Where it all began
Our story
It was then that our owner, Ashif Suleman, tentatively agreed to view a property in the Mara that a local Maasai was struggling to sell, and struggling for good reason. Upon arrival, Ashif stared out at the vast property—too rocky, too open, and no source of water. In all of his better judgment, Ashif would have passed on the opportunity as many had before him; however, there was another element at play—this gentleman aspired to sell the land to send his daughter to school. Persuaded by this need of his Maasai friend, Ashif found himself the reluctant owner of 50 acres in present day Olare
Barren land
Investors who surveyed the property described the landscape akin to “Mars” and said nothing could be done with it. Ashif then began to visit numerous camps and soon realised a common flaw—all camps were located within thick forests with beautiful cover, but with this they had taken over the habitat, compromising its former wildlife. As his property lay barren, infested with tsetse flies, Ashif made the decision to build his camp above the river, adopting a unique design amenable to wildlife inhabitants as they evolved over time and space.
Unique construction
This was truly an exercise in building something out of nothing, and the first and most critical element? Water. By building a water catchment, the river no longer dried up once the dry season came, making way for our current home to over 70 hippos, 4 crocodiles, multiple lion prides, a resident leopard, a multitude of plains game and a variety of bird species. In a grand display of commitment and sacrifice, Ashif then sent his wife and two children, Sully and Sam, to Australia to complete their education; next, he settled into a tent on the rocky property, where he resided alone for 7 years, as he oversaw each bit of Amani Mara’s eco-conscious development.
A dream come true
Although the land was full of rocks and other natural materials for construction, this became a very labor-intensive project. Stones were retrieved from the river and the surrounding property, many of them now adorning the main lounge area and reinforcing the locally crafted wood of the African olive tree. These beams were salvaged from deforestation sites and instead used in the construction. Designing his dream bush camp as he went along, Ashif carefully selected and placed local stones, beams and pieces of driftwood in his evolving structures, one by one. Every detail of Amani Mara today has a story behind it. The artful and original mix of concrete roofs, resembling the traditional mud and dung roofs of the Maasai homes, and great wooden trunks and beams of African olive trees was a sight no visitor the the camp forgot.
Amani was born
One day Ashif and his contractor were sitting on a beam looking over the barren landscape. “Do you hear that?”, the contractor asked Ashif.”What? I cant hear anything”, Ashif replied. “Exactly” the contractor said. “You cant hear anything. Iko na amani (it is so peaceful) and there is nobody around”. “Amani”, Ashif replied. “Hmm. Don’t worry if we build it they will come!”. And come they have.
Today Amani is a haven for wildlife, from the bugs to birds and big game.
Tree planting
Our African-style cabins were crafted with help of local Maasai women, who plaster their traditional houses with a mixture of cow dung and mud. The river is now perennial, meaning it always flows, even during times of drought. The planting of indigenous trees was one of our first steps to rejuvenate our land; and, to date, we have planted over 50,000 trees. As indigenous trees take much longer than exotic species to mature, we are only now, ten years later, enjoying the fruits of our labour with a variety of species that continue to greatly enhance our landscape and its wildlife. Wanting to involve our guests in this special practice, we invite each guest to plant and name their tree before they depart.
A new Amani
In 2022 Amani Mara underwent a huge renovation in which our concrete roofs were demolished, making way for new cooling thatched roofs. To this day, Amani Mara holds fast to an unwavering commitment to ecosystem sustainability and wildlife conservation. Our tree planting, water catchment and other efforts have transformed a barren rocky landscape into a green, varied and wildlife-rich ecosystem. It is our hope that every living being finds their amani in our camp in the splendid Maasai Mara. And we very much look forward to awakening that which is yours. Welcome home.
We very much look forward to awakening that which is yours
Welcome home
Testimonials
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Unique 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, 2023Amani 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.
August 9, 2023Both 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, 2023Exceed our expectations – Our recent stay with “the Amani family” was one of the most humbling experiences we have had.
