Awaken your Amani
Amani Mara
The Swahili word “Amani” originates from Arabic meaning peace, desires, wishes, aspirations. Amani Mara is an eco-conscious luxury safari oasis nestled in Kenya’s world-renowned Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
Favoured by an unbeatable location, we reside in a tranquil area known as Olare Orok within the greater Maasai Mara ecosystem. A mere 5 km from Maasai Mara National Reserve. Such unique positioning right outside of the reserve allows for more activities such as nature walks, night game drives, bush dinners and elaborate sundowners.
Accomodation
Offering only 10 African style cabins, our artfully designed accommodations effortlessly combine luxury with nature, staying true to our ethos of ensuring a perfect symbiosis between our guests and surrounding wildlife. Salvaged wood beams of native eucalyptus and African olive support an immersion into nature that breeds an authentic experience cocooned in luxury. Perched high above the Ntiak Ntiak River and devoid of neighbours, our private hideaway offers panoramic views of resident wildlife and the ultimate in privacy and personalised service.
Relax
Distinct pathways lead each of our guests to their carefully placed abodes, each river-facing, unveiling private viewing decks and patios, ensuring a refined retreat. Profiting from our unfenced property, guests enjoy morning coffee on their discreet patios watching animals roam before them.
Our infinity freshwater pool, so intricately situated into the hillside, overlooks this magic waterway brimming with hippos, crocodiles, and other wildlife.
The Amani experience
Guests enjoy a custom-made personalised experience curated in part by the Suleman family, owners of Amani Mara, their beloved slice of paradise. As a family affair and labor of love, the Suleman family oversees Amani Mara’s daily operations and their immense passion and hospitality evoke friendships and a longing to return.
Offering a restful sanctuary to nurture our guests on every level—spiritual, emotional, physical—we invite you to relish in the adventure of awe-inspiring Africa and
Awaken your Amani...
One with nature
Our passion for conservation and sustainability promotes eco-tourism with our planting of 12 trees per guest—double the amount required to offset most travel and tipping your trip into a carbon-negative. Amani Mara is fully solar powered with a backup generator in the case of an emergency. All guest rooms are equipped with an independent solar hot water system. In line with our eco-conscious ethos we promote limiting water usage by encouraging quick showers.
Extraordinary experiences
Game drives
Nature walks
Night game drives
Bush dinners
Hot air balloon rides
Cultural visits
Our story
"If you build it they will come... "
Our story began in the early 1990’s
F.A.Q.
If there is anything left unanswered do not hesitate to ask
Due to our unique location 5 km from the national reserve we are able to offer guided bush walks, night game drives, magical sundowners, bush dinners, balloon safaris and cultural visits.
We are not a fenced property and thus we have resident plains game that
wander within the premises
The biggest and only regret we hear from our guests is that they wished they stayed longer with us. Although it never feels quite long enough at our sanctuary in the bush, we highly recommend a stay of at least 3 nights to capture the true experience of Amani mara
Please have a look here for a guideline of what to bring on your safari in the wild
Amani mara is situated 5 km from the national reserve which is approximately
15 mins to the park.
While we are located in the heart of the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, we are not members. Game drives are done in the national reserve
Amani mara has 24 hour solar electricity with a back up generator. Therefore power supply is always available
Testimonials
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An absolute must stay for anyone traveling to Maasai Mara!! – We were fortunate enough spend several days at Amani Mara as part of our honeymoon safari trip. From the moment we arrived, Sam, Sully, Ledama and the whole Amani Mara… read more team made us feel like we were a part of their family.
While staying at the Amani Mara, you are surrounded by nature and can spot all kinds of animals from the main lodge including hippos, crocodiles, lions, leopards, giraffe, and elephants. While the camp has a very remote feel, it still maintains an elegant, upscale feel with every amenity you could need, from gorgeous private cottages, large bathrooms with a fantastic shower, pool with exceptional views, and main lodge with a beautiful fireplace! The food was a huge hit. Everything we ate exceeded our expectations.
Don’t miss the opportunity to go on a nature walk. We spent time with Sully and had the most indescribable experience seeing all kinds of animals, including giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, and elephants. We also saw the resident leopard, Natito which was surreal as seeing leopards in the Mara is not always a certainty!
We stayed at quite a few lodges during our trip to Kenya, and no one made us feel more special and welcome than the team at Amani Mara. It was truly a once in a lifetime, unforgettable experience, and we can’t wait to go back!
