This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more

Skip to main content

Talk to an expert 1-800-242-2434 Lines now closed

User menu
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara

Reviews of Kicheche Mara

Wildlife sightings and reviews

95 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Kicheche Mara and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Aug-2018, 65 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Kicheche Mara.
Lion

100% success

Leopard

68% success

Cheetah

91% success

Wild dog

4% success

Buffalo

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Spotted Hyena

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Eland

92% success

Striped Hyena

6% success

Black Rhino

5% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Showing 51-60 of 95
Duration
Arrival date
Ms K
Florida

"Kicheche Mara review"

3 nights Arrived 27 Jan 2022
"I was glad to have experienced this camp, which was new to me. It was well-managed and had the advantage of a bonfire, which I like.

I was initially placed in the honeymoon suite, which was 1/2k from the main camp, making it difficult to deal with short times between activities.

I thought it was unwise to place a 75-year-old woman traveling alone in that tent, but managed until the toilet stopped working and I was moved to another, closer one." See all these reviews: 8n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

3 sightings

Cheetah

2 sightings

Elephant

2 sightings

Giraffe

3 sightings

Hippo

2 sightings

Lion

5 sightings

Spotted Hyena

5 sightings

Wildebeest

4 sightings

Zebra

5 sightings

Mr V
Texas

"Kicheche Mara review"

3 nights Arrived 22 Jan 2022
"This was our third trip to Kenya and our third stay at Kicheche Mara, which pretty much sums up how we feel about this and other camps in the Kicheche portfolio.

The food is excellent, the staff is warm and friendly, the accommodations provide every comfort (while still managing to retain a low-key, bush-like feel), but the real emphasis here is on the wildlife. We appreciate the standard Kicheche schedule of early morning starts and breakfasts in the bush.

We’ve always enjoyed the relatively lush landscape and varied bird life in Mara North, but this time we also found predator action to be quite high, including multiple memorable sightings of leopard and cheetah, both with cubs. Our guide, Peter, was excellent, and our vehicle had one of its front seats removed in order to better accommodate low-angle photography, which was a thoughtful amenity that we found very helpful." See all these reviews: 17n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Cheetah

Multiple sightings

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Dr W & Dr D
Leeds

"Kicheche Mara review"

5 nights Arrived 12 Jan 2022
"This is a gem of a camp. It is located in a beautiful valley and you can view the animals from from your tent. The tents are comfortable and have charging facilities and solar-heated warm water showers.

The staff are very friendly, and efficient, and the food is very good.

The guiding is excellent with a maximum of four people per vehicle so everyone has a good view. The diversity, and numbers of animals, are amazing.

We love this camp and return as frequently as we can." See all these reviews: 15n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Buffalo

10 sightings

Cheetah

10 sightings

Eland

7 sightings

Elephant

8 sightings

Giraffe

8 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

8 sightings

Lion

10 sightings

Spotted Hyena

9 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr BG
Newport Coast

"Kicheche Mara review"

4 nights Arrived 25 Nov 2021
"Great camp, food and sightings. We had 9 (!) 1-3 month old lion cubs we saw multiple times, also leopard and other sightings. Good guiding and service, even had our covid test done while on a game drive!" See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Lola
Canada

"Kicheche Mara review"

4 nights Arrived 2 Nov 2021
"Always brilliant game viewing in Mara North-this time was no exception." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Andreas
Switzerland

"Kicheche Mara review"

4 nights Arrived 12 Jul 2021
"We (2 adults, 2 teenagers) had a fantastic 4 nights at Kicheche Mara. The length of time gave us an opportunity to experience all facets of North Mara, gain deep insights through our guide, enjoy the camp and interact with the lovely staff. Great care was taken to use all the precautions against Covid.

The concept of this camp being embedded in wildlife is fantastic. On the one hand animals are roaming by and even through the camp which is why at night we were always accompanies by staff. On the other hand, it offers old-fashioned luxury making one feel very cozy and at home (even high speed WLAN).

Carys, the camp manager, is a very caring host with an interesting family history in Kenya and Tanzania. The staff struck us as polite and knowledgeable, and they are conscious and proud of their Masai heritage.

The North Mara is beautiful and being adjacent to the Serengeti gives an impression of boundless wilderness. While farmers are leading their livestock into the reservation, this is in line with traditions and ensures that the reservation's concept is broadly accepted.

Our guide was Saruni. He is very knowledgeable about wildlife and has a great sense of tracking animals. For example, on the last day he spotted a baby leopard on a tree. We went on to explore the park and returned to the spot in the evening in time for the mother to return and greet her child!

