43 Best Hotels in Kenya

At this intimate camp tucked in a riverine forest on a bend on the Talek River, you'll be able to watch elephants wading, hippos snorting, and all other sorts of game from your outdoor claw-foot bathtub that overlooks the river. Of course, a cocktail of choice makes the scene so much more appealing. Legendary explorer Dr. Livingstone never knew what he was missing. A handcrafted wooden bed dominates the en suite tent, but there's still room for the bedside tables fashioned from logs, old chests, and weather-beaten tin trunks that serve as tables, and an old-fashioned rocking chair where you can sit and tick off your mammal and bird lists. Move a little farther outside and you can laze on your wooden deck, savoring every tranquil moment. You'll be awed by the number of predators you see—lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena—preying on the plains herbivores. All the Masai Mara activities are available, and you'll particularly enjoy the breakfast picnics where the lions can watch you feeding. You'll eat delicious meals in an open-air dining area, which looks out over the river, and there are a cozy lounge and small library for those moments when you want to sit still.

Only 20 minutes away from one of the legendary migration river crossings, this stylish camp doesn't exclusively follow traditional safari camp feel; rather it aims for a fusion of old and new with pale khaki and white mesh tents, minimalist hand-carved wooden furniture, roof-to-ceiling earth-color drapes, and plain couches and chairs highlighted with ethnic-patterned cushions. Split into three camps, Main Naibor has seven tents, while Little Naibor and Naibor Wilderness have two and three tents respectively and are designed for family or private groups. The whole camp lives up to its name—naibor means purity and whiteness in Maa, the language of the Maasai people—but you'll never lose that essential sense of being on an African safari. The spacious tents on the banks of the Talek River are furnished with handwoven straw mats, a hand-carved figwood bed, and simple bedside tables. Soft white bed linen is complemented with brightly colored cushions and throws. There's a big private veranda from where you can catch the elephants going down to drink, or listen to and watch the myriad birds. The game here is exceptionally good.

Perched on an escarpment with views toward Mt. Kenya in the south, this lovely lodge is on a privately owned family ranch in the wild northern Laikipia Plateau. The stone-and-thatch cottages, some built on two levels, are very private and have king-size beds and baths that you can lie in and look out at the passing wildlife. The main lodge, also built of natural rock and olive wood, is cozy and comfortable. There's a huge pool, which clings to the rock edge, spilling its waters to the rocks below. For exclusive groups or families, the Francombe family has built a six-bedroom house on the property, too, which features a rooftop sundeck, a barbeque area, and a pool. Drives are extremely rewarding with game galore, but for something a little different try a camel ride, a nature walk, an overnight stay in the Look Out Hut—a little wooden hut in the bush—or go camping under the stars. Horseback riding is a fascinating way to spot game: there are also safe and friendly ponies for kids, and children's gift packs on arrival, plus other kids' activities. There's also the opportunity to meet and mix with the local Samburu people and to take part in some of their activities.

This exclusive, back-to-nature tented camp is in the remote and game-abundant 15,000-acre Selenkay Conservancy, a few miles north of Amboseli National Park. A gold eco-award winner, the camp is co-owned with the local Maasai community. You'll see few visitors, but lots of game including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and the ubiquitous Amboseli elephants. Birdlife is prolific, with lots of raptors. Big, comfortably furnished tents are solar-powered and have en suite bathrooms with a basin, shower, and flush toilet. You'll eat hearty, home-cooked meals outside the mess tent while being serenaded by birdcalls by day and nocturnal animals by night. Game drives are taken in an open-sided safari vehicle—yours will be the only one for miles—and you'll visit an authentic Maasai village, take an informative walk in a dry riverbed, enjoy a picnic lunch in Amboseli itself, and at night you'll return to your own little private spot in the African wilderness. The all-inclusive price covers two nights' accommodation, round-trip road transfers, Amboseli park fees, conservancy fees, all game drives, sundowners, walks with Maasai warriors, Maasai village visits, full board, and free house wines, beer, and soft drinks. 

