OLARE MARA KEMPINSKI – MASAI MARA

Description

LUXURY TENTED SAFARI RESORT KENYA

A FUSION OF LUXURY AND CLASSIC SAFARI ELEGANCE

Nestled at the heart of its own private conservancy, the Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara promises all the luxury whilst delivering a classic under-canvas safari experience.

Surrounded by rolling savannah, across which wanders a glorious pageant of wildlife, this exclusive tented camp blends the welcome, simplicity and vibrancy of Masai culture with the opulence of a five-star experience. Featuring twelve tents, a central lounge and dining area, a tented bar set deep within a forested glade and a shaded swimming pool, the Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara delivers the ultimate fusion of untamed wilderness and sophisticated elegance. Meanwhile, action includes campfire cocktails, sundowners on the plains, game drives, guided walks, balloon safaris, horse-riding and a colourful range of cultural interaction.

Kempinski White Glove Services has been implemented to ensure a healthy and safe environment for all our guests and employees
worldwide, at all times.

LOCAL INFORMATION

About The Masai Mara National Reserve and Olare Motorogi Conservancy

The Masai Mara National Reserve and the surrounding conservancies constitute one of Kenya’s most famous wilderness areas. They also provide the backdrop against which is enacted what has been dubbed ‘the greatest wildlife show on earth', the annual migration of the wildebeest.

Nature knows no boundaries, so although the Masai Mara technically belongs to Kenya, and the Serengeti National Park to Tanzania, both are part of the same mighty Serengeti ecosystem. This is a wilderness where endless khaki-coloured savannah washes up to the foot of the blue-grey Oloolola Escarpment; where low-lying shrub dapples the plains, and where tree-lined rivers meander.

A place unchanged by the passage of time, the Mara is essential Africa. Sometimes raw, always dramatic, this is a wilderness of evocative splendour and inspiring grandeur. Often raw, sometimes violent, the drama of this wildlife theatre is unrivalled. Nowhere on earth can you find a wilderness so breathtakingly beautiful and yet so serenely pristine.

In practical terms, it helps to know that the Masai Mara is a national reserve, which means that it is an area where human habitation is permitted and where domestic livestock may roam. Its wildlife, however, is carefully protected and the well-being of the wildlife always takes precedence over human activities. You’ll see the Mara referred to as the Masai Mara and the Maasai Mara: both spellings are technically correct but the area is officially known as the Masai Mara, while the term Maasai describes the Maa people.

The conservancies that surround the Mara are a natural extension of the Serengeti eco-system. Unlike the national reserve, however, they represent a series of joint-venture initiatives that have been forged between the Maasai people and the conservation sector. The conservancies include: Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Mara North Conservancy, Lemek Conservancy, Ol Choro Conservancy, Naiboisho Conservancy, Ol Kinyei Conservancy, Siana Group Ranch and Ol derkesi Conservancy.

Why choose to take your safari in a conservancy?

If you'd like to experience the classic safari experience, one where you feel yourself to be alone in the wilderness, with not another vehicle in sight, then a conservancy safari is for you. Offering a much more intimate interface with the wilderness, the Mara conservancies promise secluded game drives and thousands of acres of vehicle -free savannah. They also offer exclusive game -viewing, and the opportunity for such things as guided walks, night game drives, and horse-riding safaris, none of which are permitted in the national parks and reserves. We have a limit of 94 guests at any one time within the Olare Motorogi Conservancy; while only four vehicles are allowed at any game sighting. Our code of conduct, meanwhile, respects the environment and minimizes the impact of tourism upon an already fragile natural habitat. At the same time it delivers the optimum wilderness experience to our guests. 

About the Olare Motorogi Conservancy

The first private conservancy in the Masai Mara eco-system, the Olare Motorogi Conservancy promises unrivalled wildlife viewing against the backdrop of a spectacular wilderness. Spanning 35,000 acres of rolling grassland, hills and escarpment, the Motorogi plains are located immediately to the north of the Ol Kiombo area of the Masai Mara National reserve and encompass the lower valleys of the Olare Orok and Ntiakitiak rivers as well as extensive areas of riverine forest, The Ntiakitiak Gorge and a 12 km escarpment below which are large areas of acacia woodland. A stunning illustration of wildlife conservancy at its best, Olare Motrogi was founded in 2006 when 227 Maasai landowners brokered a deal with a group of dedicated conservationists. Their agreement, which was revolutionary in itself, has since become the template for the Mara community of wildlife conservancies. It has also provided a blueprint for the sustainability of the greater Mara ecosystem.

