Ngare Serian: The 2027 Guide And Review
Ngare Serian at a glance
Ngare Serian is Alex Walker’s four-tent camp on the west bank of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, reached only on foot over a rope bridge. Every group gets its own vehicle, guide and spotter, and the latest rate is about USD 1,745 per person a night.
Ngare Serian sits on the west bank of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, with views across to the Oloololo Escarpment. It is the smallest of Alex Walker’s Serian camps in the Mara, the quieter neighbour of Serian The Original across the river, and it suits families and small groups who want a camp almost to themselves.
A Camp You Walk Into
No vehicle can reach Ngare Serian. You leave the car on the far bank and walk in over a narrow rope bridge across the Mara River, about 50 metres long. A sign asks guests to cross one at a time. The bridge bounces a little, and older reviews call it “wobbly and scary”, but guests in July 2026 reported that it had been renewed and was now easy to cross.
The camp sits on Pusinkariak, Serian’s own private conservation area of about 1,500 acres, or 600 hectares, on the west bank between the Mara River and the Siria Escarpment. It works as a private wildlife corridor and is kept free of cattle and of other camps’ vehicles.
Ngare Serian is also open all year, including April and May. Several Mara North camps close for the long rains, including Kicheche Mara North from 1 April to 22 May 2027, so this is one of the few places in the conservancy where you can see the green season, with lush grass, newborn animals and almost no other vehicles. Hippos share the riverbank, and at night you fall asleep to the river and their grunting.
Ngare Serian | |
Location | West bank of the Mara River, Mara North Conservancy |
Size | 4 tents, all facing the river |
Access | On foot, over a rope bridge |
Nearest airstrip | Mara North, about 30 minutes |
Open | All year |
The Tents And Which One To Ask For
The four tents are large marquee-style tents on raised hardwood decks, each looking over the river. They open fully on three sides, with four-poster beds and mosquito nets, and staff come round in the late afternoon to close them before dark. Each has its own bush bathroom under the same canvas, with hot and cold running water, a flush toilet, twin basins and a shower, and a bathtub built into the veranda deck, looking out over the water.
Ask for Tent 4 for hippos. Tent 4, which guests call the Hippo Pool tent, sits at the far end of camp facing a wide pool where the hippo pod usually rests. One couple in July 2026 called it “the very best experience”. Tents 1 to 3 are closer to the rapids, so you fall asleep to the sound of running water instead.
There is no Wi-Fi. Serian keeps the camp offline. Internet is available for urgent use only, and phone signal is patchy, so tell family you will be out of reach.
Hot water has a schedule. The water is heated by wood-fired boilers and is always hot in the morning and evening. Power runs around the clock on solar and a generator, with charging points in the tents for cameras, phones and laptops. Leave hair dryers, curling irons and other high-wattage appliances at home, because bush power systems like this one are not built for them.
Meals are shared. Food is served family style, often out in the bush or on the deck. On a night drive, the kitchen packs your dinner to eat out in the conservancy.
Tent | Position | Best for |
Tent 4, the Hippo Pool tent | Far end, facing the hippo pool | Couples and hippo watchers |
Tents 1 to 3 | Near the rapids | Guests who like the sound of the river |
Whole camp | All four tents | Families and small groups |
Your Own Vehicle, Guide And Spotter
At Ngare Serian you never share a vehicle with strangers, and that is a big part of what the rate pays for. At most luxury camps in the Mara a private vehicle is an extra, at about USD 375 to 500 a day. Here it comes with every booking, even for a couple or a solo traveller. The 4x4s are built for wildlife photographers, with fold-down canvas sides for low-angle shooting, roof-rail swivel mounts and heavy-duty camera beanbags in every car. If you shoot with long telephoto lenses, you do not need to bring your own clamps or supports. Every party gets its own 4×4, a driver-guide and a spotter for the whole stay, and you keep the same guide from start to finish. The Serian camps share a team of fourteen guides, all qualified at bronze level or above with the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association. Guests have praised George, Dennis and Steve by name.
Having two people in the vehicle has one thing to plan for. One guest wrote that tipping both a guide and a spotter came as a surprise, so budget for both. As a guide, allow USD 15 to 20 a day for the driver-guide, USD 10 to 15 a day for the spotter, and a similar amount for the camp team.
Recent sightings from the camp include lion families, cheetah, rhino, eland, aardvark on a night drive and a hyena den with cubs. One guest in 2021 watched a lion pride feeding on a hippo.
The Nest, Walks And Things To Do
The Nest. A short walk upriver from camp, on Pusinkariak, is The Nest, a treehouse built about 12 feet up in a single Warburgia tree, overlooking a stretch of the Mara River where a big group of hippos gathers, with a salt lick nearby. The tree carries scratch marks from a resident male leopard. The Nest has two nest-shaped double beds with room for bedrolls for children, a flush toilet up in the tree and a bucket shower below on request, with candles and lanterns after dark. It also has an infrared spotlight and a night-vision camera, so you can watch hippos, hyenas and other night animals in the dark without disturbing them. It works as a picnic stop on a walk too. One night there is included at no extra charge, if you ask for it and it is free. Guests who have done it call it a “once-in-a-lifetime” night, but ask for it when you book, because one guest found it was not well explained in camp.
