General questions
At the foothills of Oldonyo Loip Hill, approximately 10 minutes from the Ol Kiombo barrier gate also called as Mpuaai Gate and 15 minutes from Talek gate ideally and centrally located with accessibility on both northern and southern side of Masai Mara for safari.
- 24 hrs power supply (solar powered)
- Multi adapter charging sockets.
- Hot water showers
- Mineral water in bottles
- Solar powered torches cum bed light
- Study lamp, study table and chair
- Open wardrobes and luggage tables
- Towels
- Handwash, shower gel and shampoo
- Outside deck chairs
- Umbrella
- Camp info sheet
WiFi access is provided in the lounge area. But we recommend the guest to unwind and detox from the technology world and be with wild nature of Africa. 🙂
Essentials recommended to pack:
- Lockable soft bags recommended, each with maximum 15 kilos per person as allowed in most internal flights.
- Comfortable shoes. Flip flop
- Trousers, Safari shorts, Long & Short sleeved shirts/ t-shirts, Jacket, Sweater
- Refillable water bottles
- Hat or Cap
- Sunglasses
- Binoculars
- Chargers for Cellphone, Cameras or Laptops
- Extra camera batteries
- Insect repellant
- Prescription drugs from your doctor and essential medicines.
- Binoculars are highly recommended and makes the safari experience rich. Please bring on your own.
- Cash in USD/mpesa or KES for safari driver/guides tips, it is recommended atleast 25 USD a day for each vehicle. Staff tips can be put in the common staff tip box at the camp.
Travel Documents:
- Passport with Visa entries and enough pages for stamping
- International & Local Flight Tickets
- Cash in USD, above 2009 issuance year
- Credit Card – Visa or Mastercard, recommended
- Yellow fever vaccination certificates.
Our camp is electric fenced and hence at night, you can walk safely to the dining and lounge area. However, we are in wilderness area hence you will also be escorted by our Masai guards who constantly patrol in the night.
We offer Continental and Indian food cuisines and also cater to vegetarians, non vegetarians and vegan according to your dietary needs. During morning game drives we offer packed breakfast so that the guests can enjoy being on the safari for a longer time, if they need.
Solar Energy: The camp’s entire power system is run on solar energy. The torch lamps in your tents are also solar powered. You can leave the torch on the patio to charge during the day.
We try to avoid the usage of plastics as much as possible. We provide water in reusable water bottles and our packed breakfast is all in reusable containers.
We have planted a lot of indigenous trees at the camp and also have a vegetable garden for fresh produce.
Yes we can arrange game drives in landcruiser safari vehicles with knowledgeable English speaking driver cum guide and customize your safari package depending on the number of nights stay at Mara Siligi.
Yes we can book domestic flights to reach Masai Mara. Your guide will welcome you at the airstrip and usher you to the camp. We can also arrange airport pick and drop from the Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Nairobi and road transportation to Masai Mara.
Masai Mara can be visited any time during the year. It is an overall experience for its stunning landscapes, beautiful sunrise and sunsets, big cats action, and plenty of birdlife and wildlife around.
Every season offers a different experience.
The wildebeest migration season is usually between July- October.
After the migration season is over, the green season also offers various photo opportunities
- We kindly request you to switch lights off whenever you leave your tent.
- Keep the tent zipped at all times – We are in the wild
- Heavy appliances like electric hair dryers or electric shavers not allowed to be used at the camp as you are in a solar powered eco camp.
- Room service is not available for food and beverages
- Please avoid washing clothes in the tent and use Laundry service as water is scarce and precious.
- Do not dispose any sanitary towels in the flush toilet. Sanitary bag will be provided on request.
- Please flush sparingly because every flush uses 12 liters of water. Let us save water.
- Please leave your laundry items in the tent (big basket). For cultural concerns, please avoid putting the undergarments for laundry.
- Please leave the solar torch on the patio to be charged during the day.
- Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks are available at the camp. If you bring your own alcohol, corkage fees would be applied.
- Smoking allowed in public areas but Shisha/Hookah is not permitted by law in Kenya. You can smoke outside your tent and designated areas at the camp. Ashtray would be provided. Any other drugs and substances consumed at the camp is prohibited.
- Fireworks are strictly prohibited.
- We are in wilderness with wildlife and Masai community around. So kindly be mindful and respectful of the surroundings.
DO’S & DONT’S DURING SAFARIS
KEEP QUIET and Do not frighten or harass the animals – Loud noises tend to scare and disturb wild animals in nature and make them scamper away. Therefore, it wise so speak softly and avoid making startling noises on game drives and walks. It is also a good idea to not make sudden movements, which can have the same effect.
Never get in the way of hunting animals – If a hunt looks like it is about to happen or is happening do not get in between the predator and prey. Your guide will pull back to a safe distance after the prey is caught you can approach slowly.
Do not get out of the car unless you are having a picnic stop – If you do stop then do not wander to far away because your driver has to know where you are at all times.
