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The Best Safari Lodges
Governors Camps (Masai Mara Game Reserve; tel. 020/273-4000; www.governorscamp.com): A clutch of upmarket and exclusive tented camps located in one of the Mara's best regions for game viewing, the Governors Camps are consistently voted as one of the best places to stay in the world. All episodes of the BBC's Big Cat Diary series were filmed in the vicinity. The cuisine, service, and accommodations are impeccable, and the safari guides are excellent.
Kitchwa Tembo Bateleur and Tented Camps (Masai Mara Game Reserve; tel. 011/809-4314 in South Africa; www.ccafrica.com): In the region where the movie Out of Africa was filmed, this camp has been designed to reflect the safari experience of the 1920s and '30s, with four-poster beds, beautiful antiques, personal butlers, and candlelight. Game drives and walks along the Mara River are on offer.
The Ark (Aberdares National Park; tel. 020/216-940; www.fairmont.com): Built to resemble Noah's Ark, this affordable wooden lodge has picture windows and wooden decks overlooking a lively water hole that's floodlit at night and is popular with elephants and many other forest animals.
Mount Kenya Safari Club (Mount Kenya, east of Nanyuki; tel. 020/216-940; www.fairmont.com): Once an illustrious club founded by American actor William Holden, this property has 115 villas and cottages lying across 40ha (100 acres) of landscaped gardens backed by forest on the lower slopes of Mount Kenya. Activities include golf, croquet, horseback riding, and day trips to the national parks; you can finish your day with a nine-course dinner.
Lewa Safari Camp (Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Laikipia Plateau, north of Nanyuki; www.lewasafaricamp.com): Located on the Laikipia Plateau, Kenya's new hot-spot region for game watching is where previous cattle ranches are restocking their land with game. Lewa is home to the Big Five, and you can expect to see just as much game here as in the formal parks and reserves. Accommodations are in permanent en-suite tents, and there's a water hole that attracts elephants and rhinos.
Sweetwaters Tented Camp (Laikipia Plateau, west of Nanyuki: tel. 062/31970; www.serenahotels.com): This apparently has the highest ratio of game-to-land in Kenya, and is not only home to the Big Five but also has the largest rhino breeding colony in East Africa, plus a sanctuary for chimpanzees that were rescued from Burundi. The 30 luxury tents overlook a water hole.
Finch Hatton's (Tsavo West National Park; tel. 020/553-237 or 553-238; www.finchhattons.com): This is an award-winning luxury camp that oozes atmosphere and is named after Finch Hatton, an early-20th-century explorer. His legacy is a library of historic books, his favorite Mozart played on a gramophone, and antique furnishings. The tents have spacious terraces with daybeds.
Elephant Watch Safari Camp (Samburu National Reserve; tel. 020/891-112; www.elephantwatchsafaris.com): Sleeping only 10 guests, this naturally constructed camp decorated with homemade furniture and colorful cloth is run by elephant conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who has played a leading role in stopping elephant poaching in Kenya. Elephants are always nearby, game drives are available, and you can meet strikingly dressed Samburu warriors.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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