Basecamp Masai Mara

Overview

This is where our story began. Basecamp Masai Mara sits at the doorstep of the Maasai Mara National Reserve and after all these years, it feels less like a camp and more like coming home.

Settled in a lush forest along the banks of the Talek River, the camp has a quietness to it that stays with you. Birds and monkeys move through the canopy just outside your tent, the river murmurs below, and the Reserve unfolds just beyond the treeline. The dense riverbed foliage wraps each tent in privacy, without ever closing off the view.

But what makes Basecamp Masai Mara truly distinct is its people. The team who run this camp are from the local Maasai community; proud landowners whose connection to this land runs far deeper than hospitality. Guests don't just visit here; they become part of something. A relationship built over decades between a community, a landscape, and the people who come to experience it.

It's a model of what tourism can be when it's done with genuine partnership, care, and shared purpose.

Suites & Rates

Suites and villas

Family Tent/Obama tent

Designed for families and groups who want to be together without being on top of each other, our family tents offer two separate wings; each with its own double bed and en-suite bathroom with...

From Rates on request

View room

Honeymoon tent

Some spaces have a way of making the world feel smaller in the best possible way. Our honeymoon tent takes everything you love about Basecamp Masai Mara and turns the intimacy up quietly. The...

From Rates on request

View room

Standard Tent

Each of our 14 en-suite tents is designed to feel generous and unhurried. Choose between a king-size double or twin beds, and step into a bathroom that balances comfort with a light footprint; bio-flush...

From Rates on request

View room

Details

Good to know

Languages spoken

English, Swahili

Ideal for

Adventure, Big 5, Birding, Flora, History & Culture, Indigenous Culture / Art, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Shopping, Star Gazing, Wildlife

Property facilities

Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Internet Access (Complimentary), Kiddies Club, Mobile Connectivity, Restaurant, Secure Parking, Vegetarian

Accommodation & amenities

Balcony / Deck, Outside Shower, Shower, Verandah, Wheelchair Friendly

Services

24-hour Security, Credit Card Facilities, Disability, Meal on Request

On-site activities

Big 5, Bird Watching, Fine Dining, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Practice Green, Safaris, Walks (Guided), Wildlife Tours

Nearby activities

Big 5, Bird Watching, Child Friendly Activities, Cultural Tours, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Safaris, Wildlife Tours

Location

Coordinates 1.4553° S · 35.2144° E

AddressNarok, Kenya

DestinationMasai Mara

CountryKenya

Video

Lodge videos

Years of Sustainable Partnership in Masai Mara

We are celebrating 20 years of welcoming guests to Africa. But more importantly, 20 years of partnering with the local Maasai community to help in the conservation of a variety of precious, iconic species of wildlife so that our children's children may also experience the wonders of the African wilderness.

Basecamp Reforestation Project

A Sustainable Tourism Destination

Basecamp The Experience

We manage several sustainable tourism destinations across the globe

Basecamp Maasai Brand

A community based handicraft workshop that empowers Maasai women while preserving the traditional Maasai beading practice.

Basecamp Explorer Camps

Situated in the most scenic locations in Masai Mara and Mara Naboisho Conservancy, with astonishing views, Basecamp’s comfortable and private camps bring guests close to nature, creating memorable safari adventures.

Basecamp Explorer Waste Management Initiative

As a responsible tourism operator, we at Basecamp Explorer recycle the solid waste produced by our business. More importantly, we extend our program of waste collection, management and recycling to benefit the local communities. We wish to empower the Maasai people by facilitating sustainable development on their land.

Basecamp Explorer- Safari in Masai Mara National Reserve

The Masai Mara is one of the best-known reserves in the whole of Africa and is globally renowned for its exceptional wildlife. It is perhaps best known for the Great Migration, which takes place every year July to September. During these months the yellow savannah is dotted black by more than 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra and antelopes that migrate from the Serengeti to the Mara in search of food and water.

Watch the video

Basecamp Masai Mara is as much a home as it is a travel destination

Activities

Basecamp Sunset Sundowners

Just as you wind up your afternoon game drive, your guide will set up for a sundowner drink. Enjoy a selection of drinks, cocktails and delicious biting usually served against the unforgettable backdrop of the African sunset. Most sundowner spots also offer amazing opportunities for a photographic session.

Bird Walks

Step outside your tent and into one of Kenya's most rewarding birding experiences. Over 300 species have been recorded here; a direct result of our years-long afforestation programme, which has steadily brought the surrounding ecosystem back to life through deliberate, community-led tree planting.What began as a response to deforestation and ground erosion has quietly transformed into something remarkable. The trees came back, and with them, the birds; endemic species, seasonal visitors, and everything in between.Our guided bird walking safaris take you through this living, breathing result of conservation in action. It's a gentler pace than a game drive, but no less extraordinary.

Cultural Visits

Our cultural visit is conducted in Talek Town led by expert Maasai Guides. Talek is situated just outside of the Masai Mara Reserve and within a 10-minute walk from our camp. Enjoy a unique opportunity to learn about the rich cultural heritage of the Maasai as well as the challenges they face.

Game Drives

At Basecamp Masai Mara, game drives are usually conducted in the early mornings, late afternoon since these are the coolest times of the day when most animals are more active. During the game drive, our knowledgeable Maasai guides will introduce you to life in the savanna and share their infinite knowledge about African wildlife.

The Enjoolata Center

Just steps from your tent, the Enjoolata Centre is a gathering place in every sense. Part education, part entertainment, it was built around a simple belief that awareness has the power to inspire change. Through exhibitions and conversations, it brings the Maasai community together around the stories and issues that matter most to this landscape and its people.Spend time here and you'll also find local women at work, beading the intricate artwork that fills our shop.