December 21, 2022Amani Mara – a superb African experience – The most authentic experience on theMasai Mara, on the northern end of he Serengeti plains, with superb service, deluxe accommodation and spectacular scenery. One can enjoy a coffee or… read more cocktail at the pool overlooking a dozen hippopotami or crocodiles in the creek below, or the occasional Cape Buffalo or giraffe walking across the opposite ridge. Don’t come here unless you want the true MASAI experience- their hospitality, traditional song and dance, and their guided expeditions. From Amani Mara “Camp” take a half day or whole day tour to watch the mass migration, or all of the big 5 . Truly this was the best vacation we had enjoyed in many years.
August 13, 2023Wild & wonderful! – Beautiful place! Away from everything & yet we have everything we need! Stunning vista of the mara in the lounge. So wild, such a diff experience! The staff is great,… read more the food is amazing, even the warm roll of bread is yummy! Kudos to their chef! The dinner under the night sky w/ fire & Maasai dance, so wonderful! Shem, thank you so much for always attending to us & providing my food request!
It’s really a family-owned place, cozy & comforting! Samad & Soheil, pls keep it up!
February 1, 2024We loved Amani Mara, the hosts were lovely and welcoming.
We were lucky to be able to take a walk with Sully and explore the area around the camp,… read more whilst feeling safe from harm, we learned all about the culture the nature and traditions whilst we walked through the area to the hippos. We were then able to sit and watch the hippos from a ledge above the water that they were in. One of the best things we have done this whole trip.
The Camp made us feel really welcome, all the people we met were lovely, Daniel and Andrew, Ashif and everyone else.
We were staying when another couple were celebrating their honey moon and the Chefs and the team all came out singing a lovely song and presented the newly weds with a cake, then the came back in with one for us as we were celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary. It was lovely,
We planted a tree and named it so feel like we are now forever connected to this beautiful place.
The Facilities are great – rooms good with all the facilities that you require… the food was lovely and the lounge facilities great
Really loved our stay here.
January 24, 2023 -
BEST PLACE IN MAASAI MARA – YOU ROCK – A wonderful place. We stayed two nights and the hotel exceeded our expectations. The symbiosis with nature was total. The owners and all the staff were 100% committed to making… read more our stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. The rooms delicately designed with elements of the place and with a view of the park without equal in the Maasai Mara. We have seen zebras, hippos, birds, and at night heard hyenas. Zebras were everywhere near the cabins. One night the staff made us a very special dinner that included dances with the Maasai tribe under the starry sky and with a large bonfire that enlivened the beautiful table with a very rich buffet. I had the pleasure of meeting the owners who told me about the history of the hotel and the passion they have for what they do is evident, putting a lot of effort and affection into a hotel in harmony with nature and with the local people. Everything is recycled, they take care of the environment and show how to run a sustainable business. Thank you all for making us feel part of the family and for participating in the planting of nine native trees that are our legacy in the Maasai Mara. Amani Mara Camp a place to return 1000 times.
August 6, 2023Unique experience! – Hello everyone!!!
We stayed here from October 10-13 and we have no words to describe the wonder of this facility….
First of all we arrived late in the evening and… read more they waited for us by making dinner just for us,beautiful rooms with small terrace directly on the majestic savannah,change towels every day and in the evening after dinner they make you find the hot water bag in the bed to warm it up because in the evening temperatures drop …breakfast,lunch ,dinner and packed lunch super with food even for intolerant people like me to whom they made find soy milk!
Maximum care and attention to the customer,all the staff kind and helpful always and surprises that I can not list because it is right and I hope you discover them yourself!
A magical experience that we highly recommend,a heartfelt thank you to all the staff of Amani Mara!
Elena and Alessio
October 25, 2023why I will go back to Amani Mara – I have been to the Masi Mara twice before. This boutique lodge is new since covid and I will not go any where else on my future visits. The vision… read more of the parents is now carried out by the two sons. Sam runs the lodge with perfect combination of guests comfort and a very happy and devoted staff. To be cared for by the Amani team is to be graced with luxury and surrounded by beauty (as well as guest safety). I still marvel at the construction of all the accommodations, food and the river just in front of the main lodge where you can see all the animals over a 24 hr period.
Sully the younger son is the head game drive person. Although young, he has a knowledge beyond his years. He knew where the animals would be and how they behaved. He has unending energy, enthusiasm and respect for the Mara animals (and he is also a sharp ‘birder’). After 5 days of game drives, he still found new experiences for us to see the animals and entertained us with stories and humor.
