Should I visit Mara, Serengeti – or both?

Being just 60 kilometres apart, it is tempting to combine both Bushtops locations within a single safari holiday. That temptation becomes even stronger when you realise that each offers a distinctly different (but equally wonderful!) experience.

In the Mara (the land of the Masai), the terrain is primarily open grassland, interspersed by seasonal riverlets. The density of wildlife is greater in this smaller park; consequently there are more people and vehicles.

With the Serengeti being ten times larger than the Mara, wildlife is more dispersed, but you can drive for hours and not meet another vehicle. The terrain is also different, with the north west (where we are) being dominated by open woodlands, kopjes (stone outcrops) and hills. Our part of the Serengeti is home to the Kuria tribes people.

So although neighbours, each Bushtop location has its own distinct charms. Many visitors ask to combine both, but almost all leave us in the same enchanted state of mind – and delighted to have sampled both.