This camp has been created with the utmost respect for the Mara… read more and the environment whilst providing a luxurious base to take in the sounds and scenery after a long game drive.
The family is amazing, Sam and Sully are very knowledgeable and have a great welcoming friendly team.
The lodges have been creatively designed and furnished beautifully.
We are so glad we stayed here and can’t wait to return again, hopefully for longer next time!
The planting of a tree is a great touch, I left the camp with a very emotional connection to nature.
Thank you!
March 7, 2023 -
This is my 6th visit to Africa, and my 3rd visit to Kenya. I am an experienced world traveler and was completely amazed by the quality and care of… read more service provided by the Amani Mara camp. We had 3 rooms – #s 1, 2 and 3 booked for 2 nights, arranged on a Safari with a tour operator, after specifically requesting the Amani Mara camp.
First of all, the location is AMAZING. The hotel sits on a bluff overlooking a river with trees and vegetation that are very supportive of wildlife. You can wake up in the morning, walk onto your balcony or the open restaurant balcony and immediately view hippos, lions, zebras, elephants, giraffes, monkeys, wildebeest, baboons, crocodiles and my daughter’s favorite – dik diks. And this is before you even leave the hotel for a game drive.
This is a luxury camp – with individual lodges as rooms, and with thatched roofs and tent openings onto the balcony. They light a roaring fire in the evening, provide hot water bottles to the bedrooms and manage to weave in nature throughout the feel of the camp including the amazing bathrooms. The food is fantastic for both breakfast and dinner – the best we had throughout our 14 night stay.
The quality of the camp is overshadowed by the personalized and superb service provided by Sam, George, Emily and the team. The service manages to feel individual and friendly rather than pretentious. Each morning they were scanning the hills for wildlife to point out to us, and sharing more about the area, the camp, and the history. My daughter really wanted to see dik diks and Sam sent his entire team to find them for her without being asked.
We had 2 amazing highlights of our brief stay – an outside, individual dinner for our family in Masai tradition with warm blankets and bonfires, and the nature walk. If you stay there DO NOT MISS the nature walk which starts late afternoon and optionally ends with sundowners. You will be so pleased you did this walk, and the sundowners experience here is perhaps my all time highlight over my 6 visits to Africa.
They also support an orphanage in Narok county, housing 50 orphans. Please consider supporting their efforts in building better lives for the future. They will be happy to tell you about the great cause and are appreciative of all the support they receive.
One of my daughters already has decided she wants to honeymoon in the Amani Mara camp, and all of us can’t wait to return.
My personal opinion – don’t hesitate to book the Amani Mara camp.
June 3, 2023Amani 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, 2023Amazing 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, 2023A 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!
November 29, 2022 -
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!!!
August 2, 2023We had mixed experiences here. On the first night, we were not provided with a mosquito net. There were many mosquitos in the room at night. The quality of the… read more food needs improvement. The room felt gloomy. We believe the owner realized our not so happy experience and he tried to rectify that by waiving off the laundry and drinks bill. That was a nice gesture from him. The owner was very friendly, we had nice discussions with him. We liked the ambience of the open air dinner which we had on the last night of our stay. Room and toilet were clean. Staff were helpful. View from the common/dining area was beautiful. I would rate it 3.5 star out of 5
June 19, 2023Absolutely fantastic, with wonderful staff and stunning views of animals all over. The food is one of the highlights and is really special. The owners are also really fantastic people… read more who I am honored to have met. It is really a place where memories that will last a life time are made.
August 11, 2023Lo-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.
January 10, 2023 -
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
March 1, 2023We had a great time during our time at Amani Mara. We were lucky enough to be the only guests at the time of our stay, which made the experience… read more very intimate, quiet, and enjoyable. Sam, Sully and the entire team made sure to make our stay memorable and unforgettable. The walking safari, followed by a sundowner was brilliant. We highly recommend Amani Mara, and we will always have great memories of the place.
March 13, 2023The 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!
August 7, 2023The 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.
March 1, 2023