Guest Information |
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| Activities: Apart from the usual game drives, we offer you a variety of interesting activities to spice up your experience in the Maasai Mara. Get to know the beauty of the Mara and its inhabitants through these excursions. Please liaise with the Camp Manager for more information or peruse through the attached information under” Special Activities“. Beverages: All beverages are sold in the lounge / mess tent & at the sun downer site. Your bar waiter will be handing a voucher / receipt to you for all drinks consumed on a daily basis. Kindly sign these and put your tent number on them. You will receive your final bill at the end of your stay just before your departure. You can then pay for these at the end of your stay. Bon fire: There is nothing like a cozy bon fire to end a fantastic day out on safari. Every day from 6.00 pm onwards, our camp fire is lit. You have a chance to review the day’s events while sipping one of our delicious cocktails. Our camp fire nibbles (free of charge) will be served to you by our waiter team. Camping & Bed night fees: Kindly note that your camp site & bed night fees are included in your package. We support the local Maasai Community & all bed night fees are 100% paid to the local Maasai Community who owns the land where the camp is located. Cow Bell: The cow bell fixed outside your tent, pls. ring it if you need any assistance. An Askari should come to your tent shortly. Drinking water: In order to conserve the environment and cut down on our usage of plastic bottles, we have placed a beautiful glass carafe on your washing table in the bathroom. You should use it for brushing your teeth. If you prefer small sealed plastic bottles, we will be happy to supply you with these in addition. (0.5 Liter per person per day) Emergencies: Please switch on the lights in your room or use the torch in case of an emergency situation to alert the night security guard. Within a short time one of them will be at your tent to assist. Feel free to approach the Manager at all the times in case of any issue which requires attention or clarification. Environmental Responsibility: Mara Bush Camp is an eco friendly camp. It may be interesting for our guests to know that Mara Bush Camp separates all waste. The biodegradable waste is thrown in a 10 meter deep bio pit, away from the river and closed with natural soil after every season the camp closes down. Other waste (glass, paper, plastic etc.) is not burnt at the Camp but separated and bagged and sent to Nairobi on a weekly basis. Water is heated using non toxic paraffin in a special oven; kindly use your towels sparingly since any wash means loss of water and negative effect on the environment through washing detergents. All towels found on the floor in your tent will be taken for washing. Our drinking water is bought in 20 liter containers, thereafter refilled in your glass carafe in each tent. Each Carafe is thoroughly cleaned before refilling and the water is absolutely safe for drinking. Solar energy, the entire power system at the camp is run by solar energy. The torches/spotlights available in your tent can be recharged using the winding handle. Fridges and cooking plates run under the latest electric system which uses little energy. Fruits and vegetables are preserved in a special natural charcoal cool room which uses no electricity. You are free to visit our back office to see how this most interesting system functions. As part of responsible tourism we partner with the local community, the Maasai Tribe. Bed night fees, derived from the Camp Income are paid promptly to the community at the end of every month. Proceeds from Bush walks organized at the Camp go directly to the Conservancy. We also support a nearby local Maasai school with the construction of classrooms, provision of writing materials and offering job training for the youth. Most of our Camp staff comes from the neighboring Maasai community. Flush Toilets: Kindly flush your toilet sparingly. Every flush uses 12 liters of water which is drawn by hand from the spring. One truckload of water takes a full day of being fetched & transported to / from camp. Please do not dispose of any sanitary towels in the flush toilet but please use the bags that are supplied in our toiletry basket. Game Drives: For clients who have booked a flight package, all game drives are performed in the camp’s safari equipped Landcruisers. Morning Game Drive: 6.30 am (with picnic breakfast until 10am, with breakfast in the camp until 9am and Afternoon Game Drive: 3.30pm until 6.30pm. Please note that the vehicle will be shared with other clients. Should you require the sole use of the vehicle please book it in advance. Kindly check your extra activities info. Internet: Owing to our location in the middle of the bush, it is not possible to offer W-LAN internet services in the Camp. Laundry: A small fee of Kenya Shillings 100/- per item of clothing is being charged. Half the amount you pay will go to the stewards for hand washing & ironing your clothes (with a charcoal iron). The other half is used to purchase laundry soaps & biodegradable detergents. Weather permitting the item will be washed / ironed the same day and returned to you. You can leave your laundry items in the tent (hand woven basket) and kindly fill the laundry list on your desk. Our laundry service doesn’t include underwear, kindly bear with us in this regard. We however have added a detergent in your bathroom which you are free to use. Lighting in the Tent: All lights in the tent are served with energy from the solar plant. We kindly request you to switch them off whenever you leave your tent. The