Welcome to The Sambuk Suite at Mara Nyika

A “Sambuk” is a type of dhow typical of East African traditional wooden sailing vessels, often with a distinctive keel design with a sharp curve right below the top of the prow.

And so Kenya’s brand new 2-bedroomed The Sambuk Suite at Mara Nyika pays homage to the Swahili culture and language component found in this East African region.

The design is characteristic of its flowing canvas roofs and welcoming space for guests to relax in. This Reserve-Collection Suite rings with the romance of the vast open plains of East Africa from a time when light canvas flapped in the light breeze across those great plains (Nyika) as wildebeest and zebras call to each other and, at twilight, “Simba,” the great lion’s roar reverberated across the Nyika.

The design is also a homage to the influences from the Swahili culture right across Kenya.

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It is the perfect sister safari camp to the Masaai Mara’s 2-bedroomed Mara Plains Jahazi Suite.

Typical of the Maasai Mara’s ancient Nyika is the flat-topped Acacia kirkii trees. The Dereck Joubert-designed Sambuk Suite takes advantage of these umbrella-thorn trees’ shade. While the Mara Nyika Camp is in a valley straddling a small stream, this 2-bedroomed suite is set away from the main camp area and up high under the tree’s canopy to offer guests awe-inspiring views out over the bush and total privacy.

Many may think of Mara Nyika Sambuk Suite as a treetop camp, where the raised walkway to Mara Nyika Camp’s main area gives a feel of a treehouse under canvas. However, the entire camp’s ethic and inspiration are still one of exploration and adventure – a sense of impermanence in this ever-changing world. Privacy is the key to understanding it. Privacy to live, think, explore, be romantic, and be pampered – all the while with one of the most spectacular backdrops Africa can provide. The camp is a proud Relais & Châteaux member.

“We spent over three years circling the site of the camp, identifying one and then another, looking for light or noise pollution and finally settling on this exceptional place,” says Dereck Joubert. “One where each time we visited, we saw a male leopard or a lioness and cubs. A site where no one else will see our lights or canvas.

A safari is about creating a story, an ideal dream, and we want to create our own without eroding someone else’s.”

The 2-bedroomed Mara Nyika Sambuk Suite is part of our Mara Nyika Camp. Together they are located in the private 20 000-hectare Naboisho Conservancy. This is a unique area to explore and forms the perfect juxtaposition to one’s safari when combining your stay with our safari camps in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy and Maasai Mara Reserve. Each wildlife experience from our camps is unique and offers guests the opportunity to experience the different Mara faces, which is an unbelievable bonus.

In addition to our own programs, Great Plains Foundation keeps a list of school needs in the countries where we work.

Needed items can be hand-carried by travellers or we can help purchase them locally. To learn more or to help support students and educators as part of your trip please reach out to info@greatplainsfoundation.com