We had a fantastic time at Serian. My sister's boyfriend had never been to Africa before and he was completely blown away. The camp is located on the bank of the Mara river, and it is magic to sit and enjoy the view from the raised platform, with the hippos snorting away in the river below. We went for several game drives (there were four of us and we always had our own car), and the driver and spotter really did an excellent job of finding animals. Taking an evening walk along the river, we saw elephant on the opposite bank, and I would recommend the walks around camp to anyone who wants to stretch their legs a bit. While staying at Serian, a family with three small kids arrived, and I think that although Serian may not be the ideal place to take kids, it worked out really well. The tents are gorgeous and spacious and beautifully decorated, and I would kill to have a sunken bath tub like that! The atmosphere at this camp is homely, and there is always someone to make sure that you are comfortable, fill up your glass, keep you entertained, and take you from the dining area to your tent after dark. Oh and the food! Delicious, varied, fresh and not too heavy - I marvel at how they put together all these menus and make it all taste so good. I could easily spend a week at Serian, and I honestly think that two nights is not long enough.

Hello - Just back from a 10 night trip to the Masai Mara - Stayed at Serian camp.

In summary - the people and service was first-class. Warm and welcoming staff right from our driver/spotter to the camp staff and management. The food and wine top class - something similar to the finest quality available world-wide.

Rooms were superb. Canvas tents with wonderful views of the Mara River. A superb view from our bath-tub was unforgettable. Lanterns lit in the evening made for an exquisite ambience. Staff were so attentive that, they even polished my shoes when I was out on safari.

Gameviewing was great. Action packed migration-crossings was my highlight. Ofcourse, saw several Lions, Leopards and cheetahs.

I spent 5 nights at Serian in the beginning of January as a recharge the batteries before back to work and after Christmas and loved every minute of it.

Alex is a relaxed but considerate host. After spending some/all of the day out on game drives/walking it was so lovely to come back to such a peaceful spot without the hustle and bustle of larger more commercial camps. (We went across to Governers camp one afternoon for a drink on the way back from our game drive) To come back to a quiet drink waiting out by the deck, but with the feeling that "Africa" was just outside the door was for me just perfect.

The main dining/sitting area is on a platform that overlooks the Mara river with a deck/verandah area at the front. You can sit and watch the world go by on the otherside of the river. I sat there one afternoon and watched a heard of elephant come down to the river crossing to the left of my view and then went on foot with one of the guides to get closer and watch them have a drink and play in the river totally undisturbed - absolute magic - one for the grandchildrens stories

The camp is spread along the river and each tent is away from the others so you don't see your "neighbours" - we were escorted to our tents at night by one of the masai watchmen. The tents are lovely and we had a gorgeous four poster bed - not what you expect in the wild - but hey why not!

The bathrooms are outside the tents, but along a section of decking and out of reach of any hippos etc - it took a while to fill the bath, but was worth it - it was more like a small hot tub - and to have the feeling of being in the open air was fabulous. sadly it was too cloudy to see the stars - next time!

The staff are very helpful and although for some of them their English isn't great we managed just fine. (They understood "please can i have a cup of tea/gin and tonic")

The camp has a real feeling of wildness without compromising service or luxury. We wanted to see Kenya/the masai mara as it is and we got it - thank you Alex and all your staff - see you again soon i hope

I am a regular guest at Serian, and always use it when I am in the Masai Mara. It is a unique lodge/camp, that combines two seperate settings on both sides of the Mara River. I have used Serian since it was built and never found the need to use any of the other "Boutique" style lodges in the area. Why?? I want to experience the true safari style. I like the tent set up, and the rustic settings. It is condusive to the surroundings of the area. If I want manicured lawns and all that goes with it, then I will stay at a country hotel, not in the bush. I personally feel that there is too much of this in remote areas, and it spoils the setting.

The food has always been outstanding, and the menu varied. I like the fact it is situated outside the Reserve, I cannot stand being bombarded by tour buses around every corner. You have the freedom to explore the remoter areas of the Mara that no one gets to, and what game you see, you see alone and not in the company of other tour vehicles.

I feel it is up to the client to explain before hand what their expectations are to their travel agent before booking into a unique camp like Serian. I understand the unease some people may feel about the outside toilets, but at the same time it does afford you the privacy as well. En suite toilets in tents can at time be rather noisey, and exude unwelcome odours into the sleeping area and if you are with a partner, this does not lend itself to a very romantic ambience!

I enjoy the views from the bath, relaxing it it by the Mara River with a glass of good red wine and seeing hippos and other wildlife come by in great.

You have the chance to do lots of walking as well. I like the early morning walks down the river, and met with a lovely "Bush Breakfast" fully set up, with all the waiters cooks providing a fully cooked English breakfast on the banks of the Mara River. The ammount of work that goes into setting that up is great, but it is performed with ease and grace, and very much worth the effort.

The vehicles are in excellent condition, the crew very friendly and obliging. I prefer the full day excursions, because it allows you to cover more ground. I always take a packed breakfast and a picnic lunch, very nicely put together in a traditional Safari lunch box. There is always plenty of fresh coffee, tea, pastries and a full array of cold drinks, beer and wine to enjoy for the day. Eating out, is a very nice experience. A nice setting is always found, so you can sit down, relax and eat your meal with a wonderfull spectacle surrounding you.

The evenings are pleasent, enjoying the ambience, without the sound of a noisey generator banging away in the distance. I find the lighting adequate and romantic. If you want electric lights then don't go to Serian, if you want an authentic experience in the traditional style then I cannot reccommend it highly enough.