Glass-fronted tents on the lip of the Rift Valley, 300 metres above the Mara Triangle, with a private road down into the reserve.
Angama Mara sits on the Oloololo Escarpment looking straight down onto the Mara Triangle, and every tent faces the same view: the whole of the plains laid out below you. The front wall is glass, so you see it from the bed, the bath and the shower. It is the most dramatic position in the Mara, and the lodge makes the most of it without feeling showy.
The lodge has a private road down to the Triangle, about 10 minutes to the gate. In the migration months the Mara River crossings are within reach on a morning drive. Between drives there is plenty to do on site: a photographic studio with a resident photographer, a beading studio run by Maasai women, a kitchen garden you can eat lunch in, and a signature barbecue in the forest.
It works very well for families. Children of all ages are welcome, there are interconnecting tents, a daily children's programme and childminding in the evenings so parents can eat in peace. With 30 tents across two camps it is larger than a classic tented camp, so if you want a handful of tents and a campfire, a small conservancy camp such as Mara Plains will suit you better. You are also up on the escarpment rather than down among the animals; the view is the trade.
Over 100 square metres including the deck, with a glass front, a super king bed that can be split into twins, a soaking bath and an indoor and outdoor shower.
Two standard tents joined by a secure interleading passage, so parents and children have their own space but can move safely between them.
A tented suite adapted for guests with limited mobility, with grab rails, ramps and accessible paths to the guest area and vehicle drop-off.
The menu changes daily and is always à la carte: simple safari cooking with a strong Kenyan thread, from nyama choma to Swahili-spiced chicken. Eat on your deck, in the library, by the pool, on a picnic in the Triangle, in the kitchen garden, or at the lantern-lit forest barbecue.
There is no spa building. Massages and nail treatments are done in your tent or on your deck, and there is a glass-walled fitness room and a 12-metre rim-flow pool looking over the Mara.
Children of all ages are welcome year round, with a daily children's programme and childminding from 18:00 to 22:00. Families with children aged six and under booking fewer than three tents must reserve a private vehicle.
| Accommodation | Two camps, each with 15 tented suites |
|---|---|
| Setting | Oloololo Escarpment above the Mara Triangle |
| Getting there | 45-minute to 1 hour 15 minute flight from Nairobi to Kichwa Tembo airstrip |
| Activities | Game drives, escarpment walks, hot-air balloon flights, photography tuition |
| Children | All ages welcome |
| Included | Meals, most drinks, shared game drives, airstrip transfers, laundry |
Oloololo Escarpment, Mara Triangle, Kenya
A few of the things we plan for guests in Kenya.
From about July to October, wildebeest and zebra mass on the banks of the Mara River and plunge across past waiting crocodiles. Crossings are unpredictable, so give yourself at least four nights and a guide who will wait patiently. Camps in the north of the reserve or in Mara North are well placed.
The conservancies are leased from Maasai landowners, so your stay supports local families directly. Vehicle numbers are capped, and guides can go off-road to follow lions, leopards and cheetahs. Walking with Maasai guides and night drives are included in many camps. They are good all year, not just in migration season.
Laikipia is a high plateau of private ranches and conservancies north of Mount Kenya. Lewa and Ol Pejeta protect black and white rhinos, and Ol Pejeta is home to the last two northern white rhinos on Earth. Horse riding, camel walks and fly camping are all possible, which makes it a good choice for families.
Five nights in a private conservancy on the edge of the Maasai Mara, then a short hop to the Indian Ocean for five nights on Zanzibar's quieter north-east coast. A night in Nairobi on arrival breaks the long flight.
A safari for people who would rather walk than sit in a vehicle. Three nights on a camel-supported walking safari in Laikipia, three in Samburu country for the northern species, and two on the Laikipia Plateau to finish.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
