Kichwa Tembo Camp
traditional Camp | Maasai Mara Nat'l Reserve, Kenya
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For a classic safari experience with a chance to see the Big Five and, depending on the season, a front-row view of the Great Migration, look no farther than Kichwa Tembo. One of Kenya’s best-loved tented camps, Kichwa Tembo is located in the remote northwest corner of the Maasai Mara Reserve, the very location where Out of Africa was filmed. That vintage ambience lives on at Kichwa Tembo today.
Our Expert Says
Kichwa Tembo is located on one of Kenya’s most prolific migration routes. Here you'll not only have the opportunity to view the annual Great Migration (in season), one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife experiences, but also to explore the vast savanna and woodlands that offer amazing wildlife sightings, including the Big Five.
– Megan Bryant
The Camp
Location: Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Number of Tents: 40
Kichwa Tembo enjoys a rare location within a private concession leased from the local Maasai community. Safari-goers in the region are almost exclusively the fly-in guests of the camp, and it is therefore much less crowded than the eastern part of the Mara. Views of the savanna and forest wooded are superb, and tents are positioned to take full advantage. Forty Hemingway-style tents include 28 classic safari tents and 12 luxury tents, all with two extra-long individual beds and en suite bathrooms with shower, hand basin and toilet. Classic safari interiors are illuminated by lantern light. To ensure privacy, each tent sits at least 25 feet from its neighbor. The thatched main areas include a sitting area, candlelit bar, and indoor and outdoor dining areas. A gift shop sells African art and safari wear. From the large swimming pool set among the trees, it’s possible to enjoy great wildlife viewing!
Facilities & Amenities
- En suite bathroom with shower
- Hair dryer
- 220v charging outlets in room
- In-room safe
- Central pool
- In-room massage (extra cost)
- Wi-Fi in room and main area
- Laundry (extra cost)
- Credit cards accepted (Visa and MasterCard)
Wildlife Viewing & Activities
Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp sits on the edge of a riparian forest overlooking the sprawling plains of the Maasai Mara, home to the densest concentration of large mammals anywhere on earth. Here in this remote western section of the Mara, the climax of the Great Migration occurs each year as hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra arrive from the Serengeti to complete their annual circle. The camp lies directly in the path of the migration between July and October. Yet wildlife viewing is superb here year-round. Elephant, buffalo and giraffe are prolific, while lion and leopard are frequently seen in pursuit of hoofed game. Endangered black rhino find shelter in dense thickets, while hippo and crocodile crowd the Mara River. The Mara is also home to 450 bird species. Choose among day and night wildlife drives, guided bush walks and Maasai community visits. A hot air balloon safari is an exciting option (extra cost).
The Maasai Mara is home to an abundance of resident wildlife year-round. The great migration of nearly two million wildebeest and zebra is at its peak between late July and early October, while the local Loita wildebeest migration typically arrives in June. Other typical sightings may include a number of antelopes, endemic birds and reptiles. Exact sightings will depend on rain patterns and wildlife movements.
| Country | Park/Reserve |
Black Rhino
|
Buffalo
|
Cheetah
|
Eland
|
Elephant
|
Giraffe
|
Hippo
|
Hyena
|
Leopard
|
Lion
|
Wildebeest
|
Zebra
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | Maasai Mara Nat'l Reserve |
| Usually viewed | Frequently viewed | Occasionally viewed | Sporadically viewed | Rarely to never viewed |
Climate
| Month | Max | Min | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 75° F | 55° F | 0.55 in |
| 23° C | 12° C | 14 mm | |
| February | 79° F | 54° F | 1.65 in |
| 26° C | 12° C | 42 mm | |
| March | 79° F | 55° F | 2.87 in |
| 26° C | 12° C | 73 mm | |
| April | 77° F | 59° F | 5.0 in |
| 25° C | 15° C | 127 mm | |
| May | 75° F | 57° F | 5.98 in |
| 23° C | 13° C | 152 mm | |
| June | 72° F | 54° F | 4.25 in |
| 22° C | 12° C | 108 mm | |
| July | 73° F | 54° F | 5.55 in |
| 22° C | 12° C | 141 mm | |
| August | 73° F | 54° F | 6.42 in |
| 22° C | 12° C | 163 mm | |
| September | 77° F | 55° F | 4.09 in |
| 25° C | 12° C | 104 mm | |
| October | 79° F | 57° F | 3.31 in |
| 26° C | 13° C | 84 mm | |
| November | 73° F | 57° F | 2.2 in |
| 22° C | 13° C | 56 mm | |
| December | 73° F | 54° F | 1.1 in |
| 22° C | 12° C | 28 mm |
Conservation
Ecotourism is vital for the future of wildlife conservation in Africa and the associated prosperity of its people. Some estimates predict that over the next decade, tourism will become the single biggest contributor to sub-Saharan African GDP, and the greatest creator of sustainable jobs on the continent. Kichwa Tembo Camp strives to protect threatened ecosystems, endangered species and the diversity of its proximate wilderness area through responsible low-impact, high-yield luxury adventure tourism. The camp’s core values are 'Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People.' By involving local community members in the camp’s work, the camp places an economic emphasis on conservation and wilderness preservation, allowing local communities to benefit by partnering with Kichwa Tembo to ensure that wild spaces in Kenya enjoy a bright future.
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