We visit all accommodation ourselves to be able to select the best accommodation for you and to give you advice from personal experience! Whether you are looking to a self drive in Kenya, these lodges will offer you amazing stays in different national parks. Our selection criteria are focused on view, service, location, style and price. We also take the feedback from previous client into careful consideration.
How We Rate Accommodation
“Budget” – Accommodation such as simple guesthouses or dormitory rooms are available in many cities in DR Congo. Service and amenity standards won’t be high and you are likely to share facilities with other guests, but choosing this standard can make a big difference in the price of the tour.
“Mid-range” we originally focused mainly on the mid-range market and therefore have a special ability to choose the best accommodation of this standard. This is your best option for comfortable, self-contained (‘en suite’) accommodation set in stunning locations that don’t cost a fortune.
“Semi-luxury” – Accommodation falling in this category is more comfortable than the mid-range. The locations are similar, but the details are further refined. These lodges often have a swimming pool, as well.
“Luxury” – The luxurious accommodation is fully equipped, comfortable and usually more spacious than the mid-range options. They often have facilities like swimming pools, masseurs and sometimes even private butlers.
Masai Mara game reserve
Mara Eden Safari Camp (mid-range)
Hidden deep in the Maasai Mara game reserve, along the great Mara River, lies a magical, untouched and untamed valley with crocodiles basking on the banks of the river and hippos fighting for dominance against a backdrop of absolute wilderness, for centuries the great wildebeest migration has thundered through this hidden valley and crossed the Mara River.
Nestled in the midst of this valley is our little boutique tented camp, sit out on the varendah and watch the magic of the African wilderness unfold before you. We invite you to be a part of this untamed bit of Africa!
Mara Serena Safari lodge (luxury)
Located at the very centre of the famous ‘Mara Triangle’ in the world-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve. Set high on a bush-cloaked hill with long views over the savannah and down to the winding coils of the hippo-filled Mara River, it stands centre-stage to one of Africa’s most dramatic wildlife arenas, providing our guests with a ringside seat to the ‘greatest wildlife show on earth’, the legendary migration of the wildebeest.
Styled to echo the circular motif of a traditional Maasai manyatta, our Masai Mara safari lodge blends international sophistication with raw African beauty and with its own view of the famous Mara River. The central bar and dining areas enjoy spectacular views, as does the rock-surround swimming pool.
Mara Leisure Camp (luxury)
Mara Leisure Camp promises you a unique safari adventure, including daily safari drives with our experienced local Masai guides, as well as educational outings and visits to several community development projects within the Talek area. For the discerning palate, we have expert chefs who prepare delicious cuisine.
As dusk rolls in, enjoy romantic evenings while you watch the sunset over the plains, or get cozy by the fireplace while enjoying a sundowner. At night, listen to the unique sounds of nightfall in the African wilderness while you tip your head back and become mesmerized by the star-studded, velvet skies above.
Amani Mara Camp (mid-range)
Amani Mara takes your African expedition to a surreal world of existence amongst the most elegant and glorious creatures in the heart of Africa, the Maasai Mara. Strategically perched, this beautiful haven promises you spectacular views of the diverse game from the herds of wildebeests and zebras to the roaring pride of lions and the cheetahs.
Maasai Mara offers one of the world’s most spectacular natural events, “The Annual Migration” an experience of a lifetime to capture the stunning images of the wildlife in its full glory displaying ‘survival of the fittest’ phenomenon.
Be a part of this journey into the wilderness with its beautiful savannah, abundant wildlife and create your bond with nature.
Mara Ngenche Safari Camp (Luxury)
The 10 Spacious well-appointed tents are en-suite and decorated with an amazing fusion of modern African decor with old world charm. Each tent is partially enclosed in its own “Boma”, has a large four poster king size bed or two queen size beds, offers wonderful view on the River and is equipped with a large bath tub and outside shower. Mara Ngenche Safari Camp is unfenced and is designed to allow the exciting movement of animals through the grounds offering an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere for experiencing the full adventure of the African bush. In addition each tent has its own private plunge pool.
