Mara Plains sits on a bend of the Ntiakitiak River in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, on the northern edge of the Maasai Mara reserve. The conservancy model is the point: strict limits on beds and vehicles mean the big-cat viewing rivals the reserve’s, with a fraction of the traffic — and off-road driving and night drives are allowed.
This is Great Plains’ flagship — tented suites in copper and leather, and professional camera equipment for guests’ use, which tells you who it attracts. Lease fees support hundreds of Maasai landowner families, so the exclusivity funds the conservation.
Our conservancy answer to the Mara crowds — big-cat country shared with a handful of vehicles instead of a hundred. We time it to the crossings a short drive away.
— Evance & JenniferYou never pay more than booking direct — usually less. And everything around the lodge is handled.
As a trade partner we access preferred rates and seasonal offers the lodge doesn’t always publish — you’ll never pay more than booking direct. And a lodge can only sell you its own beds; we build the journey around it: international flights, the right nights, and where you go next.
A private car waiting at the airport, light-aircraft hops timed to your route, and a guide who already knows your name. Book direct and the gaps between camps become your problem; book with us and there are none.
We know the Mara’s conservancies camp by camp — how Olare Motorogi’s cat viewing compares with Naboisho and Mara North, and when the migration spills into the conservancy — so your dates land you in the right corner of the Mara.
A missed flight, a weather delay, a change of heart mid-trip — you contact one person, and we re-arrange everything behind the scenes. The lodge looks after you on property; we look after the whole journey.
Evance & Jenny were always ready to assist while on our vacation… we felt at home.
Low vehicle limits and off-road freedom on the reserve’s quietest boundary — leopard and lion viewing that photographers plan whole trips around.
Professional camera bodies and long lenses are available for guests — a Great Plains signature.
Forbidden inside the reserve, standard in the conservancy — a second safari after dark.
Conservancy lease fees flow directly to Maasai landowner families — exclusivity with a purpose.
In season, the herds and their river crossings are a short drive south into the reserve proper.
Off-road positioning, night drives, low traffic and pro camera kit on the house.
Olare Motorogi’s lion and leopard density is among the best in the entire Mara ecosystem.
August–October puts the crossings within a morning’s drive, with a quiet camp to return to.
Your stay directly funds one of Kenya’s most successful community conservancies.
July–October for the migration next door; the conservancy’s resident cats are superb year-round. April–May are the long rains.
3–4 nights — conservancy freedoms reward the longer stay.
The Mara anchor of a Kenya circuit: Nairobi → Laikipia or Amboseli → Mara Plains.
The full Kenya picture — Mara, Amboseli, Laikipia and how they fit together.
Explore Kenya Safari →Where the herds are in your month, and how to place your camp for the crossings.
Explore The Great Migration →Big tuskers under Kilimanjaro — the classic pairing with the Mara.
Explore Amboseli →Tell us when you want to go and what matters most to you — the animals, the food, the quiet. We’ll design your private, bespoke luxury Kenya safari around Mara Plains Camp and take care of everything in between. No pressure, ever.
Plan your safari