Stepping off the small plane onto the sun-baked airstrip of the Masai Mara, you feel a rush of excitement and anticipation. The horizon stretches endlessly, dotted with the acacia trees that have become synonymous with African safaris. Your journey has just begun, and soon you'll be enveloped by the wilderness, ready to witness the legendary Great Migration, majestic big five cats, and vibrant Maasai culture. But where to stay? Let us take you on a tour of the best Masai Mara safari lodges, each offering unique experiences beyond the typical safari narrative.
10 Best Masai Mara Safari Lodges
1. JW Marriott Masai Mara
Image source: JW Marriott Masai Mara
Immerse yourself in unparalleled luxury at the heart of the Mara. JW Marriott Masai Mara offers a haven of comfort, world-class amenities, and exceptional service. The luxury lodge, located outside the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya, is just a 30-minute drive from the Keekorok Air Strip.
The lodge boasts stunning views of the Mara River, where you can witness the thrilling river crossings of the Great Migration. The guest tents spread out from either side of the lodge's main area, each offering captivating views of the Talek River and either sunrise or sunset. Each suite is exquisitely designed with private decks that provide sweeping views of the savannah, allowing you to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Mara from the comfort of your room.
The lodge also features an infinity pool, perfect for a refreshing dip while watching elephants and zebras graze nearby. Gourmet dining experiences with locally sourced ingredients ensure every meal is a culinary delight.
There is also a JW Hippo Pool on the other side of the Talek River, directly across the lounge area. From here, you can hear hippos enjoying a dip in the pool!
Unique Features: Prepare for a thrilling Adventure as you enter the lodge. Guests must cross the 'jumping' bridge over the Talek River, a suspension bridge that moves as you walk across it, setting the tone for an exciting stay!
The lodge's private viewing decks and infinity pool overlook the savannah, providing a serene escape after a day of game drives. The eco-friendly design and local Maasai art create a harmonious blend of luxury and cultural heritage.
Best Suited For: This lodge is ideal for travellers seeking a luxurious yet authentic African safari experience. Couples and families alike will appreciate the spacious suites and personalised service.
2. Sarova Mara Game Camp
Image source: Sarova Mara Game Camp
Game Camp is set amidst the rolling plains of the Mara and offers an immersive wildlife experience. Its prime location near key migration routes makes the camp a beautiful oasis in the Mara wilderness, and the location is excellent for game drives.
The camp's tented accommodations are beautifully furnished with modern amenities while retaining the charm of traditional safari camps. The on-site Maasai village allows guests to learn about the local culture first-hand, with opportunities to participate in traditional dances, learn about Maasai crafts, and even join in on a community project. Guests can enjoy various activities, including hot air balloon safaris, bush dinners, and guided walking safaris, ensuring a comprehensive African safari experience. This luxury safari accommodation also has a pool table, table tennis, mini golf, and volleyball for after-hours relaxation.
Unique Features: The camp features a unique tented accommodation style that combines the thrill of camping with the comfort of a luxury hotel. This style makes Sarova Mara GameCamp a superb camouflaged accommodation amid the vast wilderness.
The camp's organic garden supplies fresh produce for delicious meals, and the swimming pool is a perfect spot to relax between game drives.
Best Suited For: Perfect for adventurous travellers and families, Sarova Mara Game Camp, offers a mix of adventure and cultural immersion, making it a fantastic choice for those wanting to experience the Masai Mara to the fullest.
Read more: The Maasai People: A Cultural Odyssey in Eastern Africa.
3. Entim Mara Camp
Image source: Entim Mara Camp
Entim Mara Camp is situated in a prime location along the Mara River and in the heart of the Masai Mara National Reserve, providing some of the best views of the Great Migration crossings. The camp's intimate setting with only ten tents guarantees a personalised safari experience. Guests can enjoy close-up encounters with wildlife from the comfort of their private verandas or the communal lounge areas.
The camp's guides are highly knowledgeable, ensuring that every game drive is informative and exciting.
Unique Features: The camp's design ensures minimal environmental impact while providing maximum comfort. The camp's prime location offers unparalleled access to key wildlife hotspots, making it a photographer's dream. When the migration is in the area, you can often see the river crossings from here without leaving the camp.
