All You Need to Know About the Gift Shop
at Angama Mara
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Gift Shop review highlights
... game drive where we saw a rhino and her baby we hit the gift shop BIG and found some great well made products.....although...
... my legs. Additionally, we really enjoyed the map room and gift shop, only wish we had more time here to thoroughly enjoy the...
... as a large pool with an abundance of lounge chairs. The gift shop is certainly worth a visit curated with locally made...
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Reviews that mention gift shop
Write a reviewHow do I begin? Angama was built by a couple who ran "and Beyond" camps.....and that makes so much sense .....since this special spot is BEYOND any place I have seen in Kenya thus far. We have been traveling from the USA to Africa for over twenty years as a couple, with friends, and as a family and have stayed at some very memorable camps and lodges through out the continent. I have loved all of our trips and most of the places we have laid our heads at night; but Angama left us floating on air.
I arrived here after a two hour drive from a blessed place called Naretoi very north in the Mara. My husband and I had huge expectations for Angama since we had read so much good press about it; so we were a bit disappointed when we pulled in and were not exactly sure where to go . We had taken a wrong turn and ended up arriving at South Camp which was actually not opened at the time and there was not a soul in sight. Once our driver got sorted we came back around to North Camp and there we were greeted by a whole wonderful crew of people who took great care of us our entire stay.
The main dining area is outstanding and it is truly a delight to be so high in the sky overlooking all of the Mara.We had a lovely healthy and very fresh lunch just gazing out at the world BEYOND....and knew we were very lucky to be here. Every single staff person went out of their way to engage us in conversation and to make every minute of our stay that much better. We know Kenyans are friendly and hospitable ; but Angama takes this to a whole new level. Hats off to Bonface who was especially charming and served us most of our fantastic meals.
We usually rush out very quickly from other lodges, tents, or camps....never wanting to miss a single game drive; but at Angama I wished I had booked a couple of extra days to just sit and enjoy it. The lodge was almost empty when we visited and I am afraid that I might not like it nearly as much if it was fully booked which it definitely will be in July and August. It felt like our own large private home when we were there and I know that might not always be the case. I do think it would be a dream spot for kids since there is a great pool ....a beading room...lots of good food..and loads of land to take easy game walks.......but most importantly an exceptional staff!
The tents were wonderful as well......reminding me a bit of Faru Faru ......but all the better since you could walk out of your door to such an incredible modern glassed lodge. I just wish I had known how much I was going to enjoy waking up in my tent looking out to the horizon.....I definitely would have planned one morning to just do that. All the amenities in the room are almost perfect.....the shower looks out to the Mara and is the cleanest shower stall I have experienced in Kenya besides the Hemingway hotel ( and that does not have any view). The bed and linens were wonderful and it was nice not to have to struggle with netting; but both my husband and I would have preferred a clean starched duvet instead of the red blanket that already looked as if it might have seen better days. The only other issue was how close each tent was to the other.....really to close. It would be fine if you were on holiday surrounded by family and friends....but not so great if you have to hear some stranger right next to you.
Overall it is a sensational new spot and I know it will be a huge success. Our guide Wilson was as friendly and fun as can be and drove us all the way to the Sand River so we could see the beginnings of the migration. We saw more than our share of lions and elephants and about a half a million wildebeest as well. We would like to send a special thanks to Wilson....known to us as little tombo ....Big Tombo and I had a lot of laughs with him on our all day drive.
Our last night there we were tired from our all day excursion and we were going to just have dinner in our tent; but Wilson told us not to miss the bush barbecue. He was so enthusiastic about it that we decided to go...and we are so happy we did. I don't want to tell everything since it is always fun to be surprised; but I did love the bread on a stick and our table with guests from Mexico city and Nairobi had a fun upbeat conversation.
After our last morning game drive where we saw a rhino and her baby we hit the gift shop BIG and found some great well made products.....although I hope they stock up a bit more since there will be so many guests arriving in July.
My next visit....God willing ...I would like the fill the camp with some of my grandchildren and adult children and I will make sure to take a morning off to just enJOY my room with a view. May you have a superb season full of great sightings and new friendships.ASANTE SANA.