Ashnil Mara (semi-luxury)
Ashnil Mara Camp, with 50 luxury tents, is located in the Masai Mara National Reserve and close to the Mara River, famous for the great wildebeest migration in Maasai mara national reserve.
Our luxury Masai Mara Camp is arguably in one of the very best positions in the Masai Mara for game viewing and also provides the perfect setting to sit and relax at the end of a exciting day of game drives. The Ashnil Mara Camp is a 4 – 5 hour drive from Nairobi or there are daily scheduled flights from Nairobi to the Masai Mara which take just 45 mins. You may also fly from the Mombasa Coast to our luxury tented camp in just 2 hrs.
Fisi Camp (budget)
Fisi Camp is a small, family run tented campsite, offering budget camping but with the luxury of en-suite facilities, including flush toilets, hot water for the shower and electricity. All tents have a 6ft verandah where you can relax with a sundowner before taking dinner.
Nairobi
Wildebeest Eco Camp (Mid-range)
Make your stay in Nairobi memorable by staying in Nairobi city’s best permanent tented camp. The friendly, home-like hospitality is what has made Wildebeest Camp Nairobi’s best accommodation choice for travellers and a unique choice from a city hotel.
The beautifully-appointed deluxe safari tents and other comfortable accommodation will be a welcome place to stay before and after your safari. You can enjoy the peaceful tropical gardens, which are home to hundreds of varieties of plants and birds, while still being close to shops, markets, cinemas, banks, Nairobi National Park and transport links.
One-Forty-eight (luxury)
Located in the peaceful suburb of Langata, bordering the Giraffe Sanctuary, this beautiful little gem with just 8 rooms will provide the business or safari traveller with an ideal location to rest and relax in tranquil surroundings of the beautiful ca.
The location itself is completely unique with warthog, parrots, peacocks and monkeys freely coming and going through the garden. Often lions and hyenas can be heard from the proximity of the incredible Nairobi National Park – the only major city in the world to share spaces with wildlife.
Karen Country Lodge (luxury)
Set in green and tranquil avenues, Karen Country Lodge offers wining & dining in a myriad of ambient settings. Previously a country bungalow which retains its essential character despite a contemporary decor.
Open daily, our internationally trained chefs create exceptional menus from around the globe for Firefinch Restaurant. At the end of a busy day, unwind amidst the warm chatter in Ostrich Bar. Traditional Sunday roasts and brunch. Pub grub night every Monday. Friday is steak night. For a change of pace Silverbill Lounge presents cocktails, live bands, music and dancing each week.
Hotel Rudi (mid-range)
Fifteen exquisite, unique, fully furnished and spacious suites in a private villa with a beautiful garden. Experience peace and quiet as you take in fresh air from our serene, convenient location in Karen near the Karen Country Club and also the renowned Karen Blixen Museum
Amboseli National Park
Kibo Safari camp (semi-luxury)
Kibo Safari Camp has 73 self-contained tents for single, double, triple and family accommodation. The beds have been custom designed and locally made using bush logs and will ensure a good night’s sleep! All tents have flush toilets, showers, and wash basins. You can enjoy your shower as you like: bubbling hot or refreshing cold. For the duration of your stay in the African bush, Kibo Safari Camp will be your home away from home!
Tortilis Camp of Elewana (luxury)
With the majestic backdrop of Africa’s highest mountain, and the world’s highest free-standing mountain, Tortilis Camp is widely regarded as the prime location for witnessing the majesty of snow-capped Kilimanjaro. Tortilis Camp is named after the flat-topped, umbrella thorn tree that surrounds the camp, the Acacia Tortilis.
The tents are all spacious, with king or twin beds and elegant en suite bathrooms. There is a main lounge, bar and dining area, all exquisitely built with natural materials and thatched roofs, with magnificent views of Kilimanjaro.
Ol Tukai Lodge (luxury)
Ol Tukai has one of the best spots in Amboseli, backed by Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, and surrounded by open plains in some of the finest elephant-watching country in the world.
