We will be staying at the Mara Simba during the second weekend of September 2007. If anyone has stayed there, would you recommend the first or second floor for a room? Would like the best animal viewing and least amount of tourist noise and traffic. Thanks.

I'd say it does not matter much in this case. We did not hear animals at night and we dod not hear the people above us.

There are trees in front of most rooms so the view is restricted. You are also a bit away from where the most animals usually are.

hi psupam
i agree with Eben about the location - Simba is quite hidden among the trees near the river & you don't really watch wildlife from your room.
(i've seen elephants from the verandah, but it'as not at all a common sight)

<i>&quot;You are also a bit away from where the most animals usually are.&quot; </i>
i rarely disagree with Eben, but in this case i do have a different view
{i object to &quot;most&quot; &amp; by the end of a medium-length argument, i'd agree to a &quot;bit away&quot; (which is subjective enough...)}
although Simba is located on the border of the reserve close to Maasai villages, it is still 'touching' the Talek area which is prime wildlife area
IMHO. On a game-drive you can easily reach also Sarova, Keekorok &amp; Sand-river areas (even Sopa if there's a reason to)and that's fair enough...
I'd prefer staying in Simba than in Sopa (and maybe Sarova as well)
animals do not obey to any strict rules or generalisations ...
A common view crowns the 'Mara triangle' as the best area in Mara
but i wouldn't be surprised if one sees more lions &amp; cheetahs this side (Simba's) than in the 'triangle'

psupam
in mid Sept you will surely have a fabulous experience around Simba.
You will see at least some migrating herds

it is advised to take a breakfast box and have a long GD from 06:30 to noon time. this way u can reach the river &amp; even venture a bit into the legendary triangle...

Safari njema

aby

PS
I've been to Simba numerous times, including a few occasions during September. I was very happy on each &amp; every safari there...

Thanks for your reply. I will be posting the entire trip once final details are in place. The information provided by members on this board has been invaluable.

Eben, I love your website and referred to endlessly while researching for this trip.

Thanks Aby, for your input.

pam

aby, my point is:

I do not consider the Mara Simba a good choice to sit on the veranda and watch animals!

The Talek area can be VERY crowded!

Eben
we are in total agreement about the verandah.
and indeed, Talek can be very crowded

just didn't want psupam to get the wrong impression that she's gonna miss (most of) the animals ...

Pole sana
aby

We stayed at Mara Simba this past September and loved it. We were on the first florr and never heard anyone above us. Our rooms looked out onto the river and we could hear the hippos at night and in the morning. We also saw two large crocs sunning themselves along the riverbank.
The food was great, the staff very friendly and we even went swimming in the pool one day.
I highly recommend this place.
And it was just a few minutes outside the gate until we ran into a wide variety of animals!