Where to Stay in the Masai Mara: Lodges, Tented Camps or Budget

Entice Africa October 26, 2026Luxury Safari & Accommodation

Where to stay in the Masai Mara comes down to four settings: a lodge or tented camp inside the national reserve, a camp in a conservancy on land leased from local landowners, one of the two places to sleep in the Mara Triangle, or a budget camp outside the gates. Each setting changes what you can do (only conservancies allow night drives and walking safaris), how many vehicles share a sighting and what you pay. This page sits inside our Masai Mara safari guide.

You have plenty of choice. The Mara had fewer than 10 lodges in the late 1970s, 140 in 2008 and nearly 200 in 2016, so almost every budget and style is covered. The short answer: pick a conservancy camp for fewer vehicles, night drives and walks; pick a camp in or beside the reserve to be close to its main game-drive tracks; pick a camp outside the gate to keep costs down. If you are short on time, our 3-Day Maasai Mara Roar & Roam Safari shows you one of these settings in a few days.

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Masai Mara accommodation at a glance

The four places to stay, compared

Tiers here are a directory’s grouping, not Entice’s rating, and directories disagree. Ashnil Mara Camp is luxury on one and upper mid-range on another, so treat tiers as a guide only.

Lodges, tented camps and mobile camps: what the terms mean

Permanent lodges are the larger buildings with many rooms. Keekorok Lodge, Mara Simba Lodge and Mara Serena Safari Lodge are all listed as large lodges, without a tier.

Tented camps make up most of the other listings, from Sekenani Camp to &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp. A tent can be simple or very high-end, so the word tells you little about comfort. Look at the tier and ask what the tents include.

Mobile or seasonal camps are rare. The only one on the directory pages we read is Kicheche Walking Wilderness (also listed as Kicheche Fly Camp) in Naboisho Conservancy, a temporary dome-tent camp. No page gives opening months for any camp, so ask for current dates before building a trip around a seasonal camp.

Inside the national reserve and the Mara Triangle

In the reserve, wildlife viewing runs from sunrise to sunset on marked tracks. There is no off-road driving, no night driving and no walking safaris. That suits first-timers who want a classic game drive, and directories place Mara Intrepids and Ashnil Mara Camp in the reserve.

The Mara Triangle

The Triangle is part of the reserve run by the Mara Conservancy, with Oloololo as its gate. Do not confuse that body with the private conservancies below. By the Conservancy’s own page, only two places to stay sit inside it, Mara Serena Safari Lodge and Little Governors’ Camp. Both pay, and their guests pay, a park fee towards the Triangle’s conservation. Vehicles are limited to five per sighting.

Other camps are described as near the Oloololo Gate side, including &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp, Kilima Camp and Mara River Camp. That is not the same as being inside the Triangle, so ask us exactly where a camp sits.

Conservancies: fewer vehicles, night drives and walks

The Mara Conservancies association lists 22 conservancies or conservation areas across the wider Mara and nearby. Landowners lease their land for tourism and receive a lease fee or a share of profits. Self-driving is not permitted, and only guests at member camps may game drive there.

What you gain is room. Conservancies typically allow one tent for every 350 to 700 hectares, and they offer night drives and walking safaris, which are led by an armed ranger. Mara North Conservancy’s own etiquette page allows no more than 5 cars at a sighting and gives each vehicle 10 minutes before it makes way. Night drives there use designated areas and end by 10 pm. Some conservancies let Maasai herders graze cattle, so you may see cattle among the wildlife.

• Olare Motorogi: Mahali Mzuri (luxury), Mara Plains Camp, Porini Lion Camp.
• Mara North: Kicheche Mara Camp and Saruni Mara (both luxury), Offbeat Mara, Serian – The Original. The conservancy has 12 tourism partner members, 10 of them permanent camps.
• Ol Kinyei: Porini Mara Camp (luxury), Porini Cheetah Camp.
• Naboisho: Naboisho Camp, Hemingways Ol Seki Mara, Saruni Eagle View.

For the full list and what to expect, see our guide to Masai Mara conservancy camps. For the top end, read our luxury Masai Mara safari guide.

Outside the gates and budget camps

A directory notes that almost all budget properties sit outside the main reserve boundary. Camps outside both the reserve and the conservancies also carry no extra bed levy, according to another. The trade-off is a daily drive in through the gate, so choose by gate.

