• Home
• Safari Lodge
• Kicheche Valley Camp

Kicheche Valley Camp

Meals and Drinks All meals and drinks are inclusive in your stay and taken in the spacious lounge/dining tent. The cuisine is Western/European with occasional African dishes and hygiene standards are high. We can cater for special dietary requirements however please notify us in advance. Mineral water is provided in each tent every day. Laundry Included in the rate is a daily laundry service. Please note this is a bush laundry that cannot cope with delicate items of clothing. Power & Lighting The camp is run entirely on solar energy and there is no mains power however we do supply 24-hour low wattage power for lighting through our inverter system. Camera and Video batteries can also be charged on this system. There is a charging socket in each room and additional facilities in the lounge. The solar inverter system is backed up with a generator. Safety Safety is of paramount importance and therefore askaris (night-watchmen) patrol the camp at regular intervals after dark. Guests are advised to remain in their tent after dark, and will be escorted between their tent and the lounge/dining areas by a staff member. Each tent is equipped with a whistle to call for assistance in case of emergency. Each vehicle is equipped with a radio for communications with camp and the camp is in contact with the Nairobi office on a daily basis. Flying Doctors’ medical evacuation planes can be called in the event of an emergency. Children We accept children but parents must be aware that our camp is not fenced and no additional facilities are available to occupy them outside our normal excursions. No baby equipment isprovided. Souvenirs There is a camp souvenir shop with a selection of clothing, maps and miscellaneous items. Tipping It is customary to tip your guide and camp staff however it is not compulsory and tips should only be given if you are satisfied with the service provided. Payments at camp We accept credit card payments (AMEX, VISA and MASTER CARD) or cash (EURO, USD, GBP and Kenya Shilling). There is a safety deposit box at camp where all valuables can be kept. Communications There is a variable mobile signal from a mobile network at camp however usage is restricted in the camp public areas and on game drives. There is an unreliable e-mail connection at camp naboishocamp@kicheche com therefore all communications should be copied to the Nairobi office ([email protected]). In the event of an emergency the camp number is +254729559111 but is not a reliable connection; therefore we recommend you contact the Nairobi Duty mobile phones: +254 736 888 055 / +254 700 888 055. Kenya is GMT +3 hours and does not have summertime/daylight savings. ACTIVITIES Daily Routine Guests are woken with tea, coffee or hot chocolate & biscuits brought to their tent. An early morning game drive sets off at sunrise and returns to the camp late morning. Breakfast is a leisurely affair taken outside in the morning sunlight. Lunch is also served al-fresco in the shade of an olive tree. During the heat of the day, relax and appreciate the silence, punctuated only by birdcalls. Alternatively, utilise our reference library in the lounge tent, which has an excellent selection of books. An afternoon game drive departs around 16h00 after tea and returns after sundowners. Freshen up before joining other guests around the campfire for a pre-dinner drink. Dinner is served by candlelight al-fresco or in the dining tent. Take a nightcap by the fire before retiring. Rigid daily schedules are not on our agenda, there are no hard and fast rules at Kicheche so guests can decide on the duration and frequency of their drives. Picnic breakfasts, lunches and sundowner drinks are popular options to include on game drives. Game Drives Watching wildlife at close range, but without encroaching on their space, is endlessly fascinating and our guides’ instincts and experience provide superb photo opportunities of wild animals. Game driving is available throughout the area and your program is arranged daily with your guide. Night game drives are also possible Game-viewing drives are conducted by open-sided and open roofe customised 4WD Land Cruiser vehicles. Game drives are shared with other guests though exclusive use of a vehicle is available at an extra charge. Our vehicles are superbly designed for photographers, all our fleet is open-sided with open roofs. Cameras can be rested on the roof, with supplied beanbags, or on the armrests lower down, to which we can mount simple platforms for larger lenses. For complete flexibility it is recommended that you take a vehicle on an exclusive use basis ($320 per day supplement). Walking A different perspective is gained through escorted walks on the savannah. Our interpretive guides will point out the spoor of a leopard, the nest of a rare bird or signs of recent migration activity that would pass unnoticed by the eyes of strangers… Walks are included in our tariff. Village visits Guests can visit one of the local Maasai villages to see first-hand their way of life. A village guide or your Kicheche guide will give you an interpretive talk during your visit during which there may be some traditional dancing. Village made souvenirs are on sale. There is a charge of $15-$20 per person. Community Projects Kicheche Community Trust supports a number of projects in the greater area including the Koiyaki guiding School by sponsoring two students each year. We also provide employment to graduates and currently over half of our guide are from the Guiding School which is located in the heart of Naboisho. Please let your guide know if you would like to pay a visit. Hot Air Ballooning This is a popular excursion in the Masai Mara. Balloons take off early each morning at sunrise and glide over the plains for approximately an hour before landing. Upon touchdown a champagne breakfast is set up before you. The excursion finishes with a game drive back to camp. Trips can be booked through your tour operator or with the balloon operator. Fly Camping Kicheche Camps offers escorted walking safaris with overnight stays in a fly-camp in the bush. These excursions are led by one of Kicheche’s senior guides and an armed ranger. It is an outstanding opportunity to see the Mara from a completely different perspective and also offers some welcome exercise whilst on safari. PREPARATION OF YOUR TRIP Climate Dry seasons offer more reliable road conditions though game viewing is excellent year round. The long rains are from early April through to May, and the short rains in November. The coolest time of year is from Jun-Aug when temperatures are low in the morning hours. Please bear in mind over the past few years the weather patterns in the Masai Mara, and Kenya in general, have changed and are somewhat unpredictable. Kicheche Valley is closed in April & May. Clothing Generally speaking Kenya is cooler than most people expect for a region on the equator, this is due to the altitude (1500-2000 metres) over much of the area. Therefore it is advisable to have a warm jacket or jumper for cool mornings. During the day however it is usually quite warm. Natural safari colours are recommended especially if you are game walking, they are also ideal to conceal the African dust! Good walking shoes/ boots will be useful if you intend to walk. A sun hat, sunglasses, lotion, lip balm and skin moisturiser are important to counteract the sun, wind and dry conditions. Health Kenya is a malaria zone therefore guests should consult their doctor about prophylactic measures before travelling. Guests should also be covered by comprehensive travel insurance. Photography It is highly recommended to bring a camera with a zoom lens of at least 200mm for wildlife shots. A bean bag or jumper is useful to rest your camera on for shooting in low light (tripods are too cumbersome for use in a vehicle). We have several locally made bean bags at the camp however, if you wish to come bring your own it can be filled at camp. Don’t forget to bring a spare camera battery. Recharging facilities are available for digital cameras and videos (230V 5oHz). Another important item to bring is a pair of binoculars. It is worth buying a pair if you unable to borrow. Small compact binoculars are fine and handy to carry around however a larger (e.g. 7x50) pair will be superior in the low light conditions in the morning and evening when most game drives take place. Always ask permission before taking photographs of people.