SafariExplorer

One card per rulebook

Who runs
the camps.

Pricing models, solo rules, money terms, published offers and booking channels — one card per operator.

Porini / Gamewatchers

7 camps · flying packages · conservancy pioneers

Pricing model

2-night flying package + extra nights, per-camp published season tables. Flights, airport transfers, conservancy fees, drinks and day+night drives all bundled — the one number really is all-in.

Solo rule

Flat single supplement per package ($360 Nov–Jun, up to $425 peak); extra nights add $180–215/night. No supplement at all 3 Feb–31 May & 1 Nov–15 Dec 2026.

Published offers

Stay-4-pay-3 (4th night free, $130 fee; all year except Jul–Sep; min 4 nights) — non-combinable with the no-supplement window, the engine applies the cheaper. Plus: free arrival transfer at 6+ nights, free Nairobi Tented Camp night at 8+, festive 15%, honeymoon and multi-camp discounts.

Terms to know

Christmas/New Year +$40 pp/night (24–26 & 31 Dec, 1 Jan). Exclusive vehicle $375/day, 2-day minimum. Balloon $515. Published prices assume min 2 pax.

Book via gamewatchers.com — published package PDFs per camp.

Kicheche

4 camps · per-night rack rates · the photographers' camps

Pricing model

Seasonal per-night rates (peak/mid/regular) plus conservancy fee ($130; $187 at Ol Pejeta). Flights NOT included — budget $200–400 return to the Mara on top.

Solo rule

Per-night single supplement, also seasonal: $140–295 depending on camp and season. It multiplies by nights — the biggest solo trap in this catalog.

Vehicles

Published exclusive-use day rates: standard $400 peak / $350 otherwise; photography vehicle (2 pax, exclusive only) $500 / $450. Minimum 2 consecutive days.

Terms to know

Camps closed April–May (per-camp windows). Minimum stay 2 nights. 10% long-stay discount at 6+ nights — applies to vehicle charges too. Mara reserve visit extra ($200/adult).

Book via kicheche.com — 2026 rack sheet, issued 5 Jun 2025.

Saruni Basecamp

12 properties · published single-occupancy rates · budget tents to clifftop villas

Pricing model

Per-night single-occupancy rates by season band; conservancy or reserve fee on top. Standalone stays add return flights ($440 Mara / $465 Samburu), airport transfers ($70/vehicle each way) and Flying Doctors cover ($25).

Solo rule

The only operator publishing single-occupancy rates outright — and in low season (Mar–May, Nov) there's no single supplement at all, group-wide.

Terms to know

Deposit 20% to confirm; balance due 45 days before check-in. No Easter, Christmas or New Year supplements. High season minimum stay 2 nights. Talek camps closed Apr, May & Nov.

Cancellation (% retained)

The schedule that drives the Tracker countdowns — see the table.

Cancelling…Retained
91+ days before check-in0%
45–90 days20%
30–44 days50%
inside 30 days100%

Book via reservations@sarunibasecamp.com · +254 796 222 555. Availability at the small camps is tight in busy weeks — ask early.

Axis Africa Safaris

4 cost options · join-a-group road safaris · the cheapest seat into the Mara

Pricing model

Fixed 4-day Mara group safari, $550–850 pp by accommodation tier (Jan–Jun 2026 rate card). Park fees, meals, shared Land Cruiser, guide, water and VAT included.

Solo rule

$30/night single-room supplement on options 3 & 4 (midrange lodges) only — at the budget camps a solo traveller just pays the group rate.

The fine print

Road both ways from Nairobi: depart 8:30am day 1, back ~4pm day 4 — about 2.5 real game days. Balloon $450. Tips ~$10/day. Kids 75%. Holiday supplements may apply.

Cancellation

Terms not on file — ask before paying a deposit.

Book via their Nairobi office — balance settled before departure.

DIY (Booking.com)

14 camp · à la carte · maximum control, minimum bundling

Pricing model

Book the bed yourself (≈$645 for 3 nights full board, published), then pay per vehicle for drives ($280 full day / $170 half) and the reserve fee only on days you actually enter ($100/day until 30 Jun, $200 from 1 Jul).

Solo rule

None — the room is priced per unit, and drives are per vehicle. Solo pays the same as a couple would.

Terms to know

Free-cancellation rates available. Vehicle seats removable for photography. Transfers published: Nairobi $230 one-way / $450 return; +$50 from Naivasha/Nakuru; Olkiombo airstrip $90/$160.

The trade

No off-road, no night drives, no bundled guide relationship — you're buying location (100m from the gate) and flexibility, not capability.

Book via the Booking.com listing; drives arranged at camp.