Bucket List:
Life is all about experiences. Specifically, with good planning and sound recommendations the chance of having only good experiences improves. Planning starts with a list of places to see and events to witness, a Bucket List of sorts. Whether you have a formal or informal list I bet it includes visiting Africa and going on an African Safari. The number of camps and organizations promoting their African Safari Experiences, however, is staggering. We were lucky in that we have good friends that have safaried in Africa several times. They told us what to look for, where to stay and what to avoid. As a result we selected the Best Safari Camp in East Africa.
The Best Safari Camp in East Africa:
The Governor’s Camps have four separate locations with seven individual camps. The Masai Mara, the Great Rift and Laikipia are each in Kenya. Their Camp at Volcanoes National Park is in Rwanda. Getting to each of these camps is relatively easy from the East Coast of the U.S. because Emirates Airlines has daily non-stop flights from NYC, JFK airport, to Nairobi, Kenya. Secondly, the next leg to the Masai Mara is on one of the Governors Aviation’s daily flights. Governors has four camps in the Masai Mara, each alongside the Mara River, near where the great migration crosses. Of the four location we chose Il Moran Camp.
Classic Safari Experience:
Il Moran provides the classic African Safari experience. This camp is for those travelers seeking a very special safari camp experience with superb personal service. Firstly, it has just ten canvas guest tents, each for two guests. Secondly, they are on the winding banks overlooking the Mara River. Thirdly, the entire camp is hidden under old growth trees deep in the forest where the main camp meeting tent has dark wooden tables and oversized brightly colored couches and chairs. Another raised wooden deck is for the main galley and dining tent. Drinks are served during the early evening to guests in comfortable chairs around a big conversation fire pit. Hippos can be seen in the Mara River below. Wart hogs wander the camp area all during the day. Animal sounds come from the not too distant forest. Hippo snorting will lull you to sleep each night.
Personal All Day Safari:
Game drives in Landcruiser safari vehicles are available either for either half days or full day excursions. If you opt for the full day safaris, as we did, packed meals are provided for lunch on the savannah. We started each day with a full breakfast and fresh brewed coffee. Then we then met our driver/guide at 7:15am and set out for an incredible adventure, not returning to base camp until 5:30pm each day.
Mugie Conservancy on the Laikipia Plateau:
We are planning our next adventure with Governors Camps to split our stay between Laikipia and the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge with the latter location for only three days. Laikipia is very different than the Masai Mara. It is in northwestern Kenya. Kenya is developing community grazing programs and community empowerment projects ensure the survival of rare animal species such as Grevy’s zebra, Jackson’s Hartebeest and Reticulated Giraffe. Half of Kenya’s 600 black rhino population is also located here.
Gorillas of the Mist:
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is located in the foothills of a mountain chain of volcanoes, some 15,000 feet high. The Lodge is is about 3 miles from the main entrance to the Volcanoes National Park in Northwest Rwanda where each morning gorilla trek are conducted. The Lodge is a perfect base from which to explore this unique and fascinating corner of Africa. Rwanda is one of the world’s finest adventure and ecotourism destinations. The mountain gorillas are every bit as awe inspiring as ever, as are the elephants of Akagera and the chimpanzees and monkeys of Nyungwe.