Forging the future of conservation 

A unique blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary scientific know - how, the Conservancy is run according to the age -old Maasai principles regarding holistic grazing and pasture management. It also benefits from the implementation of the most up-to-date programmes of wilderness management. The Conservancy's strict environmental policies mean that the environmental footprint of its operators is kept to a minimum. Only mobile camps are permitted within the area. They have no foundations and use only 'green'  management systems. Thus they can be removed leaving no trace upon the environment.  

Sharing with the Maasai community

As well as protecting their ancestral lands, the Conservancy also delivers a guaranteed income to the local community. This is much needed and allows them access to education, sanitation, health facilities, veterinary services and an unprecedented level of local government and self-determination. Where once there were small villages, now there are flourishing prides of lions, leopards, cheetah and other animals. And where one the annual migration of the wildebeest spanned only a limited area and season, now the Conservancy boasts its own migration, known as the Loita Migration.

The Olare Motorogi Fact File 

Climate: the area receives the highest rainfall (average 1000 mm pa) in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Rain falls throughout the year but peaks in December, January and April.
Vegetation: rolling grassland, riverine forest, acacia woodland, swamps, non-deciduous thickets, and Acacia, Croton and Tarchonanthus scrub.
Wildlife: the ecosystem hosts over 95 species of mammals. Highlights include: elephant, buffalo, hippo, Masai giraffe, topi, Coke's hartebeest, Grant's and Thomson's gazelle, zebra, impala, Kirk's dik-dik, bushbuck, waterbuck, red duiker, baboon, vervet monkey, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, nocturnal bush baby, and tree hyrax.
Birds: more than 550 recorded species (5 globally threatened).

Arena for ‘the greatest wildlife show on earth'
The annual migration of the wildebeest represents the single largest movement of creatures on the planet. A constantly revolving cycle of movement between the Mara and the Serengeti – it arrives in the Mara approximately around the end of July. And it moves on into the Serengeti around November. Numbers vary depending on rainfall, but typically over one-and-a-half million wildebeest accompanied by half again as many zebras and gazelles, will migrate from the short-grass plains of the Serengeti in search of the fresh, young green grass pasture of the Mara. One of nature’s most magnificent spectacles, the wildebeest move in groups of up to 20,000 at a time. Creating vast braids of blue-black, the thunder across the Mara plateau before hurling themselves down the banks of the Mara River where gigantic crocodiles await. Then, towards the end of October the call of the fresh grass of the Serengeti calls – and they begin the long trek back into Tanzania. Because it is dominated by the weather, the timing of the migration cannot be predicted. However, because it is essentially a constantly revolving cycle of birth, life and death – there will always be some aspect of its majesty to be observed. It might be the pageant of the mating season, or the birth of the calves. It might be the presence of thousands of creatures peaceably grazing on the plains, or it might be the driving plunging madness of the herds on the move. Finally, a fact unknown to most people, the migration is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Prior to 1969 it didn’t exist, and only a few wildebeest spilled over from the Serengeti into the Mara in exceptionally dry years.

The Loita Migration
The Conservancy hosts its own mini-migration, which moves from the Loita Plains, across the Mara and into the Ol Kinyei Conservancy usually by January. The calving takes place there during February and March and the wildebeest then move through Olare Motorogi and into the Mara Reserve. It is estimated that around 150,000 animals take part in this migration.

Big cat country
Its quite astonishing abundance of herbivores makes the greater Mara area the ideal hunting ground for Kenya's famous ‘big cats’, which are present in unprecedented numbers. This is an area that is world-renowned for its lions and equally celebrated for its cheetahs. It is also one of the few places on Earth where you stand a reasonable chance of sighting a leopard in the wild. And you may rest assured that our guides will do everything within their power to ensure that your quota of ‘big cats’ exceeds your expectations.