We very much appreciated the staff's motivation and attention to our welbeing. The general feel in our family tent and the main tents was excellent, and it was hilarious to see (or hear) the wildlife passing by. As a slight caveat, while we support the Eco concept it was unpleasant that cold days were coupled with cold water in the tent - we would have appreciated that the staff proactively checked.

We much appreciated the possibility of visiting the market on Thursday, especially as it gave us a genuine cultural experience. Other than that, the intense, varied safari schedule interwoven with sundowners and the occasional breakfast (at the rive with hippos, giraffes and crocs) where sufficient to make us sleep like a rock." See all these reviews: 14n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Buffalo

8 sightings

Cheetah

3 sightings

Eland

3 sightings

Elephant

8 sightings

Giraffe

8 sightings

Hippo

3 sightings

Leopard

1 sighting

Lion

3 sightings

Spotted Hyena

8 sightings

Wildebeest

8 sightings

Zebra

8 sightings

Mr & Mrs B
Belfast

"Excellent comfortable camp"

4 nights Arrived 19 Feb 2020
"This was our first visit to the Kicheche Mara camp although we had previously been to other camps owned by Kicheche. The same level of service which we enjoyed at both Bush and Laikipia is immediately apparent on arrival at the camp.

The friendly welcome by Carys and the rest of the staff made us feel immediately at home. The accommodation was excellent and the hot and cold running water was an added bonus. No bucket showers here!! As expected the standard of the food was very impressive, watched over with a careful eye by Wellington, the chef.

Our guide, Saruni was impressive in his ability to locate the most elusive predators, finding a leopard on our first day at camp. The rest of the four night stay was equally impressive in terms of animal sightings. Given that the weather had been somewhat unusual in the weeks leading up to our arrival, Saruni coped extremely well considering the state of the "road" conditions. The long grass proved excellent cover for the cats and made sightings that more difficult but Saruni proved himself on more than one occasion in hunting them down.

Dinner in the evenings after the late afternoon game drive were communal affairs which we much prefer and Carys proved to be an excellent and attentive host.

One of the lovely things about the camp was the number of returning guests which in itself speak volumes for the style and manner in which Kicheche run their camps and for the staff on the ground who manage them." See all these reviews: 9n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

1 sighting

Cheetah

2 sightings

Elephant

2 sightings

Giraffe

2 sightings

Hippo

1 sighting

Leopard

2 sightings

Lion

5 sightings

Striped Hyena

3 sightings

Zebra

1 sighting

Dr W & Dr D
Leeds

"Kicheche Mara camp - beautiful as ever"

3 nights Arrived 8 Feb 2020
"We love this camp as it is in a beautiful setting. The camp and the staff were as lovely as usual but the safari drives were a bit difficult due to the large amount of rain which meant access to some areas of the conservancy was not possible. However, we still had fantastic wildlife viewing as in this conservancy the wildlife is abundant.

Our only issue was with the wifi which remains slow." See all these reviews: 15n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

3 sightings

Cheetah

2 sightings

Eland

4 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

2 sightings

Lion

10 sightings

Spotted Hyena

2 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr V
Texas

"Kicheche Mara review"

4 nights Arrived 30 Jan 2020
"This was our second stay at Kicheche Mara, and we’d happily return for subsequent visits.

The rains created quite a challenge for the guides and staff. The river at the entrance of the camp was flooded when we arrived, and we were given Wellington boots to help us navigate the considerable mud in camp. We were not able to cross back over the river for game drives for several days, but there was plenty to see on the camp-side, so we did not feel particularly constricted.

We saw a lot of interesting leopard and lion behavior, and Mara North is an excellent place for those interested in birds. The tents had been plumbed since our last visit 2 years ago, so no more bucket showers, which I kind of missed, but a hot shower on demand is also much appreciated. Kicheche’s emphasis on longer game drives and time in the bush makes me a loyal and returning customer." See all these reviews: 14n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Cheetah

1 sighting

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr & Mrs A
Bridport

"A perfect partnership with Laikipia"