lights on the verandah can however remain on. If you require an extra reading light, the Camp Manager will happily assist you with mini book lights. Location: Approximately 5 min. drive from Ol Kiombo Airstrip, in the heart of the Mara Game Reserve on the Olare Orok River. Medical Emergencies / Diseases: Kindly report to the Camp manager immediately if you require medical attention or assistance. The nearest doctor is Talek hospital which is about 30 minutes drive from the Camp. A dental hospital is in the Siana Springs Conservancy, 90 minutes drive from the Camp. In case of any emergency, we can organize a flight to Nairobi. (only during the day, not at night as planes cannot land on bush airstrips in the middle of the night). If you have Flying Doctor’s Evacuation insurance, this cost will be covered. The Camp Manager will always assist with minor cases such as diarrhea, small injuries, and headache or bee/wasp stings, bruises and cuts. Meals: All meals are served in the Main Mess Area, outside under the trees or inside the Mess tent. Breakfast: 7-10am, lunch between 12 and 3pm. We invite all guests to the cozy camp fire for pre-dinner drinks & bitings from 6.30 pm onwards. Dinner is served from 8 pm. Extra meals are payable direct (breakfast 10 EURO/15 US$, lunch and dinner 20 EURO/30 US$). If you have any special requirements please inform the Camp Manager, we are happy to cater you with all dietaries. Payment for extras: Please note that we accept credit cards (Visa Card). All credit card payments attract a 5% surcharge though on the total price. All payments for extras can be done in cash (Kenya Shillings, Euros or USD). Traveler Cheques are generally not accepted. Picnic breakfast / lunch: Kindly brief your guide the day / evening before you would like to go out with a picnic breakfast or lunch for the next day. The kitchen can then prepare it in time. Power supply: Kindly charge your photographic equipment in our Bar or in the Photo Lounge, where you will find sockets and adapters. We recommend charging of your batteries between 18.30 hrs to 22.30 hrs as the Generator is on during this period. Tea & Coffee: available for all resident guests all day long at no extra cost. Please feel free to help yourself from our coffee / tea station. Enjoy our afternoon tea / coffee with homemade cookies. Safety & Surroundings: Please note that Mara Bush Camp is NOT fenced, hence vigilance is recommended. We have Maasai watchmen guarding the camp 24 hrs. Do not wander out of camp alone under any circumstance (day or night) as you are surrounded by wild animals. During the day, it is perfectly safe to leave your tent and walk to the dining or lounge area. At night, however, we recommend that your askari (watchman) accompanies you to the dining / lounge tent & again back to your tent. PLEASE DO NOT WALK ALONE under any circumstance. Mara Bush Camp cannot accept any liability if you do not follow these rules. Showers: Because Mara Bush Camp is eco-friendly, we are offering “safari showers”. The water is heated by non-toxic Paraffin. Water for showers / washing comes from a natural spring & is transported 30 kms one way to our camp. The water is treated and therefore completely safe for use. (please don’t drink it though). After a long Safari day enjoy your warm shower, if you like to take a shower after lunch or in the morning please inform your room steward or the Camp Manager – the water is warmed for your comfort which takes approx. 15 – 20 minutes to heat and prepare. . Smoking: Smoking in public areas is not permitted by law in Kenya. We are however not very strict at Mara Bush Camp and do allow you to smoke at the Camp fire or outside your tent. You room steward will put an ash tray on the verandah table for use, should you require it. Souvenirs: We welcome your visit our small Boutique shop at the Photographers Lounge for any special souvenirs of your choice. Feel free to browse. Our Maasai staff runs a separate small “Market”along the path way. Tips: You are free to tip any member of staff personally if you find their services outstanding. Overall, we recommend that you place your tip in the tipping box at the bar. The contents of the box will be shared equally amongst by the entire Mara Bush Camp Service Team (with the exception of your driver/guide) our recommendation in general for the entire staff is Kshs. 500/- per guest per day. Kindly tip your driver/guide only on the last day. We would like to stress that tipping is not mandatory and should only be done if you are happy with our services provided. Towels/ Bathrobes / Slippers: If you throw your towels on the floor, it means that you want them washed. If you want to re-use them, kindly place them on the rack. Kindly consider the environment when making this decision. We also provide you with a bathrobe for your comfort. If you wish to take it home, kindly purchase one from our shop in your favorite color. Umbrella/ Torch: Every tent has an umbrella for each person staying & one winding torch per tent. Please take the torch with you when you go to dinner. Valuables: We do not provide a safe where your valuables can be deposited. Kindly keep your money / jewellery with you at all times. The camp does not take any liability if anything gets stolen. Wake up call & morning coffee / tea: our Room steward or the Camp Manager will check with you every evening on your preferred wakeup call time. Choose between early morning coffee / tea and hot chocolate which will be served on your tent verandah at the requested time. Enjoy your stay! Should you have any queries or concerns, kindly do not hesitate to contact me. I will always be at your disposal to assist you. Sabine Jorke Camp Manager |