Theatre of the wild
Quite apart from the cats, the Mara and its conservancies promise large herds of elephant, which move across the landscape in stately procession. You will also encounter plenty of buffalo, while the rivers literally abound with plump brown hippo. If you’re lucky, you might also see the hippo as they begin their nightly trek in search of grass – which can take them up to 10 kilometres from the riverbanks.

Elsewhere you can expect to see the distinctive Masai giraffe, the purple-brown topi, the long-faced Coke's hartebeest, and the leaping herds of Grant's and Thomson's gazelle. Great herds of Burchells zebra pound across the plains alongside darting impala, while in the undergrowth you’ll spot tiny pairs of Kirk's dik-dik. Other plains game includes bushbuck, waterbuck and red duiker. In the rivers there are huge Nile crocodile, while in the riverine forests you’ll come across monitor lizard, baboon, vervet, blue and red-tailed monkeys, nocturnal bush babies, and tree hyrax.

An ornithologists wonderland
For the ornithologist, the Mara ecosystem promises excitement indeed. Showcasing over 550 resident and migratory species, this unique region shelters an incredible array of both regionally and globally threatened birds. It is also the ONLY place in Kenya where you can spot the rare Schalow's turaco. On the plains you will see common ostrich, striding secretary birds, ground hornbills and bustards (kori, black-bellied and white-bellied). Amid the savannah grasslands look out for the hurrying flocks of helmeted guinea fowl. You’ll also see plenty of larks, crowned plovers and red-necked spur fowls. In riverine areas you can expect to see the distinctive black and white African fish eagle alongside, Egyptian geese, yellow-billed stork, sacred ibis and blacksmith plover. Finally, the skies above are patrolled by an amazing 53 species of raptors. Readily spotted will be the augur buzzard, the black-shouldered kites and the mighty bateleur eagle. Finally, this wilderness promises six species of vulture.

The place of the spotted plains
Known as the place of the ‘spotted plains’ due to its extensive dapple of dark shrubs, the savannah is dominated by the beautiful red oat grass, which is best seen at sunset – haloed in pink. After the rains the lush grasslands burst briefly into brilliance with a glorious array of small flowering plants. There are pink, orange or mango-coloured Crossandra subacaulis; while sometimes the plains are covered in a confetti of tiny white flowers known as ‘tissue paper flowers' (Cycnium tubulosum). You might also glimpse the stunning fire-ball lily (Scadoxus multiflorus) and the magnificent pink and white striped pyjama lily (Crinum macowanii).

ABOUT OUR LIONS

This is big cat country

WE'RE PROUD OF OUR LION PRIDES

The Olare Motorogi Conservancy has a higher density of lions (around 90) than any other area within the greater Mara ecosystem. The answer as to why this should be lies in the name, Olare Motorogi, which in Maa, the language of the Maasai, means ‘the place of salted earth’. Unusually high in nutrients, this rich brown earth produces an exceptionally lush type of grass, which attracts an unrivalled density of herbivores. And, in the wake of the herbivores, come the predators – the lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyena. The grass also grows into dense thickets along the riverbanks, thus providing ideal cover for hunting lions. Finally, such is the level of security provided by the Conservancy that the lions have come to regard Olare as a place of sanctuary in which they can enjoy optimum health and safety.

The Conservancy has a number of prides, all of which are regularly seen by our visitors, and one of which has established itself in an area just down river from our camp. Each pride features a complex hierarchical structure that is ultimately dependent upon the maintenance of dominance by the males. This, however, can be affected by all manner of outside influences, such as the fights that occur between rival prides and the injuries sustained; also by the arrival of strong new young males who occasionally arrive from beyond the boundaries of the Conservancy and force the resident males to fight for their territory and their prides. Nothing remains static for long in the life of the Conservancy’s lions but their power struggles, mating and litters provide endless fascination for our guides and guests alike.

The Oldikidiki Pride, which has established itself in an area just down-river from our camp, and often sleeps so close to the camp that their coughing can be clearly heard in the tents, is led by two exceptionally powerful males known as Olbarnoti (the fringed one) and Oloolparpit (the brave one). Both have magnificent dark manes, which indicate their health and maturity.

