I am wondering if anyone can give me some information on the Serian fly camp. If all goes to plan we will have 5 nights in the Mara staying at Serian and thought we might like to stay at the fly camp.

Serian have a mobile camp. Is this what they call the fly camp or is there a different fly camp altogether. The mobile camp looks a bit to upmarket for the fly camp.

What are the bathroom facilities in the fly camp. Are there any????

Would one night be sufficient or should we opt for two nights at the fly camp?

Thanks and cheers Georgie

Hi Goeorgie,

I would definitely do two nights at least at the fly camp (their mobile location). They will have locations in the Talek and in the Trans Mara areas. Talek will be near the Entim camp etc etc., in that general area. Those are prime game areas and recommend you spend time there. The fly camps were not set up as yet when I went in June for this season - but, next time that's what i will do.

You will have a private bathroom with the tent - don't know details.

The game viewing in those areas has potential to be spectacular and during the migration would ideally put you closer to the major crossing points etc etc.,

Hope this helps! This would certainly make more sense for you to do - versus spending your entire time in the Main camp.

Hari

Oops - sorry, for mis-spelling your name. Typo!!!

We stayed at Serian last Sept during the migration,and were lucky enough to arrange a night at their fly camp,situated in a great location on the banks of the Mara River.We had the entire camp to ourselves,and it had a very intimate bush feel to it.Lovely dining tent where we ate with our driver and guide for dinner and breakfast prior to witnessing all that the heart of the Mara offers-incredible experience,as so many of you know...The bathroom facilities are attached traditional bush set-up with bucket shower,drop toilet and wash basin-no problem-everything was spot on for this evvironment,and to leave a minimal footprint,when the camp is dismantled.Yes,I might opt for two nights here,although,with Serian,you just can't go wrong with any options,since their main camp offerings are so good as well.I would return to Serian in a heartbeat,if I could!!

I think from what I am reading that the previous posters might have stayed at the mobile camp. I went to Kenya last September, '07. At that time the Mobile camp was set up on the north side of the Mara river. I stayed 2 nights up at the Main Serian camp, and then we came down to a fly camp that was set up for us by Serian for two nights on the South side of the Mara. I think what we had was very different from the mobile camp. We had no attached showers or toilets, and certainly no sink basins. We had a tiny dome pup tent for two at the edge of the Mara(as in, if you wandered out of your tent in the middle of the night you fell in the Mara)!! We had a hole in the ground with a box over it and canvas around it for a toilet, and a bucket with canvas around it for our shower. Our wash basin was a bowl on a stand next to the river which was filled up for us every morning and evening.
Our mess tent fit 6 people. Our breakfast place was a table under a tree. I think the mobile camp might have been a Ritz compared to us. And this is not to turn you off....This was the 2nd best experience of our month long safari.....the best was a very similar rustic setup in Ruaha. I imagine you can have a similar feel in the mobile camp too. But the fly camp was incredible. Nobody, even staff, around, just my father in law and us. And don't let the description of the bathroom and shower scare you; We are not Lewis and Clark.....I was a bit apprehensive about the toilet situation; they covered the hole with dirt everyday, there was no smell or anything in there, it was really as primitive as you can get without sleeping on the ground, and yet it was incredibly exhilarating!!

Thanks for all your replies. It certinly seems that there is a mobile camp and a fly camp which are not one and the same. They both sound wonderful and I will need to check which one my tour operator has suggested as the itinerary states that it is a fly camp with attached bathrooms.

Jenack were you warm enough at night in the dome tent? We will be there mid August and am expecting the nights to be cold.

Cheers Georgie

Serian Main or Ngare aren't mobile or seasonal camps. Both are there all year.

A fly-camp (some may call it mobile) is as jenack describes, domed tents, hole-in-ground with box/seat above for nature calls in separate tent; bush shower in separate tent. Dining either in tent or covered area.

It will be nippy, in fact, downright cold at night during August.