This delightful eco-friendly tented camp is nestled among the 90,000-acre, game-rich Ol Pejeta Conservancy that lies between the snowcapped Mt. Kenya and the foothills of the Aberdares. This location treats guests to a double whammy—abundant game including the Big Five, wild dog, and the endangered black rhino, and superb views across the open plains. Each beautifully placed tent has stunning views from its personal veranda, and inside there's an en suite bathroom with a flush toilet and bucket shower with hot water heated by solar power. Sip sundowners from a carefully chosen vantage point, and then take a spectacular night drive. Check out the photographic hide overlooking the waterhole, where you can have drinks as you wait for animals to come up close for photos. By day stretch your legs on a guided bush walk with a Maasai guide or have your heartstrings tugged at the nearby Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. If you're feeling extra energetic and really want to walk on the wild side, then the camp also offers walking safaris. The camp has no permanent structures and is strategically constructed around trees and shrubs to minimize the human footprint on the natural landscape. It uses solar power for electricity, and water is heated with eco-friendly, sustainable charcoal briquettes; there is no generator. Package rates include all round-trip transfers by air from Nairobi, Ol Pejeta Conservancy fees, all game drives, sundowners, walks with Maasai warriors, two nights' full-board accommodation, and free house wines, beer, and soft drinks.

Guests here are practically doted on from the moment they cross the threshold of this architecturally stunning beachfront property. Your personal valet escorts you to your exclusive nyumba (house). These superb accommodations are simply some of the most integrative spaces imaginable, uniting open-air splendor and private luxury under one makuti (thatched) roof. The living area, adorned with the same artisanal Swahili furniture that's found throughout the property, spreads to a veranda overlooking a private beach garden and enclosed outdoor shower. Relax island-style and stroll your personal grounds wearing your complimentary kikoy wrap. Schedule your meals whenever and wherever—poolside, on the beach, on a dhow—you like, and you'll dine on some of the freshest seafood on the island. Fishing boats returning with their daily catch are intercepted by Red Pepper staff before they even reach the market.

Named after an honored Maasai chief, this attractive eco-friendly camp in game-rich country rests just outside the northwestern border of the reserve, overlooking the Mara River and the Ooloololo Escarpment; guests are welcomed by a Maasai man swathed in red robes playing a wooden flute. The camp underwent a massive renovation in 2019, with canvas tents giving way to spacious glass-sided suites with raised wooden balconies from which you can see the sun rising over the river, or flitting in through the yellow barked acacia trees in the morning. A comfortable king-sized bed, huge bathtub overlooking the outdoors, rain showers, and various lounging areas complete the setting; you'll be tempted to spend your entire holiday just lounging in this suite which feels more like a resort in the city than a safari lodge in the African bush. The decor in the main area is very contemporary and urban too, with pendant lights, Maasai portraits and patterned prints hung up on gray walls, handwoven rugs, a wooden shelf displaying various ceramics, and a fireplace for those cold evenings. Even the main viewing deck here was extended, and you can tuck into your lunch here while overlooking a hippo pool with day-long entertainment from these overgrown clowns. The food is superb, and you have the option to dine with your fellow guests or on your own veranda. There is a cozy library and games room where families and friends can hang out before dinner, a bar next to the fire pit, and excellent opportunities to observe the everyday lives of the Maasai in the adjacent village. As there is an electric fence, you can freely move around.

North of Samburu National Reserve, this small and remote tented camp lies below the peaks of the Mathews Mountains in the 850,000-acre Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust—a community conservancy that has been created between landowners and the local Samburu people. The six spacious tents have pole-supported thatch roofs with flush toilets and open-air showers; hot water is 24-hours thanks to solar power. The main sitting room and dining area sits on stilts in front of the waterhole and natural rock pool—yes, you swim here overlooking the waterhole and you are quite safe—with stunning views of the Mathews Mountains. Game is plentiful with resident lions and leopards, and there's an excellent chance of seeing wild dogs, elephants, and reticulated giraffes. Look out for the attractive black-and-white colobus monkeys when you go for a guided hike in the forest. Go donkey-trekking in the mountains, take a camel safari with an overnight stop at a fly camp, or stop by Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. You can get acquainted with the Samburu people on bush walks and visits to nearby villages to get exposure to the traditional lifestyle of northern Kenya’s semi-desert region.

