ABOUT ENCOUNTER MARA The conservancy is known for its prolific wildlife and award-winning sustainability model that balances the needs of local communities, wildlife and tourism. It has an even higher density of animals than the neighboring Masai Mara National Reserve and one of the world’s most concentrated lion populations.

From the camp’s outdoor viewing deck, guests can watch zebras amble to the nearby saltlick, see a giraffe strut right past camp, glimpse a mongoose running down the path right in front of you or even spot a cheetah prowling the plains. Over sundowners around the campfire, listen for lions calling to each other as they start their night of hunting. From Encounter Mara, guests can go on nature walks around camp, or soar across the plains in a hot-air balloon.

Rooms Encounter Mara offers 10 spacious and comfortable tents, all with en suite bathrooms with double vanity basins, flushing toilets and hot-water bucket showers. Spend lazy afternoons on your tent’s shaded veranda, chilling on your daybed with a good book or just enjoying the Mara views.

Located in the southwest of Kenya, the 20,234-hectare Mara Naboisho Conservancy sits alongside the famous Masai Mara National Reserve. Not only does the conservancy have the benefit of being private (with just eight camps sharing the land), but it also has a higher density of wildlife than the busy Masai Mara National Reserve. There are a particularly high number of lions and you’ll also spot other animals like giraffes, elephants and Zebras. While the adjacent Masai Mara National Reserve is known for being on the route of the Great Migration, the Mara Naboisho Conservancy has its own ‘secret’ version: The Loita Migration sees thousands of wildebeest and zebras travelling through the conservancy to Loita Plains.