Best Of Masai Mara – Kenya Luxury Lodges

Named in honor of its ancestral inhabitants, the Maasai people, and their fitting description of the landscape when viewed from afar – ‘Mara’ means spotted in the Maa language, referring to how the country is dotted with acacia trees, indentations, and craters – Kenya’s Masai Mara is, without doubt, one of the best safari destinations in the world.

Not only can visitors experience authentic cultural interactions with the Maasai people but also witness one of nature’s biggest spectacles: the Wildebeest Migration from about July to November. Throw in excellent year-round game viewing and a wide variety of Masai Mara hotels and lodges for families, couples, and honeymooners, and you’ll understand why Kenya’s flagship conservation area is one of Africa’s best-loved safari destinations.

Based on our extensive safari experience we've rounded up our best Masai Mara lodges: 

1. Porini Lion Camp

Head out on thrice-daily game drives from this superb Masai Mara lodging situated in the private Olare Motogori Conservancy, renowned for its superb big cat sightings. Return to the authentic Porini Lion Camp in time for a refreshing cocktail while being entertained by the boisterous hippos in the adjacent Ntiakatiak River.

Solar power and no permanent structures mean that Porini has a tiny impact on the environment.

Highlights:

• Intimate and eco-friendly Masai Mara lodging
• Situated in the exclusive and private Olare Motogori Conservancy
• Excellent game viewing and guides
• Notable big cat sightings of lions and leopards
• Optional hot-air balloon safaris

Best Suited For:

• Couples and honeymooners
• Families
• Small groups

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2. Sand River Masai Mara

Wake up to the sounds of the African bush and slowly make your way out of a snug 4-poster bed. Saunter across your spacious tent’s polished hardwood floors, step out onto a private veranda, and be greeted by the gorgeous morning vista of the Sand River and its rolling flood plains.

Your elegantly decorated canvas suite at Sand River Masai Mara.

Highlights:

• Private riverside setting
• Eco-friendly Masai Mara lodging with a glamorous 1920s aesthetic
• Private butler service
• Superb Big 5 viewing year-round
• Well-sited for the Wildebeest Migration

Best Suited For:

• Couples and honeymooners
• Families

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3. Mara Bush House

Sink into a comfortable armchair on the veranda right outside your room, observing elephants and giraffes amble by. Or stretch out on this luxury Masai Mara lodge’s lush lawns with a tipple and a good book under the shady canopy of an acacia tree. Don’t forget to chat to your chef about your next delicious meal…

A secluded farmhouse in a charming acacia tree forest.

Highlights:

• Private farmhouse bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve
• Personal chef, house manager, and wildlife guide
• You decide your own schedule – dining and safari activities tailor-made around your wishes
• Mara-inspired East African cuisine
• Stone’s throw away from the annual Wildebeest Migration route
• Visit the Koiyaki Guiding School for young Maasai men and women

Best Suited For:

• Families
• Groups

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4. Saruni Mara

Journey to the community-focused Saruni Mara, hidden in a secret valley of olive and cedar trees. Settle into your luxurious cottage boasting antiques, Persian carpets, and wide cedarwood beds. Join Maasai warriors on a guided bush walk to explore the surrounding hills, followed by a relaxing spa treatment in the tranquil Maasai Wellbeing Space. This is one of the best Masai Mara lodges for discerning travellers.

Saruni Mara’s cottages offer comfort and closeness to nature.

Highlights

• One of only ten Masai Mara lodges in a 74 000-acre private conservancy
• Great base for a Wildebeest Migration safari
• Game drives to exclusive, sole-use areas
• Walking safaris guided by Maasai warriors
• Spa treatments at the Maasai Wellbeing Space

Best Suited For:

• Families
• Couples and honeymooners

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5. Sala’s Camp

Set in the heart of the Mara’s northern corridor, Sala’s is one of the first Masai Mara lodges to witness the Wildebeest Migration from the Serengeti into the Mara. Keep an eye on the dark-haired gnus as they stroll past your tent and gather to drink at the confluence of the Sand and Keekorok Rivers.

Sala’s is one of the first camps to see the Wildebeest Migration into the Mara.

Highlights:

• Watch wildebeest herds pass your tent
• Excellent wildlife sightings on game drives and guided nature walks
• Romantic hot-air balloon safaris
• Babysitting service for children of all ages
• All tents have private plunge pools overlooking the Sand River and northern Serengeti

Best Suited For:

• Families
• Couples and honeymooners

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6. Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp

Kichwa Tembo is a much-loved Masai Mara safari lodge. A wonderful home from home with incredible staff, expert guides and front-row seats to the Wildebeest Migration from about August to November.

Views of the Mara’s sweeping vistas from your bed.

Highlights:

• Beautiful location in a private Mara Concession
• Directly in the path of the Wildebeest Migration
• Day and night game drives
• Guided walks and bush picnics
• Sensational swimming pool with a view

Best Suited For:

• Couples
• Families

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7. Mara Intrepids Camp

Mara Intrepids is a fenced Masai Mara lodging on the shady banks of the Talek River, the perfect escape for families with children. This secure camp offers a unique game-viewing experience with early and mid-morning, and late afternoon game drives.

Mara Intrepids Camp recreates the romance and charm of a vintage safari experience.

Highlights:

• Romantic and old-charm safari experience
• Fenced camp – children can walk about safely
• Thrice-daily game drives (early morning, mid-morning and late afternoon)
• Educational family outings with the Adventurers’ Club
• Cultural tours to neighboring Maasai villages

Best Suited For:

• Families
• Groups

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8. Angama Mara

Perched in the gorgeous hills of the Mara Triangle escarpment lies one of the best Masai Mara hotels. The exclusive Angama Mara is famous as the location of Robert Redford and Meryl Streep’s romantic picnic scene in the movie, Out of Africa. Everything about this Masai Mara lodging exudes elegance.

