Thanks all for previous responses to my post about accomodation in the Mara. The more we think about it the more precise becomes our wish list. Cats cats cats are the most important thing, then a small friendly atmosphere and communal dining with guests, and finally I would love a river setting. OK Fodorites I bow to your communal knowledge... where should we go? we are in your hands...

Il Moran during migration.

Hi. After reading your previous post, I think Little Gov's would probably be perfect for you since you seem to be looking for something on the river. I do not have first hand knowledge, since I have not been to the camp. I am currently trying to get reservations there myself in June. We are also going back to Elephant Pepper Camp.

I have to put in a plug for Elephant Pepper Camp in the Mara. It is relatively small, only 10-12 tents and they were so friendly. We saw 2 different lion prides nearby with little cubs, and another group of young males. They seem to have everything you are looking for exept for the river setting. They are a Cheli & Peacock Camp: http://www.chelipeacock.com/camps/e-pepper.htm
Good Luck. Heather

Having stayed at both Little Governor's and Il Moran, I have to vote for Il Moran just because it is much smaller and much more intimate and the only thing separating you from the Mara River is a fence.

I've been to the Mara in February and loved it. Lots of wildebeest calves, tommies' and grants' babies springing around. Hyena and Hyena pups. Cheetah and her cubs tackling a tommie.

Eles mating, lions mating, everyone was mating!

Cats everywhere. I'm a huge cat-lover, having 4 of my own. Cats and eles (my favs) are all around the Governors' camps. That's why I keep going back there.

Little Gov. No fence, less expensive, right on the marsh and the river.

Well, as far as the fence goes at Il Moran, it's only a wooden post fence so you don't end up rolling down the hill into the river on top of hippos that are lying around or on the crocs that may be lurking there!

Then again, I have run into a bull ele at Little G's right outside my tent.

But since I have experienced both and if one is looking for small and intimate and atmosphere and on the river, it's gotta be Il Moran. And yeah, it's a little more expensive but for the experience it's worth it to me.

Little G can be almost too busy with the 17 tents, and huge buffett taking away from the intimacy.

You stated February?

It is a hot month with temps reaching 90 and even 100 during the day! So you really don't want to drive around too much during midday which makes a river setting more attractive as you have views while resting!

There are cats all over the greater Mara but when the migration is not around the Maasai do bring ALL their cattle to the areas that border the Mara. The cats then tend to hide in thick brush during the day because of all the human activity. You will see cats outside the Mara in the day but rarely in the open in my professional opinion.

Inside the Mara the lion prides, cheetah and leopard areas are well-known and you have several chances each day to see one or more prides or individuals. They may be seen in more open areas for better photography.

If you want to see cats and more cats, it is better to stay inside IMO.

Here is my map of the cat areas of the Mara Triangle. Basically you can choose between IlMoran, L. Govs, Explorer, Naibor and Rekero for a small camp experience.

http://www.go-safari.com/Masai%20Mara/MaraCats1.jpg

Lion Prides take on the names of the areas they roam - for the most part marked in Blue on the map.
Eben

I've been to Governors/Little Governor's, but in August......plenty of cats....i can't imagine the Mara short of cats......

Hari

Yeah but, during the day the lions are sleeping 90% of the time. Not very exciting. You need to see them at dusk as they start a hunt. Or just a little later in the dark just after they have made a kill. Now, those are lions at their best. No, wait, sorry, can't do that in the Mara because you are not allowed to be out after dark. Sorry, never mind.
regards - tom

Whao great input, does this mea I would be bst to be somewhere outside where you can do night drives? which camp would that be... and still on the river?

Hi YM,
I/we were there in Mara this past September, 5 nights at Little Governors Camp. Saw lions every day, sleeping. Actually one day also saw them feeding on a zebra kill from the night before. And one day just sort of walking about trying to find a new place to sleep in the shade. Not at all like the night lion action we saw at camps MalaMala (South Africa) and Nsefu (Zambia).
Now, this does not mean lions don't kill during the day at Mara. I have only 5 days experience there. But I do know that we had to be back in camp by about 6pm, before dark. (Unlike Mala or Nsefu). Hopefully the more expeienced Mara posters here can fill this out better.
regards - tom
ps - at the risk of sounding like a stuck record, for cats, go to the Sabi Sand area of South Africa

My experiences are a bit different.....i have seen plenty of lion activity during the morning drives. In the serengeti, even during the heat of the day. If you stay outside the mara triangle area, you may need to spend some time commuting to get to the triangle area everyday and this may mean that you will miss out on golden light to photograph (unless you are lucky in your immediate neighborhood)

Sabi Sands has lots of predators, yes, but the number of lion prides in the Mara-Serengeti cannot be matched. The same for cheetahs.....

Sabi Sands is definitely better for leopard vieiwng. There are plenty of leopards in the Mara, but, are not as easy to locate.....

Hari

Eben's map in the post above is self-explantory.

Hari

Cary

I agree with you to a point - but YvonneM will be in Zanzibar and said she wanted to go to the Mara. She has only 4 days.

The Big Cat diaries is filmed inside the Mara Triangle our just outside at leopard gorge etc. For years the show follows certain leopards, cheetah, and lion prides. Most of the hunting footage happens during the day as far as I can tell. Bella the leopard did most of her hunting during the day, the cheetahs hunt during the day and plenty of lions were filmed hunting in daylight too.

It is a matter of explaing to your guide what you hope to see and then you adjust the game drives accordingly. When sharing vehicles, it helps to find carmates that feel the same. Most camps will try to match guests with similar interest. They will have a daybreak car, a brunch car, a midday car, a siesta car, a dusk car and an all-day car! Just ask!

Ok, my latest plan, take Carmen out of school for an extra day ( try and sell it to her teachers that this is much more important than learning French verbs) then I'll have 5 days and could split it - some time in the park and some outside ; what do you think? would Olonana be good for outside the park, the pictures show nice views of a river ( not sure which) and what about Rekero tented camp inside the park : any feedback on this... Thanks guys

Yvonne,

Honestly, if i was going to an area for 5 nights, i would spend the entire time in one camp....i like to stay at sightings and allow the guide time to work his way around. I dont like to rush. If you are at a camp for say, two nights....then your guide is under pressure to show you everything in a limited time frame, hence you are merely checking the list and lose out in observing animal behaviour.

I know Tom mentioned sleeping cats in the day time.....but, obviously the more time you spend with them you observe their behaviour when they wake up. Sometimes, you just sit for 5 minutes and leave.....then, yeah, they r still napping......

If i was maximizing my game viewing time in the Mara, i would spend the entire time in one camp inside the triangle. I have stayed at Kitchwa Batleur outside the reserve....honestly, didnt find anything spectacular after dark except the nocturnal creatures, which is cool........

Hari