Main Governors’ Camp

Few camps can claim neighbours as famous as the Marsh Pride. Main Governors’ Camp in the Masai Mara sits beside Musiara Marsh, the home ground of the lions whose lives Big Cat Diary and the BBC’s Dynasties have followed for decades. Little wonder wildlife filmmakers and photographers have long made this their base.

The camp is deliberately unfenced, so the wild doesn’t stop at the edge of your tent. Elephants wander across the lawns, hippos graze beside the canvas after dark, and the river below is busy with crocodiles and birdlife. Game drives run up to three times a day with experienced guides, and with the marsh and plains close by, you’ll spend less time driving and more time watching.

Governors’ Camp opened in 1972 as Africa’s first permanent luxury tented camp and has never moved from its original site. That long history shows in the easy rhythm of camp life. Lunch is served on the lawn beneath the forest canopy, sundowners are poured on the bar deck above the river, and the camp now runs entirely on solar power. House wines, beers and standard spirits are included, and the spa tent is ideal after a long morning in the field.

ACCOMMODATION

Governors’ Camp has 25 canvas tents, each with an en suite bathroom and private verandah. The 16 classic tents line the Mara River, so the grunts of hippos are often the last thing you hear at night. Eight larger family tents look out over the plains, keeping little ones close. For something more spacious, the Justus Suite sits at the far end of the riverbank. Tents have charging points and Wi-Fi, and Kenyan-made Cinnabar Green toiletries come in refillable canisters. Morning tea or coffee arrives with your wake-up call.