Floor-to-ceiling glass walls maximize the endless views from Angama.

Highlights:

• Exquisite and romantic setting high above the Mara
• Luxurious lodge with outstanding décor
• 20 minutes from a Wildebeest Migration river crossing hotspot
• ‘Garden-to-table’ dining experience in the shamba (garden)
• Photography studio
• Exclusive-use safari vehicles for outstanding game viewing

Best Suited For:

• Couples and honeymooners

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9. Cottar’s 1920s Camp

Journey back in time to a golden era of safari, to an elegant Masai Mara lodging straight off the pages of Hemingway’s safari diary. Decorated in an authentic historic style, Cottar’s Camp offers its visitors unrestrained adventure and romance, as well as game drives in an original wood-paneled vehicle from the 1920s.

Cottar’s white canvas tents feature fabrics, antiques, and artifacts that align with its 1920s theme.

Highlights

• Exclusive setting in a private concession bordering the Serengeti
• Perfectly placed to witness the Migration between about May and October
• Authentic and historic décor that emanates a golden era of safari
• Private butler
• Game drives in a vintage wood-paneled 1920s car
• Fantastic year-round game viewing, especially of predators like lions, leopard, and cheetah

Best Suited For:

• Couples and honeymooners
• Families

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10. Rekero Camp

Head out on expertly guided game drives in search of animals like lions, cheetah, leopard, elephant and hippo. Watch the dramatic thrills and spills of the Wildebeest Migration as the herds traverse croc-infested waters. Return to this Masai Mara lodging after an action-packed day and relax with a sundowner drink as you take in the gorgeous views over the Talek River.

Lovely views over the Talek River, accompanied by a glass of wine.

Highlights:

• Intimate eco-camp overlooking the well-frequented Talek River
• Three regular wildebeest river crossing points in the area during the Migration between about June and October
• Excellent game drives accompanied by some of Mara’s best guides
• Visit to the Maasai cattle market

Best Suited For:

• Couples and honeymooners

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11. Naboisho Camp

A classic and intimate Masai Mara lodging originally established as a community initiative, Naboisho Camp is situated in a private conservancy that limits the number of vehicles allowed. Enjoy exciting game drives during the day, in search of Africa’s iconic animals and to witness the Wildebeest Migration between about July and November. Being in a private conservancy means that you’re able to head out on night drives to discover the Mara’s elusive nocturnal creatures.

Your tent’s covered veranda features a day bed, perfect for an afternoon siesta.

Highlights:

• Located in a protected and private conservancy
• Excellent game viewing
• Guided bush walks
• Night drives in search of big cats and nocturnal animals
• Fly-camping for the more adventurous

Best Suited For:

• Families
• Couples and honeymooners

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12. Elephant Pepper Camp

The very spacious canvas tents at Elephant Pepper Camp feature en suite dressing rooms and bathrooms, and private pit fireplaces for dining under the stars. Also expect little extras like hammocks, hot water bottles, and beautiful brass fittings from India. Sip on a pre-dinner drink around the campfire or enjoy a game of croquet before savoring a delicious Italian recipe.

Games are often seen strolling past the tents at Elephant Pepper Camp.

Highlights:

• Traditional northern Italian-inspired cuisine
• Spacious tents with views of the Mara plains and the wildlife that ambles past
• Set away from other Masai Mara lodges in a private conservancy
• Game drives in the greater Mara and exclusive areas

Best Suited For:

• Families
• Couples and honeymooners

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13. Sanctuary Olonana

Romantic and secluded, Olonana is hidden within a forest along a private stretch of the Mara River and one of the best Masai Mara hotels. It’s a popular choice for honeymooners but also offers first-class family-friendly accommodation. Between about July and October, you’ll enjoy a grandstand view of the Wildebeest Migration’s treacherous river crossings.

Olonana’s restaurant and viewing deck overlooks the Mara River.

Highlights:

• Located on the famed Mara River – front-row seats to the Wildebeest Migration
• Incredible and intimate animal sightings year-round
• Cultural tours to Maasai villages
• Hot-air balloon safaris
• Treatments and therapies in the mini-spa

Best Suited For:

• Families
• Couples and honeymooners

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14. Little Governors’ Camp

Hop on a boat to be transferred across the renowned Mara River, before strolling through a gorgeous riverine forest to discover one of the best-located Masai Mara safari lodges, hidden beneath the vegetation around a waterhole. Head out on a game drive or hot-air balloon ride at dawn to discover the Masai Mara during this magical time of day.

Little Governor’s bar area is a great place to relax after a day of game drives.

Highlights:

• Intimate and remote location, only accessible by boat
• Tents overlook a waterhole where resident elephants and warthogs drink
• Bush dinners in the wilderness
• Game drives and guided walks in the Mara
• Early morning hot-air balloon rides

Best Suited For:

• Couples and honeymooners

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15. Governors’ Il Moran Camp

Arguably one of the best Masai Mara safari lodges, Il Moran’s forest setting is a wonderful retreat for honeymooners. Ten luxurious tents are dotted along the Mara River beneath the shady canopy of evergreen trees. Inside you’ll find super king-sized beds, beautifully constructed from fallen olive trees. Bathrooms are en suite and equipped with double vanities, showers, and classic Victorian bathtubs.

Il Moran features very spacious tents with private verandahs.

Highlights:

• Romantic setting in a forest beside the Mara River
• Intimate and private Masai Mara lodging with only 10 tents
• Game drives and walking safaris in an excellent game viewing area
• Terrifically skilled guides
• Romantic candlelit dinners in the wilderness
• Early morning hot-air balloon safaris

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