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Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp
Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp: Our full report

Named after the Danish author of Out of Africa, this beautifully sited, Danish-owned, tented camp is located ...

... on the east bank of a broad loop of the meandering Mara River. The camp is a member of the Mara North Conservancy, where the guides usually conducts their game drives, and it's also within striking distance of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, whose Oloololo Gate is about 15km to the south.

Approaching the camp from Mara North airstrip, you turn off the main track towards the river and begin a long, gentle descent across a rock-strewn plain, eventually doing a zigzag into thicker bush and arriving at the camp's boom gate. The shady parking area is close to the reception, dining area and bar, all of which are sheltered under a large, pitched roof of Kilgoris grass tiles. Beyond the roofed area there's a terrace of crazy paving with a central fire pit for evening campfire time, surrounded by wood and canvas safari chairs. Beyond the terrace, lawns extend to the steeper part of the riverbank, where a tangle of vegetation helps to deter crocs and hippos from visiting the camp.

The river-front lawn is a popular spot for guests to relax. The local hippo pod can always be seen on the sandy shore directly opposite the camp, and after rains a tributary stream of the Mara enters the main river at this point, creating a much larger hippo pool. As well as the wallowing hippos, the area is a favourite watering spot for elephants, buffalo, eland and zebra. During our recent visit in 2019 we saw a elephants in the river in front of the camp.

While the dining arrangements at Karen Blixen Camp are quite hotel-like, with individual tables, the central dining area, lounge and bar (the “mess area") has a relaxed, convivial feel that makes it quite easy for guests to mingle.

Beside the mess area is a very well stocked curio shop as well as a WiFi tent.

There is a freeform swimming pool and a small spa, behind tents 9 and 10, which is a bonus for a camp of this size. There is a wide range of spa treatments on offer, in 2019 these started from $25 US dollars.

Karen Blixen Camp has 22 large, platform-mounted tents, ranged along the riverbank, each with a plumbed-in, partly open-air bathroom at the rear, and a veranda with deckchairs at the front. Tents #6 to #1 extend to the north of the mess area and are spread out, and tents #7 to #22 are ranged along the riverbank to the south and are much closer together. All the tents are close to the riverbank, but #6 (the closest to the central area in north wing) and #22 (the furthest away to the south) have the best views and are the most private. Tents #7-18 are a little more closely spaced than the others. Tents #15 and #16 share a single platform, making them ideal for a family. Note that if you're in one of the more distant tents, it is a 300-400m walk to the central area, so you'll need to allow a few minutes to reach the mess area.

The style of the tents is traditional, with a heavy canvas construction, and roll-up window flaps allowing good ventilation through the mosquito screens. The tent floor is of solid, reddish wood and the furnishings aim to emulate a 1920's “Out-of-Africa" style, with an armchair, chaise longue and electric bedside lights disguised as hurricane lamps. A whistle is provided to alert camp guards (askaris) after dark that you're ready to go to the mess area. Comfortable beds, either set up as twins or a double, are backed by shelving and a writing desk, and the large bathroom and outdoor shower area are directly behind.

The spacious bathrooms, divided from the bedroom area by a tent flap, feature a wooden washstand with double steel washbasins, wooden storage shelves and towel rails, and a conventional flush toilet. Through a flap at the back of the tent, beyond the main bathroom area, is the outdoor shower and bathtub, fully screened for privacy, but completely open to the sky. Toiletries are provided in refillable glass flasks. Showers are plumbed although hot water is only available between 06:00 – 10:00 and 18:00 – 22:00.

When we visited in 2019 the camp was in the process of upgrading all tents, they have been making steady progress and in 2019 they had already upgraded 16 of the tents, with six left to go. They hope to have these complete by mid 2020. The new tents are similar in style to the old, and these feel fresh and light with new fabrics and soft furnishings.

The main activities at Karen Blixen Camp revolve around game drives in the Mara North Conservancy in the camps' ten Land Cruisers. These are completely open at the rear, with roll-up sides, and they're fitted with six comfortable, leather-and-canvas-upholstered seats in three rows of two. They all have power points for charging batteries – but check yours is working before relying on it.

We enjoyed very productive wildlife-viewing during our stay at Karen Blixen Camp in October 2016, with multiple sightings of lion prides, as well as cheetahs and a night drive (returning to camp about 8pm) that yielded a beautiful serval cat and, remarkably, an aardvark busy excavating a burrow. Night drives are also on offer as well as a bush breakfast or dinner.

As well as the Mara North Conservancy, Karen Blixen Camp can do game drives in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, usually going out for a full-day game drive with packed meals. The camp also has access to its own private Oloisuk Concession – an area of 9km² where they conduct nature walks focusing on tracking, plant life and birds.

Walking safaris are offered by the camp and take place in the Mara North Conservancy. These are led by a guide and accompanied by an armed security guard.

Other activities include visits to a local Maasai compound and back-of-house tours of the camp, giving an interesting insight into its sustainable practices. These can include a visit to the remarkable catering school set up by the camp, where local students learn cookery and nutrition from an energetic young Danish chef. The camp also supports a womens project, training local ladies with the skills to create jewelry and crafts which are then sold in the curio shop.


Our view

Karen Blixen Camp is a well-run camp that's perennially popular with visitors who are not looking for a hosted safari experience. Comfortable and professionally managed, with good guides, its location and aspects of its environmental practice make it stand out.

