MAASAI MARA
Experience the Great Migration and spot the Big Five in this famous game reserve with one of the highest year-round concentrations of wildlife.
The Great Migration is of course one of the most famous reasons to visit the Maasai Mara, when herds of wildebeest pour in from the Serengeti at some point between July and October. This is of course an amazing sight and definitely a bucket-list experience. You will never forget the sound of herds of clattering hooves as they make their treacherous crossing of the Mara River, hoping to avoid the crocodiles.
Often named the Masai Mara or more commonly just as The Mara, the area is named after the Maasai people who inhabit this area and the river which crosses the plains. The Maasai Mara has an incredibly high concentration of wildlife all year round. It is not too difficult to spot graceful giraffes, beautiful cheetahs, and large pods of hippos as well as the much sought-after Big Five. Another common sight are the red shawls of the Maasai tribe as they graze their cattle on the land. The opportunity to learn about the Maasai people and their way of life is a fascinating element to any Kenyan safari.
For a more exclusive safari experience there are several conservancies that border the Maasai Mara National Park and offer excellent game viewing and far fewer tourists. Land to the north and the east of the Maasai Mara has been leased from the Maasai tribes and converted into wildlife conservancies. The income generated by tourism is fed back into local communities and the number of camps permitted is limited which creates a perfectly cyclical and low-impact form of tourism which benefits the local community and allows for a more authentic experience. Visitors benefit from a closer connection to the land and the Maasai people and more private experiences such as night drives and guided bush walks which aren’t possible in the Maasai Mara.
These conservancies are the perfect way to experience a Kenyan safari in an exclusive and conscious manner.
WHERE TO STAY
Our favourite luxury hotels
Mara Plains Camp
Mara Plains Camp is a one-of-a-kind, seven tented camp located in the private 35,000-acre Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just on the northern boundary of the Maasai Mara Nature Reserve. This intimate camp on the banks of the Ntiakitiak River blends the finest in wildlife viewing with the absolute best of safari hospitality and guiding. The camp is one of Kenya’s only three Relais & Chateaux properties (other being sister properties ol Donyo Lodge and Mara Nyika Camp), blending the finest in wildlife viewing with the absolute best of safari hospitality and guiding.
Rekero Camp
Rekero Camp is a beautiful riverside camp in the south of the great Maasai Mara, sitting in one of the reserve’s most animal rich areas. It is superb for year-round game viewing – you don’t even need to leave to spot a wealth of wildlife – but is particularly well placed for the Great Migration. The main lodge is set over the Talek River and the nine tented suites and two-family tents nestle along the riverbank, encompassed by the sounds of the bush. Intimate and comfortable, each is the epitome of classic yet contemporary safari chic, with en-suite bathroom and sunny verandah.
Naibor Camp
Naibor Camp is known for being one of the more stylish camps in the Maasai Mara, located on the confluence of the Talek and Mara Rivers, which is crossed annually by the Great Wildebeest Migration. Just 7 luxurious sweeping canvas tents, muted in colour for a stylish effect, provide intimate accommodation for guests in the heart of the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. As well as Naibor Camp, there is also Little Naibor – 2 luxurious and secluded suite tents. Naibor Camp makes an exciting base from which to explore the spectacular Mara, even outside of the migration period.
Sala’s Camp
This elegant tented safari camp is situated near the convergence of two rivers in the heart of Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. The seven ensuite safari tents are set in a shady forest on the river’s edge. Each tent boasts a comfortable bed with crisp linen and a full ensuite bathroom. Sala’s Camp enjoys a prime location right on the annual path of the world-famous Great Wildebeest Migration. Guests witness unforgettable game viewing and can swap stories around a blazing fire while enjoying a sundowner, and evening meals are served under the starry African sky.
Serian Nkorombo
Located in the heart of the action in the Maasai Mara Reserve, Serian Nkorombo offers some of the finest game viewing in East Africa. The concentration of leopard and black rhino in the area is unrivalled in Kenya. Nestled in a beautiful spot on the banks of the Mara River, the 5 traditional Selous style safari tents offer a luxurious stay. The main area comprises of a dining tent, all overlooking the river which makes the perfect back drop to relax during. As with all Serian camps, each party, of whatever size will have their own private guide and safari vehicle.
