14 Best Hotels in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

If you want to turn back the clock and immerse yourself in the kind of safari ambience that Ernest Hemingway enjoyed, this is the place to do it. From the superb and gracious service to the touches of antique luxury—claw-foot tubs, faded antique rugs, wrought-iron candlesticks, old gramophones, polished butlers' trays—the Cottar family's 80 years of experience certainly shows. Sit outside your own spacious, authentic white tent on a wooden rocking chair and watch the hills and valleys below, or relax in the deep red armchairs of the main tented lounge and admire the old photos and prints. At night as you sip a brandy snifter under the soft glow of oil lamps by a log fire, you'll forget all about the 21st century. The tents, with separate lounge and bedroom areas and floor-level canvas decks, are in a huge, 250,000-acre exclusive concession between the Masai Mara, Serengeti, and Loliondo reserves. Because it's a private concession, you won't see the masses of other tourists that you can hardly help bumping into elsewhere in the Masai Mara itself. Because they operate just outside the reserve, Cottar's game vehicles are also allowed off-road, which means more freedom to follow game. The legendary fourth-generation Kenyan Calvin Cottar could be your guide (at extra cost), but his experienced colleagues won't let you down either. Enjoy a quiet moment in the tented reading room, or rest in a hammock by the natural rock pool. The owners pay the local Maasai community for land use and have helped finance the local school and nearby clinics so that the camp and its activities are seen as a part of the surrounding land and its people.

Translating to "suspended in mid-air", Angama has one of the best views in the Mara as it sits at the very top of an escarpment, with dramatic views over the valley below. Divided into a north and south wing, the property feels intimate with just 15 suites on each side. The main area is urban and contemporary, with large glass doors drawing the outdoors in, and a sunken fire pit with red cushions where you can hang out in the evenings and feel as though you're floating over the Mara. Rooms have indoor bathtubs and large wooden verandas from which you can spot giraffes and elephants trekking up and down the small hills beyond. You're never short of activities as there is a photography studio where you can rent equipment, get lessons in wildlife photography, or hire a photographer to shadow you for the day. There's a map room with more than 60 maps, and a beading room where Maasai women from the local community can teach you how to handmake the colorful jewelry which is significant to their culture. This is one of the most family-friendly properties around, too, with activities such as spear throwing with Maasai warriors and making ice cream with the chefs. Sundowners, complete with Maasai men and women chanting and dancing around a bonfire on the edge of a cliff with the most dramatic of views are unmissable. Even the drive up here is very scenic, past a hippo pool where you might spot them basking in the mid-day sun, up the escarpment through a thick green forest with a reservoir and plenty of game.

Quite possibly the best camp in all of the Mara area, Naboisho Camp is in the 210-sq-km (82-square-mile) Mara Naboisho Conservancy, which has exclusive use for only those guests staying at the handful of lodges there—there are no hordes of safari vehicles here. According to the camp's manager, the density of wildlife increases every year. While you take your breakfast under the shade of an acacia tree, you're likely to see herds of antelope grazing the plains, a handful of giraffes nibbling at the trees, and numerous zebras mingling between wildebeest, impala, and buffalo. Along with all the big game, the Mara Nabiosho Conservancy has also become home to a large pride of lions, as well as the rare wild dog. Naboisho Camp is exceptionally well designed, and each of the nine spacious tents are set well apart from one another, giving you that beautiful sense of having the bush entirely to yourself. Tents are tastefully decorated and all have en suite bathrooms and outdoor double rainfall showers. The comfortable thatched dining and lounge areas extend out onto a wooden deck, where you can while away your time in comfortable couches, G&T in hand, viewing game at the nearby waterhole. Many activities, including game walks and drives, are included in the price, while extras include horse-riding and the Mara balloon flight. Children over five are welcome and there's a kids' safari program with the entertaining Maasai guides, which might be identifying animal tracks or visiting a local school.

Perched on the edge of a riverine forest below the Oloololo Escarpment, Kichwa Tembo (head of the elephant in Kiswahili) lies directly in the path of the migration making it one of Kenya's most sought-after camps. The en suite tents are spacious and have seemingly never-ending views of the plains from the verandas. You'll be surrounded by the unforgettable sounds of the African night as you drift off to sleep. During the day you can take a dip in the pool between activities or just relax on your veranda while you fill out your bird and mammal lists. Don't forget to keep an eye out for passing animals: there'll be predators galore, as well as blue- and red-tailed monkeys, the mischievous banded mongoose, and a curious warthog may come up to your tent doorway. The candlelit dinner on the banks of the Sabaringo River is a must-do for anyone. The staff here is attentive and charming.

Tucked within a shady acacia forest on the exclusive Mara Naboisho Conservancy, the luxury tents at this comfortable and contemporary-styled camp have great views across the plains. Verandas have daybeds and/or hammocks which are perfect places to kick back in-between safari activities. The en-suite bathrooms have safari bucket showers that are filled with hot water on request. There are lavish dining and lounge tents, although for much of the year meals are taken outside, or in the bush while on a game drive; relaxed meal patterns depend on what everyone wants to do. There’s a thatch-covered hide on a deck overlooking a salt lick where elephant and buffalo are frequent visitors. Because it’s on a conservancy, bush walks and night drives are available and Encounter Mara also offers visits to a local Maasai village and full-day excursions into the Masai Mara National Reserve proper.