I arrived here after a two hour drive from a blessed place called Naretoi very north in the Mara. My husband and I had huge expectations for Angama since we had read so much good press about it; so we were a bit disappointed when we pulled in and were not exactly sure where to go . We had taken a wrong turn and ended up arriving at South Camp which was actually not opened at the time and there was not a soul in sight. Once our driver got sorted we came back around to North Camp and there we were greeted by a whole wonderful crew of people who took great care of us our entire stay.
The main dining area is outstanding and it is truly a delight to be so high in the sky overlooking all of the Mara.We had a lovely healthy and very fresh lunch just gazing out at the world BEYOND....and knew we were very lucky to be here. Every single staff person went out of their way to engage us in conversation and to make every minute of our stay that much better. We know Kenyans are friendly and hospitable ; but Angama takes this to a whole new level. Hats off to Bonface who was especially charming and served us most of our fantastic meals.
We usually rush out very quickly from other lodges, tents, or camps....never wanting to miss a single game drive; but at Angama I wished I had booked a couple of extra days to just sit and enjoy it. The lodge was almost empty when we visited and I am afraid that I might not like it nearly as much if it was fully booked which it definitely will be in July and August. It felt like our own large private home when we were there and I know that might not always be the case. I do think it would be a dream spot for kids since there is a great pool ....a beading room...lots of good food..and loads of land to take easy game walks.......but most importantly an exceptional staff!
The tents were wonderful as well......reminding me a bit of Faru Faru ......but all the better since you could walk out of your door to such an incredible modern glassed lodge. I just wish I had known how much I was going to enjoy waking up in my tent looking out to the horizon.....I definitely would have planned one morning to just do that. All the amenities in the room are almost perfect.....the shower looks out to the Mara and is the cleanest shower stall I have experienced in Kenya besides the Hemingway hotel ( and that does not have any view). The bed and linens were wonderful and it was nice not to have to struggle with netting; but both my husband and I would have preferred a clean starched duvet instead of the red blanket that already looked as if it might have seen better days. The only other issue was how close each tent was to the other.....really to close. It would be fine if you were on holiday surrounded by family and friends....but not so great if you have to hear some stranger right next to you.
Overall it is a sensational new spot and I know it will be a huge success. Our guide Wilson was as friendly and fun as can be and drove us all the way to the Sand River so we could see the beginnings of the migration. We saw more than our share of lions and elephants and about a half a million wildebeest as well. We would like to send a special thanks to Wilson....known to us as little tombo ....Big Tombo and I had a lot of laughs with him on our all day drive.
Our last night there we were tired from our all day excursion and we were going to just have dinner in our tent; but Wilson told us not to miss the bush barbecue. He was so enthusiastic about it that we decided to go...and we are so happy we did. I don't want to tell everything since it is always fun to be surprised; but I did love the bread on a stick and our table with guests from Mexico city and Nairobi had a fun upbeat conversation.
After our last morning game drive where we saw a rhino and her baby we hit the gift shop BIG and found some great well made products.....although I hope they stock up a bit more since there will be so many guests arriving in July.
My next visit....God willing ...I would like the fill the camp with some of my grandchildren and adult children and I will make sure to take a morning off to just enJOY my room with a view. May you have a superb season full of great sightings and new friendships.ASANTE SANA.
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Room Tip: I think every tent is the same; our only problem with our tent was the big tree that blocked some...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from NickyFitzKenya, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 24 Jun 2016
Wow - what an incredible review. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed, joyous and oh so complimentary review on our lodge. I am one half of the couple that built &Beyond from 3 camps to over 60 and even after all these years of taking care of guests my heart still skips a beat when I read that our guests have had the happiest of times. And I know that Bonface and Wilson are also delighted to be mentioned by name as two of the team that took special care of you. You mentioned that you may come back one day with more members of your family - we will all be waiting for you with arms open wide. Please be sure to tell your travel advisor that you would like a duvet next time around - we have them (with crisp covers!) in the housekeeping store. We will happily arrange that for you. I have also chatted to the team and we will brainstorm as to how to ensure our drive-in guests don't get lost coming into camp - thank you for that feedback. It is most helpful. Once again my heartfelt thanks for this fabulous review Warm regards Nicky Fitzgerald
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
Stayed at Angama Mara for one night and really enjoyed the stay. The view, oh what a view! Equally satisfying on the eyes from the dining area and the tented bedroom.
