Kenya, Uganda og Namibia

Governors’ Camp properties combine the best locations in the Masai Mara with the best-designed vehicles and exceptionally highly trained and experienced guides to give our clients un-matched game-viewing and photographic opportunities in the world’s prime wildlife area.

We are in the heart of the best game viewing area of the Masai Mara; we take you out twice a day into the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve and surrounding areas. Our driver-guides are hand-picked and nurtured by us. They undergo a continuous guide training scheme mentored by experts in the field. Having operated in the Masai Mara for 50 years, our driver-guides have an un-paralleled knowledge of the reserve combined with a deep understanding and respect for the importance of this wilderness area, its flora and its fauna.

Game drives are included in the accommodation rate.

For those looking for an adventure of a different kind, we suggest a magical hot air balloon safari over the Masai Mara.

The adventure begins just before dawn. Departure is from a launch site behind Little Governors’ Camp. Guests assemble at the launch site for a briefing as the flames from the hot air balloon burners light the darkness as the crews inflate their craft. As the dawn breaks, the hot air balloon fills and then rises. Suspended in a basket beneath the rainbow-coloured canopy, you’re off for a wildlife viewing adventure with an entirely different perspective.

What amazes most first-time balloonists is the absolute stillness – the silence as you float above the plains, the forest and the rivers of the Masai Mara.

After about an hour or so, your balloon safari finishes with a flourish. In the time-honoured tradition of balloon flights the world over, toast your return to earth with sparkling wine and enjoy a delicious breakfast that is set up and served at a very special spot. The experience ends with a game drive back to your camp.

There is an extra cost for a hot air balloon safari and the price depends on the time of year.

For a very unique experience, enjoy the excitement of a bush dinner in the wild. You will arrive at a special secluded location on the banks of the Mara river. A welcoming drink awaits by the warming campfire, followed by a delicious meal prepared by our Bush chefs, served under the stars, with the soft lights of safari lanterns and accompanied by the sounds of the African night and the grunting Mara river hippos.

Bush breakfasts and bush lunches are also available. Please try to book bush meals in advance. Costs: bush breakfasts and lunches USD $75 per person, bush dinners USD $92 per person

The Masai people of East Africa are a striking image, synonymous with safari. A proud people with many traditional practices still very much alive in their culture. Visit a local Masai village and learn about who they are in their own words.

Entry to the Maasai village is currently USD $40 per person and is paid directly to the community.

Visits to our responsible tourism projects can be organised from camp. Mara Rianda Primary School and Mara Rianda Medical Centre are two inspirational projects supported by Governors’ Camps.

There is no extra charge for this activity but donations to any of the projects are welcome.

Since the beginning of the 20th Century the cheetah population has fallen dramatically from 100'000 individuals to 7'500 individuals with human activity a major cause. It is therefore important to understand the cheetah-human interface, which is one of the key works of the Mara-Meru Cheetah Project, led by Dr. Elena Chelyseva.

Our Governors' Guides play a critical role in the data collection for Dr. Elena and her team, reporting through sightings and behaviour observations of cheetah spotted. Dr Elena enjoys sharing her expertise on the cheetahs in the area with our guests through talks or by accompanying guests game drives.

Please let us know if you would like to pre-book a talk or a guided game drive with Elena when booking your safari. There is a minimum donation requirement of USD $500 for a presentation in camp.

We welcome guests of all ages at Governors’ Camp - you are never too little to experience your first African safari together with the family!

Safaris open up a world of wonder and discovery of nature, and over the years we have hosted many families at Governors’. Some of our camps are better suited to small children; Governors’ Camp has specially designed family tents which can comfortably sleep a family of four - we can provide cots for babies and infant travellers (on request).

We will happily arrange early meals and sole use of game drive vehicles (please enquire in advance as this depends on family size and is subject to availability).

On your arrival at Governors’ Camp, you will notice our numerous little furry friends; the dwarf and banded mongoose, who are well loved members of our famous ‘Cast of Characters’! We wanted to celebrate these entertaining critters by naming our new kid’s club after them, and so the Governors’ Mongoose Club has been formed.

The idea behind this club is to educate and inspire our youngest visitors in ways that they would never have access to in their mainstream schooling systems abroad. Game drives are, of course, wonderful experiences in themselves to be shared with family, but there is so much more for your children to take away from their Kenyan safari.

The activities are designed to be fun and informative and we know that these experi- ences will provide your children with lifetime memories. You, as the parents, can take some well-deserved timeout; enjoy a spa treatment, read a book or just have a siesta while Julius (Our “chief Mongoose”) who is a local Masai guide, and the rest of our friendly team keep your children as entertained and educated as they would like to be, whilst of course ensuring their complete safety at all times. Please note that the Mongoose Club is only available at Governors’ Camp.

