Why Spectacular? Wildlife, location and privacy. This is an atmospheric, small and intimate camp with huge character that is tucked away on the banks of the Mara River with a rope bridge to the other side connecting a very separate, out of sight and opulent private area.
Accommodation Summary: Main Camp – seven, semi-permanent tents with wooden verandahs and separate bathrooms. Communal dining area with lounge. Ngare Serian (Private area) - four opulent, semi-permanent, en-suite tents with huge wooden verandahs each with their own open-air bath.
Maximum number of guests: Main area – 14. Private area – 8.
Where: Maasia Mara (North Mara Reserve)
Price Guide: £455 p.p.p.n. 
Overview: The Mara is all about wildlife and generally there is an abundance of it. What distinguishes lodges and camps here is their settings, the amount of tourists you encounter during your safari drives, the number of guests, the service and how personal and varied your experience is.
Serian’s owner, Alex Walker, who has lived and worked in the industry his whole life, has created a place that excels in every area. This is classic, luxurious camping but in a traditional, natural and un-spoilt style. It is about foot trodden tracks, campfires, open wilderness and lanterns rather than paved paths, electric lights and fences.
Serian, means “peaceful” in the Maa language of the Maasai and this is apt given the atmosphere created from its secluded location and limited number of guests. Whether you choose the main camp or Ngare Serian (the private area on the opposite side of the river accessed only by a rope bridge) your stay amongst the wildlife will be a memorable one.
As you sit on your verandah listening to the sounds of the river and its inhabitants, in front of your stylishly furnished tent, you slowly become aware of how stunning this location is, perched right on the banks of the Mara river and surrounded by Oleadendra and Walburgia trees.
The fixed tents of the main camp are spacious and decorated with neutral colours and authentic, safari antiques. If the intention was to create a feeling of calm and comfort while also leaving a wild edge to the whole experience they have succeeded. Each room has plenty of space between them so you would be forgiven for feeling you are completely on your own in the bush. The reality is there’s always a guard in earshot should you ever fell the need for reassurance.
The communal dining and lounge area, with a warming open fire in the evening, is spacious enough to find your own spot but intimate enough to induce tales of the day’s safaris between guests. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable and the decoration feels natural and in keeping with where you are. We shared one of our most memorable bush dinners here with our host, Alex Walker. The conversation was absorbing and enlightening, the food was fresh and delicious, the wine flowed and the animal sounds from around the camp fed in, leading to feeling of being remote from the outside world. No pretence, no formality, nothing contrived. Fantastic!
Around Serian you will find some of the most varied and abundant game in the world. The guides are all from the local area and are very experienced at finding it while also keeping your safety of paramount importance. Your safari vehicle is exclusively for your party allowing you to go wherever you like and for however long you like. If you were looking for something more adventurous you can opt to walk in Serian’s private walking concession that has no roads and no other tourists, allowing for a very private safari experience. Or what about a night in their Tree House in the forest or fly camping in the midst of the Maasai Mara Reserve.
Meals are flexible - what, where and when is down to you. Bush breakfasts, picnic lunches, lunches under the trees or dinners under the stars can all be arranged.
For a truly, spectacular experience, we recommend Serian Ngare. With four, huge ‘marquee boudoirs’ on hardwood decks and a resplendent dining and lounge area, your Maasai Mara safari experience promises to be unrivalled. The marquees are furnished with large, sumptuous double beds and various antique items from writing desks to trunks, which evoke the feeling of safaris of old. The blend of wooden floors, Persian rugs, cotton and canvas creates a warm, luxurious and inviting feeling and a sense of where you are. The adjoining bathrooms have showers, flush toilets and remarkably large, deep baths that sit on the verandah right at the river’s edge.
Sustainable Rating: 
Alex Walker's Serian robustly supports a sustainable tourism ethic. Based in key dispersal areas adjacent to the Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorngoro Parks & Reserves, they have made a point of employing from the local communities (3:1 staff to client ratio). They have been at the forefront of creating the Maasai Mara's private and exclusive Mara North Conservancy and in Tanzania together with our partners we strive to protect and conserve a large wilderness area. The Serian Trust acts as a conduit for funding for anti poaching, education, women's groups, micro finance and the Living with Lions predator project.
Throughout your Safari they actively involve you in local conservation and long term sustainable management practices for the indigenous environment. Through direct involvement and hands on application they help train "Lion Guardians", collect vital data on big cats, develop community understanding, perform anti poaching patrols and initiate health and social enterprise within the local village.
Their responsibilities to local communities extend beyond the mere financial. They support several youngsters seeking further education, provide scholarships and have enabled local women's groups. A significant proportion of your guest fee is dedicated to the preservation of these threatened dispersal areas. Serian's focus is on the traditional, natural and wildlife experience during your time in the bush. As a result the Serian Trust has become heavily involved in the long-term vision that will be the African wilderness in years to come.