4 nights Arrived 22 Jan 2020
"This was the second camp we stayed at. Three days at Laikipia and 4 days here. We were concerned that it would simply be more of the same. However, although there was, inevitably, substantial overlap in the animals and birds seen, everything was fresh and different. There were animals we hadn't seen at Laikipia (Topi, Wildebeest, Leopard and more), but even the ones we had seen we saw in a new light. The country was different, the behaviour was different and we came to appreciate that EVERY sighting of an animal seen before brought new insight. The Mara is very different to Laikipia and just amazing in its variety. A drive of a few minutes will transform the landscape from vast flat plains to rolling scub-covered hills, to hidden magical valleys with rock strewn rivers. One plain will be completely empty of mammals, the next teeming.
Our guide, Soit, was as informed and incredibly knowledgeable as Josphat had been at Laikipia. He was Masai and we had fascinating conversations with him about the Masai way of life and culture. A lovely man." See all these reviews: 7n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

3 sightings

Buffalo

5 sightings

Cheetah

2 sightings

Eland

5 sightings

Elephant

5 sightings

Giraffe

4 sightings

Hippo

3 sightings

Leopard

2 sightings

Lion

4 sightings

Spotted Hyena

5 sightings

Wild dog

5 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Showing 51-60 of 95
99%
95 reviews of Kicheche Mara by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
89
5
1
0
0
Filter by month

Holiday styles & special interests in Kenya

From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Kenya.


Beach holidays

Beach holidays

Discover Africa's coast and tropical islands.

Birdwatching

Birdwatching

Diverse habitats, discreet hides and superb guiding.

Cultural experiences

Cultural experiences

Get an insight into Africa's cultures and history.

Family holidays

Family holidays

Hand-picked camps for an incredible family safari.

Honeymoons

Honeymoons

Romantic safaris and castaway island retreats.

Luxury

Luxury

First-class service, scenic vistas and unparalleled comfort await you during these carefully selected luxury holidays. 

Photography holidays

Photography holidays

Great holidays to suit the keen photographer.

Private villas & houses

Private villas & houses

Enjoy Africa with just your friends & family

Riding holidays

Riding holidays

Explore Africa's wilderness on horseback.

Solo Travel

Solo Travel

Trip ideas ideally suited for a solo traveller.

Walking

Walking

Explore Africa's most scenic trails on foot.

Walking safaris

Walking safaris

Explore Africa's untouched wildernesses on foot.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing

Wellness escapes in stunning locations

Wildlife safaris

Wildlife safaris

These trips include hard-hitting game and fascinatingly elusive species alike, as well as superb guiding and a variety of diverse ecosystems.

Other lodges in Maasai Mara Conservancies

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Kicheche Bush Camp

Kicheche Bush Camp

Kicheche Bush Camp is a smart and intimate tented camp with a relaxed atmosphere and the perfect base in the Mara for keen photographers.


100% (104 reviews)
Kicheche Valley

Kicheche Valley

Kicheche Valley is a boutique tented camp in a wooded district of the Mara ecosystem's Naboisho Conservancy, with plenty of wildlife in the area.


99% (66 reviews)
Naboisho Camp

Naboisho Camp

Naboisho Camp is one of the most luxurious of the handful of camps in the Naboisho Conservancy. It offers day and night game drives, game walks and full creature comforts in the bush.


98% (49 reviews)
Offbeat Mara

Offbeat Mara

Offbeat Mara is a small traditional camp that appeals to safari traditionalists, located in one of the Maasai Mara’s quiet conservancies.


98% (42 reviews)
Encounter Mara

Encounter Mara

Encounter Mara is located in the private Naboisho Conservancy – a game-rich area of the Mara ecosystem – and offers a contemporary take on the traditional, low-impact luxury safari camp.


93% (19 reviews)
Elephant Pepper Camp

Elephant Pepper Camp

Elephant Pepper Camp is a small 10-tent bush camp, put together in the traditional "campaign" style, and including a large honeymoon/family tent.


99% (17 reviews)
Serian

Serian

Serian is a luxury tented camp on the east bank of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy. It is the sister camp of Ngare Serian, on the west bank.


97% (15 reviews)
Mara Plains Camp

Mara Plains Camp

Mara Plains is one of the very best camps in the Mara ecosystem. Located in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just outside the Mara reserve, it has access to three wildlife-viewing areas.


100% (13 reviews)
Kicheche Walking Wilderness

Kicheche Fly Camp

Kicheche Walking Wilderness Fly Camp is a temporaray dome tent camp set up for participants in Kicheche's two-day walking safari between Kicheche Valley and Kicheche Bush Camp.


96% (10 reviews)
Basecamp Eagle View

Basecamp Eagle View

Basecamp Eagle View is a community-focused safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy, with a strong emphasis on responsible tourism and a spectacular location.


