Accommodation facilities in Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation in Masai Mara National Reserve: There a lot of accommodation facilities in Masai Mara National Reserve ranging from budget, Mid-range to luxury which have provided unique accommodation facilities to meet both standards of international and local clients. The accommodation is used by the tourists and visitors heading to Masai Mara National Reserve for wildlife safari. Masai mara is top notch tourist destination for wildlife viewing. The park hosts variety of animal species ranging from the big five game, as well as the Big nine game among other mammal species living in Masai mara reserve and the surrounding conservancies.
The Masai Mara National Reserve is situated in the southwestern part of Kenya in East Africa. Masai mara is widely known for hosting the annual wildebeest migration and the big 5 safaris animals of Africa. Masai mara is rich in number of attractions ranging from wildlife, bird’s species among other stunning attractions. Due to its diversity, Masai Mara National Reserve has got a lot of accommodation facilities which are in form of lodges, hotels, and campsites providing comfortable lodging facilities for the visitors in the park.
Masai mara has got variety of attractions to see which have created a number of activities which have offered stunning game viewing. Including; The popular game drives, Nature walks, Horse back riding, hot air balloon among other activities. Masai is a host to a number of visitors visiting the park all throughout the year. However, it is important to note that the selection of a given accommodation facility depends on various factors which include;
Tourists always consider a lot of factors when choosing their accommodation facility or the places where to stay in Masai Mara National Reserve and some of these factors include the location of the accommodation facility, the services provided by the lodge or hotel, quality or, the comfortability, safety and security of the accommodation facility, the type of the foods that are prepared by the lodge or hotel and then finally and the most important are the prices/ rates of the lodges. Different lodges offer different prices/ rates depending on the nature of the lodge, either luxury, mid-range to budget lodges prices differ from one another.
The location of the lodge is a highly recommended factor, many of the activities in the park, require starting early enough. Therefore, the location of the lodge, and the time spend getting to the starting point of the activity, entirely depends on the location and the distance of the lodge. For Masai mara, visitors are advised to book the lodges nearer to the places where you will be starting your safari activities from.
Also, the quality of the services that are provided by the staff is also an important consideration when selecting or choosing the accommodation you will be staying during your safari tour in Masai mara. These should be looking at in terms of the services provided, the readiness and the timeliness, quick response to the complaints and the way how visitors or tourists are handled.
The type of meals prepared in the given lodge is also one of key factors that need to be put into consideration, meaning that, a lodge in or around Masai mara should be should be in a position to prepare preferred dishes such as international and local foods. The food should be clean and how you have presented it also matters. Visitors will always choose the lodge or the hotel that meets their food demands.
Comfort is also important when choosing the accommodation facility in Masai Mara National Reserve.
Tourism is a fragile industry that is sensitive to security concerns and thus safety and security is a very important factor considered by tourists when choosing for the accommodation facility at a particular destination. The safaris experience is always good when visitors are not worried about any security threats on their lives or their luggage.
Also, another is the prices of the lodges, choosing the type of the accommodation is also determined by the budget of your safari how much you intend to spend on your strip. Because the lodges range from Budget, Mid-range and luxury accommodation.
Accommodation facilities around Masai Mara National Reserve ranges from luxurious lodges, those that are of budget, mid-range accommodation facilities, and sometimes tourists decide to go camping in Masai Mara National Reserve. The campsites are both privately and Publicly owned.
In Masai Mara National Reserve, lodges and hotels ate found in different parts of the reserve which are categorized as those found in the northern side, the southern side, central, western side. It is important to note that the parts of this reserve are also dominated by different conservancies. Visitors who opt for accommodation facilities that are found with the conservancies have a big advantage of participating in different activities that sometimes are not allowed within the main Masai Mara National Reserve and one of these activities includes the Night game drives which are only found in the conservancies.
The accommodation facilities found within conservancies are also good in a way that tourist who doesn’t like crowded places can explore these accommodation facilities because of the limitation that private owner put in place limiting the number of vehicles and the tourists given per room within the conservancies that are privatized.
Another advantage of staying within the accommodation facilities of private conservancies is that the conservancies area near the main reserve and makes it easy and convenient to access and engage in various safari activities in Masai Mara National Reserve.