Do not sit or stand on top of the vehicle – While animals do not recognise humans inside the vehicle when you are no top of the car they can see a human and as a result can change their behaviour it can also be dangerous for obvious reasons.
Do not use flashes or any artificial lighting on the animal in the park – This can be harmful to their eyes and can result is serious damage.
Do not use GPS tracking on the photos of the animals especially rhinos or any other endangered animals
Do not position in front of another vehicles line of sight of the animal – You don’t want to ruin another person’s photo or experience with the animal.
Keep your litter in the vehicle and DO NOT throw any rubbish outside into the park under any circumstances – This not only destroys the natural beauty of the park but also endangers the animal for they might mistake any plastic for food.
Do not feed the animals. There are two reasons why safari travellers should never do this. One, wild animals can become aggressive if they start associating food with human beings. Two, the animals that you feed can become ill. A lot of the foods that humans eat can be toxic, and even deadly, to animals.
When a potential wildebeest crossing is happening stay back and away from the river – All drivers are instructed to stay away from the river until the crossing has started. Please note that drones and beetle cams are prohibited without special permission.
Activity
- Nature walk and visit our tree nursery. Plant a tree and contribute to the environment. (USD 5/- per tree sapling)
- Safari massage with our in house masseuse (USD 40/- per 1 hour)
- Dedicated workspace to catch up after safari and also look at your photographs and process them at leisure sipping a drink 🙂
- A library for book readers
Facilities
- Drinking water: 2 Refillable bottles for drinking water are provided. We bring in our clean drinking water in big containers. Of course, the bottles are thoroughly cleaned before refilling and hence completely safe for you to drink.
- Internet: WIFI is provided only in the lounge area. We have no internet in the tents. We would love you to disconnect & enjoy Digital De-tox in the wild J
- Lounge: If you are a book lover, we have some books and games for entertainment at the lounge area. Charging sockets are provided for charging cameras and other electronic devices.
- Lighting: Adequate charging sockets (universal adapters) and lights (with 3 color option white, yellow or off white) are available in your tent, and yes, they run completely on solar power.
- Laundry: Available at a small fee of USD 2/- per item. We did tell you; water is scarce in the Mara. Weather permitting it will be returned the same day after washing.
- Towels: Towel change is provided once a day. If you want to re-use, kindly place them on the towel hangers. Of course, we encourage you to use your towel more than once to do your little bit to save water.
- Tap water: This is safe for brushing and bath but not to be used for drinking.
- Umbrella/ Torch: Every tent has an umbrella and a solar torch for each person.
- Warm water for Shower: After a day long safari, enjoy your warm shower in the evening and in the morning. For warm water during lunch time, please inform the housekeeper 30 minutes in advance to heat and be prepared. We provide a bucket for you to save the cold water for housekeeping purposes before the water gets hot which may take few minutes. Shower gel and shampoo are provided.
- Bar: Enjoy the beers, wines, gin, whisky and vodka and other non-alcoholic sodas relaxing at the lounge.
- Bonfire: A cozy bonfire when the night sky spreads its starry blanket will make a fantastic end to your day after the safari. You can relive the day’s memory while sipping your drink and nibbles.
- Safari Massage: Full body muscle stretch massage to relax your entire body after a long game drive at an extra cost. Book in advance for a 1-hour massage in advance.
Timings: 10 am – 7 pm
Deep tissue massage – USD 30/- for 1 hour
Feet Massage – USD 15/- for 30 minutes
Back, neck and shoulder massage – USD 15/- for 30 minutes
- Nature walk: The Mara is more than just the animals. With our in-house Naturalist, enjoy learning about its flora around the camp and also visit our tree nursery. Well, if you wish to plant a tree sapling, we would love you to donate for the environment at USD 5/- per tree sapling.
- Photography lounge/ Workspace: A dedicated workspace – conference table with charging sockets, chairs, to catch up on some work if needed or processing your wildlife images after safari. A projector and screen to showcase your work to your group
We live in a natural air conditioning place. Neither heaters, nor ACs.
Weather overview
- January – February: this is the dry spell between the short and long rainy season, with only an incidental rain shower.
- March – May: this is the long rainy season with April being the wettest month. You don’t have to worry about it raining all day long, but it does rain regularly. Safari trails can get a little slippery. Early morning game drives are slightly now with average temperatures of 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit).
- June – August: the average daytime temperature is around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). Nighttime lows are around 10 degrees Celsius and (50 degrees Fahrenheit). It’s generally sunny and dry, with only an incidental rain shower.
- September – October: this time of year you can expect occasional rain showers, but it’s mostly dry. Daytime temperatures in October are slightly higher at 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit). It can be slightly cooler after rain. Early morning game drives can be chilly at around twelve degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit).
- November – December: this is the lighter of the two rainy seasons. Expect short rain showers during these two months. Average afternoon temperatures are approximately 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit).