The luxurious Mara Safari Club is set in the Ol-Choro Oiroua Conservation Area, bordering the Masai Mara Game Reserve, at the foot of the Aitong Hills. Surrounded on three sides by the Mara River, all tents have their own private river frontage, with four-poster beds, verandah, electricity, modern en-suite facilities with hot and cold running water.

The main building, with lounge, bar and dining room is cantilevered over the river. Game drives, guided by our experienced "driver-naturalists", are by four-wheel-drive Land Cruiser. At the Club, the pool, al fresco buffet lunches and nightly activities of Masai dancing, slide shows and talks on the Mara's ecosystem and Masai culture, all add up to create a truly unique experience. 

The Mara Safari Club is a three-hour drive from Nairobi, or a forty-five minute flight from Wilson Airport (Nairobi) with a ten minute drive from Ngerende Airstrip.  You can view flight and transportation information on our transportation page.

Accommodation:     The camp has 8 double and 42 twin bedded tents accommodating a maximum of 100 guests. Each has netted four poster beds and verandah overlooking the hippo-filled river. The height of luxury in the wild, each tent is superbly furnished and has its own private bathroom (with a shower) with hot and cold running water.

Mara Safari Club boasts 7 premium tents which are larger than the standard tent, have minibars.  Two of the  tents have sunken baths, and three have double beds.  There is a viewing platform between tent No. 45 and the five new tents. For a premium of $50 per person per night, you have the added pleasure of one Bush Dinner (with half bottle house wine per person), one nature walk and bush breakfast, free laundry, free beverages from the mini-bar, which is restocked once a day.  At the request of guests staying in Premium Tents, dinner can be served on the game-viewing platform instead of the dining room.

Safaris and Sightseeing:     Positioned in the game-filled plains of the Masai Mara, there is a vast range of wildlife experiences to enjoy including: Game drives  -  Bird walks  -  Balloon, walking and fishing safaris  -  Masai dancing and village visit  -  Bush meals  -  Sundowner cocktails.  All our vehicles in the Mara now have 6 window seats and we have a total of 20 vehicles, 10 of which are brand new.

Food & Beverage:     The main building houses the lounge, bar and restaurant where a cosmopolitain combination of food is served, including traditional Kenyan dishes. Buffet lunches and barbecues are sometimes held by the poolside.  Bush meals are a favourite with our clients. Set on the banks of the Mara River, where clients can view the magnificent riverine birds and animals that inhabit the area, the gourmet meals and first-class service make any occasion a memorable one.

Incentive Activities :

  |  Black Tie Bush Dinner   |  Aitong Cocktails  |  Bush Breakfast  |  Mara Safari Lunch  |  Ngerende Touchdown  |  

The following incentive activities are available at Mara Safari Club. If you are interested in getting prices for any of the activities below, please contact us.

Drinks upon arrival: all guests are given a complimentary, non-alcoholic welcome drink. Special punches/ cocktails, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, can be arranged. A complimentary glass of sherry is served with dinner.   Complimentary soft drinks whilst on game drives are available. Fruit and Flowers in the tents are available on request, and are subject to seasonal availability. Besides a Masai dance occurring every three days, the performers are available for special occasions, on request, and at a charge.  Our resident naturalist is available to give special group talks on the eco-system, the flora and fauna around the Club. Celebrations, anniversaries, birthdays, weddings and other parties can be celebrated in style, with a festive ambience created by the melding of an appropriate decor and menu. Cakes can be presented with a grand (Masai) entrance upon prior arrangement.

THEME EVENTS:

BLACK TIE BUSH DINNER:      Minimum : 6 persons Maximum : 80 persons (all weather but better in dry months!)

The Masai Mara is world famous for its quantity and quality of game - magnificent black manned-lion, leopard, cheetah, buffalo and all manner of antelope can be spotted at every turn. Unchanged since the first explorers came across this paradise, present day visitors can experience the same thrill of excitement but in far greater comfort. Four kilometres from the Club, a private and secluded clearing on the edge of the river is prepared for an elegant dinner. Hippo and crocodile grunt and splash in the muddy waters, as the sun swiftly sinks and the setting is illuminated by a magnificent log fire. Candles flicker in the darkness, throwing golden lights on starched white table cloths and miniature arrangements of local wild flowers.  Mouth-watering dishes are prepared on coal fires. A typical menu will comprise of:

Replete, guests retire to the crackling campfire where cigars and liqueurs are served. Quietly absorbing the peace and beauty of an African night, guests are in for a startling surprise as the riverine forest appears suddenly to erupt. From trees and scrub leap long-limbed ochred warriors brandishing the long gleaming spear so prized by the Masai tribe. This mock charge by a group of Masai moran (warriors) is awe-inspiring in its authenticity! Later, when heartbeats have settled down again, brandy glasses have been recharged and laughter has abated, the moran demonstrate some traditional dances and their legendary gravity-defying leaps, their proud profiles and spearheads reflecting the amber light of the flames.  For this unforgettable evening guests can either dress casually or in black tie. It can come as a complete surprise after an afternoon game drive or guests can be prepared for a special evening. Whatever the variation on the theme, the evening will remain a memory of a lifetime. Security is excellent. The area we choose is surrounded throughout the dinner by our own lookout staff, just in case of inquisitive animal visitors. A bush lavatory and wash basin are erected. In the event of rain, all is not lost. A large and comfortable tent is erected. An additional charge is levied for all drinks, tobacco and Masai dance performances.

