enjoys a very close relationship with the local Maasai community, from which most of our staff hail.  Together with our sister camp, Mara Explorer, we run a Community Development Fund that channels part of our fees into local community initiatives, including environmental awareness training, the establishment of medical clinics, and financial support for the local Talek Primary School.  The camp itself is run on strict eco-principles, with hot water generated by burning used coffee husks, lighting from solar panels, and biodegradable waste mulched for compost in our vegetable gardens.  All non-degradable products are returned to Nairobi for proper disposal.  FACILITIES Mara Intrepids is divided into four distinct areas, each with its own open-air dining area and 'mess tent' where private meals and functions can be arranged. Dinner is usually served in a large dining room under a traditional makuti thatch roof, while breakfast and lunch are hosted on a breezy terrace beside the riverfront swimming pool. The main bar overlooks a suspension bridge leading to a leopard-baiting area, where our most exquisite residents make an appearance most evenings. Beside the bar is a fully equipped conference room, where our Maasai naturalists deliver evening slide shows on the local culture and wildlife - and where corporate groups can do a spot of 'bush business'. Other facilities include:  Freeform swimming pool with sunbathing terrace Conference room with business and video facilities Elevated game-viewing platform with drinks service Custom-built luxury four-wheel-drive safari vehicles Reliable 240-volt generator electricity supply Safety deposit boxes for guests' valuables Board games and guests' reference library Boutique with souvenirs and safari essentials.    SERVICES Catering for private dinners and BBQs Room service for snacks and beverages Boiled water and insect repellent in tents Telephone, e-mail, fax and postal services Foreign currency exchange at reception Single-day laundry and valet services Early morning calls with tea or coffee Complimentary airstrip transfers Wet towels and drinks on check-in Resident doctor available 24 hours.  No. of Bedrooms Our 30 luxury tents are widely spread across a large riverside site to ensure guests the optimum privacy and peace.  Each tent is furnished in the classic style of the grand African safaris, with large four-poster beds and handsome reproduction furniture offset by modern en suite bathrooms with hot showers, flush toilets and all modern amenities.  Each tent sits on a shady raised platform, with sweeping views over the riverbanks where a wide variety of animals come to drink.  Activities Three game drives daily with experienced guides Escorted walking safaris outside the reserve Bush breakfasts and dinners under the stars Romantic sundowners overlooking the plains Visits to neighbouring Maasai communities Arrangements for dawn hot air balloon safaris Transfers for fishing trips to Lake Victoria Private parties on the champagne terrace Lectures and slide shows on culture and wildlife Heritage's famous Adventurers' Club for the kids. Find Similar Properties