Blog entries

Tristan at Badminton Horse Trials

Piers — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:59:11 +0100

Tristan will be at Badminton Horse Trials this week, from Thursday 2nd May, in the African Horse Safari Association (AHSA) Tent. Please do pop in and say hello, have a drink and plan your next safari!

New tents, new Mara Manager, going family friendly!

Piers — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:30:37 +0100

Well the season is now behind us and we are all off around the world on various marketing trips. Piers off to the UK and USA, Tristan to Badminton and Simon and Rosie off to Indaba in Durban. Sadly no rest for the wicked!On top of all this, lots has been going on behind the scenes and we have some very exciting developments happening later in the year....At Offbeat Mara Camp we are thrilled to announce a new long-term manager in Katie Stewart who will be taking over on 1st June. In addition I ha...

Eco-Friendly Practices at Offbeat Meru

Administrator — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:08:26 +0100

Could you please let me know how and what you are doing in order to contribute to the local community?

We are the only camp in the Bisinadi National Reserve; we pay a community fee per guest (5 USD) that goes to Isiolo county council and that goes back into the direct communities ...

Piers's update from Offbeat Mara

Piers — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:43:32 +0100

Wow Wow Wow! This is the only place to be right now! Blue, blue skies, warm days, cool nights, green grass, not too many tourists and fantastic special offers!

The Mara is looking amazing and Mara North is in fantastic condition. Those lucky enough to be here right now and seeing Big Cat sightings as good as we ever get. The Offbeat Pride are in great shape - the 3 big males are all in the Valley at the moment and can be seen most mornings and evenings and certainly heard every night. ...

More Cheetah cubs, update on Mobile Vet Clinic and Hilarious Catfish escapades!

Meru — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:54:15 +0100

The grass is drying up and the days are hot again. Clear blue skies make the typical evening, but it is cooler than normal which makes the evening drinks by the fire a perfect finish to the day. With the crisp mornings; a brisk start to the day! The game sightings this week have been great.

A couple of days ago another female cheetah was spotted with her two cubs, guessed to be about five months old. The cheetahs in the park seem to be doing well...

Cats and goodbyes

Mara — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:33:50 +0100

Despite occasional signs of rain and thunder, the weather here in Mara North continues to be sunny and dry. We’ve still got some time to go before the long rains are due and there is still plenty of juicy green grass for the herbivores. Wildebeest are starting to calve and our guests have witnessed the miracle of new life several times already.

The Offbeat pride lions have unfortunately been very unlucky with their offspring, as none ...

Norland Place School, Harriet Scott, Bob and Jean Thorpe; THANK YOU!!

Meru — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:40:32 +0100

It is hard to find the words to say a big enough thank you:

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

The Neighbours

Mara — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:13:17 +0100

There is a spotted hyena den not far from the Offbeat Mara camp and hyenas being very close to my heart, I try and visit the den from time to time to catch up with the guys and see how everybody’s doing. In addition to the adults, there currently are 7 young clan members, ranging from very small pups (under a month old) to juveniles, who would probably be around 4 to 6 months of age. Hyenas are very curious creatures by nature and although initially a bit shy, quic...

Touched a Soul, Saved a Sole, and helped to Educate. THANK YOU!

Meru — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:14:20 +0100

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone, on behalf
of Offbeat Safaris, and Offbeat Meru for your kind hearts and generous donations.
To all our supporters out there who have generously donated money, brought stationary, bought text books and many other things.

Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you all the best from all of us here at Offbeat Meru Camp and hoping that the start to your New Year was as good as ours.

If you have been following our facebook page you will have seen that we have had the most gorgeous new addition to the family. Kika, our resident bush buck had her baby! She is just too cute for words and still wobbling about the paths. Probably still less than a month old. It was a struggle to...

Lions & surprise visitors at Offbeat Mara

Administrator — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:45:31 +0100

The new year has begun in somewhat wet conditions here at Offbeat Mara. The rains on the hills and plains further along have brought up water levels in the rivers and we’ve had some exciting times crossing rivers and planning of activities. Although we’ve faced some challenges, it’s good to see that the animals are thriving with all the rain and the green grass.

Exceptional Game Viewing from Horseback in the Mara

Mara — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:48:22 +0100

Offbeat Riding Safaris, Masai Mara, Kenya

8th to 16th December 2012

Day 1 Sunday 9th December – Camp Mara River

Collected at Mara North Air Strip and a one hour drive to camp. Find two male (ginger) lion in prime (approx. 6 years), then two lionesses followed by 8 month old cub and 2 distant lion seen. Three elephant including one calf also close by.

Lots of Wildebee...

It's time to fly - A Hornbills tale:

Meru — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 22:50:34 +0100

Early October amongst the hustle and bustle of bush life, we noticed two couples of Red-billed Hornbills fluttering about in a frantic juggle back and forth from the river bed to half way up two different acacia trees.

At a closer look we noticed that they were carrying mud from the river bed up into a hole that was in their respective trees.

They are a curious bunch those Red-billed Hornbills!

It’s is pouring with rain; it’s going to be one very green Christmas in Meru this year! Apparently it is the most amount of rain that Meru National Park has seen since 1998 (hear say)!

Six days until Christmas and my mouth is watering at the thought of Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings! We cannot wait.

We are pretty much fully booked from now until the 6th of January and looking forward to all the mischief f...

Great news about Murera - the elephant we rescued @ Offbeat Meru

Piers — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 20:05:37 +0100

http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/updates/updates.asp?ID=479

Green Hills of the Mara

Mara — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:59:34 +0100

The lovely short rains are now here at Mara North Conservancy, painting the plains beautifully green. The rains are just right – a couple of showers in the late afternoons or early evenings, heavy enough to turn the landscape all shades of emerald but light enough for the ground to dry out by late morning. Enormous herds of wildebeest and zebra returned to our valleys literally overnight.

On Sunday evening we saw...

December at Sosian

Administrator — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 12:10:46 +0100

Sosian has been a hive activity after the short break in the season for the rains to come. Of course the rains, in their usual unpredictable nature, didn’t arrive until the first group of guests had landed here at Sosian! But no matter, the true Safari spirit took over and we have carried on regardless. The weather has now cleared up and sunglasses have replaced the sodden socks.