AITONG COCKTAILS:      Maximum : 80 persons  Minimum : 6 persons  (all weather but better in dry months!)

After an afternoon game drive, enjoy a cocktail or two on the Aitong Hills, 12 kilometres from Mara Safari Camp. There are magnificent views over the plains below, and the light at sunset gilds the landscape with purple and amber shades. Nocturnal animals start their nightly scurries at this time. You are likely to see porcupine, anteaters, packs of hyaena and possibly that rarest of sights, an elusive leopard. Hot and cold canapés are served around a roaring camp fire. A barman serves familiar drinks and our own Mara Cocktail - guaranteed to sharpen your game spotting! Absorbed in the peace and beauty of an African sunset guests are in for a startling surprise as the surrounding vegetation appears suddenly to erupt. From trees and scrub leap long-limbed ochred warriors all brandishing the long gleaming spear so prized by the Masai tribe. This is a mock charge by a group of Masai moran (warriors) awe-inspiring in its authenticity! Later, when heartbeats have settled down again, cocktail glasses have been recharged and laughter has abated, the moran demonstrate some traditional dances and their legendary gravity-defying leaps, their proud profiles and spearheads reflecting the amber light of the flames. Security is excellent. The area we choose is surrounded by our own lookout staff, just in case of inquisitive animal visitors. A bush lavatory and wash basin are erected. In the event of rain, all is not lost. A large and comfortable tent is erected. An additional charge is levied for all drinks, tobacco and Masai dance performances.

BUSH BREAKFAST:      Maximum : 80 persons Minimum : 6 persons    all weather (but better in the dry months!)

After an early morning start and the excitement of a game drive nothing smells as good as the aroma of bacon and sausages sizzling over a charcoal fire.  In a specially cleared area beneath the shade of some massive acacia trees tables and chairs are neatly set for breakfast. Chefs are busy turning toast and squeezing oranges.  A typical breakfast menu comprises:

Comfortably replete, guests return at their leisure to Camp. Security is excellent. The area we choose is surrounded by our own lookout staff, just in case of inquisitive animal visitors. A bush lavatory and wash basin are erected. In the event of rain, all is not lost. A large and comfortable tent is erected. Please note an extra charge is levied for a Champagne Breakfast.

MARA SAFARI LUNCH:   Minimum : 6 persons Maximum : 80 persons   (all weather but better in the dry months!)

Eight kilometres from Camp, is an exclusive site for our traditional Mara plains lunch. Drinks that have not lost their popularity among Kenyans (long cold beers, gin and tonics, fresh tropical fruit juices) stimulate appetites, before a substantial Kenyan lunch is served. A typical Mara Plains menu comprises:

Replete guests return to Camp for a well earned siesta or afternoon swim.  Security is excellent. The area we choose is surrounded throughout lunch by our own lookout staff, just in case of inquisitive animal visitors. A bush lavatory and wash basin are erected. In the event of rain, all is not lost. A large and comfortable tent is erected.  Please note drinks, tobacco and Masai dance performances are offered at an extra charge.

NGERENDE TOUCHDOWN:     Minimum: 6 people Maximum: 80 people   (subject to fine weather)

Start off in style your adventure in Kenya's Masai Mara, one of the most exciting game reserves in Africa. Upon disembarking from your light aircraft at Ngerende, Mara Safari Club's private airstrip, you are in for a delightful surprise. Your options are immaculately dressed waiters awaiting with tropical cocktails - alcoholic or non-alcoholic - set out on a table, OR a fully stocked bar set up on the edge of the landing strip, from which the waiters will serve you. Another unusual option is to have traditional Masai dancers perform or stage a mock attack upon your arrival on the airstrip, whilst you sip your welcome drink.  With the Ngerende Touchdown, you have stepped into exhilarating fresh air after your flight, to find with typical warm Kenyan hospitality a thirst-quenching drink and vast savannah plains dotted by a myriad of wildlife.   Having oriented yourself with the environment you are about to explore, set off on the ten-minute drive to Mara Safari Club, the base for your adventure in the Masai Mara. Please note an extra charge is levied for Masai dance performances.

GENERAL FACILITIES

Business Centre:   E-mail, internet browsing, photocopying and general secretarial services are available at Reception.

