Saruni Mara: The 2027 Guide
Saruni Mara at a glance
Saruni Mara is a small stone and thatch lodge in the north of the Mara North Conservancy, with five cottages and two villas for up to 18 guests. Expect fireplaces, Italian food, a Maasai spa, night drives and walks, but no pool. Rates start from about USD 500 per person a night.
Saruni Mara is not a tented camp. It is a permanent lodge built of stone, thatch and timber on a wooded, south-facing hillside in the far north of the Mara North Conservancy. There are five cottages and two villas, with fireplaces, Persian rugs and themed decor that make it feel more like a mountain retreat than a safari camp. At full capacity the lodge holds about 18 guests, which makes it one of the smallest lodges in the Mara.
A Lodge, Not A Camp, And The Difference Matters
Most Mara properties are tented camps, with canvas walls and the sounds of the bush coming through at night. Saruni Mara is built solid. The cottages have stone foundations, thatched roofs and real walls. There is a fireplace in every room that gets lit on cold evenings, and the library has a private collection of rare African books that you can actually sit and read between drives.
The lodge was started by a group of Italian friends who wanted to protect the area and support the local Maasai community. That Italian influence runs through everything, from the food to the design to the atmosphere, which is warm and informal but never rough.
Feature | Saruni Mara | Typical Mara tented camp |
Building | Stone, thatch and timber | Canvas on platforms |
Size | 5 cottages and 2 villas, about 18 guests | Usually 10 to 25 tents |
Evenings | Fireplace in every room | Hot water bottles |
Feel | Mountain retreat with Italian touches | Classic bush camp |
The Cottages Have Fireplaces, Open Showers And No AC
Each cottage has its own theme, with different fabrics, art and furniture. The rooms mix African textiles with Persian rugs and colonial antiques, and they feel collected over years rather than designed in one go. The front canvas panel opens to make an outdoor shower facing the valley, and depending on the morning you might see elephants, giraffes or zebras from the water. I have had guests call me over mid-shower to point out a herd of elephants on the slope below.
There is no air conditioning. The hillside catches the breeze, and the altitude keeps nights cool enough that the staff tuck heating pads into the beds at turndown.
The family villa has two en-suite bedrooms, a lounge, a dining area and a veranda. The private villa, Nyati House, is booked on an exclusive-use basis with its own kitchen and living space, and works well for families or groups who want their own schedule.
Room | Sleeps | Best for |
Cottages | 2 | Couples |
Honeymoon Cottage | 2 | Honeymooners |
Family Cottage | 2 adults and 2 children | Small families |
Family Villa | Two en-suite bedrooms | Families who want more space |
Nyati House (private villa) | Two bedrooms, exclusive use | Groups and families who want privacy |
Italian Food, The Spa And The Warriors Academy
Italian Food, Railway-Sleeper Tables And Wine Included
Kuru House is where the lodge comes together. A long dining table made from old railway sleepers, a fireplace, armchairs, and the kind of atmosphere where strangers become friends over three nights, because there are only a handful of other guests to talk to. The food has a strong Italian thread, local and organic where possible, and house wines, beers and standard spirits are included in the rate. Premium labels cost extra. Meals move around: the dining room, the deck, a bush picnic, or a candlelit dinner on your veranda if you ask.
The Maasai Wellbeing Space Is Hidden In The Forest
Down in the olive and cedar forest below the lodge there is a private spa cottage that does not look like it belongs in the Mara. Trained Maasai therapists use local plants and traditional herbal knowledge alongside modern techniques. Every guest gets one neck and back massage included in the rate, and more treatments are available at extra cost.
The setting is what makes it different. You are in a forest, not beside a pool, and the walk down to the treatment cottage is part of the experience.
Warriors Academy, Night Drives And The Kileleoni Hike
The Warriors Academy is a Maasai-run programme that teaches animal tracking, spear throwing, tool-making and beadwork. It is built for children, but adults get drawn in too.
Game drives go out twice a day in open Land Rovers with Maasai guides who grew up on this land. Night drives and walking safaris are both possible because the lodge is in a conservancy rather than the reserve. The migration herds pass through from July to October. What most people do not know is that a second wildebeest movement from the Loita Hills arrives between December and May, so the conservancy has good numbers of animals even when the main herds are in Tanzania.
Saruni also offers a guided trek up Kileleoni, one of the highest points in the Mara. Most Mara camps sit on flat ground, so this is not something you can do elsewhere, and the views from the top stretch from the reserve boundary to the Loita Hills.
