Mara Mara Tented Lodge — Hotel in Mbalibali

My family - wife, son, and myself - stayed at the Mara Mara tented lodge in Northern Serengeti for the last two nights of a 10-day safari trip in early September 2024 and it was by far the best stay of the trip. The location of the lodge is great - just off the beaten track and yet a short drive from the Mara river where we witnessed some incredible river crossings. ||We were delighted to find out that we had been assigned a family tent which meant that my son had an independent but attached tent with its own beds, bathroom, sinks etc. The tents are very comfortable - our main tent had a King bed - with dual sinks, bath tub, and a spacious dressing area. The outdoor shower with hot water and good water pressure made for a really nice and exhilarating experience. The porch at the back of the tent overlooked verdant hills and we enjoyed coffee and snacks there while watching wildebeest and zebras just outside our tent.||The dining hall has a beautiful ambience. It is fairly large and has an outside deck with seating to enjoy the excellent surrounding view. It overlooks a nice swimming pool with comfortable seats around it. My wife and I loved going up to the swimming pool area in the cool crisp morning air to watch magical sunrises.||But what made the stay exceptional was the staff at the lodge. Pascal, Frida, Tarra and others showered amazing hospitality on us and went all out to make every minute of our stay memorable. They were super-attentive and made sure we always had snacks and beverages when we were hanging out. Chef Sarah cooked up some out-of-the-world dishes for us and would check in on us for any special preferences. The food was family-style and sumptuous as well as a treat to the palate. On our last night of stay we were able to have our guide join us for dinner at our table and Frida left no stone unturned to make it a special experience. The staff made us feel at home and for that we are immensely grateful. Asante Sana, my dear friends!||On our next trip to Northern Serengeti we will definitely stay longer...

My family - wife, son, and myself - stayed at the Mara Mara tented lodge in Northern Serengeti for the last two nights of a 10-day safari trip in early September 2024 and it was by far the best stay of the trip. The location of the lodge is great - just off the beaten track and yet a short drive from the Mara river where we witnessed some incredible river crossings. ||We were delighted to find out that we had been assigned a family tent which meant that my son had an independent but attached tent with its own beds, bathroom, sinks etc. The tents are very comfortable - our main tent had a King bed - with dual sinks, bath tub, and a spacious dressing area. The outdoor shower with hot water and good water pressure made for a really nice and exhilarating experience. The porch at the back of the tent overlooked verdant hills and we enjoyed coffee and snacks there while watching wildebeest and zebras just outside our tent.||The dining hall has a beautiful ambience. It is fairly large and has an outside deck with seating to enjoy the excellent surrounding view. It overlooks a nice swimming pool with comfortable seats around it. My wife and I loved going up to the swimming pool area in the cool crisp morning air to watch magical sunrises.||But what made the stay exceptional was the staff at the lodge. Pascal, Frida, Tarra and others showered amazing hospitality on us and went all out to make every minute of our stay memorable. They were super-attentive and made sure we always had snacks and beverages when we were hanging out. Chef Sarah cooked up some out-of-the-world dishes for us and would check in on us for any special preferences. The food was family-style and sumptuous as well as a treat to the palate. On our last night of stay we were able to have our guide join us for dinner at our table and Frida left no stone unturned to make it a special experience. The staff made us feel at home and for that we are immensely grateful. Asante Sana, my dear friends!||On our next trip to Northern Serengeti we will definitely stay longer...

2 nights - 3 rooms – 6 guests||We wanted to get a chance to see Mara River and the wildebeest great migration during our journey, reason why we went north Serengeti. At this time of the year, small rain season, we had the river for us.||An immersive experience in the savanna & communion with nature make these 2 days unique. We did catch the great migration approximatively 60km below the river, crossing the road on our way back to Central Serengeti.||Hotel: Strenuous track to get there, but safari 4x4 jeeps climb all roads, despite the water and the mud. Big property lodge with sympathetic tents surrounded by nature, in the park and without fence. At night, no one is allowed to move without being accompanied by a ranger. ||All-inclusive lodge with warm-hearted staff. Nice pool, view over the savanna.||Rooms: Tents with permanent sanitary facilities, outside showers. Immense room, with storage space, bathtub, terrasse, cookies & nuts… We did appreciate a lot the free laundry, in a safari, dust is everywhere, and cloth get brown/terracotta in a day.|Food/restaurant: Delicious Gin Tonic, simple but excellent meal. Possibility to share the meal with our guide and the discussion was fascinating. Best lunch box of our safari, chicken biriyani.||Why stay there: For the proximity with Mara river infested with crocodiles and hippos, for a safari where you are the only jeep around, for a night listening to hyenas and a wake up with a gazelle on your terrasse, and to get a chance to see the great migration of...