A good start to the year
My 2025 started the way I like it – a restful January, followed by a travel stint in Kenya. Part one of my three-week stay saw me visiting Enkusero Mara, a small, boutique camp set in a forest surrounded by the flowing herds of wildebeest, zebra and giraffe.
The Brief
Capture the feeling of exclusivity and highly personalised attention through a series of images covering:
- Lodge exteriors, rooms and main areas
- Dining and service experiences such as boma night
- Guest experiences such as game drives, game walks and outdoor dining
- General wildlife and landscapes surrounding the lodge, as well as views onto the lodge
Rooms and interiors
Enkusero Mara gave me full run of camp, fully backing my inner interior designer aspirations as I moved chairs, rugs and tables about. The rooms receive gorgeous morning light, with the sun catching the tent fabric and casting even more of a golden glow on scenes. At the time of my visit, Enkusero Mara had just two tents – an extreme privilege for guests visiting, as they can easily book out the camp and create an intimate safari experience. They have since scouted a location for a third tent – and a guest bathroom – which aids this promising camp’s expansion while keeping the footprint small.
Game drives and wild life
Any excuse to go out on a game drive! Especially when in the Maasai Mara. During my 5-day stay, we managed to fit in two enjoyable drives, taking in coffee stops, elephant and lion sightings as well as a massive herd of buffalo. Back at camp, the sightings were no less impressive – we did most of our walking scenes within less than 100m of camp, using giraffes as patient models.
Maasai-led experiences
Enkusero champions an inspiring story. William and Mahesh, the co-founders of Enkusero Mara, met on safari and struck up a friendship that spanned years and countries. When the opportunity came up to start a camp together, they took a leap of faith (and cash investment) to break ground at the Enkusero Mara site. The small staff complement are from the nearby villages and earnest in enthusiasm and friendship, making my week-long stay feel like it was at a friend’s house.
Maasai dancers and singers joined us for boma night. It’s always a beautiful experience to hear song lifted in the air, see the movement of heads swaying in sync with the swish of fabrics and the pounding of feet.
What I will remember most from my time here is the inspiration I felt, a product of the easy-going atmosphere created at Enkusero Mara. Strolling through camp and brainstorming creative ideas gave me the chance to explore a range of interests and skills I developed while working across multiple lodges and styling scenes for photography.
I hope to return one day to see how this vibrant lodge continues to grow and flourish.