Best Suited For: Ideal for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts, Entim Mara Camp's location offers front-row seats to the action, ensuring you capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments. These moments could include a lioness teaching her cubs to hunt, a herd of elephants crossing the river, or a cheetah on the hunt. The camp's guides are highly knowledgeable, ensuring that every game drive is informative and exciting.
4. Olare Mara Kempinski
Image source: Olare Mara Kempinski
Step into an exclusive safari experience at Olare Mara Kempinski. Located in a private conservancy, this luxury Masai Mara lodge offers an intimate escape into the wilderness, ensuring you feel like a valued guest.
Unique Features: The lodge offers night game drives, allowing guests to witness the nocturnal activities of the Mara's predators. The luxurious tents with private plunge pools are a highlight for those seeking both adventure and relaxation, making this one of the best Masai Mara hotels.
Best Suited For: This lodge is perfect for honeymooners and luxury travellers looking for an intimate, high-end safari experience with the added thrill of exclusive night drives.
5. Karen Blixen Camp
Image source: Karen Blixen Camp
Inspired by the legendary author of "Out of Africa," Karen Blixen Camp exudes old-world charm and elegance. Just like in the movie, the Karen Blixen Camp is where romance, family time and adventure merge to create a unique space where everyone feels at home.
This Masai Mara safari lodge is set along the Mara River, providing excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. The camp's tents are spacious and beautifully furnished, each with a private veranda overlooking the river. Each tent also features a unique romantic outside shower with amazing sky views for the ultimate luxury outdoor experience.
The camp's communal areas are equally impressive. One features a large deck where guests can relax and watch hippos and crocodiles in the river below.
Unique Features: The camp's commitment to sustainability and community involvement stands out. Guests can enjoy solar-powered facilities and locally sourced gourmet meals. The camp also offers bush walks and cultural visits to nearby Maasai villages.
Best Suited For: Literature enthusiasts and eco-conscious travellers will find Karen Blixen Camp particularly appealing, as it combines historical romance with modern sustainability.
6. AndBeyond Kichwa Tembo
Image source: AndBeyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp
AndBeyond Kichwa Tembo is set on the edge of the Oloololo Escarpment, offering panoramic views of the Mara plains. The lodge's location near the Mara Triangle provides excellent game viewing. The lodge features spacious tents with an en-suite bathroom and a private deck. The communal areas include a large swimming pool and a sun deck, perfect for relaxing between game drives.
Stylised and funky, Kichwa Tembo's tents feel modern, fresh, and luxurious. Their chic elegance makes them the perfect safari accommodation in Masai Mara. Be sure to wake up to the beautiful Masai Mara sunrise every morning of your stay at this Masai Mara safari camp.
Unique Features: Situated on the western border of the game-rich Masai Mara National Reserve (at the foot of the Oloololo escarpment and close to the banks of the Sabaringo River), which is a private concession with excellent year-round concentration of wildlife. The concession is perfect for bush walks, night drives, and bush dining under a starry sky.
The lodge's spacious tents, infinity pool, and interactive kitchen garden tours are standout features. The family-friendly atmosphere includes dedicated children's programmes and activities.
Best Suited For: Families and couples alike will enjoy the balance of luxury and adventure at AndBeyond Kichwa Tembo, with activities tailored to both adults and children.
7. Sand River Masai Mara
Image source: Sand River Masai Mara
Sand River Masai Mara is set along the Sand River, evoking the glamour of early 20th-century safaris. Its location close to the Tanzanian border provides access to the Masai Mara and Serengeti ecosystems, making it easy to combine a Kenya and Tanzania safari and experience both worlds. The lodge's setting along the banks of Sand River is simply idyllic!
The camp's tents are luxuriously furnished with vintage-style decor, and the communal areas are equally elegant, with a lounge, dining area, and library.
Read more: Is Kenya better than Tanzania for Safari? Combine a Kenya and Tanzania Safari.
Unique Features: The lodge's vintage-style tents and elegant décor transport guests back to the golden age of exploration. Each tent features a freestanding bathtub for a relaxing soak and an outdoor shower with views of the wildlife. Nothing beats watching elephants feed while you rinse the dust from your private game drive!
Private dining and guided bush walks enhance the exclusive experience.
Best Suited For: This lodge is ideal for romantics and history buffs seeking an elegant, secluded retreat with a nostalgic twist.
