Reviews of safaris to Maasai Mara Conservancies
386 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Mara Conservancies.
"Out of Africa"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Hard to improve on excellence." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 14 on a Kenya safari
"My Sep 2019 trip"
Highlights were seeing a black rhino, lion cubs and cheetahs on a kill. Another highlight was visiting the Masai which was a very moving experience.
Bush breakfast in Amboseli under an acacia tree was fun too!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Olivia absolutely found the trip I was looking for." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
"A great return to Kenya "
We have previously visited Kicheche Laikipia and Kicheche Bush and this trip confirmed our liking for Kicheche Camps in terms of style, ethos and level of comfort." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
"2nd trip to Mara - all expectations exceeded"
Olivia and Richard were of invaluable help in planning and executing our trip, and I particularly appreciated their commitment to understanding our needs and expectations and ensuring that the trip they recommended was the best possible match for us. They found us late availability at popular camps and secured us competitive pricing that matched direct rates with the lodges concerned, but came with all the advantages of dealing with an experienced agency and a single point of contact.
Unlike other agencies, I never felt that they were promoting or selling specific camps with whom they may have preferential commission arrangements - I genuinely felt that their only objective was to meet the needs of their customers as best they could. This, in my view, is the key to a successful agency and repeat business, and we will certainly be using Expert Africa for our next trip.
It's also worth mentioning that the lodges were aware of our backgrounds, travel experience and preferences / objectives before we arrived, thanks to the information passed on in advance by Expert Africa. This was another plus, reflecting a high standard of customer service and attention to detail.
The team also did an excellent job of managing our expectations in terms of areas where the camps we visited might be different from places we had visited in the past. Our past travel history did include one of the most famously luxurious camps in the Mara, and so we were prepared that certain aspects of the camps we were visiting may not quite match what we had experienced before, but the overall safari experience would still be first class.
I'm pleased to say that the safari experience and the guiding matched or exceeded the best of what we had experienced in the past, exactly as the promised by the team. And in terms of the relative simplicity of the camps themselves, I can honestly say that I didn't notice all that much difference from what we had experienced before, and that this aspect of the trip far exceeded our expectations.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Keep up the good work." Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
" Masai Mara 2019"
The camps, staff( particularly the guides) were outstanding as were the wildlife sightings. We collected some of the best photographs we have ever taken largely thanks to the guides.
Expert Africa organised an efficient, well planned trip which we will remember for a long time.
Particular highlights( and there were many) include: the hot air balloon trip, wildebeests crossing the Mara river. Very, very close encounters with big and small cats. Leopards under the jeep and lion cubs on the bonnet.
The enthusiasm friendliness and efficiency of all the staff was hard to fault.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
It is difficult to think how the service could be improved and we would use Expert Africa again and recommend it to friends.
Keep up the good work!" Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
"My Aug 2019 trip"
I thought the locations and camps were well balanced and excellent. I loved the Maasia Mara, the people and the amazing amount of wildlife that we saw there. We successfully saw three Wilderbeest crossings which was the icing on the cake!
I thought that Clare listened to our requirements and did a great job in fulfilling them." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
"Fantastic trip despite the airlines!"
As advised we were prepared to get our visas at the airport. We were met on the run way by a shouting official, eventually determined he wanted our visa. He took our passports while we waited for the luggage which did not appear.
In the visa office we presented the visa forms provided by yourselves which were rejected, with a lot of shouting, and new cards were presented to us to fill in. The official asked my husband what we were doing in Mozambique, replying ‘tourist’ he shouted that we could have our visas after everyone else. After issuing visas to at least 2 other people who arrived after us we got our visas. Full finger prints were taken, photographs taken, our money was checked for fakes! We definitely got the feeling we were being treated as badly and as slowly as possible.
Another point to make is that the immigration clerks who were issuing the visas were very incompetent, almost ruining my husbands passport. Can I advise that anyone's travelling via Nampula does not try to get their visas at the airport. If they don’t live near London then get a visa company to do it for them and pay extra.
After all this drama we then had the 4 hour journey to Nuarro all in the dark.
Another point is that we were expecting to pay $30 each exit from Mozambique. No money was requested.
Another note regarding visas. We had not booked our return flights on the same ticket so needed to retrieve our luggage in Nairobi and re-enter the airport. This was easily done at the visa desk, a transit visa was issued for $20 each." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 7 on a Mozambique holiday
"My Aug 2019 trip"
"Beautiful Intro to Kenya & Tanzania"
Our limited constructive feedback as follows: All camps provided toiletries and washing powder, so no need to bring. Camps advertising laundry services still did not wash underwear (male or female), nor handkerchiefs. Drive to Il Ngwesi from Wilson airport was interesting, but ended up as quite an odyssey as driver did not know the way through Lewa Conservancy to the camp. As no signs available, this ended up as an additional 2 hours of desperately trying to find the camp before dark. All good in the end, but maybe check drivers know their destination before setting off." Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 13 on a Kenya safari
"My Aug 2019 trip"
We did go to Karen Blixen's home and while interesting - it isn't worth a stop if under a time crunch.
One of the reasons we loved Il Ngwesi so much was because of the community involvement in the lodge. It meant a lot to us that the money was going back to the 7 villages, who sat on the board of the lodge. We spent a long time talking to the staff at Porini/Gamewatchers and while their arrangement with the company and the villages is better than most, it is still not owned by the Maasai. It would be wonderful if there were more lodges and guide services owned by native Kenyans.
We had mixed feelings about the village visits. The one at Il Ngwesi was better because it was presented as "traditional" while acknowledging that things had changed. Yes, they use matches and cell phones and dress in tshirts, etc. The one at Selenkay seemed a little more artificial. While it was really good for us to learn how the Maasai have lived traditionally, we were really interested in their lives today. How have things changed? What do they see for the future? Our guides were willing to discuss it, but it would have been nice to talk to some of the villagers about it as well. For instance - none of our guides had multiple wives and almost all of them chose their own. One didn't own any livestock. Quite a few lived in more modern homes. We felt like it was perpetuating a view of Africa that was not up to date.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Recommend some more trips for us!
Also, I didn't see any multi-country trips on the website. We asked everyone where to go next and some recommended Namibia, Botswana, Victoria Falls trip.
Would be lovely to see an itinerary for that." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari
Where to stay in Mara Conservancies
Our suggestions for safari camps in Maasai Mara Conservancies
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.
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara Camp has just ten tents and a rustic and comfortable feel. It is set by a stream in a pretty area of the Mara ecosystem's Mara North Conservancy.
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.
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.
Offbeat Mara
Offbeat Mara is a small traditional camp that appeals to safari traditionalists, located in one of the Maasai Mara’s quiet conservancies.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hemingways Ol Seki
Magnificently located tented lodge on a bluff looking south across the Naboisho Conservancy toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Saruni Wild
Saruni Wild is a rustic and traditional safari camp in the Lemek Conservancy, with just three tents and limited electricity.
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.
Offbeat Ndoto
Small and intimate, Offbeat Mara is set in a valley above the (often dry) Olare Orok River within the Mara North Conservancy.
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.
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
Basecamp Leopard Hill
With six beautiful tents, Basecamp Leopard Hill is a smart safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mara Nyika
Mara Nyika is one of the newer additions to the Naboisho Conservancy and offers a luxurious and exclusive safari.
Basecamp Wilderness
Basecamp Wilderness Camp is a simple, traditional tented camp, set in a remote valley in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Mara ecoystem.
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.
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.
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.
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.