The dining options were delicious, especially the breakfast setup for me. We did hear the tree hyrax or other animals on the rooftop and windows during the night, definitely felt very close! 🤭 Though it felt a little scary especially with the heavy rains, it was a part of the experience. The heated bed was also a nice touch after a long game drive and a DARK / rainy walk back from dinner. We also enjoyed the view from both the pool and gym facility room. I took advantage of the treadmill and thoroughly enjoyed zoning out, while stretching my legs. Additionally, we really enjoyed the map room and gift shop, only wish we had more time here to thoroughly enjoy the amenities. We did the Shamba lunch and that was a really fun experience, touring the garden and then having lunch isolated from the main property, made for a really special touch.
The game drive was such an amazing experience with Johnnie, he took us to find elephants, a shy rhino and attempted to find a mama lion & cubs, but they were not active when we went. We got lucky with a double rainbow during our drive, which made the experience so much more magical. Johnnie also made sure that we made it back out the park and up the hill to Angama before the sky opened with heavy rains.
The dining options were delicious, especially the breakfast setup for me. We did hear the tree hyrax or other animals on the rooftop and windows during the night, definitely felt very close! 🤭 Though it felt a little scary especially with the heavy rains, it was a part of the experience. The heated bed was also a nice touch after a long game drive and a DARK / rainy walk back from dinner. We also enjoyed the view from both the pool and gym facility room. I took advantage of the treadmill and thoroughly enjoyed zoning out, while stretching my legs. Additionally, we really enjoyed the map room and gift shop, only wish we had more time here to thoroughly enjoy the amenities. We did the Shamba lunch and that was a really fun experience, touring the garden and then having lunch isolated from the main property, made for a really special touch.
The game drive was such an amazing experience with Johnnie, he took us to find elephants, a shy rhino and attempted to find a mama lion & cubs, but they were not active when we went. We got lucky with a double rainbow during our drive, which made the experience so much more magical. Johnnie also made sure that we made it back out the park and up the hill to Angama before the sky opened with heavy rains.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kate Boyd, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 26 Feb 2024
Thank you @Ceo426 for this wonderful review! Reading all that you experienced, I can hardly believe you only spent one night with us... you certainly packed it in. We hope to welcome you back to Angama Mara one day in the future so that you can do it all again, at a much gentler pace! Karibu sana.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I have to chuckle to myself at the fact that they call these places tented camps. Angama Mara is set on an escarpment roughly 1,100 feet above the Masi Mara. From that perch you can see 180 degrees for miles and miles and miles.…..which we did at breakfast, lunch, sunset, and a couple more hours each day. Both our room (aka tent) and the common areas had similar vistas. There is no other place in the Masi Mara that has this vantage and if the food and lodging offering were just average I would still go there. The cherry on top is the fact that the food, lodging, guides and butlers could not have done anything to make this camp any better.
Angama Mara is not even a year old and is receiving stellar reviews (just Google it) as both an architectural phenomenon as well as a one of the best lodges in Africa. I suggest you go here before the lineup is twice around the block. I toured the entire property so feel free to drop a line if you have specific questions. The lodge is the brainchild of Nicky and Steve Fitzgerald who are hands on owner managers. They brought with them over 25+ years of experience managing properties in East Africa as well as hand picking the best staff from their years of experience in the region. We joked with one another about this property being the “Faena” (very trendy upscale Miami/Buenos Aires hotel) of East Africa. The contemporary artsy décor incorporates a lot of steel, glass and more modern design along with some traditional African furnishings. The tents are large and as mentioned all have expansive views onto the Masi Mara. We had game in sight of our front porch every morning which you could watch from the open style shower or large stand-alone tub overlooking the park. The room is very sunny and airy with a front porch with rocking chairs and dining table. The towels and linens are simply the best money can buy.
The hotel has a small gym with cardio machines opening to the view as well as a large pool with an abundance of lounge chairs. The gift shop is certainly worth a visit curated with locally made products and adjacent to the gift shop is a beading center where local Masi “Mammas” ladies make various jewelry pieces. Many guests, including my 8 year old son, make their own bracelets and necklaces. In fact the center served as a frequent babysitting depot as my son would spend two hours at a time making gifts.
