Great 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.

  Most precious experience of multi country safari was Amani Mara, Kenya – Amani Mara – ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I will never be eloquent enough to describe it properly. This land is a magical space for all animals. This oasis has been… read more nurtured with love and pure intention by the owners, Sully and Sam.
The stone huts are fabulous and cozy chic actually. The food amazing with top drawer drink options while watching resident hippo and baboon behaviours right in front of you! (After coming back from safari – this slice of heaven is integrated within the eco system and amongst the wildlife – safely). Wood burning fireplace in the open air main hall, random gorgeous pool side lunches.I can’t describe this incredible intro to Africa other than..if you don’t start here, you can’t know what you’re missing or what you should be looking for.
The magic was absolutely enveloping. Hearing the history and animal behaviours from the brothers who grew up tracking and observing but also other guests around the wood burning fireplace. Um WOW every day!
Pros and highlights: gorgeous accommodations of stone hut with Solar power, incredibly gracious hosts, idyllic and dreamy atmosphere and vibe beyond imagination, educational, as much privacy or interaction you need, exceptional food, a refreshing dip in the pool way above the grunting hippos, learning about the animals from the owners who are from here, incredible food, cold crisp Tanq & tonics, zippered door to porch instead of glass sliders so that you could hear the animals around your hut at night!, family hospitality, walking through a herd of zebras one day on way back to room, informative nature walk with Maasai, a baboon drinking from the pool, the sincere care for animals and environment, the beautiful lay outs and buildings, thoughtfulness to all water, vegetation and carbon footprint, hot water bottles in our beds, gorgeous environmental products in our bathroom, I want to copy the structure of the hut for a cottage in Ontario! There is just SO MUCH GOOD happening here. IT’S SPECIAL AND BLESSED IN EVERY WAY.
You’ll be hard pressed to meet someone like Sully that truly knows every animal in Mara park as well as all of the various behaviours he has been passionate about all of these years. This was a surreal experience for us and although we went on to other countries and parks to safariit would not have been as great if we hadn’t started at Amani Mara. I actually cried when we left because I knew in my core that we had just been a part of something subtly extraordinary.
Traveller’s – contact them directly for anything including safari. You don’t need a 3rd party because if they have the time, no one we met in Africa knows the animals more intimately.
I have already recommended you several times to friends and can’t wait to return! You blew away my inner 4 year old bucket list of needing to go to Kenya. Although amazing experiences as we continued our journey, none touched my heart the way you guys did. I know that we’ll be visiting you now and then until we’re all into our 70’s. Much love, Johnny and Shelley xo

we booked through sprit of Kenya

  Lo-ve-ly!! ❤️ 🦒 🐘 🦁 🦛 – We had the good fortune of staying here for 3 days, including New Year’s Eve. We were welcomed by the whole team with a delicious beverage and the pampering… read more never stopped. The rooms are beautiful, with a stunning view & spacious. The food is delicious, there is attention to detail, the team is helpful. They organized a “ sundowner” which was incredible (new concept for us, but love it!) , every meal was delicious, including our packed lunches for an all day outing. Our New Year’s dinner was outstanding & it included a Maasai dance. The Host family was friendly , engaging , and helpful. They shared great stories. It all culminated with a tree planting ceremony, before we left. We had an unforgettable stay, and we’re grateful to the whole team.

  Traveled here with group of 11. Amazing place and all staff so friendly and facility well managed. Rooms are all lovely, well furnished, and eco-friendly. Lots of wildlife nearby. Food… read more was exceptional! So happy to have found this place and a chance to experience this beautiful place.

  Amani 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.

  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!

  Wild & 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!

  Trip 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!!!

  Amani Mara – a top-notch luxury camp with a great staff!  – I’d like to give our heartfelt thanks and a big "shout out" to our host, Sully, and his team at Amani Mara!