Activity | Included? | Good to know |
Game drives | Yes, twice a day | Open Land Rovers, Maasai guides |
Night drives and walks | Yes | Allowed in the conservancy, not in the reserve |
Spa | One massage included | More treatments at extra cost |
Warriors Academy | Yes | Built for children, fun for adults |
Kileleoni hike | Ask when booking | Views over the reserve and the Loita Hills |
It Is Remote And There Is No Pool
The lodge sits in the far north of the conservancy, about 40 minutes’ drive from the national reserve boundary. That distance is the price of the privacy and the quiet.
Getting to the Mara River crossings in migration season takes longer from here than from camps in the south of Mara North. On days you go into the reserve you also pay the park fee, USD 100 per adult a day from January to June and USD 200 from July to December, set by the Narok County Government. Do not buy tickets on the KWS eCitizen portal, as they are not valid at the Mara gates. We prepay them for you.
There is no swimming pool either. The spa, the fireplace, the veranda views and the library fill the hours between drives instead. If a pool matters to you, this is not the right lodge. But if you would rather read by a fire with a glass of wine and watch the valley change colour, there is nowhere better in the Mara.
The sister camp, Saruni Wild, is 40 minutes away and has only three tents. It is more rustic, under canvas, and feels completely different. Two nights at Saruni Mara and two at Saruni Wild give you a lodge and a real bush camp without leaving the conservancy.
Rates And What They Include
Saruni Mara rates run from about USD 500 to 900 per person a night, two sharing, depending on season and room. We confirm the exact 2027 figure when we quote.
Season | Per person per night, sharing | Notes |
Peak (July to October) | From about USD 900 | Migration and river crossings, book months ahead |
Shoulder (November to December) | From about USD 650 | Short rains, green plains, higher festive rates in late December |
Dry season (January to March) | From about USD 600 | Warm days, clear skies, the Loita herds arrive |
Green season (April to June) | From about USD 500 | Long rains in April and May, lowest rates, lush scenery for photography |
Included in the camp rate: full board, house wines, beers and standard spirits, game drives with Maasai guides, one spa massage per guest, the Warriors Academy and laundry.
Not included: the Mara North conservancy fee (USD 150 per adult a night, USD 75 per child aged 5 to 15), the Kenya eTA (USD 34), hot air balloon flights (USD 550), premium wines and spirits, spa treatments beyond the included massage, tips for the staff (USD 15 to 20 a day), and Narok County park fees on days you go into the main reserve (USD 100 a day from January to June, USD 200 from July to December). When you book a full flying or road package with us, the conservancy and park fees are worked out and paid in advance.
What Guests Want To Know
How Does The Remote Position Affect The Safari?
The northern end of Mara North is quieter and less visited than the south, so there are fewer vehicles at sightings. The wildlife is excellent all year, helped by the Loita herds from December to May. The main trade-off is the distance to the reserve for the river crossings, which matters most in August and September.
Is It Good For Families?
Yes. The family cottage and family villa have room for parents and children, and the Warriors Academy keeps children properly busy. Children of all ages are welcome, which is unusual for a lodge at this level.
How Do I Get Here?
Fly in. Flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport land at the Mara North area airstrips, and the transfer to the lodge takes about 45 minutes because of its northern position. Pack everything in a soft duffel, because hard cases do not fit in the small planes and the weight limit is 15 kg. Our flying packages page explains how it works.
How Long Should I Stay?
Three nights gives the right pace for the drives, a walk, the spa and the Warriors Academy. Add two nights at Saruni Wild if you want a bush camp too.
Plan Your Saruni Mara Safari
With only seven cottages and private villas, and room for about 18 guests, Saruni Mara fills up months ahead, especially during the migration from July to October and over the festive holidays. Tell us your dates, how many of you are travelling and what matters most to you. Our team at Sekenani will check availability with the lodge and send an itemised quote within 24 hours, with your flights, transfers and conservancy fees included.
- Email: [email protected]
- WhatsApp: +254 180 297 751
- Online booking: Get a Quote
Related Reading
- Mara North Conservancy
- Game drives in Masai Mara
- Walking safaris in Masai Mara
- The Maasai
- The migration
- Masai Mara safari cost
- First time safari Masai Mara
- Masai Mara camps
- Best time to visit Masai Mara
- Masai Mara map
Sources
Written by David Njunge, TRA-licensed safari guide with over 10 years in the Masai Mara. Edited by Cess Wambui, travel consultant, BSc Tourism and Hospitality Management. Verified for the 2027 season.
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