Inside the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara: My Unforgettable Stay in Africa’s Most Luxurious Safari Lodge
- Ilay Avni
- Oct 24
- 12 min read
Updated: Oct 28
Two months after its grand opening, I spent five nights at The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara — an experience that exceeded everything I imagined.
A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience
Two days ago, I returned from the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara, a brand-new property that opened in August 2025, and I’m still processing what I experienced there. Since its opening, the lodge has sparked the curiosity of many Marriott enthusiasts—and for good reason. It’s not every day that a brand like Ritz-Carlton launches a boutique safari camp in the heart of Africa, combining wilderness, culture, and five-star comfort.
Before my visit, I looked for detailed personal reviews and couldn’t find any. Now, after what was truly the best vacation of my life, I feel compelled to share mine. In fact, this will be the first in a series of posts covering different aspects of this extraordinary experience—because one article alone can’t do it justice.
This journey was unforgettable because it blended the three things I love most: the highest standard of luxury, active exploration, and authentic cultural immersion.
There are countless places around the world where you can unwind on a perfect beach or enjoy the culture of a vibrant city. But this was something entirely different—a 360-degree experience in the Masai Mara savannah, where you’re surrounded by wildlife, embraced by the warmth of the Masai people, and treated to world-class service that anticipates every need.
It felt like stepping into The Lion King—but instead of watching, I was living it.
While the heart of every safari lies in the game drives (which I’ll cover in detail later), what surrounds them at the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara elevates the entire stay to another level. With only 20 tents and an exceptionally high staff-to-guest ratio, it often felt like I was in my own private mansion in the savannah, with a full team of butlers, chefs, and guides ensuring every moment was perfect.
I’ve stayed at some of the world’s top hotels—including The St. Regis Maldives—but I’ve never felt such a combination of personal attention, privacy, and connection to nature. This place redefines what luxury can mean.
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The Camp and the Luxury Experience
The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara is located inside the Masai Mara National Reserve, right on the border between Kenya and Tanzania. In fact, the border cornerstone sits just a few meters from the hotel’s pool — a reminder that you’re standing at the very heart of Africa. The camp rests on a beautiful bend of the Sand River, so every tent faces the water, with some overlooking the Serengeti plains on the Tanzanian side and others gazing across the Masai Mara.
Everything here is built from local, natural materials — wood, stone, and canvas — blending seamlessly into the landscape. You won’t find marble bathtubs or gold accents here. Yet, despite its raw authenticity, the property still delivers the highest level of luxury you’d expect from the Ritz-Carlton brand: refined, elegant, and utterly comfortable without ever feeling overdesigned.
The entire camp is elevated on wooden platforms, connected by bridges that link the tents with the main areas. It’s not only beautifully done — it’s also practical for safety, as wildlife roams freely through the camp. Hippos are often heard grazing near the tents at night, and it’s not unusual to spot elephants drinking from the river during breakfast, or to see zebras, wildebeests, antelopes, and warthogs wandering nearby.
What truly defines the experience, though, is the personal service. Every guest is assigned a dedicated butler — your single point of contact for the entire stay. Ours, Danson, welcomed us personally at Keekorok Airstrip and stayed in touch via WhatsApp throughout the trip. He managed every detail, from activity planning and in-room amenities to restaurant service. It felt effortless, seamless, and deeply personal.
The communal areas are equally impressive: a pool, a bar & lounge, a restaurant, a gym, and a spa — all thoughtfully designed to make you feel part of the landscape. The pool area overlooks the savannah, allowing you to relax on a lounger or in a cabana while watching animals pass by.
The Canopy, the camp’s bar and lounge, serves as both a check-in and gathering space and becomes a social hub at sunset, when guests gather around the fireplace for traditional Masai rituals. Eliud, the bartender, deserves a special mention — knowledgeable, charismatic, and the perfect host for an afternoon cocktail or a late-night drink.
Nest, the main restaurant, is used for breakfast and dinner and offers a variety of seating options, including the Upeo Sky Deck for unforgettable open-air dinners under the stars. I’ll share more about the culinary experience — as well as the Whispering Tree Spa and the fitness center — in a dedicated section later on, but suffice it to say that every detail has been carefully considered to make you feel both indulged and at home.
And while the camp itself is breathtaking, it’s what happens beyond its borders that truly defines the experience — the game drives.
The Game Drives
One of the most unique things about the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara is that every tent comes with its own private luxury Land Cruiser and dedicated driver-guide. That alone sets a new standard for comfort and flexibility. You decide when to go, where to go, how long to stay at each sighting, and when to return to camp.
