Wilderness Mara: Masai Mara Packages & 2026 Rates
Wilderness Mara Overview
Wilderness Mara opens June 2026 in the Mara Triangle. Twelve suites overlooking the marsh where the Marsh Pride hunts. Rates run $1,324-2,028 per person per night. Spa, gym, photographic studio, pool. Formerly Little Governors Camp. We book Masai Mara safari packages from £901 per person.
Wilderness Mara is what Little Governors Camp became after Wilderness took it over in late 2025. They closed the camp in October, demolished what was there, and started building the new version. The site is the same—that oxbow bend on the Mara River where you take the hand-pulled boat across—but everything on it is new construction. June 2026 is when they open. Twelve suites instead of the seventeen tents the old camp had, plus a spa, gym, and pool that Little Governors never had.
Packages with Wilderness Mara
Wilderness Mara starts at $1,324 per person per night in low season.
Package | Price | Notes |
£901 – £1,943 | 2 nights. Road transfer. Tight. | |
£2,496 – £4,084 | 3 nights. Flight included. | |
£1,225 – £2,710 | 3 nights. Road transfer. | |
£1,548 – £3,476 | 4 nights. Good pace. | |
£1,209 – £2,615 | Rhinos at Nakuru, cats here. | |
£2,165 – £4,740 | Amboseli, Nakuru, Mara. |
Prices per person sharing. Range covers budget to luxury accommodation. Wilderness Mara sits at the upper end.
Included: Private 4×4 Land Cruiser with guide, accommodation on full board, park entry fees, game drives, Nairobi airport transfers, bottled water.
Excluded: International flights, Kenya ETA (~$30), balloon safari ($505-560), tips, travel insurance, alcohol, optional activities.
The Camp Rebuild
The rebuild brought the tent count down from seventeen to twelve, which Wilderness is positioning as more exclusive, and added facilities the old camp lacked—a spa, a gym, a pool, and a photo studio. Each suite sits on its own raised platform looking out at the marsh, and they’ve gone with the indoor-outdoor shower setup and freestanding tubs that luxury camps tend toward these days.
The location itself is unchanged: same stretch of the Mara River, same marsh where the Marsh Pride has territory, same boat crossing because vehicles aren’t allowed on that side of the river.
Charging Your Gear
The camp runs on solar and there are no generators, which is good for the quiet but means charging camera batteries requires some planning around when the system has capacity available versus when it’s running the camp’s own lighting after dark.
No Family Tents Available
Wilderness Mara has no family tent configuration—suites are built for two adults. Children are allowed but there’s no connecting room option, so families with young kids who need to be in the same space should look at Main Governors’ Camp instead, which has family setups and is nearby.
The Mara Triangle
Wilderness Mara sits in the Mara Triangle, which is the western portion of the Masai Mara ecosystem that the Mara Conservancy manages separately from the Narok County-run eastern section. The Conservancy limits vehicle numbers and maintains roads to a higher standard than the main reserve.
The selling point for Wilderness Mara specifically is that they have permits to operate on both sides of the river, whereas other Triangle camps are limited to the Triangle and camps on the eastern bank are limited to that side. During migration season when river crossings can start anywhere along the river, that flexibility has value.
The Marsh Pride Lions
The Marsh Pride—the one that featured in BBC’s Big Cat Diary—has territory covering the marsh in front of camp. Guides in this area track the pride and know the individual lions, so you can get context on what you’re seeing rather than just “there’s a lion.”
Red Oat Grass Sounds
The tall grass areas near the Oloololo Escarpment are habitat for smaller predators like Bat-eared foxes and Servals, and guides who know the area listen for movement sounds in the grass as much as they scan for big cats on the horizon.
Warthogs in Camp
Warthogs move through the camp area and have learned to associate bags with food, so don’t leave anything out on tables.
The Boat Crossing
Getting to camp involves a boat crossing on the Mara River—staff pull the boat across by hand, then you walk up the riverbank to the camp, which involves about fifty steps on uneven ground. Not suitable if you have mobility limitations; Main Governors’ Camp has flat access if that’s a concern.
At night there are no vehicles moving around camp and staff escort guests between the main area and their tents.