Our butler (who took care of all our meals) Bonface was a seasoned host. By the first day he knew how we liked our coffee, not to offer unending treats to our son, and that every meal started with 2 forks, 2 knives, a bread knife and spoon. I think they measured the table set up the way the butlers do it on Downton Abbey. All the meals had a rotating menu with 3 starters and 3 or 4 entrees to choose from. Saying that there were a couple occasions where we had off the menu requests and they did a marvelous job of accommodating us. They pour very nice wines and the bar has all the basics. Food and beverage is excellent. What a bonus when you are staring off a cliff at the Masi Mara Triangle.
By the time we arrived at Angama Mara we had already been to two other lodges and seen a lot of game. As a result, while at Angama we did only one game drive per day and sprinkled in a few other activities and simply enjoyed our surroundings at Angama Mara. The game is very plentiful and our guide Geoffrey was able to describe everything about the animals we saw. We saw a lot of game every day and learned a lot about the migration (which takes place there starting in June) even though we did not see it. I would have to mention that the one downside of this property is that because the game viewing is done in the National Game Park the guides must keep their vehicles on the dirt paths and are unable to drive “off road” for closer game viewing and animal tracking. I would certainly recommend incorporating this property with a visit to one or possibly two other lodges for a variety of game experiences. Again, feel free to contact me with questions on this subject as I did a lot of research. We also did a 5 mile walk (2 hours) with a local Masi Warrior one morning. We learned about a lot of birds and smaller animals as well as all the various uses for the various plants. Some are medicines, some are insect repellents, some are poisonous, some are perfumes and some are used as toilet paper. We learned a small handbook worth of knowledge on animal tracks and droppings. My whole family can now tell both the sex and rough age of a giraffe’s droppings. During the course of our walk we met a number of school aged children tending to cattle, sheep and goat herds. The Masi children are very charming.
As a separate outing we did a tour of a local Masi Village which was led by the son of the village chief. We learned how they ate, raised livestock, the marriage process, and their customs and were invited into their homes. I would recommend the tour as it is a look into a culture that is living a lifestyle relatively similar to their ancestors 3 generations ago and may not remain that way for another few generations. They are very accustomed to tourists and derived a proportion of their budget from tourist tours and selling trinkets. It takes an hour and a half or so and is certainly worth experiencing one morning.
We traveled to Angama in low season which is supposedly the rainy season although the only rain we experienced was a middle of the night rain on our last night. From the escarpment we could see rain showers but they are 20 – 30 minute episodes that roll through followed by full on sun. And in the evenings we were treated to lighting shows in the distance. Despite missing the migration I would recommend an off season visit as the weather is great and the crowds are considerably lessened not to mention the room rates in all of East Africa would be meaningfully discounted as well. Don’t let the label “rainy season on the Mara” keep you away, if I go back I would probably choose the same month.
Angama Mara is not even a year old and is receiving stellar reviews (just Google it) as both an architectural phenomenon as well as a one of the best lodges in Africa. I suggest you go here before the lineup is twice around the block. I toured the entire property so feel free to drop a line if you have specific questions. The lodge is the brainchild of Nicky and Steve Fitzgerald who are hands on owner managers. They brought with them over 25+ years of experience managing properties in East Africa as well as hand picking the best staff from their years of experience in the region. We joked with one another about this property being the “Faena” (very trendy upscale Miami/Buenos Aires hotel) of East Africa. The contemporary artsy décor incorporates a lot of steel, glass and more modern design along with some traditional African furnishings. The tents are large and as mentioned all have expansive views onto the Masi Mara. We had game in sight of our front porch every morning which you could watch from the open style shower or large stand-alone tub overlooking the park. The room is very sunny and airy with a front porch with rocking chairs and dining table. The towels and linens are simply the best money can buy.
The hotel has a small gym with cardio machines opening to the view as well as a large pool with an abundance of lounge chairs. The gift shop is certainly worth a visit curated with locally made products and adjacent to the gift shop is a beading center where local Masi “Mammas” ladies make various jewelry pieces. Many guests, including my 8 year old son, make their own bracelets and necklaces. In fact the center served as a frequent babysitting depot as my son would spend two hours at a time making gifts.
