Review: Angama Mara, Kenya

Angama Mara is perched high above the Maasai Mara plains in southwestern Kenya, offering stunning panoramic views.  But it’s not just about the breathtaking scenery—it’s located right next to the renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve, one of the world’s top spots for wildlife viewing.  Whether you’re tracking the Big Five, witnessing the epic Great Migration, or simply watching lions, cheetahs, and elephants roam freely, Angama Mara is a dream destination for many safari-goers.  Does the property live up to that dream?

Arrival

Getting to Angama Mara takes just an hour on regular flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport.  Once you land, it’s just a few minute’s drive to the lodge.  Sounds easy, right?  Well, unless you get stuck in a vehicle with two people who treat every zebra sighting like the second coming of Christ.  It felt like I was trapped in some elaborate plan to annoy me into paying for their private guide.  Every five seconds: “Oh look, another zebra!” Yes, Sebastian, it’s a zebra—we’ve seen 47 of them already.  Unsurprisingly, after being told we’d all share the same guide, I swiftly opted to pay for my own.  I mean, it was either that or spend the rest of my life in a Kenyan prison for homicide.  Unless, of course, the judge is reasonable—”But Your Honour, it’s a fucking zebra!” “Not guilty!”

Once I arrived, I was treated to the world’s longest briefing.  The guide stood there and walked me through every detail of the lodge… and possibly all of Kenya.  By the end, I felt like I could give a TED talk on the region.

Setting

Situated on the edge of the escarpment made famous by Out of Africa, it provides sweeping panoramas of the vast plains below.  The lodge is perfectly positioned for prime game viewing, with the Maasai Mara National Reserve just a short drive away, making it an ideal base for exploring one of the world’s most iconic wildlife reserves.

That said, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.  First, the 20-minute drive into the park isn’t exactly “doorstep service,” and the park’s strict opening and closing times mean you’ll lose a chunk of precious safari time every day.  Second, while the Mara is undoubtedly one of the best places on earth for animal sightings, it’s also one of the busiest.  It’s essentially the Times Square of safaris.  It’s also one of the best for animal sightings, but you’ll probably spot 100 people for every lion.

You will have to excuse the lack of pictures – it was simply because I was on safari for about 37 hours a day, desperate for my Dad to have a chance to see a successful hunt and kill.  I’m annoyed I didn’t because the view is particularly magical at sunrise and sunset, when the sky transforms into a canvas of vibrant colours, casting a golden hue over the landscape.  It’s the kind of view that almost makes you forget all the other issues.  Almost.

Room

Angama Tented Suites are designed to give you an uninterrupted view of the Maasai Mara from just about anywhere in the room—whether you’re lounging in bed, soaking in the bath, or, yes, even sitting on the toilet.  The tents feature floor-to-ceiling glass at the front, with the rest wrapped in canvas for that classic safari feel.  Each suite spans over 100 square meters and comes with a private deck.

In total there are 30 tented suites, split between two camps with 15 suites each—basically, the safari equivalent of Disneyland.  Most lodges have fewer than 10 rooms, but to their credit, it never felt crowded, and the rooms are spaced out well enough that you won’t be tripping over other guests.  The real issue was how luxurious the rooms were, or were not, as the case was.

The views are undeniably stunning, but unless you’re into floors that double as skating rinks when you wear socks or roofs that creak like they’re auditioning for a horror movie during the storms, it’s certainly not the best.  And don’t even get me started on the temperature—roasting by day, freezing by night—so thank goodness for the electric blanket.

The rooms at Angama Mara are fairly simple, but still a step up from what you’d find at Segera. Be prepared for a little extra excitement during sudden rainstorms, as the tented roof tends to creak and sway—adding a bit of drama to your stay!  You might also catch the sound of fellow guests walking by, so don’t expect total soundproofing.  On the plus side, the hot water here is practically instant, a rare luxury in the bush.

That said, the outdoor chairs are less than inviting—no padding, which makes sitting on them more of a challenge than a relaxing activity.

Facilities

The facilities aren’t much better—sure, there’s a massive boutique (because who doesn’t love shopping for overpriced trinkets in the middle of the Mara?).  The swimming pool looked straight out of your local community centre circa 1985.  But they do have a photography studio, so you can capture all your favourite moments, such as that time you went to the pool and immediately felt shame.

There’s a gym with reasonably good equipment, so you can work off all that safari food before heading back to your room.  Just don’t get too attached to your devices—the WiFi and power have a habit of going on safari themselves, often disappearing without warning.

The biggest issue is the property forces you into the main dining area, which feels like one large meeting room.  The chairs are packed so close together that you might as well introduce yourself to the couple next to you—they’ll be joining your conversation whether you like it or not.

Food / Service

The food was certainly a highlight.  Simply brilliant.  And while you’re enjoying your meal, expect the pleasant ambience of secondhand smoke at dinner because, apparently, it’s allowed here.  I guess nothing says luxury safari like a side of Marlboro with your dessert. They also didn’t ever remember any food preferences and brought me a salad filled with pretty much every ingredient I hated, like it was a competition to annoy me the most.  But genuinely, ignoring that, the food was superb and one of the highlights of the entire trip.

As for the service, well, it’s about as personal as a trip to the DMV.  There was never anyone to greet us after returning from safari, nor any stand-out service from anyone.  It’s not personalised like other camps, possibly due to the size.

Sightings

In just two days, we logged over 20 hours on game drives, which gave us plenty of time to explore the vast expanse of the Maasai Mara.  Yes, the camp is outside the park and getting to and from is annoying, but the Mara always delivers.  We saw so many lions it almost got… boring.  Yes, I said it—too many lions.

The Mara has so much to offer, with wildlife everywhere you turn and incredible sightings around every corner.  The Big Five are practically guaranteed, but there’s always so much more to discover beyond that.

Both days, we packed lunches and went all in on the hunt for the hunt.  Finally, on the last morning, with barely minutes left on the clock, we hit the jackpot.  After three hours of watching two hungry cheetahs stalk their prey (and miss), we got to witness them rocket into action and score a successful kill.  A once-in-a-lifetime moment—or, if you’re a bloodthirsty monster like me, just one of many.  Naturally, this being the Mara, the experience wouldn’t have been complete without the convoy of a hundred other vehicles swooping in to almost ruin it for us.  The Mara has a strict vehicle limit of five per sighting, which meant we couldn’t linger with the cheetahs we spent all morning tracking, as once another vehicle spotted it and put the call out, it was pandemonium.

The Good

• Food
• Guide

The Bad

• Basic facilities
• Basic room
• Basically annoying having to travel 20 minutes there and back each day to reach the park

The Luxurious

• Views
• Wildlife sightings

Conclusion

In the end, Angama Mara has its moments—stunning views and some truly unforgettable wildlife encounters—but if I had to choose, I’d probably head to Mara Plains and maybe smuggle Angama’s chef along with me.  Mara Plains is about five times smaller, offering a more intimate experience with better service, and more importantly, it is located on a private conservancy, offering night drives and the ability to avoid hordes.  However, it is significantly more expensive.  So, in conclusion: go to Singita Grumeti.