• Near Sekenani Gate: Tayari Luxury Camp, AA Lodge Mara and Sekenani Camp (mid-range); Semadep Mara Camp (budget).
• Near Talek Gate: Zebra Plains Camp and Mara Siligi Camp (mid-range); Greenwood Safari Camp, five minutes from the gate, and Crocodile Camp (budget).
• Near Ololaimutiek Gate: Enchoro Wildlife Camp, next to the gate and a lake.

Some budget options sit far from the gates. Osim Country Lodge is 17 km after Narok and about 70 km from the main gates, roughly 2 hours by road. Maji Moto Eco Camp also needs an early start. For a local touch, Maasai Village & Safari near Sekenani is a homestay in a local Maasai’s house, and Mama Safi Guest House near Sekenani Gate is a guest house, not a campsite. Our guide to budget camps in the Masai Mara goes further, and mid-range tented camps cover the step up.

What each option costs, relatively

For whole trips, our from-prices are for a midrange option in low season with two people sharing. The 3-day Maasai Mara safari starts from USD 1,420 per person, the 7-day migration safari from USD 4,500 and the 6-day fly-in safari from USD 4,043. Prices depend on season, group size and lodge choice.

Which stay suits which traveller

• First safari, limited time: a reserve camp or a camp near a gate. Our 6-Day Fly-In Big Five Safari – Amboseli & Mara adds a second park.
• Families: directories describe Offbeat Mara, Saruni Leopard Hill, Hemingways Ol Seki Mara (two-bedroom family unit), House in the Wild, Entumoto (Entumoto Toto section), Aruba Mara Camp & Safaris (very large tents) and Maji Moto Eco Camp as suited to families. Basecamp Mara Houses has exclusive-use villas. Age limits vary by camp, so ask us before you choose.
• Couples and small groups: Offbeat Ndoto and Mara Toto Tree Camp are described that way.
• Walks and night drives: a conservancy camp, because the reserve does not allow either.
• Tight budget: a camp outside the gates, with a daily drive in.

Check before you book

• A directory listing is not availability. Camps open, close and change tier, so ask us to confirm a camp is open before you plan around it.
• Areas are disputed too. Kicheche Bush Camp is placed near Talek Gate by one directory and in Olare Motorogi Conservancy by another. Mara Nyika is near Talek Gate on one and in Naboisho on another.
• Ask what the rate includes: drives, transfers and any park or conservancy charge.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to stay in the Masai Mara?

It depends on what you want. A conservancy camp gives fewer vehicles, night drives and walks. A camp in or beside the reserve puts you near its classic game-drive tracks. A camp outside the gate costs less. Tell us your dates and budget and a planner will suggest a camp.

Is it better to stay inside the reserve or in a conservancy?

Neither is better for everyone. The reserve is the classic setting, with game drives on marked tracks. Conservancies add night drives, walking safaris and fewer vehicles at a sighting, and most camps that directories rate there are luxury.

Can I do night drives and walking safaris?

Only in conservancies. The national reserve does not allow night drives, off-road driving or walking safaris, so choose a conservancy camp if you want them.

Are there cheaper places to stay near the Masai Mara?

Yes. Almost all budget properties sit outside the main reserve boundary, many near the Sekenani, Talek and Ololaimutiek gates. One guide’s bands run from under USD 20 to USD 130 per night for two people. Treat those as indicative and confirm current rates.

Which camps suit families?

Directories describe Offbeat Mara, Saruni Leopard Hill, Basecamp Mara Houses, Hemingways Ol Seki Mara, House in the Wild, Entumoto, Aruba Mara Camp & Safaris and Maji Moto Eco Camp as suited to families. Age limits vary by camp, so ask us before you book.

Where can I stay inside the Mara Triangle?

The Mara Conservancy’s own page lists two: Mara Serena Safari Lodge and Little Governors’ Camp. Other camps near the Oloololo Gate side are close to the Triangle but are not listed as inside it.

How much does a Masai Mara safari cost with Entice?

Our 3-day Maasai Mara safari starts from USD 1,420 per person and the 7-day migration safari from USD 4,500. These are midrange, low-season prices for two sharing. Final prices depend on season, group size and lodge choice, and the quote itemises the camp.