Responsible Traveller mag - edition 3 - 2020

TOURISM NEWS Angama Opens New Sole-Use Tented Camp In The Maasai Mara Angama is delighted to announce the opening of Angama Safari Camp, a light footprint, movable, sole-use tented camp accommodating up to eight guests in four ensuite tents, sited deep in the wilderness of the Maasai Mara. This distinctive camp captures the romance and adventure of the glorious Golden Age of safaris, yet with a lightness of spirit that will both surprise and delight guests.

“We have created a completely private, ‘no-rules’ experience, where the guests can enjoy the comforts of 21st century camping, but with the thrill of having nothing but canvas between you, the Maasai Mara and year round abundant wildlife right on your doorstep,” says Angama’s owner, Nicky Fitzgerald. “ Guest tents feature an extra-king length bed (or twin beds on request), a writing desk, dressing room, vanity, separate w/c and the playful addition of double bucket showers. The same team that created ngama Mara reunited to bring Angama Safari Camp to life - Jan Allan of Canvas ByDesign designing the tents, and interiors by Annemarie Meintjes.

Jan Allan explains the concept behind the unusual tents: “These tents are unique in appearance and this look has generally been created through a playful and unusual roof shape. Below the sweeping fly sheet sits a landscape-orientated inner tent. While this is often done in more permanent tented camps, other mobile operators tend to choose a more traditional portrait-orientated tent for their mobile camps.”

“The tents are designed for maximum crossventilation which will make them cooler than others. Furthermore, these tents have a four-layer roof system that will help to keep them cool,” adds Allan.

The tents speak to the design of Angama Safari Camp’s sister lodge, Angama Mara, not only through their orientation, but also through the attention to detail within the tents. The roof linings are of the same fabric as the lodge tents. The flaps are handsomely finished using leather straps with brass fittings. The wooden tent poles are made from polished timber with solid brass footplates.

An accent of the Angama blue and red will come through the stitching details on the leather straps. The angled poles around the tent that support the outer roof will also have brass footplates and are clad in laced up leather.

Similarly, the interiors echo the much-loved 128 responsible traveller

elements from Angama Mara, explains Annemarie Meintjes. “The look is a combination of respect for the past and the vision to make it relevant to the present.” This translates into use of natural fibres, rural weaving, gold, black and white, quilting, and Maasai red design features.

With the camp being movable, there is the new complexity that as much as possible needed to be flat-packable, ready to be loaded into Angama Safari Camp’s 16-ton truck converted to spec, affectionately named Big Bertha.

With a dedicated Angama Safari Camp team, including a vehicle and guide, each day’s programme is up entirely up the guests with extraordinary wildlife experiences right on their doorstep.

Aside from the mega herds of the Great Migration, the Mara is home to resident prides of lion, cheetah, leopard, large elephant herds, buffalo and abundant plains game. Those after a full-day safari can depart from the Safari Camp as early as 06h00 and returning after sundown at 19h30, enjoying breakfast and lunch picnic-style under a fig tree somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

“Most of all, we are looking forward to bringing guests the same charming Kenyan service that continues to delight guests at Angama Mara – after all, the magic is not in the stuff, it’s in the place and of course the people,” concludes Fitzgerald.

www.angama.com