Lodges in the Masai Mara Game Reserve are one of the first things that you should consider as you plan for your safari. The lodges are categorized into three that is budget, mid-range, and luxury accommodation facilities and we help you choose the best lodges that fit your budget. There are over 100 lodges in and around Masai Mara and the factors that we consider when choosing the best accommodation facility for you are:
- The location of the lodge
- The amount of money you are willing to spend on accommodation
- The room services offered
- The size of the room
- The meals offered
- Accessibility of the lodge.
All the accommodation facilities in the Masai Mara Game Reserve are booked in Advance and this works to your advantage especially if you are planning on visiting during the peak season which is experienced from July to October during the wildebeest migration. There are single rooms, double rooms, and triple rooms in most of the accommodation facilities and since it is hard to get last-minute accommodation, you need to book in advance and look for what fits your budget.
The most commonly offered services and facilities in the different accommodation facilities include laundry services, free WIFI, satellite television sets, Restaurants, 24-hour room service, game drives, cultural walks, horse riding, meals throughout your stay, and campfires among others.
Accommodation facilities in the Masai Mara are located within five different zones and these are the western, central, Eastern, Northern, and southern zone.
Within these zones, you will find private conservancies and public facilities and in each of these, you will find basic, mid-range, and accommodation facilities. During the peak season (July to October), the cost of accommodation doubles whereas during the low season (November to April), the cost reduces drastically.
Some of the lodges in Masai Mara include the Sentrim Mara, Neptune Mara Rianta luxury camp, Mara samba camp, Mara Serena Lodge, Governor’s camp, and the Sarova Mara game camp among others. Note that the cost of the different accommodation facilities keeps on changing and it is advisable that you first find out the actual cost of when you will be traveling before making a choice.
Below is a list of accommodation facilities in their different categories that you can check out while in Masai Mara.
Budget accommodation facilities in the Masai Mara Game Reserve
The budget accommodation facilities normally offer necessities and you will also find that in some facilities you will have to share bathrooms and toilets, dining area to mention but a few. Many budget accommodation facilities are found within the Masai Mara but a few of the ones that you can try out include the following:
The Serian Vacation House
This is located in the Narok part of Masai Mara and has 4 double bedrooms that are offered as an accommodation to the tourists. It is a perfect vacation place and some of the services that are offered by the Serian Vacation House to their visitors include a free parking lot, picnic area, a shared living room with a television set, Dining area, furniture, barbecue, and shared kitchen with all the necessary appliances, a garden, and terrace where you can enjoy the sunset.
You will need to inform the Serian Vacation house about the specific dates of your arrival so that they are ready for you and also full payment through bank transfer is needed before you arrive at the accommodation facility.
Maji Moto Eco camp
The Maji Moto camp is found in Keekorok and offers accommodation in form of tents. It is just one hour away from the Sekenani gate. The facilities that are offered by the Maji Moto camp include laundry services at an additional charge, a terrace, outdoor furniture, an outdoor fireplace, free parking, a gift shop, security, shared bathrooms, an airport shuttle, and a hot spring bath, and a garden. They offer double tents with some having double tents whereas others have double beds. You will have to share the bathrooms but no need to worry about this because they are always cleaned by the staff available at the camp.
Osekai Masai Mara camp
The Osekai camp is located outside the Masai Mara Game Reserve and was named after the Osekai tree which means peace. The camp offers services like an elephant walk, restaurant services, free WIFI, laundry services at an extra cost, a garden, 24-hour service, bow, and arrow class, and bonfires. It has different rooms for accommodation and these were named after the different animals that are found in the Masai Mara Game Reserve.
The Rhino Room is a 24-foot square tent that can house three people at the same time. It has its bathroom and one single bed with two double beds. It is also a traditional tent which gives you a clear view of your surroundings.
The Zebra Room, the zebra room can house about 4 people with 2 twin beds and 2 single rooms and it is mostly suitable for families traveling together.
The Impala has only two twin beds.
The lion room has2 twin bed and 1 single bed.
The Topee room has 2 twin beds and is uniquely styled with stones.
