collection of camps |
AWARD WINNING GUIDES · EXCLUSIVE VEHICLE USE · SIX TENTS OR LESS
Alex Walker’s Serian is a charismatic collection of exclusive and intimate safari camps in the prime wildernesses of Kenya. They operate and outfit safaris, and their focus is on offering you access to the magic of the bush in a rich variety of ways. Each client has exclusive use of their safari vehicle at no extra cost, and on top of that, walking adventures, flycamping, night game drives, photography, ballooning… The list goes on. Their objective is to show you there’s more to safari than driving around ticking big animals off a list… It’s about being open to falling under the spell of this enchanting landscape. The word ‘serian’ comes from the Masai language, meaning ‘serene… calm… tranquil’ and there is an element of this that is particular to the bush.
SERIAN ‘THE ORIGINAL | NGARE SERIAN | SERIAN NKOROMBO | SERIAN’S KIMYA KIMYA | THE NEST
NGARE SERIAN
‘Ngare’ translates to ‘by the river’ in the Masai language, and the idea behind this little camp was to transport the serenity of the original Serian camp to the water’s edge. Hugging the banks of the Mara, Ngare Serian is cosy and intimate. It can only be reached on foot, over a narrow rope bridge – and in a way the crossover is symbolic: a call to step out of touch and out of time, and give yourself over to the natural charm of the place. A small camp with only four tents, it is the perfect romantic escape
Serian’s Kimya Kimya
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.
SERIAN ‘ORIGINAL’
Serian was the first of Alex’s camps, and it perfectly captures the essence of its name: meaning ‘peaceful, calm, serene’ in the Masai language, it was designed to be a retreat from the bustle of contemporary life, and a chance to experience untamed Africa in traditional tented splendour. It lies in the private Mara North Conservancy, and the beauty of this location is that only 10 other camps have access to it – so the feeling of having your own personal piece of Africa is a luxury that we have in spades.
SERIAN NKOROMBO
Nkorombo is Serian’s tented mobile camp, set on a private riverside site in the Masai Mara Reserve. This snug little setup is chock-full of character with a view over the rushing Mara River, bursting with laughing hippo and languorous crocodile. Much like at Serian and Ngare Serian, life at Nkorombo is low-key and tranquil. Nestled among a stand of wild olive and orange croton, the camp is right next to a lively salt lick that regularly features black rhino, and lion and leopard on the lookout for kill… There is an abundance of prey in this area, and it’s the perfect spot for spectacular game viewing.
the nest
What does it take to find the perfect tree house? Searching all over the private Pusinkariak area we call home. Located on the western side of the Mara River and only open to access by foot – thick with trees, valleys, rocks – we kept circling back to one particular spot: fifty metres from the water looking along a stretch that is filled by a pod of hippo. A line of Warburgia stretches along a little draw, and a single tree at the end shows scars: a scratching post for a resident male leopard. The salt lick luring the impala leads to a hippo funnel and their small sandy beach.