Mara Expedition Camp
Mara Expedition Camp is the perfect combination of highly effective conservation efforts and a very refined safari-style complete with old traveller’s trunks, brass bucket showers and leather armchairs. With only five comfortable and stylishly decorated safari tents, the camp is both exclusive and intimate. Each of the five safari tents is shaded by a grove of acacia trees and looks out upon the Ntiakitiak River. The camp is located just inside the northern border of the Masai Mara National Reserve, where riverine forest meets the endless savannahs of the Mara ecosystem.
Elewana Sand River Camp
Located on the banks of a river from which it takes its name, Sand River Masai Mara is located close to the Tanzanian border, it’s one of the first camps to witness the Great Migration. Situated on a secluded and picturesque site, the camp replicates the heyday of exclusive permanent tented camps of the 1920’s. The interior fixtures and furnishings mirror this period. The camp comprises 16 tents divided into two separate but adjoining campsites, with each area possessing its own designated dining and public areas, thus ensuring privacy and exclusivity for guests.
Little Governor’s Camp
Little Governors’ is intimate in character, with just 17 luxury en-suite tents tucked around a large watering hole teeming with both birds and wildlife. Located on the edge of the Masai Mara National Reserve, the camp is accessed by a very short boat ride across the Mara River, then an escorted walk through the riverine forest. Vehicles are left on the far river bank and the camp is therefore quiet and undisturbed. The guest tents at Little Governors’ have wooden decks with large verandahs for guests to enjoy the constant game activity that takes place in front of camp.
Angama Mara
Angama Mara is a luxury lodge located high above the floor of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, overlooking the Maasai Mara. ‘Angama’ means ‘suspended in mid-air’ in the local Swahili dialect, and all 30 tented suites are positioned with seemingly endless views over the escarpment, making it easy to see where the moniker was derived. The tented suites each have 11 metre, floor to ceiling glass facades offering magnificent views without leaving your bed. As with the suites the guest areas hang over the rift Valley edge and are perfect for dining or enjoying a sundowner on the terrace.
Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp
The award-winning Cottar’s 1920s Camp is situated in the 7608-acre private Olderkesi Conservancy bordering the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti. The 1920s Camp provides the romance of safari under cream canvas tents, the style of the bygone era of the twenties, while at the same time supplying modern amenities. The camp has nine tents in total (two unique honeymoon tents, four double tents and three family tents), all with en suite bathrooms. The entire camp is situated to ensure that tents are private and quiet whether for honeymooners or families, perfect for a luxury safari.
Mara Nyika Camp
Mara Nyika Camp, meaning “Large Plains or Great Plains,” is an intimate tented camp set in a valley and. a perfect location for your safari in Kenya. The Relais & Chateaux property is tucked away under the treetop canopy straddles a small stream on the western side of the Naboisho Conservancy bordering the Maasai Mara. Mara Nyika Camp offers guests three luxury guest suites in addition to 2 x 2 bedroom family suites and its light-coloured canvas suites are designed to sit under the canopy of umbrella thorn trees. All the suites offer guests unforgettable views out over the plains.
&Beyond Bataleur Camp
Set amongst the forest at the foot of the scenic Oloololo escarpment (the rim of the Great Rift Valley) is the classic and elegant Bateleur Camp. Comprised of just two intimate camps of nine tented suites each and a family tent; each elegant tent, with its own private butler and housekeeper reflects the ambiance and glamour of Kenyan explorers of old. Slip into a world of hardwood floors, polished silver and copper, beautifully handcrafted artefacts and fine antiques. Refreshing lap pools in each camp provide cool comfort in between your captivating game drives in the Maasai Mara.
Mara House
Mara House is a private safari home tucked away in the tranquil Ol Chorro Losoit Valley between the Lemek Hills in the 30,000-hectare Mara North Conservancy. This “home away from home” is ideal for families and small groups in search of a completely personalized safari experience—one where the wildlife lingers at the front door, the daily schedule varies upon preference, and the exceptional service comes customized for each visitor. Mara House consists of only three bedrooms; each as spacious and inviting as the next to ensure the entire family feels at home.
Hemingways Ol Seki Mara Camp
Ol Seki Hemingways Mara is located in the heart of the Naboisho Conservancy which borders the Maasai Mara Reserve and offers an incredibly private safari experience. The camp has ten exclusive tents each featuring breath-taking views. The tents are expertly designed to offer secluded privacy with spacious accommodation in safari-chic. These low impact structures are camouflaged by the landscapes and are fashioned for sustainability. Every tent sits on a private vantage point up on the rocky escarpment offering a 270 degree view of the bush and the wildlife from your bed.