Siana Springs Intrepids

 

Situated at the base of the Ngama Hills, on the eastern edge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Siana Springs, "the plentiful spring" in Maasai, occupies a lush indigenous forest watered by the largest natural springs in the Mara ecosystem. The camp's location in the heart of the Siana Group Ranch offers guests unique opportunities for private bush walks and drives on the wildlife rich plains and along the seasonal streams beneath the Ngama Hills. Perfectly capturing the romance of the early style pioneers, the camp possesses a tranquil atmosphere with 38 safari-style tents situated in three secluded "wings": the Bamboo wing, surrounded by bamboo groves and flowering ornamental trees near the main camp, the Palm wing, overlooking a series of springs, lily-clad ponds and lush indigenous forest, and the Acacia wing, which occupies more open acacia woodland rich in birdlife on the camp boundary. Each tent has a hanging cabinet, huge dressing room and en suite facilities. The camp is centered around a large dining area with a beautiful open-air terrace that looks out across the camp's lush lawns to the open plains of Africa beyond. While the dining room has a large seating capacity, most guests prefer to take their meals outside, where they can watch Siana's famously fearless bushbucks, vervet monkeys and tree hyraxes during the day and genet cats and mongooses during the night. Dancing and singing performances by the local Maasai are normally held on this terrace. There is also a spacious bar and comfortable lounge area, a conference room with modern business facilities, and a boutique selling local handicrafts and safari essentials. In the middle of the forest, a beautiful swimming pool offers a soothing respite from the heat of the day.

In keeping with the new "green movement" of Kenyan tourism, Siana Springs endeavors to uphold the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. The camp enjoys very close ties with its Maasai landlords who make up more than 60 per cent of its workforce. The local Nkoilale Primary School was built with support from Siana, which continues to fund the school's development. The camp is also supporting an initiative to develop a local conservation area, which will protect the area's rich wildlife and limit degradation by livestock grazing.