Serian’s Kimya Kimya is set on a private riverside site in the Mara North Conservancy. This snug little setup is chock-full of character with grand views over the rushing Mara River and a lively salt lick that regularly features Elephant, Giraffe and Zebra. Throughout the day, Zebra work their way down to the nearby spring for a mid-morning tipple, often displaced by raucous kids wanting to splash around in the warm water spring. This is an active river crossing point; Elephant and Giraffe navigate their way through the maze of granite boulders to the opposite bank.
Much like at Serian and Ngare Serian, life at Kimya Kimya is low key and tranquil. With all the creature comforts of a bush camp; leather and worn wood, swathes of cotton, cold beers, fireside barbeque and tinkling ice-laden GNT's.
By day, the living room is ideal for lounging and reading, lazy snoozing, playing board games or sorting through the day’s photos… In short, anything that entails spreading out and relaxing in a comfortable space.
24-hour Security, Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Eco Friendly, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Malaria Free, Meal on Request, Private Vehicle Available
Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En-Suite, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Pure Cotton Linen, Shower, Verandah
Room Service
The cornerstone of a safari experience at Serian is that each group has their own open-top safari vehicle, and their own dedicated guide and spotter. The freedom this grants you is key to getting the most out of your stay: go where the day takes you, without the limitations of fixed schedules, or fitting in with other peoples’ plans. Nothing but personal desire need dictate what you do.
Our vehicles are specially customised to be a climbing frame, and a photographer’s extra tool. They are comfortable, able to handle the terrain, and cover the distance…. And were designed for sun, rain, wind, and above all, the feeling of having as little as possible separating you from what’s out there.
Our guides and spotters are intimately familiar with these special places, so they know all its secrets and the ways the animals interact with it, from the subtle changes of the seasons, to the stages of an animals lifecycle, to the flora that sustains it all – they are the key that can unlock it all for you.
Although ‘Walker’ really is Alex’s surname, being born to such an identity turns out to have been a self-fulfilling prophecy. Spending his childhood days out on foot with his father’s trackers, then turning this into a full-time career as soon as he possibly could, Alex’s passion is walking, and it is without a doubt his preferred method of accessing the bush.
Walking safaris epitomise the golden chance to get away from the trails and beaten tracks, and immerse in the environment in a way that the noise and speed of vehicles don’t permit. Once you slow down, there’s a whole world that you never noticed before. The beauty of walking is that it engenders an appreciation of an ecosystem’s sheer perfection: every tiny element has its place, and plays its role.
Stripping away the layers between you and an untamed setting beckons forth your primal instincts: your hearing, sight and smell all sharpen in response – and your appreciation of what you perceive is heightened as a result.
In Serian’s Serengeti North, the focus is on the Mara River – water is always a concentration of so many life forms, and with the wildebeest crossing back and forth over it at this time of year, their effects on the bush, the predators and scavengers makes for fascinating exploring along the banks. We tend to steer clear of the herds though, as the idea is to steer clear of the crowds and vehicles – but this meander offers a combination of big game encounters, and beautiful countryside.
After a day out in the silence, solitude and indescribable immensity of the bush, the ancestral ritual of coming together to enjoy fire and food caters to our innate appreciation for sharing.
We are social animals, and part of what makes things vivid and real to us is this capacity to share: the pleasure of dissecting your day, raking over the delicious details and unwrapping the delights over and again as you enjoy a meal, is what renders the evening perfect for digesting and processing the day.