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
- FMing0112
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 
November 29, 2022 Amazing place – We were only for two night in Amani Mara. It was an amazing stay and experience: we loved every second of our stay! Great and clean room, very friendly and… read more 
Naomi de Bruin
February 1, 2024 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 
Fraser H
August 13, 2023 Absolutely 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 
codylen
August 11, 2023