Included in the accommodation price.

Governors’ Camp hosts a wildlife photographer in the Mara who is available to be booked by our guests for accompanied photo safaris and in-depth tutorials on all elements of photography, including editing. Do let us know if you would like to guarantee a full day with them capturing the very best of this incredible wildlife reserve. Please note that guests will need to secure an exclusive use vehicle at a daily rate if their group size does not already secure one, on top of the photographer's daily fee.

Governors' also has 3 'photo safari' vehicles. Listening to the specific needs and recommendations of the photographers we've hosted over the years, we've modified three Landrover vehicles to include same level seating throughout, cut-out side panels in the middle row to get those much desired low angle shots, high roofs, fully folding windscreens and wide side panelling to offer the perfect place for resting a beanbag and long lens. The cars are available on an exclusive use basis and can be requested for and reserved while making your Governors' booking. They are available at all our camps in the Masai Mara.

Please see https://www.governorscamp.com/travel-planning/resident-photographers/ for full details and costs.

After your late afternoon game drive, end the day with a 'sundowner' at our very special spot on the banks of the Mara River. Our team will have set up a traditional 'safari bar' ahead of your arrival.

Sundowners are included in the nightly rate but premium drinks are extra.

Governors’ Camp offers a breathtakingly beautiful location in the wild where you can celebrate your recent nuptials with a Maasai blessing ceremony and more.

Please contact our office for a quote which will be based on the numbers in your group.

The Gorilla tracking starting point is located just 2 minutes away from Mahogany Springs. This experience will remain in your memories forever and can not be put into words. $600 per permit per day.

A luxury Spa perched overlooking the river and forest. This Opatra London Spa offers luxurious facials, massages and foot treatments. Pre-booking is highly recommended.

Opatra uses the latest devices and cutting edge technology to deliver high-end skin care treatments and products.

Mahogany Springs is a bird watchers dream. Located on an open piece of land with a river running through. it is the ideal lodge for any keen bird watchers. Mahogany Springs also offers complimentary tours around their extensive gardens with their resident bird watching expert.

All clients can visit the school free of charge. It is 2 minutes away from Mahogany Springs by car or a 7 minute walk.

We support various community projects that our clients can visit all around the area

Located around 3 minutes away from Mahogany Springs this hospital is led by a phenomenal team of International doctors. Visit the hospital and learn all about the challenges and accomplishment's of running a hospital in a remote area like Bwindi.

Spend time with the Batwa/Pygmy tribe, one of the oldest tribes in the world. Learn all about their culture and traditions from mock hunting techniques, fire making, tree house building and more.

This escorted walk in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, traces the river up into the park, where 3 beautiful waterfalls can be found along the way.

Along the way you will see various wildlife including many bird species.

Spend time down by our river. The magical Munyanga river runs through Mahogany Springs. You can go for a lovely stroll along its banks or simply relax with an ice cool drink and let us serve you.

This amazing guided walk will take you all the way through to the South side of the Forest (Nkuringo). The walk can take 3-5 hours and is an experience never to be forgotten. Your luggage will be carried through the forest for you or can be driven around if you have a large amount. You will then have the experience of sleeping on both sides of the forest which are totally unique with their own views and of course different Gorilla Groups.

Nature drives showcase the magnitude of this wondrous lunar-like landscape and offer the best possibilities of seeing unique desert-adapted wildlife. Morning or afternoon drives are available, as well as full-day excursions. Attractions include true desert oases found in the Hoanib floodplains; as well as habitats being home to desert-adapted elephants, gemsbok, giraffe, and springbok.

Guided nature walks from camp take in the magnificent surrounds, as well as offer a glimpse at vestiges of the Strandloper (Beachcomber) lifestyle from hundreds of years ago. A thought-provoking opportunity to study the smaller creatures that survive in this seemingly barren landscape, and be astonished at the fascinating plant life of the concession.

* Weather permitting and subject to the availability of a qualified walking guide.

On a stay of three nights (or more) full-day excursions to the Skeleton Coast are offered. This fascinating 4x4 trip to the coast takes you via the wilderness and wildlife of the Hoanib River and floodplain, which include Klein Oases Spring and driving through a dune field – while the Skeleton Coast itself reveals a rocky coastline with its huge Cape fur seal colonies and shipwreck remains. Following a picnic lunch, the return flight back to camp offers a magnificent perspective of your journey from the air.