This, our ‘local pride’, has four females and eleven cubs, ranging from just four months in age to one year. The females share the rearing of the cubs and can often be seen playing with them, early morning or evening, on the banks of the Ntiakitiak River. Guests are also often lucky enough to find the lionesses and cubs enjoying a fresh kill while the males look on. Typically it is the lionesses that make the kill; they also assist the cubs in feeding by using their harshly rasping tongues to lay bare the flesh. Then, when the lionesses and cubs have eaten their fill, the two male lions will come to partake of the feast. Later the entire pride will sleep, often laying on their backs with their soft cream-coloured stomachs exposed.

Olbarnoti and Oloolparpit are also the dominant males for another pride, the Isiketa Pride, which numbers five females and their seven sub-adults and three cubs. Elsewhere in the Conservancy there is the Sankaai Pride, which numbers two males and six females. These males have not yet been given names but are known as the ‘Croton Males’ because they are often found taking shade in the iconic orange leaved croton bushes that typify the Conservancy. The Sankaai Pride has 11 cubs ranging in age from six to eight months. The Conservancy also hosts a number of young lionesses that have broken away from the Sankaai Pride but do not, as yet, have cubs. Finally there is the rather more elusive Motorogi Pride, which has two males and three females.

Big cat research
The specialist lion preservation agency, Living with Lions is currently working in cooperation with the Maasai community to observe the prides of the Conservancy and new information as to their hierarchy and behavioral patterns is constantly being revealed

DINING IN THE WILD

Elegantly presented in classic safari style our extensive dining room delivers a subtly different experience for every meal, while in the evening it is transformed into a romantic candle-lit realm that provides a fitting backdrop to a dinner that celebrates the pure opulence of safari tradition.

The forest bar and campfire glade

Situated in a forest glade and reached by a timbered bridge leading out of the central lounge, our tented bar is both intimate and welcoming. It also features a traditional campfire area where our guests can gather before or after dinner to share their experiences.

Should you wish to connect to the Wi-Fi during your stay, you can do so from the convenience of your ...

ABOUT OLARE MARA SAFARI CAMP

The ultimate in under-canvas luxury

INTIMACY -PRIVACY-PRIVILEGE AND NATURAL DRAMA

Standing central to the private wilderness of the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, and enjoying panoramic views across the rolling savannah, the Olare Mara Kempinski Safari Camp has been styled to offer the ultimate in luxury whilst staying true to the traditions of the classic safari.

The concept of the safari was born in Kenya in the early 1900s. Then, royalty and aristocracy flocked to Kenya to experience the dramatic splendour of a hunting safari. At that time, every safari would be equipped with the finest linen, crystal, silver and china. The central mess tent would be presented in the style of an Edwardian drawing room, complete with safari library and every tent would feature a private bathroom and seating area.

At Olare Mara Kempinski Safari Camp, these traditions continue.

Cleverly camouflaged so as to blend into its wilderness background, our camp features just twelve generously proportioned tents. Some overlook the hippo pools of the Ntiakitiak River, others enjoy long views over the savannah. Each elegantly appointed tent has its own spacious bedroom, bathroom, dressing room, lounge and viewing deck. And, while promising every luxury, each tent delivers the authentic feel of an under-canvas safari experience – complete with the daily chattering of the monkeys and the nightly whooping of the hyenas … and the distant coughing of our resident lion prides.

An inspired fusion of khaki-canvas, mellow timber, and Masai inspired décor, our central lounge and dining room promises panoramic views in the daytime and a welcoming log fire in the evening. On one side it opens on to a timbered deck with a water feature inspired by the Ntiakitiak River, on the other side is a sun deck and a timbered walkway that leads down into a shaded forest glade. Here you’ll find our intimate safari bar; also the woodland clearing in which we light our nightly campfire. Above the lounge is a smaller private library lounge with an antique viewing telescope, and immediately adjacent there’s a charming safari boutique.

Our amenities:
WiFi (all the tents, guest lounge, restaurant, bar and pool area)
Mobile phone reception (limited according to weather conditions)
Swimming pool and sundeck
In-tent massage facilities
Professional safari guides
A fleet of safari vehicles
Day and night game drives
Safari ‘sundowners’
Bush breakfasts, lunches and dinners
Cultural visits
Balloon safaris
Guided walks
Ornithological tours

DAY GAME DRIVES

At the heart of the theatre of the wild

WELCOME TO OUR WORL

All of our guests are invited to enjoy two game drives per day. Game drives can take place in the morning, afternoon, evening or at night. So please let us know your preference. Alternatively you can book a dedicated game drive (up to six guests in a vehicle) at a cost of USD 300.

