The Ultimate Masai Mara Kenya Safari Packages, Cost, & Reviews

Where to Stay – Top 5 Kenya Masai Mara Safari Hotels   

Masai Mara National Reserve  is nestled in the Southwest of Kenya, covering an expansive 1,510 km². Bordering the reserve are multiple private wildlife conservancies like the Mara North Conservancy and the Mara Triangle, together forming the Greater Mara Ecosystem.

Access to the Maasai Mara from the capital city of Nairobi is by air or road. Air transfers are convenient and take approximately one hour to one of the many airstrips in the Masai Mara National Reserve. You can opt for the 6-hour road trip to see the lush scenery of Kenya’s countryside and the great rift valley. Preparing you for an exciting stay at one of its treasured game reserves.

Scattered in different parts of the Mara are one of the best camps and lodges in Kenya that cater to all budgets. We’ll explore five lodgings that truly stand out during a Masai Mara safari.

1. Ashnil Mara Camp 

Tucked within the Maasai Mara is Ashnil Mara Camp, a luxury tented camp that offers authentic experiences for your African tour in Kenya’s Masai Mara. Located along the Mara River and next door to a central crossing point, the camp provides the perfect setting for game viewing or unwinding.

Here, you’ll find luxury tents built with natural materials to blend in with the surroundings. Depending on your preferences, you may choose the Deluxe Twin, Deluxe Double, and Deluxe Triple rooms.

All rooms are elevated, en suite, and have access to private wooden balconies. They are elegantly furnished for a comfortable but premium view of the Masai Mara National Reserve

The restaurant serves African traditional, international, and oriental cuisines to tease your tastebuds and fill your stomach. There is an open-air bar complete with beers, liquors, and cocktails. You can head to the lounge if you want to relax away from the open bar.

African decor and comfortable seats make this place ideal for lazing in as you sip on a selection of wines, liqueurs, spirits, cocktails, local and international beers, and soft drinks. A dip in the swimming pool will cool you down after a game drive of the park.

You may connect with the world through free Wifi, although connectivity can be limited in the reserve.

2. Sarova Mara Game Camp

If you’re looking for something more upscale, Sarova Mara Game Camp is an excellent choice. Set upon an elevated point surrounded by two streams and plenty of greenery, the camp fits seamlessly within its environment and provides one of the best views of the Mara.

Spacious neutral canvas tents with large “windows” and glass doors set the scene for an unforgettable Masai Mara safari experience. This unique vantage point brings nature to your doorstep, allowing you to observe the animals go about their normal hunter/hunted lives from the comfort of your room. 

It is particularly thrilling during the migratory months of July to October when swarms of wildebeest flock to the plains as they head to the other side of the Maasai Mara. And what do you know, there’s a Maasai village nearby you should visit.

The camp offers family, standard, club, and deluxe tents. Each room is spacious, decked in colorful furnishings and rustic furniture, and is fitted with an en suite bathroom.

The rooms have access to wooden balconies complete with comfortable day beds and chairs where nature’s sights and sounds lull you into relaxation. Away from your room, you can enjoy a relaxing massage or explore hand-crafted gifts for loved ones at Sarova’s Adia shop. 

Younger guests can have fun on the playground while you test your golfing skills on the mini-golf course or go for bush walks. The free-form swimming pool, complete with a pool bar, is perfect for a refreshing swim and enjoying drinks after a long day in the park.

Internet connectivity is strong throughout the camp, allowing you to catch up with the rest of the world. Meals are served in the main restaurant, where the chefs show off their prowess in preparing gourmet meals, Kenyan style. 

Sarova Mara Game Camp grows organic vegetables, making that daily veggie supply chemical-free to make your safari in Africa healthy.

3. Keekorok Lodge

In the local Masai dialect, Keekorok means “abundance.”  Rightly so, the lodge was constructed on eighty acres of choice land teeming with flocks of wildlife, sprawling grasslands, and permanent springs.

Its location in the Masai Mara is directly in the path of the wildebeest migratory route, giving you front-row seats to this popular world event. The big cats, elephants, reptiles, and more than 485 bird species can be seen here, so you’ll want to keep your camera handy. 

Built-in 1962, Keekorok has retained its charm, boasting a clean rustic feel complimented with high-quality modern amenities. Just about all you need to make a Masai Mara safari more enjoyable.

Guest rooms in the lodge comprise standard rooms, premium, executive, chalet-style rooms, and a presidential suite. Each room is tastefully furnished, comes with an en-suite, and has access to private verandahs with a superb view of the Masai Mara.

Freshly made traditional meals abound at the Hippo Bar where you can enjoy fantastic views of the lake and a hippo or two wallowing in the water. You may follow the path leading to the Elephant Deck for spectacular views of wildlife as you sip on relaxing drinks or enjoy your dinner.

Other amenities include free Wifi, a game room, a children’s playground, and an outdoor pool. At an extra fee, you may go horseback riding, enjoy a relaxing massage in the hands of an expert masseuse, or hang out at the spa and wellness center.

4. Jambo Mara Safari Lodge

For the environmentally-conscious traveler, our Kenya Masai Mara safari packages include an eco-friendly option for you. Jambo Mara Safari Lodge is a carbon-free lodge, built using environmental protection materials. 

All its power needs are derived from solar energy, eliminating the need for carbon-emitting energy sources or other forms of electricity supply. In a jungle location surrounded by shrubbery and dry grasslands, the colorful plants found within the Masai Mara lodge grounds are a welcome surprise. 

It feels like the garden of Eden, ready to nourish your heart and soul. The Jambo Mara Lodge sits amid two streams that give life to the abundant indigenous wildlife that roams the lands. Lodging comprises deluxe glass and wooden cottages, business suites, and a presidential suite.

All rooms are equipped with modern amenities and private furnished balconies where you can enjoy beautiful views of the wild and game visiting the lodge. On a Masai Mara safari to Jambo Mara, you may fill your day with a range of activities, including indoor games, short-range mountain hiking, massages, spa and sauna, and swimming. 

Wifi connectivity is stable around the lodge, allowing you to stay in touch even when you’re far away in the park. The chefs whip up tantalizing meals comprising traditional and international cuisines that will have you asking for more as the dining continues.

5. Mara Serena Safari Lodge

Soaking in excellent views while on an African Masai Mara safari is the optimal experience and the Masai Mara Serena Safari Lodge provides it. Perched on a bush-clad hill overlooking the Mara Triangle, it offers sweeping views of the volcanic hills, riverine forest, vast plains, and the Mara River.

Within this triangle is a high concentration of exciting wildlife species going about their daily lives. It’s also here that throngs of grazers come to the Masai Mara from the Serengeti National Park in neighboring Tanzania, making for dramatic experiences. 

The lodge’s unique architecture pays homage to the Maasai community who have lived alongside the wildlife of the Masai Mara for centuries. The manyatta-like design comprises domed huts arranged one slightly in front of the other, for unhindered views. 

The en-suite guest rooms with private balconies sport ethnic-inspired decor combined effortlessly with first-class luxuries for an awe-inspiring Masai Mara safari experience. Guests enjoy complimentary Wifi, a swimming pool and sundeck, spa treatments and gym, family rooms, indoor games, a walking tour to the Mara, and a gift shop packed with amazing souvenirs.

From the lodge’s main restaurant, you can watch the big game come to quench their thirst at the nearby waterhole. Meals consist of mouth-watering local and international cuisines and choice drinks. 

The lodge arranges bush dining experiences serving breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and cocktails. The sundowners are a favorite among guests, as are evenings around the campfire. This lodge is located in one of the ideal locations of the mara which enables you to see the reserve.