Elephant Pepper Camp | The Masai Mara One Of Kenya’s Best Safari Lodges

I feel like David Livingstone must have, an adventurer in unknown lands. I’m surrounded by the open plains of the Masai Mara, best known for the Great Wildebeest Migration but filled with all sorts of wildlife year round. With just eight tents spread among a copse of elephant pepper trees in the remote and exclusive Mara North Conservancy, Elephant Pepper Camp is the ideal place to immerse myself in nature.

I wake up to my partner nudging me repeatedly. The tents drapes are already open, letting in the warm kiss of the sun. I sit up in our plush bed, still a little disorientated after flying in from Nairobi yesterday evening. I realise I’m out in the bush, at Elephant Pepper Camp. Something important must be happening. I peer out into the grasslands, noticing how although our safari-style tent is quite basic it’s still luxurious. Suddenly, a baby elephant wanders past, followed closely by a much larger elephant, probably its mother. We can’t believe our eyes; our first wildlife sighting and we haven’t even left our room! We cautiously get up and go out onto the large wooden porch, seeing the rest of the herd as it moves slowly past, grazing on the grasses that surround us. We watch until they become specks in the distance. After coffee, freshly-baked biscuits and a shower we’re ready for our morning game drive. Joseph, our guide, tells us that elephant often visit camp as there are natural springs here, making the grass nice and salty. What a way to start the day!

I love reclining in a hammock, or around the campfire, listening to the sounds of the sounds of the night in Kenya’s Mara North Conservancy, a remote location where the stars shine brightly. Knowing that animals can wander into camp at any moment is thrilling. I also enjoy how intimate the camp is, without being intrusive. The buffet meals we share with the owners and other guests while recounting the adventures of the day are special, and we’re making friends from all over the world. The bush breakfasts and sundowners really are the stuff of old safari tales. The camp’s sustainability focus is notable too – they recycle, have a thriving veggie garden and run on solar energy … it’s wonderful that there’s no generator to interfere with the sounds of the bush. In fact the entire camp can be packed up without leaving any trace. Plus, it’s satisfying to know our visit will support local conservation – lease fees go to over 800 Maasai families, who also benefit through employment and community project funding.

• Intimate luxury safari camp with eight spacious safari tents and two honeymoon/family suites. It’s situated in the remote Mara North Conservancy, in the Masai Mara near Leopard Gorge, the famous setting for BBC’s Big Cat Diaries.
• Private concession, private dining available, private vehicles available (additional cost) and opportunities to see the Great Wildebeest Migration.
• Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, bush breakfasts, bush picnics, bush sundowners and cultural visits (additional cost).
• Children welcome, and children’s activities and offered. All tents can fit one extra bed for children under 16, otherwise family suites available.

• Not only do African safari lodge prices shift with the seasons, they also change based on your length of stay, room type, travel party composition, special offers, if your trip involves stays at sister lodges – and for more reasons besides.
• It’s worth noting that depending on your itinerary, your lodge cost will make up about 75–85% of your total safari trip cost.
• Our safaris are tailor-made to match your personal safari dream, we’d be delighted if you’d allow us to create a bespoke proposal for you.  Simply enquire now – our quotes are complimentary and obligation-free.
• However, to help you get an idea of safari lodge prices we’ve created three safari-lodge categories with various price ranges, to find out more click here.