A game drive through the Olare Motorogi Conservancy is a voyage of discovery that promises to transport you into a whole new realm. This is your chance to observe creatures great and small against the backdrop of a pristine wilderness. Often awe-inspiring, always enchanting, a game drive allows you to be part of the great wilderness landscape: to breath it: to smell it: to live it.

Managed in cooperation with its ancient guardians, the Maasai, this is a realm where you will rarely see another safari vehicle, where the savannah is yours, and where you will often find yourselves as the only spectators to such events as lions at play, wallowing hippos, wandering elephants, browsing giraffes and careering herds of zebra. During the season, you can also witness one of the world’s most stunning natural events: the annual migration of over one million wildebeest and their attendant wildlife cast.

Our custom-built six-person safari vehicles offer comfort, panoramic viewing, dedicated safari guides, refreshments on-board (soft drinks and local beer) and radio-links for fast location of game. Traditionally, game-drives take place early morning (you are woken with tea and arrive back in time for breakfast) or late afternoon/early evening. They can also incorporate picnic breakfasts or lunches and evening sundowners in the bush. We also offer night game-drives: which promise you nocturnal drama indeed.

What you can see: this unique ecosystem hosts over 95 species of mammals. Highlights include: elephant, buffalo, hippo, Masai giraffe, topi, Coke's hartebeest, Grant's and Thomson's gazelle, zebra, impala, Kirk's dik-dik, bushbuck, waterbuck, red duiker, baboon, vervet monkey, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, nocturnal bush baby, and tree hyrax. Predators include lion, cheetah, leopard and hyena. Birds: 550 recorded species, 5 of which are globally threatened.

An ornithological extravaganza

Boasting over 550 resident and migratory species, this unique region shelters an incredible array of both regionally and globally threatened birds. Easily spotted on the plains are the common ostrich, secretary bird, ground hornbill and bustard (kori, black-bellied and white-bellied). Also plentiful are crowned plover, red-necked spur fowl and helmeted guinea fowl, while along the rivers African fish eagle, Egyptian geese, yellow-billed stork, sacred ibis and blacksmith plover abound. There are also 53 species of raptors, to include augur buzzard, black-shouldered kite, bateleur eagle and 6 species of vulture. Finally, this is the only place in Kenya where you can see the rare Schalow's turaco.

NIGHT GAME DRIVE

THE WILDERNESS BY NIGHT

A MAGIC REALM

If the wilderness is magical by day, by night it promises nocturnal theatre on a magnificent scale. Above you sparkles an unbelievable spangled canopy of stars, and around you wraps the soft velvet of the African night, punctuated by the rough, dry coughs of the lion, the cackling and whoop-whooping of the hyena, and the symphony of birdsong.

Adventure indeed.

 
The night belongs to the hunters: the lions and the leopards. It’s also the only time when you may catch a glimpse of such elusive nocturnal creatures as aardvarks, cape hares and bush babies. Best of all, your vehicle will be equipped with a powerful hand-held lamp, which can be used to sweep the bush for sightings of creeping shadows and gleaming eyes.
Unique to the conservancy experience, night game drives are not permitted within the boundaries of the national parks and reserves. So they’re the ultimate safari luxury, game-viewing extravaganza and photo-opportunity. Leaving the camp at 7pm, you will be provided with hot drinks and warm ‘shukas’ (Maasai wraps) before setting off to encounter the creatures of the night.
A night game drive can be included in your package – which includes two game drives per person per day. 

LUXURY TENTS

At Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara

5 STAR LUXURY

DELUXE LUXURY TENTS

Featuring a balcony with views of the river, this tent contains parquet floors, a seating area and fan. The bathroom is equipped with a Victorian bath and free toiletries.

Raised to enjoy optimum views, your opulent safari tent has been styled to echo the elegance of a traditional Edwardian hunting safari tent. Each tent offers a generously arranged seating area an a wrap around deck verandah. While promising every luxury each tent each tent delivers the authentic feel of an under canvas safari experience.