Although the Fairmont's camp area has manicured lawns and flowers, it is surrounded on three sides by the croc- and hippo-filled Mara River, so you are always close to the wildlife. Within each spacious tent, the bedspread of the four-poster mosquito-netted beds are made of the iconic red cloth used for Maasai warrior robes, while brightly colored handwoven rugs, comfortable chairs, and big windows ensure aprés-safari comfort. The main lodge is themed old-style safari with deep padded-leather-and-fabric armchairs, beaded lamps, an open fireplace, and an inviting wood-panel bar. Keep family and friends informed of your big-game adventures with Internet access in the library, or write in your journal on the spacious outside deck that leads to a pool, complete with bar and private massage tents. Forgo one morning game drive in favor of a hot-air-balloon safari over the Mara plains followed by a bush Champagne breakfast—you'll thank us—or stroll in the footprints of the hippo-trodden path, escorted by a Maasai warrior (four people minimum).

This budget option on the banks of the Talek River overlooks the plains and its location on the northeastern boundary of the reserve gives it easy access to all the game areas. You'll stay in a safari tent or stone-and-thatch chalet, both furnished in African ethnic themes, but you should try for a tent with a river view; be sure to have taken your malaria prevention tablets. Both tents and chalets are en-suite and have small verandas or balconies. There are two bars, an indoor and outdoor eating area, and a tree-house coffee deck where you can watch the passing animal show. Don't expect the ultimate in luxury, but you'll get good value for your money and also get to meet lots of international visitors. If you want more luxury and exclusivity, go for one of the Ngaboli tents, where you'll sleep in a four-poster bed and have lots more room. Activities are extra: night safaris, bush walks, Champagne breakfasts, and bush dinners range in price from US$45 to US$60.

This eco-friendly camp in the middle of the exclusive Mara Naboisho Conservancy is named after the olseki or sandpaper tree, which is a Maasai symbol of peace, harmony, and wealth. Set on round wooden platforms on a rocky outcrop surrounded by bird-filled trees, the 10 tents look as if they are sailing through the bush. Inside, it's all space and light, with simple, stylish furnishings: a double and single bed, cream and earth-tone soft furnishings, straw mats, carefully planned lighting, and en suite toilet and shower. The lean, clean effect is carried through to the attractive dining tent and library, which has a fireplace. The two newer suites have two bedrooms, living and dining areas, and their own kitchens; guests can choose to have the staff finish cooking meals here before serving them privately. The conservancy limits entry to only clients actually staying inside the area and offers an incredibly private safari experience. Activities include morning and night game drives with lots of game—you might get one of Kenya's few women guides—bush picnics, star-gazer walks, botanical walks, and visits to authentic, non-touristy Maasai villages.

Getting to this camp is a mini adventure in itself---first you take a small boat that ferries you across the Mara River followed by a short, escorted walk with armed guides (so you don't become lion food) before arriving at this gorgeous little camp with elegantly furnished classic safari tents. If you're lucky enough to be here during a full moon, you can watch the game come and go at the large marshy area in front of the camp, which is a haven for bird-watching during the day. You'll eat superb house-cooked meals under a blue sky or at night in the dining and bar tent and relax afterward around a bonfire. Game drives, often with a picnic breakfast, go into the national reserve on the other side of the river, while one of the Mara's balloon launch sites is very close by in the Mara Triangle sector where Little Governors' is located—even if you don't go, you'll see the balloons take off in the morning. If you need to stretch your legs after a game drive, go on a guided walking safari or visit a nearby Maasai village and join in the ipid jumping dance with the warriors. Like all the Governors' camps, it's unfenced, but children of all ages are welcome here.

Perched high on a hill deep inside the Mara Triangle part of the reserve, attractive domed huts echo the style and shape of the traditional Maasai manyattas. Each hut has rooms that echo the ethnic theme of the exteriors with soft, honey-color furnishings and a personal balcony that overlooks the plains and the distant Oloololo Escarpment—the views are spectacular. Though it's highly unlikely, if you do get tired of gazing out at the endless rolling grasslands where the migration takes place each year, then keep watch at the busy waterhole below the restaurant for a continuous wildlife show. Activities include ballooning (expensive but the trip of a lifetime), guided walks, bush barbecues, and game drives. After bouncing around in an open-sided game vehicle, it's great to enjoy a relaxing massage at the Maisha Spa. The Maasai dancing is also spectacular.

On a hillside near the Ololaimutiek Gate, this well-priced family-style lodge (sopa means welcome in the Maasai language) is one of the most popular in the reserve. Even though they're always busy, the delightfully friendly and experienced staff will make you feel special. You'll sleep in a rondavel (a round, thatch-roof cottage) that has a veranda and is simply but pleasantly furnished in traditional African style with lots of earth-color soft furnishings. The brightly decorated public areas are nestled among flowering plants and trees; notices telling you about mealtimes, balloon booking times, how to book a picnic, and other information are pasted throughout the main area. Don't expect all the bells and whistles of the luxury lodges—hot water is available only mornings and evenings—but the setting and the feeling of Africa on your doorstep more than compensate. Plus events such as Maasai dancing or African food are held, and there's also a quaintly named "Wild Animals Viewing Deck" in camp.

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.

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.