Saruni Mara is nestled in a secluded valley in the heart of the Mara North Conservancy – an exclusive, private wildlife concession bordering the world-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve. Stay in sumptuous cottages or one of the two villas – all beautifully furnished with spectacular views. Enjoy the Italian-inspired cuisine, exceptional service and being immersed in nature from your private veranda, the Wellbeing Space and the open lounge and dining area. Maasai warriors guide you throughout sharing their ancient wisdom of the area and animals and their fascinating way of life.
LODGE
Saruni Mara has just five elegant cottages, one family villa and one private villa. The beautiful rooms are each decorated to a unique theme with a luxurious, classic safari feel.
The Artist's Studio is an elegant sanctuary for the creative soul and the perfect place to find inspiration. With a stylishly decorated ensuite bedroom leading out onto the open veranda, this cottage boasts beautiful views over the secluded valley and out onto the Mara plains in the distance.
The Observatory is a themed cottage that makes you dream of vast, star-lit African skies. The Observatory has a vintage brass telescope, moon map and selection of interesting material on all things cosmic. This cottage is beautifully furnished and spacious, with a large front deck for relaxing in the day and star gazing at night.
The Literary Room is an ideal hideaway for thinkers, dreamers and writers, inspired by great stories of African adventures and discovery . Equipped with a vintage typewriter, leather reading chairs, writing desk with a brass reading lamp, quill pen and leather blotter, and a selection of classic and African literature. The beautiful, spacious ensuite bedroom open up onto a large veranda, a perfect reading perch for the afternoon.
The Photographer's Studio is inspired by imagery and decorated to the theme of life through the lens. The cottage is beautifully furnished, spacious and charming, with a large bedroom, en-suite bathroom and outdoor veranda overlooking the beautiful view. The Photographer's Studio has an old box browning camera, antique photographic equipment catalogue and stunning prints adorn the walls.
The Love Shack is the perfect romantic retreat, simply and elegantly designed for long hours of relaxation. The Love Shack is a wonderfully secluded cottage known as Saruni Mara's Honeymoon Suite. The neutral colour scheme, elegant furnishings and beautiful antiques create a feeling of classic elegance and romance. The bedroom is very spacious and opens out onto a large veranda with a magnificent view of the valley leading onto the Masai plains - the perfect private dining area.
The Natural History Suite is Saruni Mara's family villa with two en-suite bedrooms, a large lounge complete with dining area and big and a big welcoming fireplace. There is also an impressive large veranda overlooking the magnificent scenery of the Masai Mara. The villa is decorated with a selection of antique and vintage prints and there is relevant reading material such a books on mammals, reptiles, trees and birds.
Nyati House is a beautiful, private wilderness home with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a lounge and dining room, kitchen and large veranda. Nyati House is booked exclusively and is located a 5 minute drive away from Saruni Mara in its own secluded valley. Perfect for groups or families looking for privacy and wanting to experience the Masai Mara on their own schedule and in the comfort of their own wilderness home. Equipped with your own safari vehicle and guide and with meals in your own dining room, the house has a unique style with lots of wooden features and natural elements with fabulous views of the Mara plains and a large front garden.
ACTIVITIES AND WILDLIFE
Day and Night Game Drives – the lodge uses comfortable, fully-open Land Rovers, specially designed to give you maximum visibility over the landscape and the animals. You are accompanied by your professional guide and by a tracker and there will be time to observe the wild animals, to see how they interact and to study their behaviour and their habitats.
Sundowners - the sundowner is a well-deserved drink at the end of a long day on safari to salute the African sun as it is setting. Saruni guides drive guests to secret corners and on top of the highest peak in the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem and serve you your favourite drink along with a selection of small snacks.
Bush Walks - on a game walk you will feel, touch and smell the trees, the bushes, the rocks and the tracks - and even the animal droppings. To walk with the Maasai warriors in the African bush is a fantastic experience and you will learn how they use the berries and the leaves, about their traditions and about their life.
Birdwatching - guides are birdwatchers by instinct and training and share a love for birds and always carry field guides in the vehicles.
Cultural Visit to Local Village Market - held every Thursday you will have the opportunity to see how the Maasai have adapted to modern times with their traditions intact. The market is an authentic weekly gathering in Aitong of local people from across the Mara region and is also an important cattle market where the Maasai go to trade in livestock and monitor their value.
Drive to Kilileoni - the highest peak in the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem where at the top you can enjoy a panoramic view over the Mara plains and forests with the Tanzanian border visible on the horizon. You may see rare antelope species that live at high altitude and elephant and buffalo grazing.
Warriors Academy - this a special interactive wildlife safari with a strong educational flavour designed especially for families or small groups. It is a family learning holiday that allows you to explore and learn about wildlife, wilderness and life from one of the most well -known and culturally interesting cultures left in Africa, the Maasai.
Learn and experience bush skills, folklore and ancient wisdom and gain an in depth experience in wildlife tracking following an elephant or a leopard, learn survival skills, visit an original Maasai village, learn how to use bow, arrows, pangas and spears, build a bush camp, tend goats and cattle whilst listening to Maasai stories and songs.
The Maasai Wellbeing Space - Private cottage is hidden in the lodge’s valley's olive and cedar forest and devoted to the use of local plants for beauty and relaxation treatments. All with an open view of the forest, where bushbuck, elephant and waterbuck roam freely.
Saruni Library - a unique feature of Saruni is its collection of books and its library with thousands of rare books and its very private location.
Hot-Air Ballooning – an early start to reach the launch area. Float over the Masai Mara and see the area from a different perspective.
Star-Gazing and the incredible sky of the Mara - the night skies in the Mara are among some of the brightest and most beautiful in the world. The air is unpolluted and offers unobscured, clear star-gazing.
Rhino Sanctuary Visit - located in the Olchorro Conservancy about 30 minutes from Saruni Mara, this conservation project employs staff from the local community and has been protecting white rhino for over 20 years. Rhino roam freely on the slopes of the mountain and the unique attraction of this project is approaching the rhino on foot in complete safety, whilst guided by a local ranger.
Weddings and Blessings - the Masai Mara is the perfect place if you want to be part of an unusual but very genuine Maasai wedding ceremony. The experience can be enjoyed both by newlyweds who want to re-affirm their vows in the middle of a very spiritual land and by those who plan to actually get married in Kenya. The ceremony takes place in a Maasai village, with the participation of the elders, the women and the warriors, or on the top of a mountain overlooking the endless landscape.
SARUNI MARA IS OPEN YEAR ROUND
THE LODGE WELCOMES CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AND THE WARRIORS FOR A WEEK PROGRAMME IS AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN AGED 6+
