A Masai Mara luxury safari will vault you and your loved ones into a world of splendour, opulence and breathtaking natural beauty surrounded by the most incredible wildlife Africa has to offer.
The continent’s finest lodges await, each offering something a little different, with exquisite old-country designs and all modern comforts.
Your neighbours will largely consist of elephants, hippos, and giraffes and more whilst you sip a sundowner cocktail on your veranda wooden walkway toasting the African sunset.
The best Masai Mara luxury safari tours
How to organise a luxury safari in Masai Mara?
Pre-trip planning
To organise your luxury safari in Masai Mara, the recommended route is to hire a travel agency specialising in Kenya safaris.
Their expertise of the top luxury lodges, tours and logistics required will be of significant benefit to guests. Trips can also be customised per the customers requirements or requests for particular activities.
Access to Masai Mara is typically made via flying from Nairobi Wilson Airport (WIL). From here it is a short (between 45 and 60 minutes) flight to the Mara. Travellers can also fly from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi for visitors wondering how to get to Kenya.
NBO airport is located 15km/9mi southeast of Nairobi and a Kenya visa will most likely be required to enter the country.
There are also many airstrips surrounding the reserve, but where you fly into will depend on where you are staying during your safari. Visitors often combine trips to Masai Mara with Amboseli National Park and Tsavo East
Carrying a small amount of Kenyan currency, the Kenya Shilling (KES) is recommended to pay for groceries and smaller items where credit cards aren’t accepted. Visitors can also review further details on overall Kenya safari prices here.
Luxury safari components
Potential visitors are advised to detail their wish list in terms of accommodation, activities, preferred means of transport and food requirements, as these can vary significantly depending on preferences and budget.
The travel agency will then be able to provide a more detailed estimate.
Chartered flights are often used to arrive at different parts of Masai Mara and will save the visitor a lot of time. Various safari types can be explored in 4 × 4 vehicles with a private guide.
For a luxury trip to Masai Mara, some visitors prefer the tranquillity of private reserves with a hot-air balloon safari or they may prefer concessions with more adrenaline packed activities including quad biking and white water rafting activities.
Lastly, choosing the right accommodation for you is what will make your safari an unforgettable luxurious experience. In this regard, Kenya has some of the most exceptional lodges in the world making your stay unforgettable.
Top 10 Masai Mara Luxury Safari Lodges & Camps
Masai Mara is home to some of the continent’s most beautiful reserves and luxury lodges, offering magnificent food, service, wildlife and scenic views to match.
Richard’s River Camp
Richard’s River Camp offers the discerning traveller a luxury tented camp in the very heart of the Masai Mara. Designed with privacy, exclusivity as well as adventure in mind we ensure a warm and memorable safari.
The Ngoyanai springs provide permanent water, drawing in large numbers of animals to the area around the camp. This camp is also particularly known for its resident lion pride which can often be seen hunting in front of the camp, and often herd roaring at night.
Warm, professional hosting will have you feeling relaxed and spoiled from the moment you arrive with delicious food, Bush breakfasts, sundowners and dinner under the stars made for some memorable moments.
The camp itself is comfortable and beautifully furnished and tents are generous with strong, hot showers inside and out. Bush sounds at night add to the adventure with lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and hippos nearby.
Amani Mara Camp
Amani Mara Camp in Olare Orok just northeast of the reserve has an African feel with stone-and-canvas rooms and earthy hues. Your private deck is the ideal place to soak up the expansive view and keep an eye out for animals on the plains.
Cool off in the heat of the day at the camp’s swimming pool or watch hippo and crocodile in the river. Enjoy a bush breakfast or lunch made with fresh produce from the camp’s organic gardens.
Wherever you go in the Mara there’s a profusion of wildlife on the rolling plains. Your game drives will be filled with thrills and action. Go on a night drive to spot nocturnal species such as leopard, lion, spotted hyena, porcupine and civet.
Angama Mara
Surely one of the most beautiful of the Masai Mara safari lodges must be Angama Mara. The name is inspired by the Swahili word for ‘suspended in the air’, given that it hangs high above the plains of the Mara Triangle.
The glass-fronted luxury tents look out over landscapes speckled with animals and spiny Balanites aegyptiaca trees.
Go on a game drive to make the most of the Mara’s exciting wildlife experiences. Don’t miss floating in a hot-air balloon over the winding Mara River at daybreak to watch wildlife far below.
Head out on a bush walk with a Maasai guide or visit a Maasai village to learn about their fascinating culture. Enjoy a massage on your deck and dinner under a canopy of stars. Have a dreamy picnic on the hill where scenes from the Out of Africa (1985) movie were shot.
Emboo River
If glamping and eco-friendliness are important to you when you book your Masai Mara safari camps, you’ll love Emboo River. Your tent at this luxury sustainable camp has a view of the Talek River and a rain shower in the bathroom.
There’s a natural pool that uses local wetland plants to filter the water (no chemicals). Become part of nature on your private terrace as you watch hippo laze in the river or elephant come to drink.
When the great migration of wildebeest and zebra marches through the Mara, you may see a crossing at the river right next to camp.
Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp
In a private concession bordering the Masai Mara you’ll find the elegant Kitchwa Tembo Tented Camp. Laid out in a patch of forest along the Sabaringo River on the edge of the Oloololo escarpment, it has sweeping views of the plains.