The hotel offers two daily game drives: a morning and an afternoon (sunset) drive. The morning drive starts early — between 6:15 and 6:30 a.m. — to catch the animals while they’re most active, before the heat sets in. There were mornings when I wondered why I was waking up so early, but the moment we rolled into the golden savannah, it all made sense. Probably the fact that Danson appeared every morning with a smile and two perfect cups of fresh Kenyan cappuccino helped us start the day right.
Because the car is private, the morning drive can last as long as you wish — sometimes until 2 p.m. You can choose to return for breakfast at the camp or enjoy a bush breakfast out in the reserve. We did both, and I highly recommend the bush setup: your butler arranges the food and drinks, while your driver sets up the table in the perfect spot — often under a picturesque acacia tree, surrounded by the sounds of the savannah.
The evening drive usually begins around 4:30 p.m. and runs until the park closes, roughly 6:30 p.m. — perfectly timed to return for a quick refresh and dinner.
The hotel also features a fully equipped photo studio, providing each tent with a Canon EOS R6 Mark II mirrorless camera and professional lenses such as the RF 100–500 mm, RF 200–700 mm, and RF 24–70 mm. Guests can receive guidance from professional photographers, who also help review and edit the best shots in Lightroom before departure.
Our driver-guide was Lidia, an impressive 26-year-old Masai woman who’s redefining tradition through her career in tourism. A KPSGA Silver-level guide working toward Gold — the highest certification in Kenya — she was exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate. With her sharp eyes and collaboration with other guides over the radio, she helped us witness extraordinary moments: lions with cubs, cheetahs, a rare black rhino, and much more.
One morning stands out in my memory — we spent nearly three hours watching a mother cheetah and her grown son perched on a tree after a successful hunt. They moved their prey from branch to branch, the son climbing up and down while the mother guarded the meal. It was nature at its most raw and fascinating.
Even on the practical side, everything was thought through. Danson made sure our car fridge was stocked with our favorite drinks — including wine and champagne. Inside the vehicle, Ritz-Carlton-branded fleece blankets kept us warm during chilly mornings, and ponchos with fleece lining were ready for rain (we only needed them once). The car also had an inverter for charging devices and a Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing us to share real-time moments with our friends back home — who, needless to say, were very jealous.
The private game drives at the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara combine expert guiding, exceptional comfort, and the freedom to explore the savannah entirely at your own pace.
The Tents
Although called “tents,” and indeed wrapped in canvas, the last thing these rooms resemble is what you imagine when you think of camping. The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara tents provide every bit of luxury and comfort you could dream of — perhaps more than you’d expect to find in the middle of the savannah.
Most of the accommodations are one-bedroom tents, each measuring 163 sqm (1,754 sq ft) and including a foyer, a bedroom, and a living room. There are also two-bedroom tents sized at 232 sqm (2,497 sq ft), and an astonishing presidential tent spanning 617 sqm (6,641 sq ft).
The bedroom features a king-size bed dressed in the signature Ritz-Carlton linens, with a mosquito net elegantly set up by housekeeping during the evening turndown service. A pillow menu offers a wide range of options, including a “cuddle pillow” for side sleepers — a thoughtful detail that reflects how much attention is given to comfort.
The living room includes a generous sitting area with plush sofas and a desk for those who mix work and pleasure. It also houses the honor bar, restocked daily with your favorite snacks and drinks. Since the property is all-inclusive, you can ask to have bottles of champagne, whiskey, or other beverages placed in your bar at no additional cost — everything is customized to your preferences.
The bathroom setup is remarkable: four showers in total — two indoor and two outdoor — all designed to provide full privacy. There’s also a freestanding bathtub, complete with bath salts and the signature Ritz-Carlton robes. The toiletries, sourced from a South African luxury brand, are good quality, though I personally felt they didn’t quite match the level of the rest of the experience. I suggested that a global brand such as Bvlgari or Hermès would better reflect the property’s standards.
I recommend watching the following walkthrough video I shot of my tent.
One of the most impressive touches is the laundry service. In your room, you’ll find a basket — and everything you place inside comes back the next day washed, pressed, and folded. There’s no limit to the number of items, and this simple service is truly a game-changer. It not only lets you pack light, but also makes you feel at home in the most unexpected way.
The highlight, however, is the outdoor area. Overlooking the Sand River (on both the Masai Mara and Serengeti sides), each tent offers a private heated pool and three seating areas: a dining table with sofas, a large round sun lounger, and a cozy sofa nook perfect for reading or simply taking in the view. The heated pool means you can enjoy it even at night, under a blanket of stars.
We stayed in tent 12, and several times we watched elephants, hippos, and other wildlife from our balcony — all while enjoying complete privacy.