There are well-written agreements between the landowner and the lodge owners within the private conservancies and these agreements limited the local people from carrying out the communal land use activities within the conservancies such as grazing, construction, and practicing of the small-scale agriculture in the private conservancies. Such agreements have boosted the conservation efforts for the animals within the Masai Mara National Reserve
The landowners also benefit from the revenue that is got from the lodge’s leases and conservation fees. The tourists are also given access to the private conservancies to also do other wildlife activities such as nature walk safaris, game drives, and cultural encounters.
Accommodation in Masai Mara National Reserve
Masai Mara National Reserve is divided into different sections such as the northern part, western, central, among others. In the Northern part of the Masai Mara National Reserve, there are different conservancies situated within this region include; Ol choro Oiroua, Lemek conservancy, Mara Nyaboisho, Ol Kinyei, and the Olare Motorogi. All of these conservancies have got different lodges and campsites that provide conducive accommodation to the visitors in Masai mara.
The accommodation facilities in the Northern part or region of the Masai Mara National Reserve include royal Mara Safari, Nagare Serian, Mara plain Camp, Enkerede Tented Camp, Mara River Lodge, Fairmont Mara Safari, Porini Mara Camp, Kicheche Bushcamp, Speke’s Camp among others. These accommodation facilities range from budget, midrange, and then to Luxury accommodation facilities.
Some of these lodges, have been built within the conservancies which has much benefitted the local communities in many ways. Some of the locals have been directly employed in these lodges and hotels, also the revenue generated has provided basic services to the local population including; provision of health projects, school projects among others.
In the Eastern side of the Masai Mara National Reserve, there are also accommodation facilities especially those found in the Siana conservancy and the lodges or hotel or campsites here include the Mara Bush Top best for luxury clients, then there is also the Boutique camp that provides accommodation facilities designed in the African architectural style. Others include; Fig Tree Camp, Mara Leisure Camp, Leleshwa camp, IIkeliana Camp, Siana springs camp, Tipilikwani Mara Camp, Entumoto Safari Camp among others.
Also, visitors exploring the southern region of Masai Mara National Reserve can stay at various accommodation facilities that are found in this region of the Masai Mara National Reserve and these include Salas camp, Cottars bush villa, Sand River, Enkewa Mara camp among other accommodation facilities.
While in the western region of the Masai Mara National Reserve, the accommodation facilities include the Mara Engai wildness lodge, Kilima camp, Kichwammba Tembo tented camp, Sanctuary Olonana camp Angama mara, and Sanctuary Olonana camp among others.
The central region of Masai Mara National Reserve also has got several accommodation facilities which among others include Mara Ngenche, Rekero camp, Sentinel Mara Camp, Entim Camp, the Governors il Moran camp among other accommodation facilities.
Most visitors staying in the central part of the Masai Mara National Reserve will get a chance to enjoy the scenic views of the Masai Mara National Reserve as well as seeing the thousands of wildebeest animals crossing the Mara River.
How to get to Masai mara reserve
Masai mara reserve, has got number of entrance gates from which you can access the park, including; Sand River, Talek, Sekenani, Musiara and Oloololo gate. Visitors to Masai mara can access the park by means of road transport that is driving from the Nairobi capital city through the Narok town and head straight to any of the entrance gate of Masai Mara National Reserve.
There are also number of lodges that are built-in Masai Mara National Reserve are near various airstrips which makes it convenient for the visitors to use air transport from Wilson airstrip to Masai Mara. The airstrips include; Masai Mara cottars, Masai Mara Serena airstrip, Sian springs airstrip, Olare Orok airstrip, Kichwa Tembo airstrip, Musiara airstrip, Shikar airstrip, Ol Kiombo airstrip, Keekorok airstrip among other airstrips.
While in Masai Mara National Reserve there are lots of things to see and do, the park is a host to number of different mammal species including; the cheetahs, reedbucks, zebras, Oribis, rhinos, elephants, warthogs, wildebeest, buffaloes, rhinos, lions, leopards, hyenas, giraffes among others. Visitors are also attracted by the unique culture Maasi people living around the surrounding areas of Masai mara. During the cultural visit, you will about the different cultures and their traditional cultures among other variety of activities to do.
Masai Mara National Reserve things to do/ activities include both morning and evening game drives as well as the night game drives, seeing the wildebeest migration, cultural visits, Nature walk safaris, Bird watching safaris, hot air balloon safaris, Horse riding, nature walks mong other activities.