96% (10 reviews)
Porini Lion Camp

Porini Lion Camp

Porini Lion Camp is a pioneering, community focused eco-camp, with excellent guides and game viewing, in the predator-rich, Olare Motorogi Conservancy.


82% (9 reviews)
Hemingways Ol Seki Mara

Hemingways Ol Seki

Magnificently located tented lodge on a bluff looking south across the Naboisho Conservancy toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve.


96% (9 reviews)
Saruni Wild

Saruni Wild

Saruni Wild is a rustic and traditional safari camp in the Lemek Conservancy, with just three tents and limited electricity.


96% (9 reviews)
Offbeat Ndoto

Offbeat Ndoto

Small and intimate, Offbeat Mara is set in a valley above the (often dry) Olare Orok River within the Mara North Conservancy.


100% (8 reviews)
Porini Mara Camp

Porini Mara Camp

Porini Mara Camp is a small, pioneering eco-camp in the first private conservancy in the Mara region, with comfortable accommodation and a range of activities.


96% (5 reviews)
Ngare Serian

Ngare Serian

The luxurious Ngare Serian and its sister camp Serian face each other across the Mara River on the western side of the Mara North Conservancy


96% (5 reviews)
Basecamp Leopard Hill

Basecamp Leopard Hill

With six beautiful tents, Basecamp Leopard Hill is a smart safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.


100% (5 reviews)
Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp sits on a meander of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, just beyond the northern boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.


92% (5 reviews)
Cottars 1920s Camp

Cottars 1920s Camp

Cottar's 1920s Camp is a classic, luxury tented camp with a 1920s safari theme, located in its own conservancy on the southeast border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.


92% (5 reviews)
Leleshwa

Leleshwa

Leleshwa was a delightful, boutique safari camp on the picturesque banks of a tributary of the Talek, with an extensive, little visited game area on its doorstep.


90% (2 reviews)
Mahali Mzuri

Mahali Mzuri

Mahali Mzuri is a strikingly modern tented camp in the Virgin Limited Edition group, in a remote part of the Mara ecosytem's Olare Motorogi Conservancy. It has lovely views and all the luxuries of a five-star hotel.


100% (2 reviews)
Saruni Mara

Saruni Mara

Saruni Mara is a luxurious permanent lodge, on the remote northern edge of the Mara North Conservancy, with stunning views, good guiding and very private and comfortable rooms.


80% (1 review)
Mara Nyika

Mara Nyika

Mara Nyika is one of the newer additions to the Naboisho Conservancy and offers a luxurious and exclusive safari.


100% (1 review)
Basecamp Wilderness Camp

Basecamp Wilderness

Basecamp Wilderness Camp is a simple, traditional tented camp, set in a remote valley in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Mara ecoystem.


100% (1 review)
Mara Bushtops

Mara Bushtops

Mara Bushtops is a luxury safari hotel on a private concession, outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve, with the emphasis on comfort, relaxation and good food and wine.


No reviews yet
Mara Toto Tree Camp

Mara Toto Tree Camp

Mara Toto Tree Camp is located on a wooded bend of the Ntiakatek River, 1km south (as the pied crow flies) from its sister camp, Mara Plains. It's the offspring of the original "Mara Toto" which was swept away in floods.


No reviews yet
Cottars Private House

Cottars Private House

Cottar's Private House is one of the few truly luxurious, modern private houses in the Mara ecosystem, spoiling its guests with first-rate staff, a swimming pool and wonderful views.


No reviews yet
Basecamp Mara Houses

Basecamp Mara Houses

Basecamp Mara Houses consists of three private houses located in the northernmost part of the Mara North Conservancy.


No reviews yet
Entumoto

Entumoto

Entumoto is a high-end tented camp, with a swimming pool, situated in a very pretty location on the east side of the Maasai Mara ecosystem.


No reviews yet

Login to Expert Africa

Sign in with password

Sign in with email link


New to Expert Africa? Create an account

Forgotten your details?

It's free & quick to set up

  • Save your wish-list
  • Send us an enquiry
  • Pay online for your trip
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Give us feedback on your trip
  • Full site benefits of the site

Need some help? Talk to our team

Newsletter background

Stay in the know with Expert Africa

Join our newsletter. Get the latest on new camps and lodges, insights from our team, uplifting conservation stories and more...

A few more details and you're subscribed

Thanks!

Almost there! We've sent you an email to confirm your subscription. Just click on the link and you'll soon be receiving our newsletter in your inbox.

In the meantime, take a look at our previous Bush Telegraph newsletters.
Africa