Namiri Plains

Namiri Plains sits on the Ngare Nanyuki River at the edge of the eastern Serengeti's short-grass plains, about two hours' drive from Seronera airstrip. The area was kept free of camps for many years to protect cheetah research, and Namiri was the first camp to open there. There are 11 tented suites, including a family suite, each with a viewing deck and a freestanding outdoor bath. The camp has a pool, a spa and a library.

Game drives run twice a day in open vehicles, and Asilia offers photographic safaris in custom vehicles. Walking safaris run from 1 June to 15 February and must be booked ahead, with a minimum age of 12. Lion and cheetah are seen often, and leopard, caracal and serval less often. The migration herds usually move through the east around November and December and again around April, so timing matters if you want both cats and herds.

Namiri suits travelers who care most about predators and photography, and families with children aged five and over. It is open all year, and the resident cats mean good viewing outside the migration months. The trade-off is distance: it is a long drive from Seronera, so most guests fly in and stay put, and the short-grass plains around camp offer little shade on hot days.