Have no hesitation to book here. It is a life changing experience.
August 19, 2023Absolutely Perfect! – Our five days at Amani Mara were beyond superb. We had been to the Maasai Mara 10 years before and were worried that nothing could compare. But we… read more should not have worried, as this perfectly run eco-conscious oasis in the Maasai Mara is in a beautiful setting with amazing wildlife viewing right at the lodge and cabin balconies — hippos, crocodiles, lion prides, a resident leopard, zebras and a multitude of other plains game and a wonderful variety of bird species. The authentically African-style lodge is truly special. It was created over many years by the hard work by the Suleiman family (starting with Ashif, a 4th generation Kenyan whose family came to Kenya in the late 1800’s ) whose passion for the Maasai Marai –its ecology, wildlife and its people –is exceptional and truly contagious. They enhanced the river environment to restore perennial flow and planted over 50,000 trees– all of which have matured into the remarkable rich wildlife and plant-life habitat present today. The lodge and cabins are works of art achieved by the creative and talented owners and local Kenyan craftsmen; they have fabulous woven thatch- type enormously high ceilings/roofs made of plants from the coast of Kenya supported by huge African olive tree beams and great wooden trunks. Not only beautiful, our cabins were also, well-equipped, comfortable and extremely well appointed. (I was even able to dry my hair with a hair dryer– a luxury I appreciated.) I should add that I always felt safe at Amani Mara— there was always someone protecting us including a Maasai joining us when we ventured to or from our cabin after dark.
Daily, the chef prepared gourmet selections ( we loved the watermelon gazpacho) and packed yummy lunches and breakfasts when we opted for bush meals during safaris. There were private sundowners in memorable sunset settings with acacia trees and silhouettes of giraffes, bush breakfasts after viewing sunrise ( a must in the Maasai Mara) and surprise outdoor dinners by camp fire enhanced by a bit of fun and entertaining Maasai singing and dancing (some of the staff of Amani Mara participated). The owners made us feel like royalty– Ashif and Shelina Suleiman made it a point to give us a warm and personal welcome. And, their sons Sam (the on-site manager) and Sully (the safari guide extraordinaire) catered to our every whim. Sully who grew up exploring the bush, along with James, a very entertaining and first-class Maasai guide, gave us the safari drives of a lifetime. They know every nook and cranny of the Maasai Mara and how to best approach it. Every day was different and special. The term "Amani" appropriately describes this gem of a luxury bush camp which exceeded our desires, wishes, and aspirations. 5 stars is not enough.
August 27, 2023 -
Perfect place to spend your honeymoon! – I couldn’t recommend this beautiful eco lodge enough! The rooms are absolutely stunning, the views to the Mara are out of this world. The food was incredible, especially the sizzling… read more lamb dish! The highlight of our entire honeymoon was definitely the Maasai dance and cake we were given after one of our dinners, it was quite emotional and a beautiful moment. We also planted trees before our departure and received a leaving gift. The attention to detail was just amazing. Thank you so much AMANI for making our honeymoon and our safari so so special. And thank you Sully for chatting with us throughout our stay, we loved learning about the lodge and the animals! We will be back!
October 1, 2023The place to go if you are planning any trip to Kenya – We spent two nights in Amani Mara, as we first arrived in Kenya.
It was, by far, the best experience we had in the whole trip to Kenya. The… read more best I’ve ever had in Africa.
The location is simply amazing.
Accommodations, both so elegant and comfortable, are in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment. The food is delicious, both the one served at the restaurant and the one provided in the lunch box they give you for any long game drive. It was the first time in Africa for our two daughters (10 and 8), the first game drive for them and they found it astonishing. For this, we owe a special thank to Sully, our extraordinary guide, and to Daniel, our Masai driver. A big thank for giving us both the most unforgettable game drives and the most fascinating spots to enjoy sunset or dawn. Thank for the huge knowledge of the animals, the places and the culture– which comes straight along from a great passion and a history of integration with the local population.
Thank for giving us all these great memories, that we’ll keep so dear with us.
The extraordinary competence and professionalism and the heartly and warm welcome of all the staff, made the experience at Amani Mara both unique and authentic.
Definitely the place to go if you are planning any trip to Kenya. Don’t miss it.
