Leading conservation organisation Great Plains has announced new sensational safari accommodation in two different camps opening this summer.
The brand-new Mara Toto Camp will open its doors to guests in May 2021. Meaning “baby” in Swahili, Mara Toto Camp will be located 2km away from big sister Mara Plains Camp, which is also scheduled to re-open in June 2021, after a full camp refurbishment, including the introduction of a new private honeymoon suite. The eagerly anticipated Mara Jahazi Suite will include a private game drive vehicle, guide, butler and chef.
Located along the Ntiakitiak River banks on the border of the Maasai Mara Reserve, the new Mara Toto Camp is hidden in the forest, offering guests privacy and game-viewing opportunities with access to both the Maasai Mara Reserve and the adjacent Mara North Private Conservancy. Designed by Beverly Joubert, the new camp will boast tranquil blue coloured interiors with leather and canvas touches harmoniously blending a feeling of comfort and adventure. Accommodating up to eight people, Mara Toto Camp will consist of four canvas tents with spacious brass baths, along with a communal relaxation area, and indoor and outdoor dining options.
Situated in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Mara Plains Camp, will re-open to guests after undergoing a full camp refurbishment. Located upriver from its sister camp, the refreshed Mara Plains camp is completely elevated on high-rise decks and will now offer couples a brand-new honeymoon suite on a peninsula island. The new Honeymoon Suite can only be accessed via suspension bridge offering couples their own oasis of exclusivity and privacy. Designed by Great Plains CEO and co-founder Dereck Joubert, the new honeymoon suite at Mara Plains will have large wooden Swahili doors, paying homage to East Africa’s essence. The spacious open-plan design and décor of the honeymoon suite, designed by Beverly Joubert, will have a colonial influence with wooden floors, big antique brass chandeliers from the original South African Blue Train, red-hued interiors and fine brass furnishings, offering an elegant yet comfortable atmosphere that complements the abundant surrounding wilderness.
Mara Plains will also introduce the Jahazi Suite, a new private 2-bedroom villa featuring big wooden Zanzibar doors, large teak Mahogany desks and exquisite luxurious red coloured interiors. The spacious open-plan villa residence consists of a two-bedroom suite, shared lounge and dining area including the services of a private game drive vehicle, guide and chef.
All Great Plains properties are solar-powered. A local sapling is planted for every guest that stays at a Great Plains Kenya camp as part of the Great Plains Foundation’s Replacement of Shade Programme; a sustainable travel initiative that aims to restore indigenous trees to Kenya’s vast landscape.
“That allure of safari started in East Africa, and our plans this year are to expand our offering in Kenya, but to do it with an eye to that original East African safari with a greatly improved standard,” says Dereck Joubert, CEO of Great Plains. “I’ve always felt that our guests want to come to Africa to see wildlife, and experience that spirit of the continent – to be seduced by its romance and warmth of our communities.”
