Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp, situated in the game-rich Mara North Conservancy which borders the Maasai Mara National Reserve in the south of Kenya, offers visitors authentic 1920s tented accommodation without having to surrender modern conveniences.

Luxury canvas tents

All 22 river-facing luxury tents are set on elevated mahogany platforms which provide enough space for a veranda where guests can watch the wildlife come and go. Each tented suite has an en-suite bathroom with twin washbasins and an outdoor shower. The tents can be set up for double or twin occupancy and families travelling with children can ask for a third or fourth single bed to be added.

Guest areas

In true yesteryear style, the open-plan 'mess' area on its raised wooden deck facing the Mara River consists of a reception area, a comfortable guest lounge and bar, a restaurant and a gift shop with WiFi. In keeping with the nostalgic theme, the mess is furnished with reproductions of Karen Blixen's private furniture. Meals are served in the mess restaurant or bush garden. Romantic bush breakfasts, lunches or dinners can be arranged on request. Guests can take a dip in the swimming pool during the day to cool off and, at night, they can gather beneath the stars around the campfire for drinks. There is also a canvas spa tent with two private treatment rooms for those wishing to indulge in some therapeutic pampering.

Game viewing activities

Game viewing takes place inside the Mara North Conservancy in open safari vehicles and, during migration season, in the Masai Mara National Reserve or Mara Triangle. Guests can choose between an early morning and late afternoon game drive punctuated by breakfast and a relaxing midday at camp or a full-day game drive with a packed picnic lunch basket. Night drives are also permitted in the Mara North Conservancy which has one of the lowest tourist footprints in the Masai Mara. Game viewing is exceptionally rewarding and the conservancy is home to five lion prides, several cheetahs, around six leopards and an abundance of plains game such as elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest and various antelope species.

Optional activities

Karen Blixen Camp offers a wide range of optional safari and cultural activities such as

• guided game walks
• hot air balloon safaris with champagne breakfasts
• romantic bush breakfasts, lunches and dinners
• cultural Masai village visits

Eco-friendly

Karen Blixen Camp has introduced measures to reduce their impact on the fragile Mara ecosystem. Electricity is provided by solar panel, gas is used to heat water for the outdoor showers and their use of firewood is kept to a minimum to prevent the deforestation of Kenya's woodlands. Organic waste is used for compost and their wastewater is recycled through a zero-waste sewage system.

Getting there

By road - The drive from Nairobi takes about five hours in dry conditions and seven hours during the rainy season.

By air - Karen Blixen Camp is accessible by regular scheduled or private charter flights. The camp is a 45-minute transfer drive away from Mara North, Kichwa Tembo and Musiara Airstrips.

Our take on Karen Blixen Camp

We love the canvas tents at Karen Blixen Camp. They are spacious, airy and filled with light. You can watch buffalos, zebras and elephants drinking from the Mara River from the comfort and privacy of your veranda. At night you can hear the grunts of hippos. Because Karen Blixen Camp is located inside the Mara North Conservancy, there are not many other safari vehicles around and the safari guides can take you off-road and also on night drives.