What to expect when camping in the Maasai Mara.
Can I camp in the Maasai Mara?
For many years the Maasai Mara has been a hub for wildlife tourism, with travelers from across the world paying a pretty penny to stay in luxury camps and lodges. Where their every whim is catered for and they can enjoy wildlife through champagne tinted glasses. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s a fantastic way of experiencing the Mara, but it’s by no means the only way.
So, if you are on a budget, you’re a keen off-road driver or you want to experience wild Africa on a much more intimate level then maybe it’s time to consider self-service camping.
Self-service camping is exactly what it says on the tin. It’s you, your kit and the wilderness. If you want to see what we recommend bringing when camping, click here, but essentially the main ingredients are a capable off-road car, a tent and food and water.
Once you have the kit, the next thing is to find a place to camp. Obviously you can’t just pick a tree and pitch a tent. However, the Maasai Mara hosts a selection of amazing self-service camping spots which offer various degrees of wilderness and additional services. At Tor’s Campsite, we are situated in the National Reserve and the lions and hyenas will definitely let you know you are in the heart of the wild, once they start calling at night. Tor’s also offers charging points, hot showers and a few other added amenities to make your stay a little more comfortable.
Where to pitch your tents in the Maasai Mara?
The first thing to do when setting up camp is pitch your tent. I like to use the mnemonic: Should Probably Find First or SPFF.
S for Shade. Depending on how long you like to sleep in, keeping your tent in the shade is a great way of keeping it cool. This could be important if you want a midday nap, and don’t fancy doing it in a canvas oven. Luckily, at Tor’s Campsite there is plenty of shade in the riverine forest to keep your tent nice and cool.
P for Path. It’s always good to have a clear path to your tent, this means keeping it clear of guide ropes and other potential trip hazards. More importantly, if you are camping by a river in the Mara you should keep your tent off game paths, especially a hippo path. Hippos will come out at night to graze and will follow a well-trodden track to reach the best grazing spots. For obvious reasons I would avoid putting a camp on top of (or near) these paths.
F for Flat. To ensure a great night sleep find somewhere flat, after your tent is set up and before its pegged down, lie down inside and see if the ground is completely flat. Noone likes to have a crooked back in the morning.
F for Fire. In my opinion the fire is the best part of the campsite. Where you lose yourself gazing at the dancing flames. It can also offer a little more safety as many animals have learnt to avoid a fire. Although not completely necessary, if you want to feel a little bit safer, keep your tent close to the fire. Having said that, many tents are made from flammable materials so don’t plunk it down right next to the fire in case a stray spark blows in the wind.
Can I camp with wild animals in the Maasai Mara?
We must admit, the fact that it’s you in a tent, in perhaps the most wild place on Earth, home to some of the world’s most dangerous and impressive animals, is the most fun part of self-service camping in the Mara.
When you are sleeping at night you will undoubtedly hear lots of animals sounds. Whether it be lion’s roaring, hyena’s whooping or an elephant’s rumbling. Each one is impressive and a little intimidating. Sometimes you may have an animal close to your tent, either munching away at some grass or making its way through your camp. Always the best thing to do is stay in your tent! Make sure you are properly zipped up, lie back and enjoy the oldest orchestra in the world. And try not to think about how thin your tent fabric actually is!
Nearly all animals in the Mara have learned to avoid humans, so the likelihood is if you are talking around the campfire all animals will avoid you, you don’t need to worry about hippos and rhinos storming in and trampling out fires, that’s an old myth and not based in fact. Having said that, walking around at night is definitely not recommended and you should try and stick by your fire and tents.
There are still some animals you should watch out for. Many baboons have learned that humans often have tasty scraps left over. Therefore its best to keep your dirty dishes and food stuff securely locked up, unless you want baboons running away with them. This isn’t as important at night, as baboons will be securely sleeping in a tree but that’s when hyena might come sniffing around your camp. Not looking for you, but for your food!
What to do in the day in the Maasai Mara?
As the Maasai Mara is very close to the equator its days act like clockwork, the sun rises at 6:30am and sets at 6:30pm. As many predators are active at night, if you want to see the big cats in action its best to rise with the sun and set off early on your game drive. As Tor’s Campsite is in the reserve and situated in a well-known leopard haunt, you can immediately be on a game drive and seeing the big cats in action.
Packing a breakfast for the road means you can make the most of those cool early hours to see all the wildlife you can. Midday to 4pm can be the hottest time of the day and is often when you see the cats napping in the shade. This is a great time to head back to the campsite for lunch, a quick nap in your cool tent and a shower. At around 4pm, when it’s a little cooler and the animals start to get active again, pack your gin, tonic and cold beer and head out for an afternoons game drive. Find a nice tree and soak in the beautiful sunset over the African savannah and think about how lucky you are!
Then it’s time to head back to the campsite, get the fire and BBQ going, crack open your fourth (or is it fifth?) beer, trade campfire stories before going to sleep to the sounds of the wild. Wake up and do it all again.
I hope this article on what to expect when self-service camping in the Maasai Mara has helped. As long as you remember what you Should Probably Find First, avoid leaving things out for cheeky baboons, and to make the most of the day then you will have an extraordinary self-service camping experience!