This exclusive eco-friendly lodge lies just outside the Masai Mara National Reserve, inside the Mara North Conservancy in a remote valley of olive and cedar trees. Each of the five cottages and two family villas have polished wooden floors and is furnished with hand-carved cedarwood beds, Persian rugs, African art, colonial antiques, and comfortable chairs. You'll dine at a long table at Kuro House, the main lodge, which combines an eclectic mix of old-style Africa and modern design. The Italian cuisine here is superb, but there's also a wide international menu available that uses fresh, locally grown, organic produce. You can also participate in a bush barbecue or dine alone by candlelight on your veranda. The library has a superb collection of Africana—it's definitely worth a visit. Children of all ages are welcome. The tucked-away Masai Wellbeing Space, which uses local plants for its treatments, is run by one of Italy's most famous spas, Centro Benessere Stresa, and is considered one of the best spas in Kenya. All the guides are members of the Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association, and Saruni supports the innovative Koyiaki Guiding School, which trains young Kenyans.  Make sure you factor in the US$116-$200 per person daily—depending on the season— park fees into your expenses as this is not included in the lodge's fees.

You certainly won't come across another vehicle at this exclusively sited camp in the northern section of the Masai Mara ecosystem on the border between the Lemek Conservancy and the Mara North Conservancy. It has three comfortable Bedouin-looking tents with en suite bathrooms with hot and cold running water and flush toilets, and outdoor verandas with tables and chairs offering great views across the plains. One of the tents is suitable for families, with two bedrooms and bathrooms. This area has resident elephants, giraffes, buffalo and impalas, the lucky might spot lions paddling by, and this is also one of the very few parts of the Mara where wild dogs are occasionally seen. You can track animals on foot or take action-packed night drives when you have more than a good chance of spotting a leopard, as well as other nocturnal animals such as bush babies and genets. Full-day game drives into the Mara are also available and guests can also go to the Saruni Mara to use the spa.

Nestled right by a postcard-ready beach in a neatly manicured green garden fringed by towering palm trees, this is one huge mansion with six en suite double rooms, a rooftop bar, and an intimate restaurant that seats just 35. The kitchen whips up a delicious mix of Kenyan, Indian, and seafood cuisine, reflecting the heritage of the owners and the property's idyllic setting. On the rooftop is the only seaside cinema in town, where you can hang out with friends and play movies or music videos projected onto a large blank wall. One of the executive suites has both a sunrise and sunset view, another has a jacuzzi overlooking the beach, while some of the other patios have hammock chairs that you can sink into while being lulled to sleep by the waves. The saltwater pool is only open to guests and there's a fire pit right on the beach, where you could get a bonfire going while relaxing with friends in the evening. 

This rustic bush camp is named after the flat-topped Acacia tortilis trees that surround the main thatch-roof open bar, lounge, and dining room, which also overlooks a waterhole and has superb views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru in neighboring Tanzania. Your large tent sits under a huge thatch canopy and is raised up on a small platform with wooden floors, a king-size bed, and an en suite bathroom with hot showers and flush toilets. If you want to catch up on your journal or bird and mammal lists, then relax on the comfortable furniture on your personal sitting area, or laze by the pool in between activities (such as game drives or guided bush walks, which the camp provides at an extra cost). There's also a family house with one double and one twin-bed room if you don't fancy splitting up between two tents. The tasty food is made with homegrown herbs and vegetables and the menu features both European and local dishes. While Tortilis borders Amboseli, it sits within its own private conservancy, which means that game walks with a Masaai guide are possible. The price includes the conservancy but not park fees.

This small, tented camp lies below the peaks of the Mathews Mountains in the 850,000-acre Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust, a community project between landowners and the local Samburu people. Accommodation is in six spacious tents, sited under pole-supported thatch roofs with flush toilets and open-air showers. There is also a two-bedroom house with a shared sitting/dining area. The main sitting room and dining area sits on stilts in front of the water hole and natural rock pool—yes, you swim here overlooking the water hole and you are quite safe—with stunning views of the Mathews Mountains. Game is plentiful with resident lion and leopard, and there's an excellent chance of seeing wild dog as there are two packs in the area. Look out for the attractive colobus monkeys when you go for a guided hike in the forest. Go donkey trekking in the mountains, or take a camel safari with an overnight stop at a fly camp.