I was there in mid September; I really don't remember how cold the nights were, but I packed VERY little on my trip, so I probably just slept with a long sleeve t shirt, or maybe a sweatshirt. I don't ever remember being uncomfortably cold.

Hi Georgie and Peter - It won't be nearly as cold as your last safari to selinda etc etc.,

Thanks everyone. We will take the possum scarf and gloves just in case. There are some new photos of the Serian fly camp on the Kiliwarriors website. The tents are walk in with basic ensuite facilities and look just fine to me. As long as I have a bed and bathroom I am happy. They must have two types of fly camp as the one jenack experienced in the dome tents etc is certainly not the one in the pictures.

Hari or anyone, we are thinking of spending 5 nights at Serian. Would you do 2 nights at main camp and 3 nights at the fly camp or the other way around?

Hi Georgie,

If I was to visit Serian again (and most definitely will at some point)and if I had 5 nights like yourselves, I would pesonally, do 2 at main and 3 at the fly camp - simply because I think that inside the park is superb ....... Either way, you can't go wrong even if you did 3 nights at the main camp.

georgie
i have not experienced serian nor their mobile or fly camp.
i would be just cirious how much they charge for such a rather basic accommodation.

we did one nt. fly camp in tanzania (big doum tent, short drop and shower not attached but close to tent).
to us it was leaving our beautiful camp behind to pay additional amount for getting less.

i would not do it again unless it's guaranteed it's "inmidst" the action.

furtermore when fly camping you should follow: "peel it, cook it or leave it" due to the circumstances.

MHO.

div

The rate for the Serian fly camp is same as regular camp (including park fees); quality of food provided is same as that at Main and/or Ngare, just prepared elsewhere though might not be as elegant, but then again, they might be. Consider 3/nts at Main or Ngare and 2/nts fly camping.

IMO fly camping is not about the accommodations or food (although I'm sure Serian's is very, very nice). It's about a wilderness experience or being in a prime location or just being out there with no one else around (except your camp staff of course ). I'm with jenack. Our fly camping experiences have been some of our best and most memorable ones in Africa even if I have to shovel my own dirt into the "toilet"

Fly camping is what they do with a group of Masai normally walking and sleeping out. Mobile camp is using the larger walk in tents with own bucket shower and toilet ensuite runs the same as serian food and service wise only the tents are different see their website. I'd do 3 nights main camp and 2 nights Mobile camp or Fly camp.

Just found out from Eben that when we arrive at Serian we discuss the game plan with our guide and driver and then decide where to spend the 5 nights. We are able to split the nights however we want. Sounds great to me, one less decision we have to make right now.

That sounds great!

That makes sense for you to do - on arrival, depending on the game movements/current activity you can sort it out with the camp management/guides and schedule your trip accordingly. Georgie, one of the strengths of Serian is their accent on flexibility and you get to do whatever you are comfortable with and sort out what you wish to do!

I had written to Alex Walker before our visit asking for a little more information on the mobile camping, mainly because I was confused, having read different descriptions here on Fodors.

He clarified as follows:

"mobile is in proper tents though simply furnished

fly camping is sleeping out under the stars"

We spent a night in the mobile camp. There are 4 tents though we were lucky to have it to ourselves. Our tent had 2 cots, perfectly comfortable though my very tall husband Pete found his a little short. The tent was small so in that main area there was not much additional space, but I loved it nonetheless. The bathroom area had a bucket shower, a drop loo with bucket of sand and spade provided, and an area in between for towels and where you could store a few toiletries. Out front was a bucket of water, a basin, soap, jug and towel and a mirror hung to the tent oh and two folding chairs. The tent was just a couple of feet from the edge of the river. There was also a small mess tent and a fire was lit in the evening on the edge of the river. We loved our night there and would go again.

I didn't like the idea of fly camping as I understand you either sleep in the open or in small dome tents and there is no ensuite shower/ loo.

I'd be keen to do both the mobile and the fly camp!