Bureau de Change:   Reasonable amounts of foreign currencies can be converted to Kenyan Shillings.

Check-in and Check-out Times:   Guest check-in cannot be guaranteed until 12.00 p.m. Guests are asked to check out at 10.00 a.m.

Credit Cards:    The Cashier accepts Visa, Senator, American Express, and Mastercard credit cards.

Children:    Mara Safari Club qualifies as a "family friendly" hotel. Children are most welcome. 2 baby cots are available. Children can be served an early supper, on prior request. Baby-sitting and listening services are available, also on prior notice. Please visit our Young Explorer's Club pages on this site!

Communication :    Mara Safari Club is on the telephone exchange. Fax services are also available. The Club is on radio with most landcruisers, neighbouring lodges and Lonrho Hotels Nairobi office.

Disabled Persons:    All the tents are on slightly raised platforms, but wheelchairs can be maneuvered into those closest to the main building. The public areas are all on level ground.

Driver/Maid Accommodation:      3 double rooms are available.

Electricity :     Voltage in Kenya is 240 volts.  Only the main building has electrical outlets. Shaving outlets only have 220/240 voltage capacities.  Mara Safari Club is not on the mains, but a generator operates for 24 hours in both the main building and the tents in the form of  3-point square pin sockets.

Hair-dryers and Adapters :     Both are available from the reception for use in the main building toilet facilities.

Laundry/Dry Cleaning:      Same day laundry services are available, and providing clothes are handed in before 10.00 a.m., they will be returned at 06.00 p.m. Dry cleaning services are not available.

Lunch Boxes:      These are available on prior arrangement. Orders must be placed the previous night.

Medical Services :     A clinical officer is based on site, and is available on a 24 hour basis. All Lonrho Hotels are corporate members of the Flying Doctors Services of Africa. In the event of an emergency, patients can be evacuated to a hospital in Nairobi.

Petrol / diesel:    Diesel fuel is available at the Mara Safari Club. A mechanic is also available to fix minor vehicle faults.

Safety Deposit Boxes:     The Cashier offers the use of a safety deposit box, free of charge.

Secretarial Services:     Are available, as well as photocopying.

Shoe Cleaning Services:     These are available. Please leave your shoes with the tent steward.

Shop:      The Gift Shop stocks curios, batiks, "African" clothing, jewellery and accessories, as well as basic necessities such as film. It is open from 08.00 to 10.30 a.m., 12.30 to 03.30 p.m. and 06.00 to 08.00 p.m.

RECREATION, SAFARIS & EXCURSIONS

RECREATION FACILITIES

Swimming:      The free-form swimming pool is manned by an attendant from 06.00 a.m. to 06.00 p.m. Sun-beds and mattresses abound. Towels are provided here. Changing rooms, both the men's and the ladies', have showers. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The swimming pool surrounds are ideal for private cocktail parties.

Masai Dances:     Every third day, Masai dancers perform in the lounge from 07.30 to 08.00 p.m.

Slide shows:      The Resident Naturalist conducts a slide show every third day on the habitat and animals in the Mara, from 07.30 to 08.00 p.m.

Talk on Masai Culture:     A specialist on the Masai culture discusses traditional, and contemporary lifestyles of the Masai, every third day, from 07.30 to 08.00 p.m

Table Games:    Such as scrabble, and cards are available from the reception.

Library and Information Centre :     This contains books on wildlife, maps and other interesting information, and is open from: 08.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., 02.00 to 03.30 p.m. and 06.30 to 07.30 p.m.  The Resident Naturalist is always available to answer any environmental questions.

Wildlife Videos:     Wildlife videos are played after dinner in the lounge, on alternate days, from approximately 09.00 to 11.30 p.m.

EXCURSIONS AND ACTIVITIES

Bird Walks:   A specialist guides walkerson the Mara plains (2 km from the camp) pointing out various species of birds (250 have been sighted so far). Walks last for approximately one and a half hours.

Balloon Safaris:   Depart at 05.45 a.m. for a balloon ride over the Mara plains, to float majestically over the teeming herds of wildlife. You will land on the Mara plains and have a sparkling wine breakfast to celebrate this unusual experience. This safari lasts for approximately 2 hours. Guests have to fill out liability forms.

Fishing at Lake Victoria   (half day excursion)  A 40 minute flight brings one to the second largest fresh water lake in the world and the source of the River Nile - Lake Victoria. Fish for Nile Perch, some of which weigh over 200 lbs, look-out for the myriad of bird-life, or just spend time watching the spectacular scenery from your boat. The rare spotted-necked otter is also to be found here.

GAME DRIVES:

Short game drives: The game drives on regular schedule are as follow:  early morning from 06.30 to 08.30 a.m., mid-morning 10.30 a.m. to approximately 12.30 p.m. and afternoon from 03.30 to 06.00 p.m.