Our butler (who took care of all our meals) Bonface was a seasoned host. By the first day he knew how we liked our coffee, not to offer unending treats to our son, and that every meal started with 2 forks, 2 knives, a bread knife and spoon. I think they measured the table set up the way the butlers do it on Downton Abbey. All the meals had a rotating menu with 3 starters and 3 or 4 entrees to choose from. Saying that there were a couple occasions where we had off the menu requests and they did a marvelous job of accommodating us. They pour very nice wines and the bar has all the basics. Food and beverage is excellent. What a bonus when you are staring off a cliff at the Masi Mara Triangle.
By the time we arrived at Angama Mara we had already been to two other lodges and seen a lot of game. As a result, while at Angama we did only one game drive per day and sprinkled in a few other activities and simply enjoyed our surroundings at Angama Mara. The game is very plentiful and our guide Geoffrey was able to describe everything about the animals we saw. We saw a lot of game every day and learned a lot about the migration (which takes place there starting in June) even though we did not see it. I would have to mention that the one downside of this property is that because the game viewing is done in the National Game Park the guides must keep their vehicles on the dirt paths and are unable to drive “off road” for closer game viewing and animal tracking. I would certainly recommend incorporating this property with a visit to one or possibly two other lodges for a variety of game experiences. Again, feel free to contact me with questions on this subject as I did a lot of research. We also did a 5 mile walk (2 hours) with a local Masi Warrior one morning. We learned about a lot of birds and smaller animals as well as all the various uses for the various plants. Some are medicines, some are insect repellents, some are poisonous, some are perfumes and some are used as toilet paper. We learned a small handbook worth of knowledge on animal tracks and droppings. My whole family can now tell both the sex and rough age of a giraffe’s droppings. During the course of our walk we met a number of school aged children tending to cattle, sheep and goat herds. The Masi children are very charming.
As a separate outing we did a tour of a local Masi Village which was led by the son of the village chief. We learned how they ate, raised livestock, the marriage process, and their customs and were invited into their homes. I would recommend the tour as it is a look into a culture that is living a lifestyle relatively similar to their ancestors 3 generations ago and may not remain that way for another few generations. They are very accustomed to tourists and derived a proportion of their budget from tourist tours and selling trinkets. It takes an hour and a half or so and is certainly worth experiencing one morning.
We traveled to Angama in low season which is supposedly the rainy season although the only rain we experienced was a middle of the night rain on our last night. From the escarpment we could see rain showers but they are 20 – 30 minute episodes that roll through followed by full on sun. And in the evenings we were treated to lighting shows in the distance. Despite missing the migration I would recommend an off season visit as the weather is great and the crowds are considerably lessened not to mention the room rates in all of East Africa would be meaningfully discounted as well. Don’t let the label “rainy season on the Mara” keep you away, if I go back I would probably choose the same month.
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Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from NickyFitzKenya, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 19 May 2016
Thank you for some of the most amazing feedback we have ever received about our lodge. Your eye for detail is unsurpassed - we loved the fact that you noticed every tiny touch that we have put in place to delight our guests. You even noticed the cutlery. We know that there is never one thing that makes a hotel great but the sum of many many tiny touches together with sweet service that enables us to score top marks. On that point, thank you for the kind words about Bonface and Geoffrey - our guests often ask us if they can take their butler and their guide home with them! We are lucky in Kenya to have such a magnificent team to take care of our guests. But the best feedback of all was how much you loved the Maasai Mara in April. As you know it is our low season because of the late afternoon thunder showers at this time of the year. Some people are scared off by this but as you experienced it is one of the loveliest times to be here - soft, green, fat happy animals by the hundreds, very few vehicles in the reserve and the best rates. On behalf of the Kenyan tourism industry thank you so much for recommending travelers to come during the off season - it makes such a difference environmentally. We look forward to welcoming you back one day soon Warmest thanks Nicky
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
When you first enter the Hotel, you are transported to an architectural masterpiece of triangles, cones and cubes…. But then you enter the main lodge, and the walls of endless glass, and your senses are overwhelmed. The plains thousands of feet below, are breathtaking… and continue to be… even after the 4th day.. we could not get over every moment of the endless beauty. The Villas are designed to maximize these views.. with one wall being solid glass… so from your bed, from your room, from your shower, you are at the top of the cliffs. Be sure to leave your glass doors open at night [screens protect] as you will hear the elephants, the hyenas, the Cape Buffalo… a symphony of nature. Up on the plateau itself there are and abundance of life, and our game drives, we saw more variety than we have ever seen [and we have been to Africa more than 20 times..].