Walks for all ages. Guided bush walks are open to all ages, which is rare in the Mara. Short walks go out with a Maasai escort carrying traditional weapons, and longer ones with an armed ranger. Our walking safari guide explains what to expect.
Fishing in the Mara River. Catch-and-release fishing is possible from the riverbank, something very few Mara camps offer.
Fly camping. Alex Walker built his name on walking safaris, and Serian also runs adventure fly-camping nights out in the wild, away from camp. Ask us when you book and we arrange it with the camp.
Night drives and the reserve. Night drives are allowed in Mara North, and from July to October you can spend a day in the national reserve for the migration crossings. Because the camp is on the west bank, the Mara Triangle, entered through Oloololo Gate, is often the natural choice for a crossing day, and it usually has fewer vehicles than the Talek and Sekenani side of the reserve. Your guide picks the route on the day, depending on where the herds are. On those days the Narok County park fee applies: USD 100 per adult a day from January to June and USD 200 from July to December, and USD 50 per child aged 9 to 17. Tickets from the KWS eCitizen portal are not valid at the Mara gates, so we prepay them for you.
Activity | Included? | Good to know |
Private game drives | Yes | Your own vehicle, guide and spotter |
Night drives | Yes | With a packed dinner |
Bush walks | Yes, all ages | Escort depends on the length |
One night at The Nest | Yes, if free | Ask when you book |
Fishing | Yes | Catch and release |
Balloon flight | No, USD 550 | Very early start |
Rates And What They Include
Ngare Serian is one of the most expensive camps in Mara North, but the rate covers far more than most. The latest published rate is about USD 1,745 per person a night, two sharing, and Serian charges one price for most of the year, with a higher rate over Christmas and New Year from mid December to early January. We confirm the exact 2027 figure for your dates when we quote.
Included:
- Full board, with all drinks
- Your own 4×4, private guide and spotter, with unlimited game drives
- Night drives, walks, sundowners, picnics and bush meals
- One night at The Nest, if it is free
- Airstrip transfers
- Daily laundry
- A photographer in residence, in some seasons
Not included:
- The Mara North conservancy fee, unless your quote says otherwise (USD 150 per adult and USD 75 per child a night in 2027)
- The Mara North Reserve Fund fee (USD 5 per person a night, charged alongside the conservancy fee)
- Park fees on days you go into the national reserve
- Balloon flights (USD 550)
- The Kenya eTA (USD 34)
- Tips for the guide, spotter and camp team
Serian includes the conservancy fee in its rate at Serian The Original, but at least one booking partner lists it as an extra for Ngare Serian, so we check it with Serian and show it clearly in your quote.
Paying in camp. Cash is preferred, in Kenyan shillings, US dollars, pounds or euros. Cards are taken only at the manager’s discretion, and there is no currency exchange, so bring cash for tips.
Laundry, with one rule. Laundry is washed by hand and dried on the line every day. For cultural reasons the staff do not wash underwear, but soap powder is left in the tent so you can do it yourself.
What Guests Want To Know
How Do I Get To Ngare Serian?
Fly from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to Mara North Airstrip, and the camp vehicle meets you for a drive of about 30 minutes to the river. From there you walk over the rope bridge into camp. Pack a soft duffel, because the weight limit on the small planes is 15 kg. Our flying packages page explains how it works.
Is It Good For Families?
Yes. There is no minimum age, children under 5 stay free, and walks are open to all ages. Cots and high chairs are not kept in camp but can be brought in if you ask in advance. The camp is unfenced and on a fast river with hippos and crocodiles, so small children need watching at all times. On the rope bridge, hold younger children by the hand, or ask a member of staff to walk them across, and keep them from running along the riverfront decks. With only four tents, it works well for a family or small group travelling together.
Is It Accessible?
No. The rope bridge is the only way in, so the camp is not suitable for wheelchair users or anyone who cannot walk across it.
How Far Is The Nearest Doctor?
The staff have first aid training. The nearest basic clinic is at Mara Rianta, about half an hour’s drive, and there is no doctor in camp. Carry travel insurance with emergency evacuation cover.
How Does It Compare With Serian The Original And Nkorombo?
Serian The Original is the larger sister camp across the river, with five tents. Serian Nkorombo is Serian’s mobile camp inside the reserve for the crossings. Ngare Serian is the smallest and most secluded of the three, and it pairs well with Nkorombo for the migration.
How Long Should I Stay?
Three nights gives you the drives, a walk, a night at The Nest and time on the deck. Add a night or two at Nkorombo from July to October for the river crossings.
Plan Your Ngare Serian Safari
With only four tents, Ngare Serian is often booked by a single family or group, so it fills early for the migration and the holidays. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and whether you want the whole camp. Our team at Sekenani will check availability with Serian and send an itemised quote within 24 hours.
- Email: [email protected]
- WhatsApp: +254 180 297 751
- Online booking: Get a Quote
Related Reading
- Serian The Original
- Serian Nkorombo Mobile Camp
- Mara North Conservancy
- The Mara River
- Walking safaris in Masai Mara
- Masai Mara camps
- Masai Mara park fees
Sources
Written by David Njunge, TRA-licensed safari guide with over 10 years in the Masai Mara. Edited by Cess Wambui, travel consultant, BSc Tourism and Hospitality Management. Verified for the 2027 season.
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