Karen Blixen Camp Masai Mara

My husband and I have just returned from a 4 night stay at the Karen Blixen camp (part of our Kenyan safari holiday). It was absolutely fantastic! All the staff were friendly and helpful, from reception/dining staff, to safari guides and the Masai Warriors who walked us to/from our rooms in the early morning/ evening. The tents were very comfortable, equipped with all we needed, including fresh drinking water, changed daily, shower gel/shampoo/conditioner/body lotion all of which smelled amazing. Insect repellent and room spray was also provided which was gratefully received! Dennis and his apprentice Paul picked us up from the air strip with drinks in the cooler (the cooler was restocked with the drinks we requested each day, including delicious ginger beer) and were our guides for our 4 day safari. Dennis was very knowledgeable and professional and clearly cared very much about the animals on the conservancy. He was also very friendly and was always making us laugh! Thanks to his knowledge of the area we saw every type of animal we had hoped to see - including the elusive leopard twice. He always ensured we were able to take lots of photos. At the camp it was great to watch the hippos, etc in the river whilst eating meals or relaxing with a drink in between safari. The hot water bottles placed in our bed each night during turndown were always gratefully received as it did tend to drop cold!! We took advantage of the walking tour of the camp, led by Paul, and enjoyed finding out about the workings of the camp. I particularly enjoyed visiting the cookery school, the IT class and also meeting the Masai women who were keen to demonstrate their beading skills. A special mention must go to Moses, the camp manager, who always went the extra mile to great us at meal times and to make sure everything was going to plan. He is a real credit to the company. This was our first safari and we felt thoroughly looked after and safe throughout. We honestly couldn’t have wished for a better experience.

Fabulous safari camp, location, staff and game drives.

Fantastic - I was a little worried about it being buggy due to outdoor shower and a tent - but didn't see a mosquito and loved the tent and outdoor shower. The hot water bottle at night in our bed was a nice touch. We had the tent near the restaurant no 7 - which was perfect for us not too much walking and great views. We saw hippos and huge crocs from our porch and dik diks walking around near tent and giraffe and gazelles on other side of the river - it was unreal. At night they have guards that walk you back with flashlights.The gift shop is nice and reasonable and there is also the Masai women in a tent selling things there prices were very high, but they kept coming down in price. Our guide was Lorna and she was fantastic - so knowledgeable and a great driver. We had some rain storms and loved the ponchos to keep us warm. They also did a breakfast on the hill for our anniversary which was very nice. Lorna everyday asked us what we wanted to see and we saw almost everything including a leopard which thrilled my husband - I wanted lions and cheetahs which was saw also. Also many animals I had never even heard of ! So many zebras and giraffes - it was just fantastic and we were the only 2 with Lorna so felt very special. Highly recommend getting Lorna is you can. Meals were all fantastic - I am a bit picky so sometimes I had the kids meals which were also huge. Fish fingers were great. I wish dinner had started earlier it was a little late for us starting at 7.30 pm. Everything was top notch and all staff were friendly and helpful.

What a fabulous sanctuary safari camp! Like going 50 years back in time, keeping all the modern days amenities. Perfectly situated by the Mara river, in the Mara North conservatory. Safari starts right in the camp. The staff here are really welcoming and solution oriented in all matters. Serving great cuisine three times a day (a la carte daily menu for all meals) I I ever going back to the Masai Mara, I will go back to Karen Blixen camp ⛺️!

We stayed here 3 nights and enjoyed our time over all, but there were both positives and negatives. I will begin with the positives: - Very beautiful setting overlooking river with many animals - hippos, crocs, lizards, giraffes, baboons, etc. - coming down to the water. - Excellent food and food service, especially by Bensen. It was nice to have 3 meals per day all served so elegantly. - The fire pit/fire place at night next to the bar was cozy and a nice place for a night cap - It was good to have house wine, beers, and spirits as part of the package - Our guide - Francis - was incredible. Very eloquent, smart, and talented. We saw some amazing lion, cheetah and elephants, not to mention many other animals. He also added wine to the cooler box, along with beer, soft drinks, potato chips and peanuts, so that we could have a quasi sundowner each evening (something that the resort charges $40 extra for - even though most other resorts include it.) - The tent rooms are large and spacious, and it was nice to have two sinks in the tent bathroom. They also have bathrobes and slippers. - Once we discovered you could have coffee delivered to your room in the morning at no extra charge, we did this and were able to sit on the porch and watch the sunrise — very nice - The massage at the spa is exceptional. Paris gave me a massage, and she is very talented - The swimming pool is nice, though cold. It was fun to relax on the chairs around the pool and watch zebras and other animals wander by - Being walked to your tent by a masai warrior is pretty cool. - It is nice that they allow local masai women to sell handmade jewelry there. It was fun to shop and have them show us their crafts. - I liked how environmentally conscious the resort is - providing refillable water bottles and bath amenities. Negatives - I wish someone would have told me that there is no hot water during the day. It was almost impossible to take a shower (which you need to do when you return from safari) because of their ridiculous schedule of only having hot water in the morning when you’re on safari, turning it off when you return, and then turning it back on again when you go out for your evening drive. Why???? We did complain and they made an exception for us, but really, why not change the schedule??? - The tents have no heating or fans, but they do have electricity. So why not bring in a small fan on hot days and a small electric heater on cold days? We were there in November and it was very cold at night. Getting in and out of bed in the icy cold was challenging. It rained a lot and there was even hail and thunder. Not having heat was quite challenging. One member of our party came down with a bad cold after getting rained upon and chilled in the open Jeep, even though they provided rain ponchos. - The shower is outside, which is nice in a tropical climate, but try taking a shower when icy cold rain is slicing down on top of you. - The pathways to the tens are dirt, s

Best camp and location in Kenya. Located in the Mara North Conservancy gives up close access to all wildlife. Guides are able to drive off road to get up close (something not allowed in government reserves). Our guide, Empapa, was the best! 16 years of experience and contacts with other guides and photographers got us the best views of all area wildlife. Food and service was top notch. Very easy to travel from airstrip to the camp. We spent time in Kenya and Tanzania and the Karen Blixen camp was BY FAR the best time in Africa.