Being the first stop on… read more our safari, we arrived in the dark with no idea of our surroundings. We were greeted by a lone but attentive staff member who had apparently waited up for us and got us settled us into our rooms (the architecture of which seems spun from stories of Tarzan and Swiss Family Robinson). This was followed by cold cocktails and a delicious dinner in the very impressive dining room. I would like to say we slept like babies but, being our first night and trying to acclimate to new surroundings, the sounds of animals grunting outside our room kept us a bit on edge. What a surprise awaited us the next morning when we awoke to a glorious view of the surrounding bush and a river below populated by hippos (the source of the night snorting). It made for a very memorable cup of African coffee.

Sully, a 5th generation Kenyan and self-described "bushman" was an excellent host. Having spent his childhood exploring the bush around the camp, has a formidable knowledge of all the creatures great and small and shared some pretty funny (if somewhat hair-raising) stories. A labor of love, he and his family have truly created a magical camp and cultivated a top-notch staff to accommodate his guests.

It was one of the highlights of our very excellent safari.

  The best place to stay during your trip! – Our stay at the camp was fantastic! We stayed here for 3 nights and the staff made sure our stay was as good as it could be! The gamedrives … read more were amazing, the food was delicious and all the staff took such good care of us! Our great driver Daniel always took us to the right places to see as many animals as possible! He made sure we had a great spot to watch the great migration!! Everything was well organised and they made sure our trip was unforgettable!

  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!

  Lovely wild  – My goodness location is ideal position to hide from the noisy world.
Here is total silence and serenity.Hippos,jackals,lions make the base choir and the numerous bird species lights up… read more Lovely location for even honeymooners and you will enjoy.
Food is a la carte but excellent.You are spoilt for a choice.Picnic lunch box is out of this world.Rooms nice and great staff.

  Home Away From Home – It is impossible to find the right words to describe the outstanding experience we had here. I will tell you that the staff here are some of the most incredible… read more people I have ever met. Sam feels like part of our family. George and Annie were incredible human beings, and we were blown away by how excellent the service was. The property itself feels like something someone can only dream of. The camp was luxurious, and the surrounding wildlife felt comfortable being there. Falling asleep to the sound of the lions on the prowl made me feel like I could only be dreaming. Despite us being right in the home of the animals, the security here made me feel safer than being in my own home. We had dinner under the stars, and we could not believe how incredible it was. We quickly considered the staff to be our friends and we enjoyed looking through the star map with them and pointing out constellations while eating some of the most delicious food we have ever eaten. Personally, I am a kitchen manager and the pure culinary expertise and heart that went into the plate presentation was mind blowing. I almost want to keep this place just for us because it is truly a hidden gem. Our family has traveled the world and we have never experienced such incredible service in our entire lives. We enjoyed drinks after dinner in the main lodge and sat down to play some games (there were plenty) and Sam came to hang out with us and taught us so much about wildlife and the culture. If we could have spent the whole trip here, we would have. From arrival to departure, the staff pointed out the incredible wildlife sprawled over the terrain right out front, and you can tell they absolutely love what they do. We opted for a nature walk where we were able to sit on a rock ledge and watch the Hippos pop up and down from the water right in front of us. This led right into the sundowner which again was something out of a dream. When we returned, the staff had spotted an animal I was eager to see and had not yet. They guided us over near to where they were (staying out of their way of course) and my one wish came true. The number of happy tears during our stay was endless. Can’t wait to return here.

  A once in a lifetime experience! – All we can say is wow! This place is a must stay! My husband and I really loved all of the staff here. The camp is located right on a… read more river and you immediately can spot hippos, zebras, and many other kinds of wildlife as soon as you walk in. Sully and Sam are brothers who operate Amani and are incredibly knowledgeable, fun and hospitable. The nature walk with sully is a must! We heard wildlife all around the camp at night and in the morning, it was exciting! The food was delicious! The fireplace is lit at night and there is a beautiful pool overlooking the river. They have guards that roam the property all day and night to make it feel safe. I would definitely stay here again!