Monkeys and baboons roam the grounds, and the dining room and garden terrace are just metres from the elephants, zebra and antelope that stalk the boundary. The two-storey open-air Elephant Bar is an excellent spot for cocktails; head to the upper deck level to soak up the views of the marshlands and Kilimanjaro. The lodge also has an extensive African art collection dotted throughout, and a walkway leads to a large pool surrounded by sun loungers.
The chalet-style rooms all boast wonderful views of the wetlands or of Kilimanjaro itself. All are constructed from locally-sourced materials including gum tree, river stone and slate, and have their own private terrace. Two of the rooms have been specifically designed to accommodate disabled guests.
Sentrim Amboseli lodge (mid-range)
Sentrim Amboseli is located at the border of Amboseli National Park right next to Kimana gate. Indulge in our excellent services and relax in our luxury tents which spread out across the plains and offer fantastic views of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge (semi-luxury)
Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge was created for adventurers with an African dream. With Mount Kilimanjaro soaring majestically just beyond the golden, acacia-specked savannah, the safari lodge offers a graceful blend of stark beauty and lavish comfort in the heart of Kenya’s Amboseli National Park.
Nestled in an acacia grove by a gentle mountain spring, our hotel, comprising a Maasai-inspired design, a garden restaurant and a palm-shaded swimming pool and sundeck, provides uninterrupted views of Mount Kilimanjaro and the surrounding landscape. In every detail, the ambience captures the essence of Maasai culture, warmth and indomitable spirit. The setting our Amboseli safari lodge is breathtakingly beautiful, the wildlife abundant and the cuisine, hospitality and amenities unrivalled.
Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge (semi-luxury)
Set in one hundred and fifty acres of grassland studded with Acacia bushes and trees, the resort is not only home to our resident giraffe, waterbuck and both Vervet and Colobus monkeys, but it is also a night stop for the hippos when they leave the lake every night to come and trim the grass on our expansive lawns. It is also why you might well ask just why our two swimming pools with a children’s section and a pool complex with its bar, snack kitchen, pizzeria and health spa; our tennis court; our two conference halls with their four differently sized meeting areas, and our stables are so widely set apart.
Enashipai Resort & Spa (luxury)
This luxury resort is located in Naivasha. All the rooms are indulgently spacious and comfortable offering sweeping views of the surrounding hills or the lush tropical gardens spilling over their banks. The villa executive rooms offer the ultimate flexibility in guest accommodation. Located amidst richly landscaped gardens overflowing their banks. These rooms also feature a luxurious lounge, a fully equipped kitchenette and an extra TV in the living room.
Kiboko Luxury Camp (luxury)
The first Luxury camp which is situated at the shores of Lake Naivasha with a spectacular view of the Lake with only 8 luxury tents. The Luxury camp is a truly relaxing and fulfilling one stop destination, ideal for romantic honeymoon and enthusiastic travelers alike, Experience rich African Luxury in total decadence.
Ajabu House (luxury)
Ajabu house, on Loldia Farm, is located on the Western side of the Gilgil and Malewa delta of Lake Naivasha.
‘Ajabu’ means “a miracle” in Kiswahili, which aptly describes the ambiance and history of the house located amongst the fig trees, at 6,000 ft.
‘Siriane’ means peace which we guarantee you will find in this guesthouse nestled among the fig trees. This was initially constructed by Italian Prisoners of War during the mid1930’s. There are 2 spacious rooms each with en-suite bathrooms, with views across the lake and its unique delta, plus exceptional views of Mount Longonot. One room is a double room and the other can be a double or a twin.
Nanyuki
Le Rustique Hotel (mid-range)
Located in a Zen garden atmosphere in the quiet suburbs and slopes of Mt. Kenya, Le Rustique Luxury Cottages offer you a luxurious stay within a reasonable budget. The spacious rooms are well equipped for Business professionals, lone travelers, couples and families alike.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Kicheche Laikipia Camp (luxury)
An eco-award-winning small luxurious tented camp nestled in the shadows of Mount Kenya at the foot of an indigenous forest overlooking a waterhole. The camp’s squeaky green safari chic marries beautifully and sensitively with the natural highs of her surrounds in the wilderness zone of Ol Pejeta.
