Web Administrator's Note: Bill has mentioned Naboisho Camp and Naboisho Conservancy in his newsletter, and some content was presented in his most recent blog post. This blog post goes more in depth and includes photos and a full on review of Naboisho Camp.
My latest exploration found me at the new Naboisho Camp as the final touches were coming together on camp construction a couple days prior to arrival of the first guests.
Naboisho Camp guest tent being decorated.
© Bill Given
Naboisho Conservancy Area
Naboisho Conservancy (50,000 acres) is the latest Conservancy in the growing conservation model where individual Maasai land owners are paid a monthly lease fee by safari camps. In turn the Maasai agree to reduce their livestock grazing in the area and new high quality wildlife habitat becomes available. As a result, Mara North Conservancy along with Olare Orok conservancy have both had unbelievably good big cat game viewing. All this with much lower crowds than are typically witnessed within the Mara Reserve. Naboisho Conservancy is in close proximity to Olare Orok and Mara North Conservancy - I therefore expect similarly fantastic game viewing.
Growing cheetah cub that I saw with its mom and sibling just out from Naboisho Camp.
© Bill Given
Game Counts
Big cats already have a strong presence around Naboisho Camp. Naboisho Conservancy boasts documented big cat counts of 60 lions, 12 cheetah (including 5 cubs), and 5 leopard. On the large open plain outside of Naboisho Camp we witnessed a mother cheetah with two cubs. Also on the plain were zebra, wildebest, topi, Thomson gazelles, and at least 20 giraffes. The Naboisho Conservancy is showing all the signs of being a great game viewing location.
Naboisho Camp
The tents are lovely large Meru tents with nice appointments. The highlight is the use of local rocks, painstakingly stacked together by local craftsman forming amazing walls for outdoor showers attached to the back of the tents. The use of rock gives the camp a unique flare that I have never seen at a tented camp. Naboisho Camp consists of 8 tents with the option of being twins, doubles, or triples. The tents are well spaced apart for privacy and feature flush toilet, double sink hand basins, and a traditional bucket shower.
There is a central lounge and dining area that will have a central charging facility and be stocked with books and games.
Arduous task of building the rock wall for an outdoor shower.
©Bill Given
The first tent to be almost ready for guests.
© Bill Given
The Rekero Effect
Naboisho Camp is a project by the same principals that have operated the famed Rekero Camp inside the Masai Mara Reserve for years, in concert with their new parent company, Asilia Africa. In fact the former Rekero managers Jono and Dudu are now the managers at Naboisho. Likewise, the Rekero guiding team, under the supervision of renowned guide Jackson Looseyia is expanding to serve Naboisho as well.
Unlike many new camps this makes it quite easy to predict the experience. It will be very similar to being at Rekero Camp of old with outstanding guiding and a focus on a well serviced but simple traditional safari.
Of course the new tents are larger and an upgrade from the current Rekero Camp and there are some distinct advantages of being in the Naboisho Conservancy as opposed to inside the Mara Reserve. Key advantages include:
- low density game viewing free of the crowds that often plague the Masai Mara
- ability to drive off road for sightings, walking, and night drives
Unfortunately, unlike most conservancy based camps Naboisho will use their Rekero style closed vehicles. They are nice in inclement weather but I prefer to game view and photograph from an open-sided vehicle.
Rekero Camp and Naboisho Camp can complement one another on a safari.
Photo courtesy of Asilia Africa.
Naboisho Camp is a full hour and a half from reaching river crossings so it does make good sense to combine 2 nights at Rekero to focus on the action inside the Mara Reserve if seeing migration crossings is important. Ideally 3 or more nights would then be at Naboisho to deliver the higher quality Conservancy experience. Outside of the Migration time (August through October) it could still be a great combination but I’d also consider staying all at Naboisho on shorter itineraries and even combine it with another Conservancy camp like Mara Plains, Offbeat Mara or Serian for a serious big cat focus.
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