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The Masai Mara, with its signature tree-dotted plains, is a classic safari destination in southwestern Kenya. It is home to 95 mammal species. So, expect a year-round wealth of wildlife, from big cats to elephant, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, topi and more. The Mara is also famously home to the annual great migration of wildebeest and zebra between July or August and October or November. See them kick up dust as they move in search of grazing with predators on their trail. Experience the drama of river crossings that pit them against hungry crocodiles.
With this abundance of wildlife, it’s no surprise that Masai Mara National Reserve and its surrounding private conservancies offer many safari lodges. You can stay in one of these lodges to get close to the action. Here are 10 of the best Masai Mara safari lodges.
The accommodations below are not ranked in a specific quality order.
100 Masai Mara Safari
1. Sarova Mara Game Camp
Sarova Mara Game Camp is an excellent camp in a privileged position inside Masai Mara NR
Understated (but unmistakable) luxury is what Sarova Mara Game Camp is all about. Light African hardwoods dominate the furnishings, enhancing the natural light and the earth tones make for a relaxing color scheme. Leafy grounds, a resort-style swimming pool, a semi-outdoor wellness and spa center and a classy bar all add to the overall sense of peace. Although the lodge is close to Sekenani Gate, it actually has its own game-drive area where others rarely stray, making for a low-key but wildlife-rich safari experience. You’re also well placed for exploring further into the reserve and beyond.
2. Mara Serena Safari Lodge
Mara Serena sits high on a hill in the heart of the Masai Mara
Perched high on a hill in the heart of the Masai Mara National Reserve, Mara Serena is simply superb. Few other Masai Mara safari lodges can match these views, whether from the swimming pool, room terraces, or from elsewhere in the grounds.
There are so many possible highlights. When the migration is passing through, the massed herds of wildebeest and zebra seem to fill the earth. When towering storm clouds form over the distant escarpment it can feel like Africa at its wildest. And when an elephant family crosses the plains down below, there is definitely magic in the air. Safari character fills the large rooms, and staff get right the mix between casual and professional, making for a fun stay.
3. Ashnil Mara Camp
Ashnil Mara is a luxury tented camp deep inside Masai Mara NR
Inhabiting a forest that rises from a bend in the Mara River, Ashnil Mara feels very much a part of the wild Mara that surrounds it. The attractive and supremely comfortable safari tents here come with wooden desks, chests and polished wooden floorboards that extend out onto the ample private terraces, some with river views. There’s a spa with a long list of possible treatments, an appealing swimming pool and a wonderful deck restaurant where you can look down onto the river.
Another highlight is that the camp is in a quiet corner of the Mara with very few other camps and lodges for neighbors. This means there are rarely many other vehicles around and you have lion and elephant sightings all to yourself, something that is becoming increasingly rare in the Mara these days.
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