Sweetwaters Serena Camp (luxury)
A sheltered oasis, clustered around a water hole and set in the pristine calm of the private Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Sweetwaters Serena Camp offers a charming blend of under-canvas ambiance and Kenyan safari luxury.
Located on the plains of Mount Kenya, the camp features thirty-nine luxury tents, each with its own private veranda overlooking the water hole. The central Rhino Restaurant is housed in the former manager’s house of this once colonial farm, and offers both regional and international cuisine. Also within the house is the Kashoggi Bar and lounge, which centres on a blazing log fire. The Waterhole Bar, built in the style of a game-viewing hide, overlooks the waterhole and offers unrivalled wildlife-watching.
Kicheche Wild Camping (luxury)
Wild camping is a perfect way to enjoy the wild in a timeless fashion. Man has been walking these plains for millennia. While on foot you can gather a true understanding of the bush as there is nothing to detach you from nature, our guides explain your surroundings from the smallest of signs to the largest land mammals.
Cooking under the stars is a bonding experience with the guides. It gives the adventurous safari-goer a sense of togetherness and makes one realizes how the simplest things such as watching the sky, are forgotten in our modern world.
Lake Nakuru National Kark
The Cliff (luxury)
Each tent is built on solid foundations at the edge of the cliff, and faces the lake, allowing guests 180 degree views of the panoramic paradise, yet maintaining privacy. Not wanting to waste the view, the tent is spacious and the freestanding bath looks outwards. While the exterior environment at The Cliff is pure Africa, the room interiors combine organic chic with international design to create the understated style of a modern boutique hotel.
Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge (luxury)
Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge is nestled along the Lion Hill overlooking the spectacular flamingo pink rimmed Lake Nakuru. Its location affords panoramic views of the lake and the picturesque Lake Nakuru National Park. A short two-hour drive from Nairobi, Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge is a favourite with residents and visitors to Kenya.
Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge is cleverly laid out in such a way that most rooms and sitting areas afford stunning views of the lake and the park. The Lodge incorporates natural landscaping with tall acacia trees, winding walkways and greens dotted with bird feeds.
Flamingo Hill tented camp (semi-luxury)
The Flamingo Hill Camp is situated within the famous Lake Nakuru National Park, which lies within the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. Refresh yourself by taking a dip in the clear waters of our pool and unwind!
Small and exclusive, comprising 25 tents. The tents are furnished with the understated luxury required by the modern traveler. Decorated in calming safari tones, natural woods, wrought iron and crisp cottons each tent has been meticulously planned to maximise comfort. The Camp has an elegant boutique stocked with African handicrafts from all over the Country and beyond.
Ziwa Bush Lodge (mid-range)
Ziwa Bush Lodge is perfectly situated in the naturally beautiful surroundings of Nakuru, Kenya. Assembled in among the African trees, the owners Ralph, Ben and May worked to ensure the lodge would not disrupt the environment. It offers a luxurious place to stay in a very neat, traditionally built lodge situated on the edge of a pond where trees are in abundance as well as the bird life.
The dining at Ziwa Bush Lodge offers a comfortable seating area where you may sip on a cool drink alongside the upper level of fine dining where you may place your order from a carefully prepared menu tailored to suit all tastes. The dining also offers you an outdoor dining where you may enjoy your cuisine overhanging the magnificent waters.
Samburu National Reserve
Samburu Sopa Lodge (semi-luxury)
Located inside the Samburu National Reserve in Northern Kenya, Samburu Sopa lodge is built atop high ground allowing panaromic views of the vastness of Samburu shrub land and the hills beyond.
The lodge is built to reflect the architectural heritage of the local communities whose sons and daughters make up the majority of the work force at the lodge. Fifteen cottages, each with two bedrooms are built in an arch formation on either side of the public areas to surround the waterhole but leaving a wide gap to allow the animals free movement to the water.