The Mara Chui Resort
The Mara Chui Resort is a budget-friendly accommodation facility which is located near the Oloolaimutia gate and is a walkable distance from the Masai Mara Game Reserve. It offers services like free WIFI, restaurant services, a balcony, housekeeping, en-suite bathrooms, and a free parking space.
The Talek Bush camp
The Talek bush camp is located about 500 meters away from the Masai Mara Game Reserve and offers accommodation facilities in form of camping sites and tents. Services offered by the Talek Bush camp include charging ports, airport transfers, a swimming pool, free WIFI, hot water, a campfire, restaurant services, and laundry services at an extra cost, it is also wheelchair friendly and has a staff that is multi lingual. The grounds are offered for camping whereas they offer single and double tented camps for the visitors.
The Mara sunset camp
The Mara sunset camp is a basic facility which is located about 21 kilometers away from the Masai Mara Reserve and accommodation is offered in the form opt tents. They have tents with single beds, double and single beds. Services that are offered here include free WIFI, a bar, a restaurant, and free parking space.
Mid-range accommodation in Masai Mara
The mid-range accommodation facilities are what you can get at an average price and are self-contained. These are good accommodation facilities that tourists who are not traveling on a budget but neither want a luxurious safari can use. When we talk about mid-range, we mean self-contained, comfortable accommodations that are found in beautiful locations. Some of the mid-range accommodation facilities that you can book while on a safari to the Masai Mara include the following.
Richard’s Forest camp
This is located in the northern part of Masai Mara in the conservancies offering an intimate and comfortable place for the tourists. The Richard Forest camp is owned by the same people who own the Richard River camp but unlike its sister accommodation, the Forest camp is midrange. Activities that are offered here include game drives, bush walks, and Masai village visits.
Jambo Mara Safari lodge
The Jambo Mara safari lodge is located near the Oloolaimutia gate in the eastern part of the Masai Mara game reserve and is one of the best mid-range facilities you can check out on. The lodge is surrounded by streams which attract a large number of animals, especially during the dry season especially the elephants which can easily be spotted even when you are in your rooms.
The Jambo lodge has about 98 rooms with 2 business suites, 47 standard wooden cabins, a presidential suite, and 48 deluxe cottages. The beauty about staying here is that each room has its balcony, the cottages have an en-suite bathroom and toilet, electricity is available, hot water is available 24/7, satellite television sets and room service. The meals that are offered here include local meals, Asian meals, and European cuisines which are prepared by a certified chef. The lodge also has a conference room that can house over 300 people and some of the activities that are offered here include flight transfers to and from the airport, nature walks, and game drives. Tourists have a clear view of the Game Reserve and the animals and the serenity offered plus privacy to the visitors makes it a perfect place for visitors.
Savora Mara Game camp
The Savora Mara Game camp is located within the immediate center of the Masai Mara Reserve 2.5 kilometers away from the Sekenani Gate. It is part of the Savora hotel chains and is surrounded by a wonderful landscape making it a heaven for the tourists. Its strategic location makes it easy for visitors to see the different wildlife and also engage in the different activities that are carried out in the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Some of the animals that you can see while in Savora include gazelles, lions, zebras, wildebeests, and other predators because the camp is located right next to the wildebeest migration path.
The Savora camp consists of 75 tents with 2 family tents, 51 standard tents, and 20 club tents. The club tents are luxurious with en-suite bathrooms, a bathtub, and showers with 24-hour running water, wardrobes, and large beds.
Luxury accommodation facilities in the Masai Mara
The luxury accommodation is on the high end for all those who are ready to splurge money on their safari. These are always comfortable and have extremely good services with well-equipped and well taken care of rooms. A few of the luxury lodges include the following.
The Angama Mara
Angama Mara is a modern accommodation facility that was constructed on top of a cliff giving tourists a great view of Masai Mara and the Great Rift Valley. It is located within the Mara Triangle with a clear view of the animals. The word Angama is a Swahili word that can loosely be translated as ‘suspended in mid-air’ which is what the lodge looks like at first sight. It is run by a non-profit organization that has helped in reducing the poaching of the wild animals in the Masai Mara and improvement of the infrastructure in the area.