Getting to Wilderness Mara
Flying: Most guests fly to Kichwa Tembo Airstrip from Wilson Airport in Nairobi, which takes about 45 minutes, then transfer by vehicle to the boat crossing. Safarilink, Airkenya, and Governors’ Aviation all operate the route. If the Kichwa Tembo strip is too muddy to land, pilots divert to Musiara on the other side of the river and the transfer is longer but goes through lion territory.
Driving: You can drive from Nairobi via Narok, about six hours. At the prices Wilderness charges, flying is the more sensible option and driving guests often arrive too tired to do the afternoon game drive.
Park Fees 2026
Mara Triangle entry fees are separate from what the camp charges.
Low season (January-June): $100 per day, roughly £79. Peak season (July-December): $200 per day, roughly £158.
Tickets are valid for 12 hours, so if you enter in the afternoon you’ll need to pay again the next morning unless you’re leaving before the ticket expires.
Payment via KAPS or at the gate.
Wilderness Mara 2026 Rates
Direct rates from Wilderness:
Travel Dates | Rate Per Person Per Night |
June 1 – October 31, 2026 | $2,028 (~£1,600) |
November 1 – December 15, 2026 | $1,324 (~£1,045) |
December 16, 2026 – January 1, 2027 | $2,028 (~£1,600) |
January 2 – February 28, 2027 | $1,324 (~£1,045) |
Rates include accommodation, all meals, drinks, game drives, airstrip transfers, laundry, spa access.
Other Camps in the Area
If Wilderness Mara is full or you want different price points:
Main Governors’ Camp — 37 tents, established 1972. Same Mara River area, east side. More communal. Lower rates. Family tents available. Flat access.
Il Moran Camp — 10 tents, adults-focused luxury. Same sector. Documentary crews have used it as base.
Angama Mara — Overlooking the Triangle from the escarpment. Views rather than immersion. Similar price.
For other Masai Mara lodges, we can advise.
Common Questions About This Camp
When does Wilderness Mara open?
June 2026. The site is still under construction until then and not taking guests. If you need to travel before June, Main Governors’ Camp and Il Moran are both nearby and operating now.
Same as Little Governors Camp?
Same site on the Mara River, but completely rebuilt. New buildings, new layout, new name. Wilderness kept on staff from the old camp, so returning guests might recognize faces, but the physical camp is entirely different.
Can children stay at this camp?
Children can stay but there are no family tents or connecting rooms—suites accommodate two adults. Families with older children who can stay in their own suite are fine; families with younger children should book Main Governors’ instead.
How much does Wilderness Mara cost?
Between $1,324 and $2,028 per person per night depending on season, roughly £1,045-1,600. That includes meals, drinks, game drives, and spa access. Park fees are extra at $100-200 per day.
What’s included in the rates?
All meals, all drinks including alcohol, two game drives per day, airstrip transfers, laundry, and spa access. Park entry fees, balloon safaris ($505-560), and tips are not included and need to be budgeted separately.
How do I get to Wilderness Mara?
Fly to Kichwa Tembo Airstrip from Wilson Airport in Nairobi (about 45 minutes), then vehicle transfer to the river and boat across. You can drive from Nairobi but it takes six hours via Narok.
Is this camp suitable for mobility issues?
No. The boat crossing includes about fifty steps up the riverbank on uneven terrain, and there’s no way to avoid them. Main Governors’ Camp is nearby and has flat access throughout if mobility is a concern.
What’s different about the Mara Triangle?
The Triangle is managed by the Mara Conservancy rather than Narok County, which means fewer vehicles allowed, better maintained roads, stricter enforcement. Wilderness Mara has permits to cross to both sides of the river, which other camps don’t have.
Is the pool cold in June?
Yes. June mornings in the Mara are cold, around 12-14°C, and the pool isn’t heated. Afternoon is better once the sun has warmed the water, but early morning swimming is going to be bracing rather than relaxing.
Book Wilderness Mara
Send us your dates and we’ll check availability, confirm current rates, and arrange flights from Nairobi. The camp opens June 2026 and migration season (July-October) will fill up given there are only twelve suites.
Related Safari Pages
- Masai Mara National Reserve
- Masai Mara Safaris
- Masai Mara Hotels
- Wildebeest Migration
- Kenya Safari Holidays
- Kenya Honeymoons
- Best Time to Visit Kenya
- Cost of Safari in Kenya
- 5 Days Masai Mara Safari
- 4 Days Masai Mara Safari
Written by Peter Munene. Edited by Trevor Charles.