Amani Mara — Hotel in Mara ward

As I recount my visit to the Amani Mara Camp from almost 2 months ago, I am overwhelmed with emotions unlike anything else that I have processed before. I have often heard people mention that words do not do justice to describe certain experiences and now I know what they mean!||I am sharing some details from our visit to the Camp which I hope would be useful to those planning a trip. For all those who are still considering / pondering, I would say, just take a leap of faith, and go for it. You may count on it (in hindsight) to be one of the best decisions you made!||||DIRECT BOOKING||We were two women travellers from India and we booked directly with the camp by corresponding with them via email at sales@amanimara.co.ke. You may also reach out to them on their Instagram handle amanimarakenya. I would highly recommend the direct booking route. Who knows, you might get lucky in securing a good deal for yourself!||||A CAMP WITH A GENUINE CONCERN FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES||This family run camp is situated right in the middle of the Mara wilderness which makes it a quick 15–20-minute drive to the reserve area where game drives take place. We gathered from Sam and Sully, (the brothers who run Amani Mara) that their father lived in a tent close to the camp for 7 long years to personally oversee its construction. We also learnt that the family planted over 60,000 trees in the vicinity which has resurrected the ecosystem and attracted a variety of wildlife and birds. You will have the pleasure of seeing and hearing them while at the camp. Every guest gets to plant a tree during their stay which further underscores the commitment of the camp to sustainable practices. The camp is 100% powered by solar with a power back up and built with ecofriendly material to the extent feasible. The interiors are minimalistic, yet very tastefully done with an intention to avoid adverse environmental footprint. I would describe the camp as exuding conscious, refined luxury!||||EXCLUSIVE GAME DRIVES WITH PACKED BREAKFAST AND LUNCH||An important fact to take note of- your driver cum guide is probably the most important person in determining the quality of your Mara experience. Amani Mara seems to have got this completely sorted with various exceptional guides working with them, many of whom I understand are the Masai tribes themselves. The camp pampers you further by making available an exclusive guide and jeep at your disposal so that you get complete discretion with regards choosing the timing and duration of game drives. It also assures utmost privacy and avoids the discomfort of travelling with people you don’t know/may not end up getting along with. I am not sure whether other camps offer this kind of flexibility and exclusivity. The packed breakfast and lunch you can may take along during the game drive is elaborate and scrumptious. You can be assured of sipping a piping hot cup of coffee in the middle of the savannah while being comfortably seated under a shady tree.||||DELECTABLE FOOD AND PROMPT SERVICE||The food was freshly cooked for every meal which included a soup/salad, a starter, main course and dessert. The chef would come to our table after every meal and meticulously take down our preferences for the next one. On one of the evenings, the camp also organized a candlelit dinner with campfire under a beautiful star-studded sky which made it very memorable. We were provided with a walkie talkie and all we had to do was press a button and ask for whatever we wanted. The response was almost instantaneous. There was a Ranger always waiting outside our room to escort us to the reception or dining area particularly after it was dark. This allayed all our concerns with regards safety. We cannot forget the joy that the thoughtful gesture of placing hot water bags everyday on our clean well- made beds brought us, particularly after a bumpy game drive.||||A SPECIAL MENTION FOR SAM AND SULLY||Sam and Sully are certain to make you feel at home quite instantaneously with their friendly nature and hospitality. They are available around the camp almost always and happy to engage in conversation with their guests which I think adds a lot of personal touch and warmth to the whole experience. It doesn’t take long to discern that they are very passionate about what they do and are extremely knowledgeable about everything that one may ever want to know about Masai Mara. Their hard work and commitment to ensuring an enjoyable stay for their guests goes beyond their call of duty.||||NIGHT SAFARI- A SURREAL EXPERIENCE||The night safari stands out as my favorite experience from the entire trip and I think it is a must do activity while you are in Mara. We had the good fortune of going on multiple night game drives guided by Sully and were lucky to spot lions, elephants, giraffes, Hyneas, hippos etc. Sully seems to have an uncanny knack of predicting the next move of animals (while I struggle to predict my own and that of other human beings). He could, for instance, tell us in which direction the hyena was going to move, how some members of the pride were signalling to the other lions to join them or how soon the lion was going to proceed for the next hunt. No prizes for guessing that he got all of them right! During one of the night game drives, we had to pinch ourselves to believe that we spotted a shooting star amidst a gorgeous star- studded sky while being surrounded by a pride of lions just inches away from the jeep. I doubt if it could ever get any better!||||It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that our Mara experience may not have turned out half as memorable without Amani Mara. I learnt that “Amani “ in Swahili means “peace”. I found some peace and quiet amidst the enchanting sounds of nature and left a piece of my heart behind. I am already wanting to go back to...