And as exceptional as the tents are, the dining experience at the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara deserves its own story.
The Dining Experience
I’ll admit I was a little concerned about the dining experience before arriving. Serving world-class cuisine in such a remote location sounded like an enormous challenge. But from the very first meal, those concerns disappeared. Every dish I tried was outstanding, both in flavor and in presentation.
Under the leadership of Hasan, the Head of Food & Beverage, and his talented team of chefs, the property delivers a level of dining that would impress in any major city — and feels almost unreal in the middle of the savannah. The menus feature premium ingredients such as wagyu beef, lobster, and fresh local produce, all prepared with remarkable consistency.
At Nest, the main restaurant, breakfast is served à la carte with a rich and diverse selection. You’ll find everything from eggs Benedict and shakshuka to pancakes, French toast, and lighter continental options — all cooked to perfection and beautifully presented.
Lunch is served at The Canopy Bar & Lounge, where the menu focuses on high-quality comfort dishes. A few of our favorites were the lobster roll, the wagyu smash burger, and the Mediterranean chicken wrap, all fresh, flavorful, and generously portioned.
Dinner features a fixed menu with a variety of dishes and daily specials. During our stay we particularly enjoyed the wagyu steak, Old Delhi butter chicken (served with white rice), the peri-peri spatchcock chicken, and the red snapper. Every plate was well-balanced and beautifully plated, and the mango panna cotta was an excellent way to finish the evening. One night, after mentioning that we missed a simple Chinese corn soup, the chef surprised us by preparing it the next day — and it was fantastic. That kind of attention to detail is what sets the team apart.
The coffee and cappuccino were consistently excellent — smooth, rich, and full of flavor. And one afternoon, when I mentioned craving some fine chocolate, my butler appeared with a hand-made Ritz-Carlton chocolate bar, presented on a tray under a glass dome — a small gesture that perfectly sums up the service philosophy here.
The dining experience at the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara consistently exceeded every expectation — not through extravagance, but through skill, care, and genuine attention to detail.
Wellness in the Wild: Spa & Gym
The gym at the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara isn’t large, but it has everything you need to maintain your routine while away. You’ll find cardio machines like treadmills and bikes, along with Technogym equipment including a chest press, pulley stations, free weights, and more. Complimentary morning yoga sessions are offered daily, along with additional wellness activities throughout the week.
Exercising in the open-air gym, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the savannah, is an experience in itself — peaceful, grounding, and unlike any workout you’ve had before.
The hotel’s spa, The Whispering Tree, offers a range of treatments and rituals in a serene setting. The spa includes a relaxation area, a cold plunge pool, steam and Finnish saunas, and three treatment rooms — one for couples and two for single treatments.
We chose the Whispering Tree Experience, a signature ritual for two priced at $460, which takes place in a private suite designed for relaxation and reconnection. The treatment begins with a full-body exfoliation made from crushed grapeseed and walnut shell infused with marula and neroli oils, followed by a hydrotherapy bath accompanied by the gentle sounds of nature. It concludes with a full-body shea butter massage and a hydrating mini facial, leaving you feeling refreshed and restored.
We spent nearly four hours at the spa on our last day, and it was the perfect way to end our stay. The therapists were professional and attentive, and the combination of massage, body treatments, and the natural breeze moving between the trees made it an unforgettable experience.
Ending the trip with the Whispering Tree ritual felt like the perfect closure — peaceful, indulgent, and deeply connected to the place itself.
The Elephant in the Room – Price and Value
Let’s talk about it — this is not a cheap vacation. Room rates for a couple start at around $4,400 per night, and to that you’ll need to add flights and park fees. It’s a serious investment, and it should be.
That said, comparing it to other hotels isn’t fair. The better question to ask is: how much would you pay for the best and most luxurious ski resort in Aspen or St. Moritz, including a private ski guide, all meals and beverages (with premium wines and spirits), and exclusive experiences like heli-skiing or snow safaris?
It’s not inexpensive — but that’s not the point.This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, where nature, culture, and luxury come together in a way you won’t find anywhere else.
We truly had an unforgettable experience — one that exceeded every expectation. From the personal service to the breathtaking wildlife, from the comfort of the tent to the excellence of the dining, every detail felt intentional and meaningful. If you’ve ever dreamed of combining luxury, adventure, and authenticity, this is as close to perfection as it gets.
Disclaimer: Although I’m a Marriott STARS advisor, I paid in full for my stay at The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara. I only introduced myself to the General Manager as a travel advisor on our last day. This review reflects my genuine and unbiased personal experience as a guest.
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