Ilkeliani Camp: Our full report
Ilkeliani, which means Young Maasai Warrior in the Maasai people’s Maa language, is a smart, elegant camp ...
... overlooking the Talek River, just outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve.The camp has access via a private footbridge over the Talek river directly into the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The camp's safari vehicles park on the reserve side, which puts it in a convenient location for game drives in the Sekenani sector of the reserve.
Ilkeliani has a total of 12 tented rooms in two wings; the west wing on the left of the communal area has a total of four premium tents and the east wing on the right side has eight spacious standard tents. All the rooms overlook the Talek River, although views can be restricted by abundant vegetation.
The camp's main communal area consists of a large, open-fronted dining room or mess, and lounge area. The central lounge area is spacious, with a high ceiling and has several sitting areas with cream-upholstered sofas, scattered with cushions, wooden coffee tables and jute rugs, making for a lovely relaxing atmosphere, especially in the evening before dinner time. The lounge in front leads out to an open deck where there is a fire pit with directors’ chairs dotted around looking out onto the plains. At the back leading from the lounge area there is a well-stocked curio shop offering local handicrafts and safari gear. From here the path leads to the standard tented rooms and to the elevated observation deck area, offering sweeping views of the Maasai Mara plains.
The eight spacious standard tents are raised on wooden decks. The tents are well spaced out from each other and are furnished with wooden-framed beds and storage chests, bedside tables and lamps, cosy armchairs, writing desks, and canvas, stand-alone wardrobes with digital safes and free-standing fans for use on warmer evenings. The en-suite bathroom has twin cast iron wash basins and a shower, and complimentary toiletries. The deck at the front of the tent is furnished with two director's chairs.
One of the standard tents, plus the family unit (which consists of two tents with a living area in the middle) have access ramps making them accessible for wheelchair-users.
The four premium tents are away from the main communal area and offer more spacious accommodation with a separate sitting area, a writing desk and chair and a spacious wardrobe space behind the bed.
When Expert Africa was last visiting in 2023, they were constructing a swimming pool which will be a welcome addition when completed - though bear in mind water temperatures tend to be chilly at this altitude.
Spa treatments can be arranged at extra cost, with treatments taken on the balcony of your tent.
Activities at Ilkeliani focus on game drives, usually departing twice a day, at the crack of dawn, and again in the late afternoon. All-day game drives with packed meals can also be arranged. It is also possible to organise hot air balloon flights over the Maasai Mara and cultural visits to a nearby Maasai village.
Our view
We really enjoyed our stay at Ilkeliani Camp and were pleasantly surprised with the standard of the tents. The staff were very welcoming and friendly, and nothing seemed to be too much trouble.
Kenya expert
Geographics
- Location
- Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
- Ideal length of stay
- Spend three nights or more to ensure a good experience of the Maasai Mara eco-system
- Directions
- It is a 60-minute flight from Nairobi to Ol Kiombo airstrip in the Mara. From there, it is approximately a 30-minute drive to Ilkeliani Camp.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Full Board & Activities
- Food quality
- During our last visit, we enjoyed an excellent dinner, preceded by pre-dinner snacks from a choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. We had chicken nuggets with a sweet chilli dip and bruschetta. The dinner menu started with a choice of French onion soup or antipasti. This was followed by a choice of two non-vegetarian options (grilled lamb steak or pan-seared tuna steak) and two vegetarian options ugali (maize meal) with spinach, or vegetable noodles with Swahili kachumbari relish. We opted for the noodles. For dessert we still had room for mango crumble with custard, but we could have chosen grilled pineapple with ginger and honey.
Breakfast is either eaten in camp or taken as a packed breakfast while on your morning game drive - including fruit, yoghurt, pastries, and boiled eggs. Breakfast in camp always includes cereals and eggs to order.
For lunch there is a daily set menu with similar choice to dinner with more emphasis on salads.
Dietary requests and allergies are easily catered for with advance notice from Expert Africa at the time of your booking. - Dining style
- Individual Tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- Room service can be arranged on request
- Drinks included
- Soft drinks, house beers, wines and selected spirits are included. Additional charges apply for premium spirits and wines.
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Children are welcome.
- Property’s age restrictions
- Ilkeliani accepts children of all ages, however we recommend children should be over the age of 8
- Special activities & services
- Nature walks around the grounds, spear-training.