September 1, 2023Wonderful experience! – We were only there for a day, but wished we could have stayed longer. Sulley and Sam were wonderful hosts. George and the rest of the staff, very nice and… read more friendly. The food was wonderful and they did a wonderful birthday celebration for one of party. The facilities are beautiful as is the the view. Sully took us on a once in a lifetime night drive. He said we were so lucky and I cannot explain all that happened, but rhere was a lioness kill, drama with a rival male, efforts to fight off hyenas and extra drama with a forgotten cub. It all worked out! So amazing. On top of all this they have you plant trees before you leave and they plant 13 for everyone the guests plant. A wonderful place to visit! Highly recommended.
October 22, 2023Trip of a lifetime!! Safari was truly amazing. – My family (wife and 2 teenage boys) went to this camp for the safari and it was the ultimate highlight of our trip. A safari sounds really cool, but… read more this is beyond that. The site of the camp, along a creek/river is a great starting point, where you can sit in the dining hall with a view of hippos, alligators, monkeys, and more. I could have sat in that camp spot for hours, but the real adventure is in the Kenyan Reserve. Our trips were usually from 8am until 4 pm, for 3 days in a row. Each day your driver takes you out into the savanna and lets you get to see these amazing animals out in their natural habitat. We saw Lions (one day eating a Zebra carcass), giraffes, hippos, elk, wildebeests, warthogs, elephants, leopards, tons of birds, baboons, and more. It is a different experience seeing these animals out on this land, because they all know that these touring vehicles do them no harm and thus they just go about their day and give you a look over. The amount of pictures I took is beyond anything else I have ever done, and would recommend borrowing or buying a great camera with a really good lens. I took close to 2000 pictures and could have taken more. The boys had a great time. So did my wife. The hut/structure that you get to stay in is great and the food at this place was beyond my expectations. All of the meals were a buffet or choices and many were well seasoned. My wife had her of this place from a fellow teacher who has been there twice, and I can understand why. If I have any friend wanting to do a safari, then I would not think twice for even a second about recommending this all inclusive safari. The other thing I would highly recommend, which we did on the last night, is the night safari trip, where they take you out into the reserve and they use "red" lights, to find the animals. They can’t see the red light frequency, but they do hear your vehicle. We saw some hippos, and even a leopard. It was better than I though it could be. We were there for a total of 5 days, and while the drive from the Nairobi airport is long (5-6 hours), if you can afford flying into Amani Mara (don’t know that cost), you will land about 20-30 minutes away from the camp and that would allow you even more time to relax and enjoy day walks around the camp, as well. Trip of a lifetime!!!
August 2, 2023 -
Children love it here too! – We absolutely love Amani Mara. Everything about it – the accommodations, the food, the amazing staff, the setting, the safari drives and the family behind it all!
Wanted to… read more include two 7 year olds reviews of the place – including the safari animal count, the “bootiful” rooms and how friendly the family is (including the dog).
Seriously – everyone went out of their way to make the children’s stay extra special. For those of you thinking of bringing children!
March 1, 2024Both an amazing experience, and an amazing story – The camp and individual tents are beautiful, with an amazing view of Maasai Mara which includes a steady stream of animals throughout the day. The food is exceptional, we… read more very much enjoyed our meals at the camp and our packed lunches provided during picnics on the game drives. The staff are extremely friendly, knowledgeable and invite you to take part in Maasai culture and customs.
But even all of these positives aren’t the primary reason why you should stay at Amani Mara. Sully and his brother are continuing their father’s legacy, who essentially built the entire ecosystem surrounding Amani Mara, transforming it from the barren land it used to be. They are leading the way in conservation efforts in the region and are continuing to strive towards the camp having a net negative carbon footprint. Without giving too much else away, you simply MUST sign up for the night game-drive, which was easily the most rewarding experience of our entire safari.
Simply an amazing stay in every single aspect!
August 23, 2023Great lodge – Nice lodge on a very nice location. All staff are very friendly and helpful. Also food was excellent.
I was sleeping in a family lodge with 3 double beds. Nice… read more bathroom with view on the river we’re you can see the hypo’s . We were on the end of the migration season but still we have seen many animals.
November 4, 2022Amazing Location!!! – Amani Mara is little Jem located in mesmerizing Masai Mara. Everything was spot on and five star from location,ambience, our suit, food to awesome service. We loved our 2 Nights… read more stay here so much and wish to come back here again in future. Definitely highly recommended you won’t regret it and promise you will have great time during your stay with Amani Mara !
June 17, 2023