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Welcome to Angama, inspired by the Swahili word for ‘suspended in mid-air’. Located high above the floor of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Angama Mara is a remarkable owner-run safari lodge overlooking Kenya’s Maasai Mara, considered by many as the loveliest game reserve on the continent. Here guests will find a lodge where everything is as it ought to be: two intimate camps of just fifteen tented suites each, a private airfield and access to the Mara below, tailor-made safari days and a famously warm Kenyan welcome.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Angama Mara seems to offer a polarizing yet often luxurious experience, nestled in a serene setting with beautiful views that many guests enjoy. The hotel's amenities, including diverse dining options and unique activities like game drives, earn rave reviews, as does the attentive and warm service provided by the staff.
Cleanliness is another high point, with travelers noting the spotless environment. However, some guests report concerns over room privacy, a lack of air conditioning, and the noise level, while opinions on value for money are split, with a few finding it overly expensive.
Atmosphere
Mixed
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Outstanding
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I spent 3 days at Angama Mara with my son in June. We have stayed in dozens of great safari lodges over the years but Angama is in a different class. The location overlooking the Mara triangle is spectacular and the lodge is an architectural wonder, clinging onto the western escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. The very large rooms are so comfortable that they competed for our time with the game drives. But it is the staff and outstanding, intuitive service that make it truly special. At every corner, there was a design detail or a service touch that delighted us and left us thinking, “how did they ever think of that?”. What a special place!
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Date of stay: June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicky Fitzgerald, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 06 Aug 2021
Thank you both so much for coming to stay at Angama in June and for writing this lovely review. I did smother a small smile with your comment “how did they ever think of that?” Thank you for noticing all the tiny details - Angama is a culmination of 40 years in the hospitality industry and lodge #55 for my husband and me. We gathered in all what we learned over the years with regard to delighting and spoiling our guests. And my favourite of all is the charging box on the desk :) The team was so happy to hear that you found their care of you intuitive - it's such a lovely description. From us all our heartfelt thanks Nicky
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My husband and I chose Angama Mara as our wedding venue (elopement). To say that it EXCEEDED our expectations would be an understatement. My husband and I have gone to over 30 countries together and even more separately... and are very experienced travelers- we have never had an experience quite like Angama. The staff is extremely eager to please, they take such a delight in making you feel at home. I feel like we now have extended family in Kenya! Our safari guide, Alice, was knowledgeable, kind, and the utmost professional - she made our safaris fun and always knew where to find the animals :) Our "butler" was Sadera. He rememberd exactly how we liked our coffee every single morning, he made sure all of our food requests were met and he was always smiling. Our housekeeper was Abraham. I thought he had at least a few helpers with him because everything was cleaned so thoroughly and quickly, but we came to find out he is alone and handles it all himself! Our wedding day photographer and videographer were Sammy & Robert. They took such pride in documenting our special day and we are immensely grateful to everyone who made our wedding something we will never forget. We can NOT wait to return to Angama. Please please do yourself a favor & book the trip. It is lifechanging and you'll never want to leave. - Mary Catherine & Javier
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Date of stay: March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve Mitchell, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 28 Mar 2023
Dear Mary Catherine & Javier, Wow! what wonderful feedback. On behalf of the whole Angama team - and most especially Abraham, Sedera, Alice, Sammy & Robert - thank you for sharing it publicly here. We love making a fuss about occasions (especially weddings!), and having fun, and are delighted that your stay exceeded your expectations so. We look forward to welcoming you back to Africa, and wish you many years of a long & happy marriage. Best, Steve
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This place is pure magic. The location is the best in the Mara, perched high on the escarpment providing unlimited views. The "tents" provide the perfect combination of luxury and nature. The lodge, dining area, and patio serve as the home base for your meals and general hang out spaces. And the map room, photo studio, pool, shamba, and shop just add to the experience. But with all that going for it, nothing tops the staff at this location. Our guide (Lamaalo) was so skilled and knowledgable as well as fun and friendly. He put us in the absolute best situations our entire trip (and he's a joy just to chat with). Thanks to his skill, we saw the "Big 5" in the first 24 hours of our stay. Joshua served us with impeccable timing and care whether we were having a quick breakfast at the lodge, a BBQ outside, an Out of Africa Picnic, or a full dinner. Violet anticipated every possible need and want and had our tents stocked and ready at all times. It was so wonderful to come back from an evening game drive (a little damp and chilly) and climb into a gently warmed bed because she turned on the electric warmers in advance. Sammy is a magician in the photo studio - make sure to stop in there. And talk about service - we wanted to buy Angama caps but the shop was out of them. We checked in with Doris each day and she really tried to get them before we had to leave, but they didn't come in. So imagine our shock and joy when we landed in Nairobi only to discover she had arranged for our driver to deliver 4 Angama caps to us. It's the kind of service that makes the team there feel like family. We feel absolutely blessed to have experienced Angama Mara and can't wait to return. Asante Sana to the entire team!!!
