Elephant Pepper Camp

Two words: authentic luxury. Since our travel agent made our reservations, we had absolutely no idea what to expect as we drove 45 minutes from the tiny Mara airstrip deep into the bush. You can do three game rides a day: morning, afternoon, and evening. Each animal lives on its own schedule, so I encourage you to take advantage of as many rides as you can handle. The add-ons are also incredible; we went to the market and village, did a bush breakfast, and a ‘sundowner’. I recommend all of them! Even if you don’t have a chance to go to the market or visit a Maasai village, just being in the presence of the land and the staff immerses you in the local culture. We learned so much from just Joshua and Jonah, our waitstaff. We are so grateful how much the entirety of the staff shared with us about their lives. The natural scenery, friendly staff, delicious meals, and serene ambiance made this a luxurious experience. The otherworldly stories, the legendary animals, and both the casual and deep conversations made this a raw, meaningful, and unforgettable one. We are leaving after four nights with lifelong memories. My mom was in tears as we said goodbye. We can’t wait to go back, and I hope we’ll see you there! P.S. if you’re brave enough, try leaving the shades open overnight ;).

Our stay at Elephant Pepper Camp was truly unforgettable. The moment we arrived, we were told, "This is your second home away from home," and we it genuinely felt like it. The camp is truly a hidden gem. Not only was it designed to have a minimal impact on the environment, but it also supporting the local community, which made our stay feel even more meaningful. What really made the experience special was the warm and attentive staff, who treated us like family from the very start. They thought of every little detail, from placing hot water bottles in our beds at night to ensure we stayed cozy, to serving the most delicious, freshly crafted meals. Each dish was a wonderful surprise, perfectly complementing the magical atmosphere of the camp. For the game drives, our guide was incredible, with an almost 6th sense for finding wildlife. Every game drive felt like a new adventure, thanks to his deep knowledge and intuition. We left feeling not only connected to the landscape but also to the wonderful people who make this camp feel like home, and we can't wait to return!

This was our 2nd camp on our 16 night safari of Kenya and Tanzania. We stayed 3 nights. It is a completely different style from the other Elewana camps we stayed at - more of a true tented camp. Not better or worse - just different. It was a great experience across the board and the game viewing was incredible. It had rained a lot prior to our stay and we were afraid that maybe the game viewing would be impacted. If it was, we certainly didn't notice. Once again, we had a terrific guide. As we learned the hard way after this, the guide will make or break the safari experience. While we certainly appreciated our guide at the time, we do even more so in hindsight. We also did the Masai village tour which we enjoyed as well, except for the hard sell at the end. Well worth the investment of time and $20. The visit to the village provided us with a foundation to understand more about the Masai culture. Here and at subsequent camps we talked with our guides about the impacts of the modern world (both good and bad) on the Masai. Almost everyone we spoke to in our camps were proud of their culture and wanted to share.