Parita Masani

Parita Masani

Kenya expert

Geographics

Location
Maasai Mara Conservancies, Kenya
Ideal length of stay
3 nights-plus
Directions
45 minutes transfer from Mara North airstrip.
Accessible by
Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis
Full Board & Activities
Food quality
The camp's food has an excellent reputation, but during our stay in 2016 was not up to the standards we had been expecting. Early morning tea or coffee are served in the mess area and a standard buffet breakfast of cereals and fruit (with cooked breakfast to order) from 8am onwards. Our lunch (from 12.30–2pm) included a rather salty pea soup followed by a Kenyan-style “beef fry" of curried beef with rice, chick peas and chapattis. Dinner (from 7pm onwards) started with beetroot soup, and was followed by a choice of Nile perch swamped in tartar sauce or somewhat fatty lamb chops. Vegetarian options are always available on request, but you need to specify your requirements when booking.
Dining style
Individual Tables
Dining locations
Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service
Room service is available on request.
Drinks included
Soft drinks, house wine and beer are included. Spirits and premium wines are charged at extra cost.

Children

Attitude towards children
Children are welcome
Property’s age restrictions
None
Special activities & services
Child minding is available by a member of staff but parents must be aware that they are not formally trained.

Bow and arrow games can be organised.
Equipment
Highchairs and baby cots are available if requested in advance.
Generally recommended for children
We think this is a good choice for a family safari in the Maasai Mara and the swimming pool (unsupervised) offers a good place to let off steam. All the tents have space for up to two extra single beds to be added for children up to the age of 12.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Karen Blixen Camp

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Karen Blixen Camp have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.

Buffalo

100% success

Eland

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Lion

100% success

Spotted Hyena

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Aardvark

50% success

Cheetah

50% success

Leopard

50% success

Striped Hyena

50% success

Wild dog

50% success

Black Rhino

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes
The camp is largely powered by solar energy with generator backup and the tents have 24-hour power. Hair driers can be used on request. Battery-charging in rooms.
Communications
There is WiFi in a seperate room to the main area. Airtel and Orange phone networks are generally available in camp, though the most popular network, Safaricom, is only available up the hill away from the river.
TV & radio
No.
Water supply
Borehole
Water supply notes
The camp uses its own borehole, with a back-up supply from the river. From the camp's water tank, the water goes to a filtration system before being distributed. Filtered water is available in the tents. All rooms have the same plumbing, with hot showers available between 06:00 – 10:00 and between 18:00 – 22:00. The camp also using a limited number of gas water heaters.

Sustainability

Karen Blixen Camp sustainability

Growing Kenya’s future one seed at a time

Located on the banks of the Mara River, Karen Blixen Camp is central to all the main attractions the Mara has to offer, including Leopard Gorge, a big cat birthing ground and nursery site. Conscious about the fragile environment in which it operates, the camp does not remain indifferent to the issues faced by Kenyan people. Currently over 50% of youths in local communities in Kenya find themselves in unemployment and in subsequent poverty. Concerningly, education is out of reach for many of the local Mararienda villagers. Karen Blixen Camp aims to use tourism to make a positive change – help reduce poverty and increase education in its local community.

The camp is home to the Karen Blixen Hospitality School founded in 2012 and opened to the local community. The school offers a range of jobs for the locals, as well as courses from cooking to languages and forestry, which guests are welcome to join. In association with the Woodlands 2000 Trust, the forestry school teaches youths how to grow sustainable woodlots, leading to a nursery of 7,000 seedlings. This is all in order to help combat charcoaling, the traditional source of energy for safaris, and one of the biggest environmental threats to Kenya.

Additionally, guests can get involved in planting seedlings together with teachers and pupils, and give back to the Kenyan ecosystem and community one seed at a time.

See more great sustainability projects in Kenya

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended
Yes
Medical care
All the staff have done first aid training has been done with St John Ambulance and the local clinic at Mara Rianta village can be reached in less than fifteen minutes. There’s a helicopter landing pad nearby, just up the hill.
Dangerous animals
High Risk
Security measures
The camp’s main gate is patrolled around the clock and there are askaris on site day and night. After dark, all guests are escorted to and from their tents.
Fire safety
Every tent has a fire extinguisher and all staff have had fire-training.

Activities

  • 4WD Safari

    4WD Safari

  • Birdwatching

    Birdwatching

  • Cultural excursion

    Cultural excursion

  • Fly-camping

    Fly-camping

  • Guided walking safari

    Guided walking safari

  • Hot air ballooning

    Hot air ballooning

  • Night drive

    Night drive

Extras

Disabled access
On Request
Laundry facilities
laundry is usually hand-washed (though they also have a machine) and line-dried. This is at an extra cost of between $3 - $6 per item. For cultural reasons, ladies' underwear can't be laundered.
Money
Guests put their valuables in lock-up bags which are then brought to the office. The lock boxes in guest tents is not for valuables.
Foreign exchange is available subject to the camp having enough cash on hand.
Accepted payment on location
MasterCard and Visa are accepted, with a 4% surcharge. American express is not accepted. All the main currencies (Kenya shillings, US dollars, Euros and Pounds sterling) are accepted for cash payments.

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