- Equipment
- There is no special equipment at the camp.
- Generally recommended for children
- Ilkeliani is a good choice for a family safari. The new swimming pool will be very welcome for older children, though please note no life guards are in attendance so children need to be supervised.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Ilkeliani Camp
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Ilkeliani 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.
100% success
100% success
100% success
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100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
Communications
- Power supply notes
- 24-hour power, mainly by solar with a back-up generator if required.
- Communications
- Wi-Fi is available in the main areas only.
- TV & radio
- No TV
- Water supply
- Borehole
- Water supply notes
- Filtered water is provided for drinking in the tents.
Health & safety
- Medical care
- Staff have basic first aid training. There is a doctor based at Talek village nearby and the camp has access to the AMREF flying doctors service in case of emergency.
- Dangerous animals
- High Risk
- Security measures
- The camp is unfenced, and askaris patrol the property day and night. After dark, guests are escorted to and from their tents.
- Fire safety
- Every tent has a fire extinguisher and staff have fire training.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Cultural excursion
Hot air ballooning
Extras
- Disabled access
- On Request
- Laundry facilities
- Laundry can be done at extra cost. Washing powder is provided in the rooms for washing underwear.
- Money
- Safes are provided in the tents.
- Accepted payment on location
- Extras can be paid for in cash (US dollars, Euros, Pounds Sterling and Kenya shillings) or using major credit cards, with a nominal surcharge.
Other lodges in Maasai Mara National Reserve
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Little Governors'
Little Governors’ Camp sits by a swamp (an old oxbow of the Mara River) in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It has its own balloon-launching site.
Rekero
Rekero is an unpretentious, high-end safari camp, for travellers who take their wildlife watching seriously and are prepared to pay for an exceptional location.
Tangulia Mara
Tangulia Mara is a rustic and traditional safari camp on the border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve owned by Jackson Looseyia of Big Cat Diary fame.
Governors' Camp
Governors' Camp is a large tented camp on the Mara River and one of the oldest in the Mara region, dating from 1972. Although unfenced, and regularly visited by elephants, the whole compound is always busy with human activity.
Serian Nkorombo
Serian Nkorombo is a luxury bush camp in the Musiara sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve on the east side of the Mara River.
Sand River Camp
Luxury colonial-style tented camp on the banks of the Sand River close to the Tanzania border – a great spot to see the wildebeest migration.
Sala's Camp
Sala’s Camp is a comfortable and intimate tented camp, with seven tented rooms, located on the banks of the Sand River, in the far south of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Governors' Il Moran
The smallest and most expensive of the three camps in the Governors’ group, Governors’ Il Moran Camp hugs a meander of the Mara River just 1km north of the main Governors’ Camp.
Angama Mara
Angama Mara is a top-end luxury tented camp on the Siria-Oloololo escarpment of the Maasai Mara ecoystem, just above the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Mara Expedition Camp
Mara Expedition Camp is a small luxury camp located on the banks of the Ntiakitiak River inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Ngenche Safari Camp
Mara Ngenche is a non-hosted, luxury tented camp with an antique style, which is perfect if you're looking for private dining while staying somewhere small and personal.
Basecamp Maasai Mara
Basecamp Maasai Mara is a family-friendly, award-winning eco-camp on a U-bend on the north bank of the Talek River, on the boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Tipilikwani Camp
Tipilikwani Mara Camp is a larger, mid-range tented camp offering good value from its base on the Talek River just outside the Mara National Reserve.
Entim Camp
Entim Camp is well located in the heart of the Mara National Reserve, offering traditionally styled tented accommodation.
Naibor Camp
Naibor has a great location in the Mara reserve, and offers accommodation to suit different budgets, with stylish high-end tents and some simpler ones too.
Governors' Private Camp
Located on a secluded bend of the Mara River, Governor’s Private Camp has just eight tents and is booked on an exclusive basis.
Topi House
Topi House is a very good, three-bedroom fully staffed private house on the fringes of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Mara Serena Safari Lodge
Mara Serena Safari Lodge is a large safari hotel with views of the Mara River, in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Mara Explorer Camp
Mara Explorer is a smart tented camp is in a scenic location on a bend in the Talek River.
Ishara
Ishara is a highly luxurious safari camp in the Maasai Mara, located on the Talek River, which is one of the best areas in Kenya for wildlife.
