Saruni Eagle View

OVERVIEW:

Saruni Eagle View occupies a stunning hillside position with majestic views of the Maasai Mara’s 20,000-hectare Naboisho Conservancy. Located in one of Africa’s most prolific game-viewing destinations, a waterhole and natural salt lick providing front-row seats to passing wildlife, this well-run eco-camp has a winning formula of luxurious accommodations, jaw-dropping views, and a first-rate safari location with access to all the Big Five species. Rates at Saruni Eagle View are full board and include accommodation, all meals, soft drinks, beers, house wines, selected house spirits, shared safari activities, limited laundry, return airstrip transfers, and Mara Naboisho Conservancy fees.

ACCESS & LOCATION:

Saruni Eagle View is perched on a panoramic escarpment within the Mara’s stunning Naboisho Conservancy. Guests can fly to Naboisho Olseki airstrip privately or by scheduled flight from different locations throughout Kenya. The flight from Nairobi Wilson is approximately one hour, and it’s followed by a scenic 20-minute drive to the camp.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT BASECAMP EAGLE VIEW:

Accommodation at Saruni Eagle View consists of six double tents and three two-bedroom family tents, all raised on wooden decks with uninterrupted views of Mara Naboisho Conservancy. With three sides of floor-to-ceiling mesh windows, each unit optimizes the spectacular vistas and features a front-facing veranda with outdoor seating. Inside, each has a double bed or twin beds on a raised platform a few steps up from ground level. There are bedside tables with reading lamps, a day bed, a tea-and-coffee station, a writing desk, and a storage space. The en-suite facilities feature an indoor shower, an open-air ‘safari shower’, a freestanding sunken bathtub, a bio-flush toilet, and twin washbasins. Additional amenities include fans, electronic safes, exercise mats, and in-room Wi-Fi. Family tents are identically styled but have two bedrooms under a shared canvas roof, each with an en-suite bathroom.

Saruni Eagle View’s communal areas include an indoor-outdoor bar and an inviting lounge area with retractable doors that open onto the deck with its incredible views. The partially open restaurant has individual dining tables and floor-to-ceiling glass-paneled doors that further emphasize the setting. A stunningly positioned fire deck juts out over the treetops and offers a welcoming spot for guests to gather for early-morning coffee and pre-dinner drinks. There’s also a tranquil spa offering a selection of massage and beauty treatments and a plunge pool overlooking the Koiyaki plains. Finally, the curio shop allows guests to purchase local souvenirs and support community projects.

ACTIVITIES AT BASECAMP EAGLE VIEW:

The activities at Saruni Eagle View center on game drives and walking safaris, taking in the Maasai Mara’s neverending plains and sensational wildlife.

• Game drives

  – Game drives take place during the early mornings and late afternoons within the Naboisho Conservancy and Maasai Mara National Reserve. The infamous Mara plains are home to all Big Five (lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and buffalo) in addition to cheetah, wild dog, hyena, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, and antelope.

• Night drives

  – Mara Naboisho is a private conservancy, meaning guests aren’t restricted to daylight activities and can take to the bush for exhilarating night game drives. The glint of a predator’s eye in the dark of night and the sounds of the wild with the engine off are nothing short of thrilling. Bush babies, genet cats, swooping owls, and scuttling porcupines are just a few of the nocturnal species you might glimpse at these times.

• Walking safaris

  – There are few more accomplished walking guides than the Maasai, who have traversed these lands on foot for generations and instantly recognize all the sights and sounds of the bush. Track animal footprints and dung, learn about insects and plant life, and hear about basic Maasai survival skills. Keen birders will love spotting the likes of ostrich, vultures, eagles, and the splendid secretary bird.

• Bush dining

  – Bush dining is a real highlight of any stay at Saruni Eagle View. Relax as your guide sets up a table by the river’s edge or in a secluded picturesque spot where you’ll dine amidst birdsong or the sounds of grunting hippo. This experience is ideal for those wishing to spend a full day out in the field.

• Village visits

  – Visit a local Maasai village and see a traditional manyatta, or homestead, with a livestock enclosure and huts made of cattle dung and mud. This is an opportunity to meet and learn about the pastoralist communities who’ve inhabited these lands for centuries, living amongst wildlife and monitoring rainfall in order to move and tend to their cattle.

• Young Explorers Club

  – Saruni Eagle View caters to younger guests with a variety of educationally enriching activities that teach children about the environment and nature while keeping things fun and light-hearted. From learning bush survival skills, shooting bows-and-arrows, and attending beading lessons with local Maasai ladies to enjoying board games and cake baking, there’s plenty on offer to keep all family members entertained.

• Hot air balloon rides

   – As the sun rises over the breathtakingly beautiful Maasai Mara, take to the sky in a hot air balloon with aerial views of the sweeping plains beneath. Once you’re back on the ground, you’ll enjoy a champagne bush breakfast.

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.