andBeyond Bateleur Camp

At andBeyond’s Bateleur Camp, you can experience the style of vintage Africa with a butler to see to all your needs. The open plains offer a panorama of endless views, and classic safari style from the ‘20s and ‘30s.

Yes, you can view the greatest wildlife spectacle in the natural world without the company of over 160 vehicles. Over a million wildebeest and eight-hundred thousand zebra, the giant crocs never go hungry in the flow of survival of the fittest. You don’t have to be a wildlife biologist to want to witness what for most is a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. A great experience can be had with andBeyond’s Bateleur Camp in the Mara Triangle who employs local guides. A mere five minute game drive from their private airstrip in the concession guests might just catch the gathering of thousands of wildebeest and zebra. Pictured here is a sighting of a crossing at the river where the only vehicle present was Bateleur’s. I could not believe my eyes. I had just stepped off the plane and within minutes was witnessing the famous Great Migration. As the wildebeest scrambled up the slippery rock, I noticed solid ground on either side of where they were aiming. I asked my guide ‘Why don’t they go a few feet in either direction where the ground is easier?’ He answered ‘Oh, they are not very smart’.

A delightful surprise for any visitor to Kenya is the locally produced honey. It’s a bee-nerd’s paradise, an artisanal elitist’s bragging right, a haute hipster’s dream, a foodie’s… I could go on. Short and simple, this is some of the best honey in the world, and a traditional harvest of the Maasai people. Bee keeping is also an income generating project of the Kichwa Community as sponsored by Africa Foundation and &Beyond. During dinner with the camp managers of Bateleur Camp, I learned that the honey purchased by the lodge comes from the local village through a sustainable project that provides income for women and youth. Beekeeping is an integral aspect of Maasai culture and a good source of revenue during times of drought and livestock loss. I brought a little home to share with my bee-keeping friends and they all marveled at the taste, how its light color belies its complex spice. My time was limited with Bateleur but I hope to return and visit the Kichwa Community Project’s initiatives like education and healthcare, and of course, those magical bee hives!