This is up there with the best places I have ever stayed. Do not let the fact it is a 3* lodge fool you, this place is 5*+ and is absolutely incredible.

Situated in the heart of the Maasai Mara, you have beautiful views over their own amazingly created water features where you can see the hippos chilling in the water and all of the other wildlife minding their own business out in the wild. The rooms are fantastic and help you feel immersed in the area. When it is dark you are escorted to and from your room by the staff as you are literally living with the wildlife. For context, a water buffalo was hunted by lions about 100m from our room the night before we checked out. You really do feel a part of nature whilst you stay. Do not worry though, the amazing staff make sure you are perfectly safe at all times!

I want to make 2 special mentions to members of the team at Amani Mara and that is William and Sallie. William was the most amazingly attentive and polite member of staff that could not have been more fantastic in how he treated us and made us feel special throughout our trip. Sallie and his awesome dog Morty (who was the real star of the show) was also just brilliant. His knowledge and passion towards the wildlife and the area was clear to see and we loved having conversations with him about his experiences. He is also heavily involved in the conservation projects that Amani Mara are continually doing in the area and we just think all of the work that him and the team are doing in the area is outstanding. You even get to plant your own tree as part of one of their projects before you leave so you feel like a small piece of you will remain in the area and we thought that was a really nice touch.

Finally, an absolute MUST is to do the bush dinner. It is an additional cost but it is worth every penny and then some. Probably the most surreal and incredible dining experience you could possibly wish for where you go and have dinner out in the bush with the wildlife literally all around you. It is a special experience to be eating your soup and then seeing a hyena just walking around wondering what’s going on over your wife’s shoulder! Again do not worry, as William, Sallie and the team are there to make sure you are perfectly safe!

I don’t think I have ever come close to writing a review this long so I hope that highlights just how special this place is and that I could not recommend it any more highly to someone that is going to safari in the Maasai Mara. Thank you to all of you for making this part of our honeymoon so special and it is something we will...

As a family we have been visiting Amani Mara since inception having taken a break in between and visited other lodges and camps which are more luxury and same level. At the end all I can say no amount of money or a luxury brand title can give you what Amani gives you ||Amani is Peace, it is Bliss, it is sheer joy and a place you can feel so much at home, comfortable and yet get spoilt and pampered. ||The views that Amani Mara camp offers into the Mara is uncomparable. At a height dropping into the river you have the constant population of the hippos and crocodiles. Every now and then animals|wander around be it lions, leopards, elephants, Giraffes they are visible every now and then from the deck of the lounge. ||The infinity pool on hot summer days gives you direct vision into the mara and river. ||Meals!! It is a constant complain that you cannot leave the mara without gaining a few kilos!! The chef finds delight and joy in feeding you and checking what you like and prepare such delicious meals! Recommendation for those who likes desserts the chef makes killer Cream Carmel custard!! We simply love the personalization where by they ask each and every client what would they like to have for breakfast! Same for lunch and dinner ||The rooms are spacious, clean and very natural! You actually feel that you are one with nature! The furniture is local wood the bathrooms are stone. The team have taken into account every little details that you have a private deck where you can enjoy the views||The team be it the owners or any staff even the night guards they so caring! You can radio them for help or even a drink at weird hours of the night and it is always service with a smile!!||Game drives - Mara never disappoints one just a few mins away from the park you are bound to see a full range of the wildlife! The guides are well knowledgeable and are caring and also understanding what each client likes to see they make sure that your wish is fulfilled.||Amani Mara you are a sheer delight and you are crown in the heart of Mara||Every visitor is treated with a smile||Forever returning and...