At Kenya's High-end Safari Camps, Civilized Living is the Name of the Game

Published in Travel Weekly 

By Felicity Long

The days when travelers had to choose between luxury and safari adventure are long gone, thanks to a surge in popularity of high-end camps in Africa that cater to clients looking for both.

This season, the Kenya Tourist Board is trumpeting a handful of posh properties that not only offer upscale, tented accommodations but are also strategically located in the path of the Great Migration, which takes place annually from July through October. The migration refers to the mass movement of some 2 million zebra, wildebeest and gazelle from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

The Royal Mara Safari Lodge, for example, situated along the migration route in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, features eight riverfront suites with carved furnishings, canvas walls and terraces from which guests can view wild game as well as guided game drives.

The 40-tent Kichwa Tembo Camp, also in the Maasai Mara, is best known for having housed Robert Redford and Meryl Streep during the filming of "Out of Africa." Features include a swimming pool, a fine-dining restaurant and safari guides.

Travelers looking for an even more remote experience can try Little Governor’s Camp, which features 17 tents with wooden decks and verandas for optimum game viewing. Bear in mind that access to the camp is by boat across the Mara River and an escorted hike through the Riverine Forest in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Finally, the Kicheche Mara Camp offers eight tents, including triple and quad tents for families, in the Acacia Valley in Mara North Conservancy, all with views of the Olare Orok stream.

For rates and camp amenities, visit the Kenya Tourist Board at www.magicalkenya.com and, above all, don’t forget your camera.