The newest luxury safari camp in Kenya's Maasai Mara and the latest edition to Sir Richard Branson's collection of private retreats - Virgin Limited Edition - officially opened its flaps on August 1. The 12 tented suites, which accommodate up to 24 guests, are located on the edge of a valley, with views over the rolling plains of the Motorogi Conservancy. The conservancy is a vast area of land owned by the Maasai people and bordered by the Maasai Mara National Reserve to the north.
Mahali Mzuri is one of a handful of safari camps that pay the Maasai landowners to operate within the conservancies, entry to which is strictly limited. A benefit of visiting a conservancy, therefore, is that you're able to avoid the scrum of 4WD Land Cruisers that surround the wildlife elsewhere in the Maasai Mara.
The tented suites look like futuristic gazebos. Each is spacious and decorated with high-quality furnishings. They have all the mod cons you'd expect to find in a lavish city boutique hotel, including en-suite bathrooms with romantic claw-foot baths. Outdoor decks are furnished with comfortable sofas, from which you can take in sweeping views of the valley below and, if you're lucky, a parade of wildlife. There are telephones and high-speed Wi-fi connections in each tent.
Surprisingly, the tented structures blend in well with the surroundings (pictured). Virgin has helped make the property welcome by providing the conservancy's Maasai with a new well, a new school and employment opportunities. At the camp, state-of-the-art conservation initiatives, such as a system that recycles water, a tree-planting programme and a waste-management system, are in place.
Daily game drives in the morning and afternoon are part of the package. Within day-trip range is the Maasai Mara National Reserve, through which occurs the annual Great Migration: a 1,600-kilometre round trip between Tanzania and the Maasai Mara involving up to two million animals, mainly wildebeest and zebras. Be warned, though: it's a long journey to the river crossing and the roads are extremely bumpy. Back at camp, an infinity pool (pictured) at the edge of the escarpment allows guests to cool off while enjoying a ringside view of the valley below, and there is also a spa.
It's a bit of both. If spotting wildlife from a distance with a glass of Moet in hand (champagne is included in the tariff) sounds like your idea of going on safari, then you won't be disappointed. The open vehicles used for game drives are brand new and as comfortable as any you'll find elsewhere. The game drive experience, however, depends on the skill of the guide and his ability to pinpoint the whereabouts of a dwindling number of wild animals. Some guests seemed thrilled with their game drives while others are disappointed. I found our guide to be lacking in knowledge and enthusiasm.