Up Close and Unfenced in the Masai Mara
A light aircraft, a hot water bottle drama and a face‑to‑face with an elephant at Governors’ Camp, Kenya
There is a moment on every safari when Africa catches you completely off guard. It might be the first time you hear lions calling in the distance, or when you realise that the rustle outside your tent is not the wind, but something very large and very real. For me, it happened in Kenya, in a beautiful, unfenced camp on the banks of the Mara River, where luxury, wilderness and a healthy dose of humour collided in the most unforgettable way.
I stepped onto the light aircraft in Nairobi with a heady mix of excitement and just a touch of trepidation. It was a very small aircraft, after all. But after a smooth take off, our young female pilot soon had us skimming above vast honey‑coloured plains on our way to the Masai Mara. There is something about a small plane flying so close to the ground that makes you feel your adventure has already started, long before you land.
Minutes after touching down at the Governors’ Camp airstrip, luggage safely offloaded, we were whisked into waiting open‑sided vehicles, greeted by smiling, upbeat staff and driven towards camp. Colonial governors clearly understood the good things in life. Set on the banks of the Mara River on one side and the endless plains of the Masai Mara on the other, Governors’ Camp is an unfenced, luxury tented camp that feels truly magical.
Breakfast and lunch are served out on the lawn, pre‑dinner drinks are enjoyed in the bar overlooking the river, and dinner is taken in an open‑sided tented dining room with sweeping views across the plains. The atmosphere is one of tranquil peace, broken only by the sounds of the wild. Simple, unfiltered happiness.
I should mention again that Governors’ Camp is unfenced. This becomes very real, very quickly, when you are escorted to your tent and calmly briefed on what to do when the resident family of elephants wanders through. Note: not if, but when.
“Is there perhaps a tent closer to the main area? No? Just flash my torch if I need help? Someone really is on watch all night?”
Right then. Frightened? Me? Of course not…
Once safely settled in my tent, with every comfort I could possibly need for a good night’s sleep, all I wanted was a hot shower and bed. Freshly scrubbed and in my pyjamas, I climbed in and pulled back the covers.
Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of colour and, at precisely the same moment, my foot brushed against something soft and warm. I am fairly sure the Maasai in the neighbouring village heard my scream as I executed a leap that would have done an Olympic high jumper proud. Shaking and with my heart racing, I realised my torch was on the bedside table right next to the mysterious intruder. Of course it was!
After what felt like an hour, but in reality only a couple of seconds, I inched my way back towards the bed and, in a moment of uncharacteristic bravery, grabbed the corner of the duvet and whipped it off, flinging it across the tent.
There, sitting calmly in the middle of the bed, was a perfectly innocent, blissfully warm… would you believe… hot water bottle.
I have no idea what my neighbours made of the stream of slightly hysterical mutterings and intermittent giggles that followed, but I am not at all ashamed to admit that I slept with the light on that night.
Did I mention the camp is unfenced?
Morning eventually arrived and, considering the drama, I slept remarkably well. Feeling restored, I jumped out of bed and swept back the curtains with a flourish, ready to meet the day.
Hehehe… oh dear. Just inches away, filling the entire frame, was a single enormous eye staring straight at me. No exaggeration: a real, live giant’s eye. For the second time in 24 hours my body achieved a vertical take off that would impress any track and field coach.
There we stood: one slightly dishevelled guest and one decidedly unimpressed elephant, locked in a silent standoff. Neither of us moved. In my case, this was because I had turned to stone and only once my early‑morning visitor grew bored and wandered off did I dare to breathe again.
Would I do it again? Without hesitation. Would I return to Governors’ Camp? In a heartbeat. It is the kind of place that gets under your skin: beautifully run, wonderfully wild, and just the right blend of luxury, authenticity and the sort of stories you dine out on for years.
If my hot water bottle heroics and early‑morning elephant stare‑down made you smile, just imagine living your own version of this story. A Kenya safari is not about roughing it: think comfy beds, great food, expert guides and the kind of wildlife moments no screen can compete with… plus a few tales you will be telling for years.
I will take care of all the planning, from those little bush planes to choosing the right camp and timing your trip for the best game viewing. If you are ready to swap everyday routine for the Masai Mara and a dash of adventure, get in touch and let us start designing your own “unfenced” safari.
