Sekenani Camp

We were very upset that our agent booked us at Sekenani, and are considering making a formal complaint to our Kenyan embassy. We had booked and paid for three nights, but after two nights, on the third morning, a man who said he was the manager told us, in very limited English, that “we must leave.” He said repairs were needed at our tent and that we would be moved. We thought it meant an upgrade, but since we were due to check out the next morning, we declined. He was rude, unsmiling and insisted we had to go. When we came back from the game drive at about 4pm, three staff members were waiting outside our tent. My wife packed our things unhappily, squeezing everything into our bags, and we left. On the way out, we saw the dining hall set up with long tables, cutlery and wine glasses for what was clearly a large party. We realised they had sent us away because we were the only two guests left and didn't want us eating in the hall. They didn't move us to a better tent. They sent us to a smaller hotel about 15 minutes away. We felt chased out like tenants who hadn't paid rent. The manager showed no respect or fairness toward us as clients. We wouldn't have minded eating elsewhere if they wanted the hall exclusively for the party, but after taking our booking and payment, how could they say, “you must go”? The place itself was generally clean, and the tent was comfortable, though it was a bit of a walk to the main dining hall. There wasn't much to do, the tent was basic and had no kettle for making coffee. Staff did their jobs, but the meals were basic and very plain.

The camp grounds and location were magical. Baboons and other monkeys live in the trees, and zebras and giraffes graze in the field in front of the dining room in the mornings. The glam tents were spotless, and the firm mattresses, soft pillows and comforters made for a very comfortable bed. I have a bad back, so I especially appreciated that. When our hot water stopped working, staff came right away. At night they brought hot water bottles in knitted covers to warm the beds, and they stayed warm all night. Every staff member was kind and attentive, seeing to everything, even needs we hadn't noticed ourselves. Service deserves five stars. Food was my one reservation, maybe three stars at best. There was plenty of it, but we had undercooked chicken and overcooked fish. Most dishes were curries. I'd stick to the stewed and skewered meat, rice, stews and soups, which were very tasty. The packed safari lunches were great and filling. We enjoyed the food because we're flexible and don't focus too much on it, but very picky eaters might not be happy.

The game drive was breathtaking, with lots of wildlife and a guide who shared plenty of fun facts. The tents were spacious and clean, and the welcoming staff were friendly and helpful. We ate delicious food with a nice range of choices. I really enjoyed my stay at Sekenani camp and would highly recommend it.

Being inside the reserve made Sekenani Camp easy to reach from the entrance gate, and we even spotted animals on the way there. The camp sits in a quiet, secluded spot by the source of the Sekenani river. Our equipped, cozy tents had hot water and electricity, and the food was very good. Service was amazing and all the staff were friendly. We chose the road package, and they picked us up from our Nairobi hotel right on time. They were responsive over email and whatsapp and flexible with our arrangements. Our local game drive guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and adapted the trips to what we wanted. We had a packed lunch facing the Mara river and hippos, plus breakfast with a view of a herd of elephants, as well as the game drives and other discoveries. It was a once in a lifetime experience, and we're extremely glad we spent it at Sekenani Camp. Recommended!