Samburu Intrepids (luxury)
Samburu Intrepids is a lush oasis on the banks of the great Uaso Nyiro River in Samburu Game Reserve. The tented luxury camp is a delight to be in – deliciously cooled by the river breeze and the forest. The camp sits on raised decks overlooking the brown river where the elephants sometimes make an appearance or the crocodiles come out to lounge by the river’s banks.
Elephant Bedroom (luxury)
The surrounding Samburu National Reserve is an area of spectacular scenery; its dry plains bisected by the meandering river, with the backdrop of Africa’s dramatic mountains, including Mt Kenya. The spacious tents have rustic and colourful African touches, offering all the comforts; including a private plunge pool on the deck, hot and cold running water, electricity (and complimentary herbal shower and bath products.)
The lounge and dining area is decorated with vibrant safari style, its soft intimate lighting assuring that this is the ultimate place to relax in between exciting game drives. Elephant, Monkeys, Impalas are amongst the camp’s many regular wild visitors, whilst Samburu National Reserve has a good number of lions and leopards and offers the opportunity to see many species endemic to northern Kenya.
Elephant Watch Camp (luxury)
Elephant Watch is the ultimate in eco-luxury and an unrivalled wildlife experience, thanks to our long links to pioneering elephant conservation in Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve. Here, your dreams of an African adventure without compromise come true. Spend magical days among wild animals with our charming professional guides and meet leading conservationists in the field. Return to camp to immerse yourself in a luxury that is highly sensitive to the environment’s fragility. Let the commotions of modern life dissolve as your soul is soothed by its reconnection with nature.
Kisumu
Jambo Impala Eco Lodge (semi-luxury)
Impala Eco Lodge is nestled on the shores of Lake Victoria, within the lush grounds and protected ecosystem of the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary. Built to minimize ecological impact and to maximize your comfort, this is the perfect base for exploring Kenya’s Western Circuit and the many activities offered by the lake.
Within easy reach of major air, road and rail networks, Impala Eco Lodge is reassuringly secluded from the madding crowd, making it the perfect getaway.
Tsavo East NP
Sentrim Tsavo East camp (mid-range)
Sentrim Tsavo East is located in Tsavo East National Park. The camp has the atmosphere of the pioneer camps of long ago while providing the luxurious experience of a permanent camp with modern amenities.
Ashnil Aruba Lodge (mid-range)
Ashnil Aruba Lodge lies in the heart of Tsavo East National Park in Kenya. The Lodge features 46 rooms and 6 tents. Its location is superb, just a couple of hours from the coast of Mombasa, 5 hours leisurely drive from Nairobi and is located on the banks of Aruba Dam which was built in 1952 as a sport fishing recreational point in the park. Several watering holes nearby attract wildlife and spotting animals is easy because the park lies flat with savannah grassland.
Lumo Conservancy & Taita Hills
Lion Bluff Lodge (mid-range)
Secluded and exclusive, Lions Bluff is suspended above an ancient elephant migratory corridor, with stunning panoramic views extending across the Lumo Community Sanctuary and the Tsavo eco-system to the majestic Mt Kilimanjaro.
Lions Bluff Lodge has three types of rooms all taking advantage of the incredible vista stretching over the grass plains of the Lumo Conservancy. Eleven of the rooms are built out from the hill on wooden stilts, with wooden floors, canvas walls and traditional coconut palm thatch roofs, one is built in the same style but with ferrous cement walls and private canvas walled verandah.
Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge (semi-luxury)
For decades Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge has been one of Kenya’s flagship lodges, famed for being among the World’s Most Photographed Lodges. A favourite amongst travellers in search of luxury accommodation, Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge is a luxurious safari escape set in the heart of the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary overlooking a waterhole and the vast Tsavo plains.
Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge’s charm is evident from the outset. Here you will savour uncompromising high standards of service, efficiency and personalized attention.