KICHECHE CAMPS
June 2008
KICHECHE LAIKIPIA CAMP - OPENING 1st DEC 2008
We are very pleased to announce that Kicheche will be opening their new Camp in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Laikipia at the end of this year.
Hosted by the highly experienced Andy & Sonja, the 6 tents are situated in a beautifully remote, game rich area. The same exceptional standard of game viewing activities, as at other Kicheche camps, will be on offer as well as exciting editions including Lion Tracking, Horseriding and private access to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Full briefing details on the new Camp and 2009 rates are available from us. Combination packages with the Mara camps are available here.
May 2008
Hot on the heels of Mr Jackman, Simon Calder visited Kicheche Mara Camp and raved about his experience in The Independent.
Both Kicheche Mara and Bush Camps will be open for business on the 1st June.
March 2008
Brian Jackman recently visited the Masai Mara for the Telegraph and spent some time in the Olare Orok Conservancy at Kicheche Bush Camp. If you missed the Telegraph this weekend, you can read his conclusions on Kenya and Kicheche here.
February 2008
Naisho the cheetah and her four cubs have provided great viewing at Kicheche Bush Camp this season. All though Naisho has proved to be a brilliant mother in supporting and feeding her four cubs, she did leave them to fend for themselves at about thirteen months of age. Guests still see her from time to time. Her three sons have been seen hunting within the Conservancy and are doing well. There is no news of her beautiful daughter.
The good rains and lush grass have brought on the birth of many topi, zebra and gazelles. The resident wildebeest have started calving and Andy reports how wonderful it has been for guests to see so many young calves and foals around the camp.
February 2008
Here is the latest news from Andy and Sonja at Kicheche Bush Camp:
True to form the new site we had chosen has lived up to and beyond all expectations. We not only have what we know is the best site in the heart of the Conservancy but also smack in the middle of the migration route for herds of zebra and wildebeest! We never would have thought that the constant lowing of wildebeests as they moved across the plains, would give us sleepless nights!
If one could call it a ‘normal rainy season’ then that is what we have experienced this season. The rains filled water holes around the conservancy so providing plenty of water for the game. The plains have been like vast green carpets – providing sweet grass for all the game. We are now heading for the rainy seasons of March and April.
Our local lion pride, the Moniko Pride, has been very successful in raising three cubs that are about six month old now. Although this pride has a large territory they seem to spend most of their time on Moniko Hill just 2km west of the camp. They have also been the main source of entertainment in the evenings calling to each other.
Greg has added a new guest comments page to the website which features recent client reviews from January and February this year. With the negative media attention that Kenya has recieved post-elections, we thought some unedited guest feedback might be appreciated.
October 2007
The Kicheche Approach
You can spend a lot of time on safari sitting around at dining room tables, reading in the guest library, relaxing in your comfortable tent and whilst these are admirable holiday goals, the Kicheche approach tends to lean more towards the opportunity for extra time spent in the field.
Game drives without time constraints, delicious bush picnics and the added bonus that the action starts right on your doorstep. In fact with the phenomenally good rates offered at both Kicheche Camps, the most sensible option may just be to book a private vehicle and stay out all day admiring the wildlife that put the Mara on the map.
The second option for those wanting hours of uninterrupted Mara with less human company is to visit outside the busier migration months, you may well find that the vehicle is all yours anyway. Migration aside, the Kicheche wildlife experience is exceptional year round.
Please visit the new Kicheche website here or read how the wettest week of the Mara year turned into the best game viewing week of Ben's year.
September 2007
New Website
The new Kicheche Camps' website is up and running with some great Mara shots, improved maps and the new Bush Camp images. If you are already a fan of these great camps, enjoy the new site. If you would like to learn more about the Kicheche experience, please contact Ben or Sarah at Northern Exposure
Please click here for the Kicheche website
August 2007
A guest spot from one of Kicheche's regular visitors....
Early one morning we set off on what was to become an incredible day. In the sun's first rays, we watched a female serval cat stalking in the long grass. She pounced and emerged with a mouse in her jaws, she then moved on and suddenly launched herself into another patch of grass and came up with a lark. Carrying both the mouse and the lark, we followed her to a den where 4 serval kittens emerged to play.
Afterwards, further south, we witnessed 2 huge river crossings of several thousand wildebeest which featured a number if Nile crocodiles in full action. Breaking for lunch, we were alerted by the bleating of a lost juvenile wildebeest. Suddenly a female cheetah followed by 5 cubs dashed out from the undergrowth and quickly dispatched the calf just meters from our vehicle.
Then late in the afternoon near Bush Camp we spotted Bella, the star leopard from the Big Cat series, stalking a large herd of wildebeest. Creeping to within a few meters of the approaching herd, she rushed out, leapt onto the back of a fully grown adult wildebeest and after a long struggle, dragged the unfortunate individual into some croton bushes. Again all this took place just meters from our vehicle. As if this wasn't enough, we then encountered a pair of mating lions close to the camp as the sun set on what must have been the most memorable day in all my years of coming to the Mara. 21st August 2007
New Location 2007/8 – Kicheche Bush Camp
To immerse yourself in Big Cat Diary land, look no further than Kicheche Bush Camp. Only 35 minutes flight from Nairobi, this traditional mobile tented camp, is open from June to October and mid December to March. The camp, just 4km from the Mara Reserve boundary, provides the perfect setting for following this year’s Great Migration. The camp is ideal for those looking for intimate traditional tented safaris with phenomenal game drives in photography-friendly Land Cruisers led by expert Masai guides.
The 6 large and light tents all have traditional bucket showers, huge comfortable beds and tranquil verandas to enjoy the view from. The highly experienced managers, Andy & Sonia guarantee great food and hospitality in totally relaxed surroundings.
There is no better way to enjoy one of nature’s greatest spectacles than with Kicheche Bush Camp.
Rates: US$325 pppn
July 2007
Andy at Bush Camp reports the arrival of the Loita Zebra Migration from the east. Hundreds of zebra have been filing past the camp on their way down into the Reserve. The herds are using the traditional crossing points in the Mara river and many recent gamedrive highlights have involved the inevitable one-sided meeting of crocodile and zebra. One group of guests witnessed an unfortunate herd first lose a foal to cheetah before plunging into the river where six crocodiles attached themselves to one very unlucky stallion.
Bush Camp's resident cheetah super-mum with four cubs is spending most of her time in the Olare Orok Conservancy at the moment and the family were seen taking down a zebra foal a couple of mornings ago only to lose it to lions after they had eaten just a quarter of the carcass.
Bella the leopard and 'Big Cat Diary' star has also been a regular sighting over the past few weeks, with most guests leaving with spot filled memory cards. Aside from the cats, elephant numbers are on the increase as the area starts to dry out.
Phil at Mara Camp says the pre-drive campfire discussions have involved the heavy use of adjectives like 'outrageous!' and 'fantastic!'. The Kicheche pride of lions are happy, full of plains game and never far from camp. The 'Shy Boys' Cheetah coalition are not living up to their name and are very high profile on the Aitong plains. Although they are slightly outshone by the two six month old cheetah cubs being shepherded by their watchful mother. The camp guides and ranger are keeping a very close eye on their wellbeing.
