It doesn’t get much more intimate and secluded than this. Saruni Mara Safari Lodge consists of five charming thatched cottages, one private villa and a family villa, all perched against a forested hillside. The view from each of the cottages and villas is stunning. The positioning of the lodge gives guests just the right vantage point for the most breathtaking sunsets. The lodge is one of only a few safari lodges in the Mara North Conservancy, just north of the Masai Mara National Reserve. It’s the smallest permanent lodge in the Masai Mara ecosystem and it was designed to blend in with its surroundings. Just south of the lodge lie endless fields of gold and a lush green forest lies to the north. Saruni Mara is ideally situated for game drives, nature walks and for witnessing the epic annual migration of wildebeest and zebra through the region.

Each of Saruni Mara’s cottages has been beautifully styled according to its own specific theme. In general, each cottage is furnished with beautifully polished wooden floors, colonial antiques, African art and Persian carpets. Even in the heart of the wild there are plenty of creature comforts to enjoy such as 220-volt electricity, large Italian design bathrooms with hot and cold running water and a canvas front that can be opened allowing you to shower with a magnificent view if you want to. Here’s an overview of the cottages and villas available to you:

• The Observatory: this cottage is inspired by the endless starry skies above the Masai Mara. It’s outfitted with a vintage brass telescope, a moon map and a variety of materials with a celestial theme. It also has a wonderfully large front deck perfect for stargazing.
• The Photographer’s Studio: this cottage is inspired by photography and its styling pays tribute to the beautiful snapshots that have been taken in the Masai Mara. An old box browning camera, an antique photographic equipment catalogue and the many fascinating prints on the walls all add to the ambiance of this classic cottage. And the view from the front deck… picture perfect!
• The Artist’s Studio: this cottage will inspire creative guests to paint their next masterpiece. The cottage is equipped with an easel, paint and a desk filled with drawing materials. A stylishly decorated en-suite bedroom leads out to a large front deck overlooking the secluded valley below. Just beyond the valley the endless plains of the Mara await.
• The Literary Room: this cottage is inspired by the dreamers, the great writers and the poets. It’s not hard to imagine the cottage being the secluded getaway of a literary great. With its vintage typewriter, comfortable leather reading chairs and writing desk, the scene is set for writing your own epic safari adventure. Prefer reading over writing? Simply grab a chair on your front deck and enjoy.
• The Love Shack: this cottage is also known as Saruni Mara’s honeymoon suite. The neutral colours, elegant stylings and stunning view of the valley are perfect for a romantic getaway. The cottage’s spacious bedroom opens up onto a wonderfully large front deck, just right for a private dinner for two.
• Private Villa: Saruni Mara’s private villa is named ‘Nyati House’. It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room, a lounge, a kitchen and a large deck. The villa is situated in a private valley at a five-minute driving distance away from the rest of the lodge. It’s the ideal place for groups or families who want to get away from it all. The private villa comes with a private safari vehicle and guide. All meals are served in the comfort of the villa’s own dining room. The villa is stylishly decorated and its wooden features give it a very natural look and feel. The villa’s two spacious bedrooms overlook the Masai Mara plains. The villa offers you your own private safari paradise.
• The Natural History Suite / Family Villa: the lodge’s family villa is also known as ‘the Natural History Suite’. This new villa has two en-suite bedrooms, a spacious lounge with dining area and a very cosy fireplace. The spacious villa is tastefully decorated with antiques and vintage prints. The villa’s name comes from its selection of books on (local) wildlife and nature. For those who prefer the real thing, the front deck overlooking the wild awaits.

Saruni Mara food experience

Foodies are in for a very special treat at Saruni Mara. The lodge’s chefs take their meals very seriously and use farm fresh organic produce to whip up the most delicious meals. Among the lovely meals prepared by the lodge, you can even enjoy fine Italian cuisine based on the Italian owner’s own family recipes. Lovely meals are served at long wooden communal tables. However, you can also opt for a bush breakfast deep in an acacia forest or on the banks of the Mara River. At the end of the day enjoy an al fresco bush dinner beneath the stars or even a very private and romantic candlelit dinner on your own cottage deck. If you’re in the mood to share a few safari stories with fellow guests, the Kuro House has a few comfortable chairs and fireside drinks waiting for you.

Activities at Saruni Mara

Saruni Mara offers a wide variety of activities for its guests. Start your day off with an early morning Land Rover game drive with a Masai guide and tracker or join a Maasai warrior on an adventurous bush walk through the hills. The Maasai have ancestral knowledge of the Masai Mara ecosystem and the wildlife that inhabits it. They will help you make the most of your safari activities. The lodge also offers excursions to local Maasai manyattas (villages).

For a more extreme safari adventure, you can also opt to take to the skies on a hot air balloon safari. Please note that although game drives/ nature walks are included in the price of your stay, hot air balloon rides require a surcharge.

During your downtime, you can visit the lodge’s award-winning spa – the ‘Masai Wellbeing Space’. The spa’s specially trained Masai staff provide treatments inspired by ancient Masai customs using local plants. Each cottage receives one complimentary half-hour classic back & neck massage. The spa’s serene olive tree and cedar forest surroundings are sure to help you relax and unwind.

For a more hands-on activity Saruni Mara offers a program called the ‘Warriors Academy’. This program is especially fun for families with children. In the course of a few days guests are taught Masai warrior survival skills such as how to track animals and how to make tools out in the wild.

Saruni Mara stay 4 pay 3 special offer

Book your Masai Mara safari adventure at Saruni Mara for three nights and stay an extra night for free! This special offer is valid between 1 November and 30 November 2023, between 1 March and 31 May 2024 and between 1 November and 30 November 2024.

Tripadvisor comments Saruni Mara

Amazing! We statyed for 3 nights towards the endof the year and had a wonderful stay! the place is lovely, staff were great and always accomodative to our requests, food was amazing and they catered to our dietary needs as requested! Special mention to our tour guide Daniel! He had great knowledge of the area, animals and the fauna around. We thouroughly loved the bush breakfasts, picnic lunches by river and sundowners with amazing views!

SapnaS

Beautiful lodge with wonderfull staff and unbelievable game drive. Food was also very good and the whole experience totally personalized. Saruni the guide was knowing each corner of the area and showed us tones of animals, included hunting cheetah, waooooww!!

Olivier F from Lausanne, Switzerland