* Typically, harsh desert conditions prevail in this area with regards to heat, fog rolling in from the sea, high winds and flooding rivers. On occasion, these conditions may affect the duration and routing of the excursion, with guests being driven both ways or – as is the case when it rains and the floodplains fill with water – flown both ways.

Operating within our concession area and on offer to all guests, these trips leave camp early in the morning, include a picnic lunch, and return to camp in the mid to late afternoon. It includes Mudorib Springs, exploring remote areas in the south of our allocated exclusive concession area, with the red basalt landscapes of the Damaraland. Amongst other general game species, guests have the chance of seeing Hartmann's mountain zebra and the desert-adapted rhino. In the northern and eastern area of the Hoanib, the valleys offer spectacular scenery.

* Subject to private vehicle availability, to guarantee this excursion a private vehicle needs to be booked and paid for.

At the Hoanib Research Centre, presentations by, and interactions with, wildlife researchers are possible when they are in camp. These valuable insights cover all current research being supported at Hoanib, in particular the vital work conducted by Dr Philip Stander and his team studying the unique desert-adapted lion. Learn about the tragic Vanishing Kings lion coalition, as well as the ancient stories and legends of the Skeleton Coast.

* Subject to the availability of researchers when in camp, and conducted in the research centre.

Birding enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the diverse avifauna of the northern Palmwag Concession, from soaring raptors to charming Namaqua sandgrouse; as well as other regular endemics including Rüppell's korhaan, Benguela long-billed lark and Verreauxs' eagle.

The 37 000-hectare (91 429-acre) private Kulala Wilderness Reserve offers visitors exclusive wildlife-viewing opportunities which include the likes of gemsbok (oryx), bat-eared fox, brown hyena and birdlife. Sundowner stops in scenic parts of the reserve are a highlight.

World-famous Sossusvlei is the name of an enormous clay pan, flanked by a field of famous towering sand dunes that flush red in the early morning sun. Close to the Sossusvlei pan is Dead Vlei, another pan where water once flowed. However, all that remains now are the skeletons of camelthorn trees that reach up out of the cracked earth.

Set out in the late afternoon for a nature drive and complete your excursion in a remote and dramatic spot on the reserve sipping a gin and tonic while watching the sunset.

This fascinating geographical formation is well worth a visit. The result of millions of years where water carved its way across the topography. At three kilometres long, the views from the top of Sesriem Canyon are breathtaking while walks through the canyon gorge reveal distinct geographical layers which were laid down over aeons.

Walking trails focus on becoming immersed in this remote area, as well as its scenic beauty and the fascinating, and surprisingly, diverse array of insects, reptiles and rodents which make this dry and harsh region their home. The Tsauchab River Trail provides a revealing stroll along a productive dry riverbed.

After dark, another realm of the Namib awakes. Walks reveal some of these captivating critters such as dancing white lady spiders and numerous scorpion species which fluoresce under UV light.

Delight in a sleep-out experience under the starry starry skies of the Namib and be lulled to sleep by the sounds of Africa on the bottom deck of your accommodation.

The Namib is known for its clear night skies, and with no light pollution it is the ideal spot from which to learn about the incredible formations of the stars and planets. Our guides are also known to dabble in astronomy and will guide you through the constellations.

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) certifies as a Dark Sky Reserve “a public or private land, possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural, heritage and public enjoyment.” NamibRand was accorded Gold Tier International Dark Sky Reserve status in 2012, after it expanded its conservation role to include preserving the star-filled night-time skies that shine above its dunes and mountains. Lauded as one of the darkest locations ever designated by the IDA , the reserve is described as one of the nighttime environments that have little to no impact from light pollution and artificial light.

The hot air balloon safari on the Kulala Wilderness Reserve offers a truly unique bird's-eve view experience of the remote wilderness below. Soar above the magnificent sand dunes and roaring desert, with a champagne breakfast being served upon landing.

* Optional activity at extra cost, and weather permitting. Unavailable for the periods 15 January to
15 February (inclusive), and 25 December and 01 January.

Explore further into the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, while enjoying the thrill of riding a quad bike. A guide leads these eco-sensitive excursions, allowing you to take in the incredible views and to catch a glimpse of the denizens of the desert, including the likes of oryx, springbok and bat-eared fox, as well as fascinating avian desert specials such as the endemic dune lark.

Explore the natural wonders of Namibia and take in the majestic landscapes riding electric powered fat-wheeled bikes. An exciting way to explore the stunning open plains with your guide.

Access to various activities and their routes in and around Wilderness Little Kulala taking in the scenic beauty of the stunning panoramic landscape of Kulala Wilderness Reserve – includes both Guided or Self-Guided trails for hiking, running and cycling. Spectacularly scenic viewpoints offer a chance to stop and take it all in.