Full day game drives:  After leaving early in the morning, one explores the Mara Plains, viewing the natural habitat of various species of birds and the abundant wildlife. Lunch boxes are provided for a picnic in the wild. The excursion lasts from 08.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m.  An extension to this option is a visit to a Masai village - a wonderful experience where one can learn at first hand all about the culture and lifestyle of the famed Masai people.

Visit to a  Masai Village (full day excursion):   A visit to this Masai village enables guests to experience the natural and realistic way of life of the Masai tribe. Upon arrival, guests are welcomed and guided by a Masai warrior who explains the various aspects of the maasai culture and social life. This visit is a photographers delight, and is open every day from 08.30 a.m. to 05.00 p.m. Exclusive evening and lunch time performances can be arranged at a supplementary cost.

Walking Safaris (half day excursion):  Participants on a walking safari become part of the environment. Guided by a knowledgeable naturalist, an armed guide and two Masai warriors in full regalia (to frighten off the lion!). A full safari breakfast/ brunch is served on the river bank with the delightful hippo for company. Guests have to fill out liability forms. Children under 12 are not permitted to join this excursion but could ride in the escort car and join in for the bush meal.

Mara Safari Club has a total of 50 tents, of which 42 are twin-bedded and 8 double- bedded. Of the 45 standard tents, 5 have sunken baths in the bathrooms and king-size beds.  Being located on the oxbow of the Mara River, all tents at the Club have river frontage. This allows for very peaceful game watching from one's private verandah, as the riverine flora and fauna is full of life and excitement. It is not uncommon to see hippos and crocodiles swimming or walking in the river, monkeys swinging through the trees or any of the larger mammals stopping at the water's edge for a drink.

Five of the 50 tents are Premium Tents. The Premium tents comprise 3doubles, 2 twins and 2 have a king-size bed. 3 of the Premium tents have sunken baths in the bathrooms. There is a platform between the Premium tents and the standard tents, allowing for superb game-viewing and private dining.  All tents, each erected on a concrete plinth are luxurious ensuite "rooms", spread out along the bend of the Mara River. The tents have been superbly furnished to the highest possible standards with netted four poster beds and permanent bathrooms. Each zip up tent has a verandah overlooking the river. Clients staying in the premium tents will have the following included, per person: one bush dinner with a half bottle of wine, one nature walk with bush breakfast, free laundry & free beverages from the tent’s minibar restocked once a day.

Each tent has complimentary water with glasses, insecticide and air-freshener, electric lamps, dressing table and hand-woven rugs and poster-bed drapes, shower stall, flush toilets in bathroom, washbasin. Each bathroom has Lonrho shampoo, hand and body lotion, shower and bath gel, and freshly laundered towels, solar-heated-hot, and cold running water. The tent windows have mosquito gauze and flaps. Each tent also has a flashlight and an umbrella.

FOOD & BEVERAGE FACILITIES

The Dining Room:   Located in the main building, the dining room is hewn out of wood beams and glass, allowing natural light to filter in to the high-ceilinged, spacious room. Evenings are cosy in the softly lit area. The menu is a cosmopolitan combination of European, African and Asian dishes, made from the abundance of fresh Kenyan produce. Both breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style, while dinner is Table D'Hote, with a choice of main course. The seating capacity is 120 people, and the dining room is open for breakfast from 07.30 to 09.30 a.m., for lunch from 12.30 to 02.15 p.m. and for dinner from 07.30 to 09.30 p.m.. Special early children's dinners can be arranged. Please notify the reception on your arrival.

The Lounge & Main Bar:   The lounge is also in the main building. Sectioned off to create "private" seating areas, the decor has a definitely African flavour, with woven wall hangings, and Masai artifacts. An extended veranda adjoins the lounge to afford superb views of the Mara River. A fire is lit each evening. This area is the venue for the Masai Dancers, slide shows and lectures. Serves liqueurs, beers, soft drinks, cocktails, wines, spirits, tea and coffee. The seating capacity is 80 people, though use of the verandah can increase the numbers. The bar is open from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m., and from 03.30 to 06.00 p.m. for afternoon tea, cookies and cakes.

Room Service:   This service only offers morning tea/ coffee/ hot-chocolate with wake-up calls.

Pool Bar:   Located at the swimming pool, the Pool Bar is a shaded area, with bar stools set around the curved structure. Also just off the bar, weather permitting, buffet lunches are served. A barbecue pit is located close to the bar. This bar serves liqueurs, beers, soft drinks, wines, spirits, cocktails, tea and coffee, as well as light snacks and outdoor lunches. The seating capacity is unlimited, and the opening hours are from 11.00 a.m. to 06.00 p.m. The pool bar offers the outdoor buffet lunch (weather permitting), from 12.30 to 02.30 p.m.