The Angama lodge offers 30 safari tents making it a bit larger than the normal safari lodges and these are divided into two sections which offer a secluded and private feel to the tourists. There is a pool that visitors get to enjoy, a gym, and the pavilion which can be shared between the two sections offers some of the greatest views of the Mara Reserve.
Angama Mara offers a variety of dishes to the visitors ranging from local Kenya dishes to international cuisines. You can enjoy your food in your room, in the surrounding bushes, or outside your pavilion and there are chefs to prepare your meals from breakfast to dinner.
Activities that are offered at the Angama Mara include game drive both in the morning and evenings, guided walks, sundowners, a visit to the Masai villages where you get to experience the local culture, and hot air balloon rides. Visitors are however free to plan for their days as they wish while at the Angama Mara lodge. The activities offered to come at an extra cost.
They also have a children’s policy where children who are 6 years and above are welcome and can participate in all the mentioned activities. Some of the things that will be excluded from your stay in Angama include park entry fees, spa treatments, all extra activities, and premium brand drinks. Expect full board meals, game drives, laundry, room service, bush walks, and airport transfers at the Angama Mara lodge.
Angama Mara lodge rates keep on changing according to the season that is low and high seasons but you should expect to pay at least $1,335 to $2,339 per person per night. And this is supposed to be paid before you arrive at Angama Mara.
Richard’s River Camp
Richard’s River Camp is located at the Ntiakatek River Banks and has a very clear view of the Ngoyanai springs and the wildlife that roams around the camp. There is a lot of wildlife that comes to the River bank including lions that you can see from your tented rooms.
The camp has 7 tents with the 6 being regular normal tents whereas one is an extremely large family tent. The rooms at the camp are spacious and well decorated with outdoor showers that have 24-hour hot water running, there is a lot of privacy for all tourists, 24-hour security at the camp, and battery charging areas for all visitors.
The food consists of local dishes and international dishes and these are mainly served in the communal dining area which is a large tent. You can however also enjoy the food in the bushes with an outdoor fire but only when the weather is not chilly. The chefs follow all that you want for your meals for as long as it is available.
The activities that are carried out at Richard’s camp are extremely adventurous and visitors get to choose which activities they want to engage in. some of the activities that are offered here include hot air balloon rides, and a trip to the River Nile all offered at an extra cost bush walks, a visit to the local Masai villages, a trip to the elephant project and Rhino sanctuary and game drives among others.
When you book Richard’s River camp as your accommodation facility, expect to get services like Airport transfers, meals ranging from breakfast to Dinner, game drives, local branded drinks, and night drives which are done with experienced tour guides whereas park entry fees, hot air balloon activities, premium brand drinks, gratuities are excluded from the fee that you pay.
They have a very good children’s policy which welcomes children of all ages and those that are 4 years and below get to stay in the camp for free. A fee of $985 per person per night is paid before you get into the country but the fee is liable to change depending on different circumstances.
Porini Mara camp
The Porini Mara camp lies in the conservation that is Ol Kinyei conservancy area which is communally owned. Surrounded by the beautiful ecosystem of the Masai Mara, the Porini is a fresh place that you ought to consider while on a safari to the Masai Mara. The advantage of staying at a conservancy is that you get to enjoy night drives and guided bush walks which is difficult at normal campsites. Staying at the Porini camp is like having the wildlife right at your doorstep with the many animals that can be viewed from the comfort of your room.
The Porini Mara camp consists of 6 extremely spacious tents. The tents have a shared dining room area which has a great view of the River and the other tents where guests stay. The dining can sit 12 a maximum of 12 people and dinner is mostly served here, however you can request to have an outdoor dinner which can be granted if you ask beforehand. The tents found in the camp are evenly spread giving each visitor all the privacy that they need, each tent has an en-suite bathroom and toilet, raised wooden platforms, hot running water, hot water bottles for the chilly nights, turn-down services, and each veranda has two wooden chairs that you can relax from and the rooms are brightly decorated.
Activities that are offered at the Porini Mara camp include guided bush walks, Masai village trips, hot air balloons, game drives, and biding in the morning. Children who are 8 years and above are allowed to stay at the camp and your stay includes all meals, game drives, night drives, and bush walks among others. Payment at the Porini camp ranges from $499 to $969 depending on whether it is a low or high season.