  The Jewel In Maasai Mara’s Crown – I stayed at Amani Mara for 3 weeks solo with the intention of healing and finding peace in nature and it was truly transformative. As I was there for a… read more significant amount of time, I wanted to provide a thorough review for other travelers and to recommend at least a 3 night stay as a lot of the other guests I socialized with were really bummed they had such a short stay planned after seeing the place!

LOCATION:
Amani Mara feels very exclusive and is not near other camps- wonderful as you’re not seeing the lights from other camps and hearing them making for an organic bush experience that doesn’t feel “commercial.” They are only 15 minutes from Maasai Mara park, and I could never tell the difference as the drive there was a safari with as much wildlife as the park! When I first arrived to Amani Mara, they have an unmarked yet beautiful entrance, and I was greeted by the manager and other staff who welcomed me with a cold towel (that smelled of lovely essential oils), a welcome drink, and then taken into the perched main area with a jaw dropping view of the savannah and a river directly below with resident hippos, crocodiles, you name it. I hadn’t realized that I would be able to spot wildlife from my dining table (and the entire property)!

POOL:
Their infinity pool is really gorgeous and on the hillside overlooking the river with wildlife. I appreciated their comfy loungers and attentive pool service serving drinks, etc.

DINING:
Speaking of dining, this was one of the reasons that I initially chose Amani Mara as they offer a hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily at the property (with picnic options for game drives, of course). Most of the other camps I explored only offered hot dinner options. I was shocked at how amazing and artisan the food was- they have even hired a new pastry chef and the desserts are divine! They accommodated all of my food sensitivities with substitutions and made me feel very comfortable doing so as their wait staff is very kind and professional. TIP: Do not miss their “Dinner Under The Stars” and Bush dinner options- they are so gorgeous with the same great food.

ROOMS:
Overall loved how all of Amani Mara blended into nature and was very private. The way it was built, no one else will pass by your “villa” as there is a pathway that veers off onto each room. Also, all of the villas are facing the river with views and I could not see any other villas from my viewing deck outside. Rooms have a natural feel giving a “ safari experience” but luxury touches that make them very comfortable.

WILDLIFE:
A big differentiator between Amani Mara and other options I considered is that it is unfenced and the experience feels very natural. One of my favorite memories is of the zebras who stopped by my room daily to “say hello”. You are completely safe on your viewing deck to watch wildlife, and you are escorted to your room in the evenings by a true Maasai security guard. I always felt safe.

GAME DRIVES TIP:
I learned to use the drivers that Amani Mara recommended as they have been doing this for YEARS and really had the inside scoop for the best experience. For ex, the driver received a call from other Maasai friends who shared a leopard sighting and we ended up being the only other vehicle there to witness it.

SERVICE:

As someone who loves luxury hotels,their service was BEYOND 5 star hotel Ben by United States standards. Silly, but I remember thinking “this must be how celebrities are treated at hotels” HA!

I was so impressed when another guest shared that the staff had prepared an earlier dinner for her kids by the pool where they were swimming, and then watched the children in their guest room while the parents had a romantic dinner in the dining room— at no additional charge! I found the staff very open to accommodating to guests as opposed to being rigid about things.

There were several evenings when lions or a leopard were found not far from the camp, and upon getting word from their security, the owners came into the main area to invite everyone to hop on their safari vehicle to go and see them. This was not counted as a “game drive” or anything of that sort- this is just how passionate they are about guest experiences and how “above and beyond” they do things.

As it’s family owned and managed, the brothers, Sam and Sully, have somehow mastered socializing with guests and making them feel comfortable without ever imposing on anyone. The entire staff wowed me with anticipating needs -remembering my favorite beverages, bringing me my favorite snack when they saw me in the dining, etc.

Amani Mara and Kenya have my heart forever and I CANNOT wait to return someday. Thank you for all of your hospitality and the memories I’ll have forever.

  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.