Our room butler Serada, and our game driver, Kenneth, showed a kindness, a care, a sense of humor and a willingness to share that made us feel so welcome. Thank you both for your beautiful spirits and love. No request was too large or too small... William kept the room spotless and always freshly supplied.
The food was perfection, whether the Eggs Benedict for Breakfast, the home baked pastries, the flawless mixture of Indian and African spicing that was magic without being overwhelming to Western tastebuds…. The presentation and plating of each dish was beautiful… hats off to the chefs! We travel extensively to the Conde Nast top 100 [a bit of a hobby], so when we say this compares with the best food anywhere, we mean it.
Make sure to spend time in your villa [ don’t go on every game drive as you will exhaust yourself – and each game drive offers something magical… you will never see it all…]. The villa and the view are once in a lifetime moments…
The "Gift Shop" is misnamed, it is like the best high end store, again with amazing architecture and high quality products... The have some African cutting edge designers side by side with historic masai implements and carvings. Frida was fantastic in sharing the history of each work.
Lastly, Make sure to take a Balloon Ride... They float at treetop level and allow you to see an endless array of animals and paths that you would never see from the Ground Level.
Lastly, the day we left the President of Kenya was arriving for a stay... That speaks volumes!
Our room butler Serada, and our game driver, Kenneth, showed a kindness, a care, a sense of humor and a willingness to share that made us feel so welcome. Thank you both for your beautiful spirits and love. No request was too large or too small... William kept the room spotless and always freshly supplied.
The food was perfection, whether the Eggs Benedict for Breakfast, the home baked pastries, the flawless mixture of Indian and African spicing that was magic without being overwhelming to Western tastebuds…. The presentation and plating of each dish was beautiful… hats off to the chefs! We travel extensively to the Conde Nast top 100 [a bit of a hobby], so when we say this compares with the best food anywhere, we mean it.
Make sure to spend time in your villa [ don’t go on every game drive as you will exhaust yourself – and each game drive offers something magical… you will never see it all…]. The villa and the view are once in a lifetime moments…
The "Gift Shop" is misnamed, it is like the best high end store, again with amazing architecture and high quality products... The have some African cutting edge designers side by side with historic masai implements and carvings. Frida was fantastic in sharing the history of each work.
Lastly, Make sure to take a Balloon Ride... They float at treetop level and allow you to see an endless array of animals and paths that you would never see from the Ground Level.
Lastly, the day we left the President of Kenya was arriving for a stay... That speaks volumes!
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Room Tip: We loved villa 3 and villa 4... huge views... but all the villas are on the cliffs edge and...
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Nicky Fitzgerald, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 10 Jun 2021
Wow - what an incredible review and all the more so from guests who have been to Africa more than 20 times not to mention CNT Top 100 collectors. I am quite relieved that we didn't know this before your arrival :) Thank you from us all - Sedera, Kenneth, William and Fridah, together with the rest of the Angama family - you simply took our breath away with your wonderfully kind words. Coming out of the challenges of the past year and heading into our busy season your review has given us that extra spurt of confidence, joy and energy that we put into each day delighting our guests. The chefs are tickled pink that you enjoyed the dishes they prepared for you and asked me to extend a special thank you. Thank you for coming to stay with us - it means more than you could imagine. Warmest regards Nicky
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Angama Mara is a magical place in Kenya. Although we are accustomed to staying at luxurious game lodges and resorts, we were blown away by the spectacular setting and wonderful hospitality at Angama Mara:
Location: Angama Mara is located in perhaps the most stunning location in all of Masai Mara, right on the edge of the escarpment looking east over the Mara Triangle. The views from the lodge are breathtaking. No wonder the movie Out of Africa had many of its most stunning scenes shot at Angama Mara's site.
