By Santiago Legarre
Efficiently discrete – these two words capture best the essence of my recent experience at Alex Walker’s camps in the Maasai Mara area. Let me explain.
During your game drive in Mara North—a conservancy adjacent to the National Reserve—you will notice a distinct lack of safari vehicles, a unique advantage of all the conservancies adjacent to the Mara. The few vehicles you do see proudly display the name of their respective camps, except for one: Alex Walker’s Serian. The absence of any inscription on the classic green paint of Serian’s vehicles is a testament to their exclusivity, a mark of their discreet presence.
I guess there is a mysterious coolness to that low profile, too, very much in line with the spirit of the man behind Serian and its companion camps: Alex himself is indeed something of a myth, a revered figure behind the scenes, always present but never to be seen – just like his safari vehicles.
Efficiency kicks in precisely when you think about those vehicles because, in Serian, you will be given your car. Serian’s properties uniquely offer each booking exclusive use of the vehicle so that each group has its dedicated guiding team comprising a driver guide and spotter. This means that you can plan your game drive in Mara North (or, if you prefer, in the National Reserve) without sharing your personal space and that of your loved ones with others. It also means that you will be the master and commander of your expedition: if you have a particular preference, you will not need to negotiate. For example, you and your family may want to look for the famous Serian pride, or perhaps you would like to prioritise trying to spot the elusive leopard. These are only a couple of examples, but the general idea is that you can tailor your experience. There is a wide array of activities, various Serian camps where they can take place, and an excellent guiding team.
Speaking of guides, Alex Walker has invested dearly in their formation and education. One of Serian’s passionate managers explained the company’s decision: “Our guiding is a cornerstone of the Serian experience and the key to what we are all about. The beauty of our team is that it melds two complementary systems of knowledge: on the one hand, centuries-old bush lore, inherited with myth, intuition, and a lifetime of absorbing the wilds by osmosis; on the other hand, scientific learning, which peels back the magical processes to examine them under the cool gaze of a microscope. Combining the two yields an immeasurable insight into these magical spaces.”
In my opinion, the company has to be commended for its focused decision. Its effects work out positively not only for the sake of their clients but also for the sake of the local community, where the guides come from. These two interests are indeed one common good. Better guides make for a better experience for the clients. At the same time, investing in upskilling the guides is also a service to the guides themselves.
This brings me to my conclusion. The examples I have given of “discrete efficiency” are only a few indications of something beautiful that I perceived during my visit to Alex Walker’s camps. There are many other remarkable things, especially related to how you always feel en famille, given the way the managers and the staff treat you. I want to call that something beautiful—Serian Style.
Santiago Legarre is an Argentinian visiting professor at Strathmore University, Nairobi.
