Colonial governors had the pick of the best real estate in any country they governed, and they certainly enjoyed their weekend retreats. Governors Main Camp is the legacy of this investment. Located in the Masai Mara Reserve on a bend on the Mara River, it has the advantage of overlooking a natural watercourse and wide savannah. It remains the oldest existing safari camp in east Africa.
- Current Governors camps listed on Uyaphi.com (more to follow);
Governors Camp Kenya; Big and small game have been comfortably parading through this open (no protective fences) tented camp for decades. It is not unusual to be confronted by an elephant on your way back to your tent. Accommodation is in the classic and comfortable bush style but with the advantage of fully functioning bathrooms. Every tent is located with a view, so you have to open the flap of your tent to smell and take in unspoilt nature and wilderness. Food is more comfortable than haute cuisine, and you will certainly not leave the camp hungry.
The combination of water and savannah has made this area very fertile. Wild animals enjoy such an environment, and it is no surprise that vast animal herds roam here. So much so that the BBC has used Governors Camp as a base for their documentary series Big Cat Diaries and Planet Earth Live.
Very close to the main camp is Little Governors. This smaller sister camp, in which you have to cross a stream by boat to reach only 17 tents instead of 37 in the main camp and consequently has a more intimate feel. It also overlooks a natural water feature; in this case, a large marsh. The game is equally at home here. In front of the mess tent, sipping an ice-cold Tusker lager, I was transfixed by a family of warthog playing in and around the tent with the mischievous piglets determined to upset their mother in any way possible. Such calming moments are the stuff of safaris; relaxed, observing nature with time on your hands. Little Governors is also the launch site for the balloon safaris, something about which I have previously written and, if you can afford it, should not be missed (See our Masai Mara Balloon Safari blog).
There is a graceful and timeless ambience to these camps. The staff are welcoming and friendly, and they have been run professionally and efficiently by the charming Grammaticas family for many decades. You could do much worse but certainly not much better for your next safari.
Governors Camp Kenya Review by the team at Uyaphi.com
Ol Malo Lodge
Ol Malo Game Lodge is a privately owned game sanctuary on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River in Kenya's wild and beautiful Laikipia County, overlooked by Mount Kenya and teeming with the elusive antelope and wildlife.
A truly magnificent lodge that offers views and safari activities that very few can match.
Elewana Loisaba Lodo Springs
The luxurious Elewana Loisaba Lodo Springs lodge offers up incredible views out over the 57 000 acre Loisaba Conservancy, a Laikipia Conservancy famed for its huge herds of elephants, large lion population, wild dog, leopard and cheetah.
Cottars 1920s Camp
Cottars 1920s Camp is located far away from the maddening crowds of the Masai Mara.
Only 9 luxuriously appointed tented suites are available, including 2x honeymoon suites, 4x double tents and 3x family suites.
Elsas Kopje
Elsa's Kopje is a luxurious oasis in the wilds of Meru National Park. Elsa's Kopje was named after Elsa the lioness made famous by George and Joy Adamson in the film 'Born Free', released into the wild here in Meru.
Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge
Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge offers an unparalleled safari experience by means of game drives in the stunning Tsavo West National Park.
The entire lodge is raised on high stilts above watering holes and feeding pastures, offering a spectacular view of the wildlife from above and all around.
Elewana Loisaba Star Beds
Elewana Loisaba Star Beds is located within the amazing Loisaba Conservancy and Laikipia Plateau that offers guests one of the finest wildlife and safari experiences on offer in Kenya today.
Loisaba Star Beds is poised on top of a kopje offering commanding views out over the plains and valleys of the Laikipia. One of the more unique and in-demand safari lodges in Kenya.
Galdessa
The riverside location of the lounge and dining room of Galdessa Camp ensure frequent wildlife sightings without the need to leave camp, as the game seeks relief from the heat of the day in the cool waters of the Galana River.
Galdessa Camp, with its amazing swimming pool, is located in the Tsavo East National park on the banks of the Galana River.
Amboseli Serena Lodge
Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge bordering that Amboseli National Park is framed against the glorious backdrop of Africa's highest mountain, the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro.
All 92 guest rooms at Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge offer an uninterrupted view over the ever-changing vistas of the African plains.