Rooms: Angama Mara has the most five-star hotel like suites among the lodges we have stayed at during our various safaris. Although the suites are technically tents, one entire wall on the east is all glass to take in the spectacular views, along with a private deck overlooking the Mara. It is quite tempting to just sit at the deck and enjoy the views rather than go on game drives! The rooms are very well furnished and the beds have heated mattresses so one doesn't need to bother with hot water bottles, etc. There is 24/7 power supply, hot water, showers, hair dryer, etc, in the room as one would expect from a top quality safari lodge. The entire suite is quite big with a bedroom area, a living room area, a bathtub and shower all in one very large open space. Since the windows face east and the blinds are not dark, it is good to get an eye mask if you prefer to sleep in and not go on the beautiful morning game drives.
Game drives: Angama Mara is adjacent to the Mara Triangle, so the games drives are much less crowded than in the eastern side of Masai Mara. We were able to see four of the Big 5 (except for the leopard), plus many other beautiful species. The drivers were knowledgeable and well-spoken. The vehicles are also well-maintained and comfortable with tiered seating. The one area where Angama Mara can improve is to offer each guest family a private vehicle for the game drives. This was not an issue for us as we were there as part of a larger group, but if we were to go there as a family, we would prefer to have a private vehicle for our drives. One thing to keep in mind is that the Mara Triangle is part of the national park so vehicles must remain on the trails and not go off-road. For the same reason, unlike in the private conservancies, bush breakfasts, sundowners, and night drives in the Mara are not possible. However, the fauna in the triangle is such that we were able to see all the major species up close as they seemed to be everywhere.
Food: We were worried about the food when we reached the lodge as our previous experiences at game lodges in Africa has been a bit hit or miss. However, under the leadership of chef Evans, the kitchen served us excellent food and desserts throughout our stay. There is a menu provided each day, but the staff were happy to oblige our request for items that were not on the menu.
Beverages: One of the nice things about most of the upscale resorts in Africa is that they are all inclusive, and Angama Mara was no exception to this. There were several South African wines included in the room rate, and so were most spirits. The only spirit that we were surprised to find missing was single malt, although they did have Black Label. French Champagne was not included in the rate but was available for an additional charge, which we did consume.
Facilities: Angama Mara has some of the best facilities among the game lodges in the Mara. Among the upscale resorts in this area, it is one of the larger ones with 30 suites, so it has the scale to offer two restaurants and bars, two outdoor dining areas, a boma, a photography studio, a movie room, a gym, an infinity pool, and other such amenities. The only thing we missed was that the stunning infinity pool was not heated, and at this elevation it is hard to use a non-heated pool. This is one of the few areas where we felt that Angama Mara could improve to match the very best resorts of Africa, a group to which it certainly belongs.
Service: The service at Angama Mara had a consistent quality to it. Whatever we asked, the answer was "yes". We appreciated that the staff not only consistently gave us whatever we asked for, but they did so without making it appear as if our request was any trouble at all. An example of the outstanding service was on the morning of our departure, we realized that we needed an extra duffel bag to pack our belongings. The gift shop does not stock duffel bags, but the lady in the shop had one made (!) for us out of canvas in 20 minutes. We were expecting some kind of a crude bag sewn quickly, and were amazed to find a beautifully made olive duffel bag that we will certainly take on future safaris. Since we were there for a large event and had booked all the rooms, we made many unusual requests and changed our minds several times, making the staff have to change their plans more often than we should have. But the GM, Josephat, took things in his stride and ensured that everything ran smoothly throughout.
Overall, we would rate Angama Mara among the very finest safari lodges in Kenya with very comfortable and luxurious accommodations, excellent food, and lots of amenities.
Location: Angama Mara is located in perhaps the most stunning location in all of Masai Mara, right on the edge of the escarpment looking east over the Mara Triangle. The views from the lodge are breathtaking. No wonder the movie Out of Africa had many of its most stunning scenes shot at Angama Mara's site.
Rooms: Angama Mara has the most five-star hotel like suites among the lodges we have stayed at during our various safaris. Although the suites are technically tents, one entire wall on the east is all glass to take in the spectacular views, along with a private deck overlooking the Mara. It is quite tempting to just sit at the deck and enjoy the views rather than go on game drives! The rooms are very well furnished and the beds have heated mattresses so one doesn't need to bother with hot water bottles, etc. There is 24/7 power supply, hot water, showers, hair dryer, etc, in the room as one would expect from a top quality safari lodge. The entire suite is quite big with a bedroom area, a living room area, a bathtub and shower all in one very large open space. Since the windows face east and the blinds are not dark, it is good to get an eye mask if you prefer to sleep in and not go on the beautiful morning game drives.
