The Masai Mara reserve is where many African cliches were born: rolling grasslands punctuated by acacia trees, home to vast herds of stripey zebras, roaring lions, and the colorfully robed Masai villagers. It’s one of Africa’s most iconic safari spots. But this new camp from Great Plains Conservation takes the safari concept and elevates it… quite literally.
Founded by explorers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, Great Plains Conservation has a reputation for safaris that balance ecological respect with luxury design. Their latest, the excellent Mara Toto Tree Camp, takes the concept a little closer to the treeline, with an extremely intimate four‑suite treetop sanctuary on the banks of the Ntiakitiak River.
Intimate Eco-Luxuries in the heart of the Masai Mara
Mara Toto Tree Camp hosts just eight guests, allowing intrepid travelers the opportunity for a uniquely tranquil safari. You’ll sleep in a delightful treetop suite crafted from wood and canvas around the trunk of a tree. Each suite boasts spacious living quarters with furniture carved from natural materials, and the canvas walls pull back to reveal a terrace with a roomy seating area and a natural veil of wild fig and mahogany trees.
In the evenings, the lights go down, leaving only the amber glimmer of lanterns perched on the exterior decking, and an intense blanket of stars above. Naturally, this is a safari camp, so expect plentiful wildlife: monkeys swinging across the treeline, occasional leopards creeping in pursuit of prey, the roar of distant lions, or the splashing of hippos in the nearby water.
Food is seasonal and local, but perhaps even more interesting, breakfasts and lunches can be relocated to the plains for dining with a view. The menus are mostly plant-based, bolstered by meat dishes for those who want them. There’s no spa, but a therapist provides deep tissue massages inside your room.
Mara Toto Tree Camp is perfect for witnessing the annual southern migration from the Serengeti as well as the migration from Loita Plains, a lesser-known, though nevertheless fascinating migration of wildebeest and zebras.
Book a Room at Mara Toto: greatplainsconservation.com/mara-toto-tree-camp-maasai-mara-safari.
For more adult only places click here or if you prefer natural escapes, check out LocalsInsider’s roundup of the world’s best dark sky destinations
