John's Camp

John's Camp is hidden in a secret location, on the banks of the Talek River, in the heart of the Maasai Mara. Our good connections with the local Maasai and the park wardens means we have been given special permission to stay here, in a fabulous spot, just below a busy hippo pool where the hippo and crocodiles are always visible, there is a great view across the river and the area immediately around the camp is famous for its leopards and we don't normally have to go far to find lion and cheetah. The camp is close to one of the wildebeest crossing places and, at the right time of year we are occasionally lucky enough to witness a crossing without having to leave camp.

The camp itself is protected during our stays by local Maasai, who are always happy to talk about their lives and culture when you are relaxing between game drives. The tents are large and comfortable with hot showers available on demand. Each tent has its own shady verandah and there is a communal dining area, with great views across the river which can also be used to relax in.

On each day of your stay the pattern is the same. Rising just before dawn, after a hot drink, we head out on a game drive to look for animals, returning around 9:30-10 for a large and welcome breakfast. The rest of the morning is spent relaxing in camp until lunchtime when our safari chefs will provide a light lunch. Time between lunch and going out again never seems to drag and most people find the constant animal activity on view a sufficient distraction for them to never get round to opening the book they brought with them. As it begins to cool, in the late afternoon we head out on another game drive and we often stop to enjoy one of the Mara's famous sunsets, with an aptly named sundowner. Getting back to camp just before dark, with time for a shower before dinner and a bit of time sitting by the camp fire. The perfect end to a perfect day.

This is the classic safari style of the past, when the great and the good, from all over the world made their way to Kenya for its fantastic wildlife. It will give you a unique and intimate experience of being in the wild that is very different from that of staying in one of the popular tourist lodges. It is always a privileged and very special place to be!