Game drives: Angama Mara is adjacent to the Mara Triangle, so the games drives are much less crowded than in the eastern side of Masai Mara. We were able to see four of the Big 5 (except for the leopard), plus many other beautiful species. The drivers were knowledgeable and well-spoken. The vehicles are also well-maintained and comfortable with tiered seating. The one area where Angama Mara can improve is to offer each guest family a private vehicle for the game drives. This was not an issue for us as we were there as part of a larger group, but if we were to go there as a family, we would prefer to have a private vehicle for our drives. One thing to keep in mind is that the Mara Triangle is part of the national park so vehicles must remain on the trails and not go off-road. For the same reason, unlike in the private conservancies, bush breakfasts, sundowners, and night drives in the Mara are not possible. However, the fauna in the triangle is such that we were able to see all the major species up close as they seemed to be everywhere.
Food: We were worried about the food when we reached the lodge as our previous experiences at game lodges in Africa has been a bit hit or miss. However, under the leadership of chef Evans, the kitchen served us excellent food and desserts throughout our stay. There is a menu provided each day, but the staff were happy to oblige our request for items that were not on the menu.
Beverages: One of the nice things about most of the upscale resorts in Africa is that they are all inclusive, and Angama Mara was no exception to this. There were several South African wines included in the room rate, and so were most spirits. The only spirit that we were surprised to find missing was single malt, although they did have Black Label. French Champagne was not included in the rate but was available for an additional charge, which we did consume.
Facilities: Angama Mara has some of the best facilities among the game lodges in the Mara. Among the upscale resorts in this area, it is one of the larger ones with 30 suites, so it has the scale to offer two restaurants and bars, two outdoor dining areas, a boma, a photography studio, a movie room, a gym, an infinity pool, and other such amenities. The only thing we missed was that the stunning infinity pool was not heated, and at this elevation it is hard to use a non-heated pool. This is one of the few areas where we felt that Angama Mara could improve to match the very best resorts of Africa, a group to which it certainly belongs.
Service: The service at Angama Mara had a consistent quality to it. Whatever we asked, the answer was "yes". We appreciated that the staff not only consistently gave us whatever we asked for, but they did so without making it appear as if our request was any trouble at all. An example of the outstanding service was on the morning of our departure, we realized that we needed an extra duffel bag to pack our belongings. The gift shop does not stock duffel bags, but the lady in the shop had one made (!) for us out of canvas in 20 minutes. We were expecting some kind of a crude bag sewn quickly, and were amazed to find a beautifully made olive duffel bag that we will certainly take on future safaris. Since we were there for a large event and had booked all the rooms, we made many unusual requests and changed our minds several times, making the staff have to change their plans more often than we should have. But the GM, Josephat, took things in his stride and ensured that everything ran smoothly throughout.
Overall, we would rate Angama Mara among the very finest safari lodges in Kenya with very comfortable and luxurious accommodations, excellent food, and lots of amenities.
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Room Tip: South camp seems closer to everything than north camp
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Nicky Fitzgerald, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 14 Dec 2021
Wow! This is by far our most detailed review to date. Thank you so much for sharing with TripAdvisor users this extensive and most kind feedback on Angama Mara. I see you are a regular reviewer on the site and I will certainly refer to your reviews should I ever need to know more about a hotel you have included in your global travels. We have a saying at Angama that 'our guests get us more guests' and you have certainly done that for us and from us all our heartfelt thanks for not only coming to stay but for taking a considerable amount of time in sharing your thoughts, insights and feedback on our lodge. Evans and Josephat asked me to add their thanks for your kind words about them. I am delighted to tell you that there is a safari vehicle allocated to every three tents so if you are travelling as a family and book three tents there is no extra charge for the sole use vehicle. Thank you for the feedback on heating the pool - we had a long discussion on it not only two ago - we are working on it! Once again our warmest thanks Nicky
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.