Issue 11 | ...Celebrating the world’s richest continent | http://www.nomadafricamag.com | 19The Maasai Mara was named in honour of the ancestral inhabitants of the area,
the Maasai people. They described the area when looked at from afar, "Mara",
which is Maa (Maasai language) for "spotted," an apt description for the circles of
trees, scrub, savanna, and cloud shadows that mark the area.River, where a thick riverine forest meets
the unending savannah in the north-cen-
tral section of the Maasai Mara.
A small camp with just five tents accom-
modating up to ten guests, the intimacy
of this camp is a main drawcard. There
was a real feel of authenticity here with
an air of yesteryear in the design, which
draws stylistic reference from the old, au-
thentic expedition camps of the colonial
era.
Constructed in the spirit of mobility and
non-permanence out of deference to the
wilderness, which surrounds it, the camp
is tented safari style. However, these
tents are far from those you buy at your
local camping store. The tastefully ap-
pointed tents take glamping off the scale,
and you hardly feel like it is a tented
camp. Set at ground level and shaded by
the forest canopy, the tents forego fancy
amenities, but still leave you wanting for
nothing.
The oversized bed sat centre of the main
room and gave a view out to the bush. A
separate bathroom included an antique
camp shower that pulls from a brass
bucket, adding to the overall experience.The tent was decorated with an eclectic
yet co-ordinated assembly of what early
explorers may have carried with them –
brass chandeliers, old Indian campaign
chests, rich leather and hardwood furni-
ture – combined with rich textiles and
soft cottons.Into the wild
Waking before the sun, I was ready to
embark on my first game drive of my
stay. It was late October and still relatively
cold in the mornings. Armed with an ar-
tillery of cameras and lenses, freshly