Zamara Private Opening 17th July 2026

I won’t bore you with all the details again, as I wrote about Zamara Private back in August. Unsurprisingly, things slipped behind schedule, because that is one of Newton’s Laws of hotel openings.  But the wait is nearly over, with the property now set to open on 17 July 2026.  The short story is: exclusive use, six bedrooms, facilities that match or surpass most lodges.  Looks dope.

Should I announce every new luxury property that opens? Probably not. My fingers may start cramping up, which would seriously impact my ability to do the key duties of my job: like cracking my knuckles and picking my nose.  Being a travel agent is very taxing.

Ever since Wild Hill launched in 2024, the Mara has finally started moving upmarket. Wild Hill sits on the edge of the ecosystem with access to private conservancies, which should not be underestimated. The trade-off is that if you want the Mara of river crossings and massive herds, you’ll either need a helicopter or a very long, full-day game drive.

Then came Loirien Mara, which is much closer to the action. It is not playing in quite the same league as Wild Hill, but by being in the Mara Triangle, it can offer you easier access to those grunting wildebeest and those friendly-neighbourhood-crocodiles that just want to be loved.

Now comes Zamara Private, seemingly determined to be the most luxurious of the lot — and certainly the most expensive. Rates start at $32,500 per night for exclusive use of the entire property for up to twelve guests.  (I appreciate a simple pricing structure, but charging the same rate year-round, with no reduction for smaller groups, isn’t what I consider sensible. Time will tell.)

With that price tag and its impressive facilities, you would be forgiven for assuming Zamara sits within a private conservancy. It does not. In fact, it is located within the Reserve, rather than the Triangle.  The Triangle is community-owned and tightly managed, with limits on vehicle numbers at sightings. The Reserve, on the other hand, is more like the Wild West, if all the other guests were a bunch of alcohol infested, cocaine riddled, English football fans.

I hope Zamara finds a solution to this, because it’s not only great to see the Mara pushing into the ultra-luxury space, but also Great Plains.  If they can, this could be one of Africa’s greatest properties.  But the Reserve and the Triangle are not places you want to linger during peak season unless you want half of Nairobi also in all your family pictures.