Relax and unwind in spaces infused with romance and contemporary African style. Let the large windows invite the outside in.
Watch as warthog feed outside your luxury tent. Take a dip in the rim-flow pool with its wide views of the Mara. Enjoy a soothing massage. Float in a hot-air balloon above the horseshoe bends of the Mara River.
Watch a river crossing during the great migration. Fuel your wildlife passion with game drives and guided nature walks. For a change of pace, interact with the local Maasai through talks and dancing.
Porini Lion Camp
Head out on thrice-daily game drives from this superb Masai Mara lodging situated in the private Olare Motogori Conservancy, renowned for its superb big cat sightings.
Return to the authentic Porini Lion Camp in time for a refreshing cocktail while being entertained by the boisterous hippos in the adjacent Ntiakatiak River.
Sand River Masai Mara
Wake up to the sounds of the African bush and slowly make your way out of a snug 4-poster bed.
Saunter across your spacious tent’s polished hardwood floors, step out onto a private veranda and be greeted by the gorgeous morning vista of the Sand River and its rolling flood plains.
Topi Mara Bush House
Sink into a comfortable armchair on the veranda right outside your room, observing elephant and giraffe amble by.
Or stretch out on this luxury Masai Mara lodge’s lush lawns with a tipple and a good book under the shady canopy of an acacia tree. Don’t forget to chat to your chef about your next delicious meal.
Saruni Mara
Journey to the community-focused Saruni Mara, hidden in a secret valley of olive and cedar trees. Settle into your luxurious cottage boasting antiques, Persian carpets and wide cedarwood beds.
Join Maasai warriors on a guided bush walk to explore the surrounding hills, followed by a relaxing spa treatment in the tranquil Maasai Wellbeing Space. This is one of the best Masai Mara lodges for discerning travellers.
Mahali Mzuri
Another one of the spectacular Masai Mara safari lodges is Sir Richard Branson’s luxury Mahali Mzuri in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy of the Greater Mara. The name means ‘beautiful place’ and it’s everything you’d expect.
The tents have an unusual custom design, each with an expansive view from a private deck. Add a romantic freestanding bath (also with a view), candlelight dinner for two under the stars, rim-flow swimming pool and champagne picnics.
The lodge’s position gives you front-row seats to spectacular wildlife sightings year-round. This includes during the great migration from July to November, depending on climatic conditions.
Drink in the dramatic scenery and experience the thrill of watching elephant, lion, leopard, giraffe and plains wildlife. It’s hard to beat the buzz of a game drive but make time to visit a Maasai village to learn about their pastoralist culture.
Luxury safari tour in the Masai Mara: Pricing and itinerary
There are numerous different luxury safari tours in Masai Mara that can be designed and customised per the customer’s requirements, with tours often combined with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
4 day Masai Mara luxury safari itinerary
| Days | Itinerary | Stay |
| 1 | Start off your safari from Nairobi.8am safari departure for a picturesque drive descending the Great Rift Valley and onwards to Masai Mara in a private and exclusive 4×4 Landcruiser Safari vehicle. Stop briefly en route at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint to enjoy the stunning views of the largest Valley in the world, said to be visible from outer space. Arrive at your camp in Masai Mara for a leisurely lunch. Your afternoon game drive starts at 3.30pm, allowing spotting of the amazing wildlife in the reserve ranging from the Big Cats such as Lion, Leopard & Cheetah to Rhino, Elephant and Wildebeest. Your Driver-Guide will try his best to show you not just the ”Big Five” animals but the ”Big Nine” as well. Return to your tented camp by 6.30pm for dinner & cocktails | Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp |
| 2 | Full day in Masai Mara.You will be taken on two game drives today, one in the morning from 6.15am to 9am, before breakfast. The other in the late afternoon after lunch from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. As your safari is private your game drive timings are flexible, useful if you are travelling with children, or are on a honeymoon. You may also choose to have a full day game drive [ one for the whole day] with a packed picnic lunch at no extra cost. Return in the evening for dinner and overnight at the lodge | Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp |
| 3 | You will be taken on two game drives today, one in the morning from 6.15am to 9am, before breakfast. The other in the late afternoon after lunch from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. You may want to add a Maasai Village visit or a Hot air Balloon ride into your safari. Return in the evening for dinner, cocktails and overnight at the camp. | Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp |
| 4 | Return to Nairobi.At the break of dawn you embark on your concluding game drive in Masai Mara followed by a leisurely breakfast. Check out by 10am for a return road transfer for Nairobi. Arrive into Nairobi by early afternoon. Drop off at your hotel, or free onward transfer to the airport for your flight back home. |
Pricing for luxury tours start from £460/$600 per person per day.
In addition to day and night drives, visitors can take a scenic helicopter transfer or a sunrise hot air balloon ride followed by a champagne breakfast.
FAQs
What other areas in Kenya are worth visiting for luxury safaris?
Luxury safaris in Tsavo West or Amboseli National Park are a great alternative, with incredible lodges, scenery, exceptional service and wildlife on offer.
What is the budget for a luxury safari in Masai Mara?
The price of a luxury safari in Masai Mara will depend on multiple factors including the accommodation and transport means chosen. Visitors can budget for a minimum of £460/$600 per person per day.