8. Soroi Mara Bush Camp
Image source: Soroi Mara Bush Camp
Soroi Mara Bush Camp offers a unique blend of comfort and wilderness with its elevated wooden walkways and stunning views over the Mara River. The camp's tents are spacious and well-appointed, each with a private deck and en-suite bathroom, offering guests a unique, intimate, and memorable experience.
The communal areas include a lounge, dining area, and fire pit, perfect for evening gatherings. The camp's proximity to the Mara River means you can hear the hippos in the evening as you soak in some warmth from the fire pit.
Unique Features: The camp's design ensures a low environmental footprint, while the open-plan lounge and dining areas provide an inviting space to unwind. Personalised game drives and bush breakfasts are particularly popular.
Best Suited For: Nature lovers and those seeking a tranquil escape will appreciate the serene setting and intimate atmosphere of Soroi Mara Bush Camp.
9. Losokwan Mara Camp
Image source: Losokwan Mara Camp
Losokwan Mara Camp is an exclusive tented camp in the most beautiful, exotic, and never-forgettable Lemek Conservancy, known for its abundant wildlife and fewer tourists. The location alone makes this one of the best Masai Mara safari lodges.
The camp's tents are spacious and well-furnished, each with an en-suite bathroom and private veranda. The camp's location in a private conservancy allows for more flexible and personalised safari experiences.
Meal times are something to look out for at Losokwan Mara camp. Enjoy breakfast near the Mara River as you look out for wallowing hippos, a Sundowner wine-paired dinner under the stars, or a private dining experience on the deck of your tent.
Unique Features: The camp's small size ensures personalised service and flexible safari schedules. Guests can enjoy guided walking safaris and cultural visits to nearby Maasai villages.
Best Suited For: This camp is perfect for couples or solo travellers who want a more personalised and private safari experience away from the larger tourist crowds.
10. Naibor Camp
Image source: Naibor Camp
Naibor Camp is located in the heart of the Mara Reserve, close to key wildlife areas and the Mara River—right in the thick of the wildlife and the action. The camp's tents are chic and minimalist, with en-suite bathrooms and private decks.
The communal areas include a lounge, dining area, and spa, providing a relaxing retreat after a day of game drives. You can marvel at baby hippos scampering across the sandy beach opposite the camp.
Unique Features: The camp's chic, minimalist design emphasises comfort and style. The private Naibor Spa and open-air dining experiences add to the luxurious feel.
Best Suited For: Couples and groups of friends will enjoy the sophisticated ambience and excellent service at Naibor Camp, making it ideal for a stylish safari getaway.
Wildlife Sanctuaries in Kenya
Kenya is renowned for its incredible wildlife sanctuaries, each offering unique landscapes and diverse animal populations. Here are ten sanctuaries every safari lover should visit:
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Maasai Mara National Reserve: Famous for the Great Migration, this reserve offers unparalleled wildlife viewing opportunities year-round.
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Amboseli National Park: Popular for its large elephant herds and stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
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Tsavo National Parks (East and West): Home to diverse landscapes, including savannah, volcanic hills, and rivers, with abundant wildlife.
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Samburu National Reserve: Offers a unique ecosystem with species such as Grevy's zebra and reticulated giraffe that are not found in other parks.
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Lake Nakuru National Park: Infamous for its flamingo populations and rhino sanctuary.
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Meru National Park: Known for its scenic beauty and as the setting for the book and film "Born Free."
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Laikipia Plateau: Features private conservancies with exclusive safari experiences and community conservation efforts.
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Aberdare National Park: Offers a lush, mountainous landscape with waterfalls and diverse wildlife.
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Nairobi National Park: Located near the capital, it offers a convenient safari experience with the city skyline as a backdrop.
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Chyulu Hills National Park: Known for its dramatic landscapes and hiking and horseback safari opportunities.
At Africa Marvel Tours, we specialise in creating tailor-made tours that allow safari lovers from around the world to explore these incredible Masai Mara safari lodges and more. Whether you're looking for luxury, adventure, or a bit of both, we can help you craft the perfect safari experience.
Conclusion
Choosing the right lodge for your safari in the Masai Mara can significantly enhance your experience, offering comfort, luxury, and unique perspectives of this iconic landscape. From the luxurious JW Marriott Masai Mara to the intimate Losokwan Mara Camp, there's something for every type of traveller.
And with Kenya's diverse wildlife sanctuaries, your safari adventure will be nothing short of extraordinary.
So, where will your next adventure take you?