Governor's Il Moran Camp

Set on the inside of a thickly wooded bend of the Mara River in the Musiara sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Governors Il Moran Camp is just 1 km north of the main Governors Camp. It’s designed as a more exclusive version of the original formula, with much larger tents.

The camp is similar in most ways to the main Governors’ Camp and, along with Little Governors’ Camp, shares its driver/guides and vehicles with the main camp. Even when full, however, Il Moran feels small, peaceful and intimate and has a fair proportion of honeymooners among its guests. Like the main Governors’ Camp, the physical set-up here is traditional and permanent, and few environmental considerations are taken into account in the operation of the camp.

The central area at Il Moran includes a cavernous, open-sided, dark-red tiled lounge ‘tent’, scattered with small armchairs and tables. It’s a place to sit and have a drink and relax in between game drives. The dining tent is similarly functional, and the terracotta floor tiles – which seem to be a bit of a theme in the Governors’ camps – lend it a curiously institutional feel.

The ten tents at Governors’ Il Moran are spaciously set on very large concrete, stone-paved plinths, and are fully mosquito-proofed. All have robust double beds made locally from reclaimed wood. An extra bed can be added if a twin set-up is required. The bedroom floors are laid with a heavy-weave carpet and simple rugs. The very large bathrooms, separated from the bedroom by zipped flaps, have terracotta-tiled floors and half walls of varnished wood paneling. The rear tent wall and overhead tent roof have welcome, extensive areas of mosquito-screen. As well as a big walk-in shower (with no curtains or shower screen), there’s a free-standing enamel bathtub with shower attachment, a bidet and flush toilet, and a vanity unit with twin washbasins.

The front verandas have simple dining-style chairs and a table, plus either deck chairs or directors’ chairs, and a canvas hammock hanging from the frame.

*For a full list of available activities, the best time of the year to visit, and any other relevant enquiries, please contact a Sister Hippo Travel Consultant!