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Date of stay: November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve Mitchell, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 05 Dec 2022
Dear Kristi. Firstly, a huge thank you from the Angama team for coming to stay with us, and for opening yourself up to connect with them. It takes two to tango! We loved your write-up, as exceeding guest expectations is the only benchmark we set. I'm sorry for the limited stock of branded caps - talk about not being able to keep up with demand - but delighted that we could turn it around into a touch of service excellence that you will hopefully talk about for a long time to come. ;) We look forward to your return, and assure you of a warm welcome you from Lemaalo, Vi, Sammy and the rest of the team. Best regards, Steve
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My stay here with my family was magical. Human nature looks for critique and I couldn’t find any. Whilst the lodge maintains its five star ranking it was truly the staff that made it. Our guide Titus was an encyclopaedia of knowledge on wildlife and the Mara. He was polite, humorous and a great companion on our drives. Our server George was terrific and Josphat the manager was most obliging. The entire staff were very warm and good at their job! The lodge was luxurious without being pompous. It was homely with spectacular views. It is unique in the experiences it creates for its guests, from the shamba lunch to the sundowners. The pool and well equipped in the middle of the bush was a welcome surprise too and the perfect way to cool off in the afternoon African sun. I lalso loved the detailing of the crockery and glassware and the decanters in each room filled with gin and whisky. The views from the escarpment will remain etched in my heart and is a great reminder of what a beautiful country I am blessed to live in. Thank you for making this a memorable holiday.
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Date of stay: July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicky Fitzgerald, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 12 Jul 2021
Dear Heeral I loved everything about your wonderful review but before I get into the detail please may I thank you for bringing your family to Angama. We are lucky to have so many great lodges in the Mara and high praise like this is all the more wonderful coming from a Kenyan guest - I am sure you have stayed at heaps of lodges before now. I always feel so awkward when guests thank you for their holiday. Without our guests we are just a clump of buildings and tents so all thanks to them and you. My highlights from your review: - it was truly the staff that made it - Our guide Titus was humorous (We love making our guests laugh - they are on holiday after all) - The lodge was luxurious without being pompous (my favourite feedback - we strive hard every day just to be us always authentic never pompous - thank you) Titus, George, Josephat and the angama family all join me in thanking you for your gracious review. Warmest thanks Nicky
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This was truly a five star experience from the minute of arrival to a sad farewell at the local airstrip. Even the loss by British Airways of two out of three bags was mitigated by the staff, hotel and location. Our guide, Fred, I would single out as quite peerless with his charm and knowledge - we were sad to say goodbye. The camp manager Joseph, butler Abraham, table butler Jojoh and Adlighte were never anything but kind, friendly, efficient and helpful. The game we saw and the service at the hotel could but only leave a wonderful affection for Angama and Kenya, both of which are heartily recommended.
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Date of stay: December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve Mitchell, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 09 Mar 2023
Dear SKBrussels, This is such a wonderful review , thank you for sharing your experience with the world, and I'm delighted that you're left with such a wonderful affection for the team. Will pass on your specific feedback for Fred, Joseph, Jojoh, Adlight & Abraham, and I know they'll all be super pleased with the recognition. Very best, Steve
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Our trip to Angama Mara was incredible. We planned the trip to celebrate my birthday and Valentine’s Day. It was probably my best holiday and best birthday yet. Everything was taken care of right from the meet and greet in Nairobi, to the transfer and check in at the camp.
The tented rooms are beautiful, spacious and well maintained. You can see the beautiful view from the bathtub, shower and bed. The room was equipped with kettle and mini bar which is always stocked up with complimentary drinks and cookies and nuts. I was very happy to see a full sized hair dryer.
The service from James and Sadera at meal times was incredible. Both were very happy warm and smiley people and always happy to take care of any requests. Sadera was always around ready to refill a drink, set up beautiful tables at sunrise with the best views and take lots of beautiful pictures for us. Sammy at the photo studio was very helpful and taught us how to use the camera and for editing. Elly, our safari guide made the trip! He made the game drives fun, informative and always got us to the right spots for photos. He was patient and knew the animals next moves, which helped us see more than we expected. We saw the Big 5 in the first day and even got to see a live kill - 2 cheetahs chasing down a warthog!
Everything during this trip was perfect. We loved the Boma and the bbq dinner was beautifully set up - it was on my birthday, making it all the more special. All the staff made me feel really special and spoilt on my special day. The hot air balloon with Governor's was a dream come true.
We hope to come back some time in the future and we will definitely be sending our friends and family to visit Angama Mara.
We miss you Sadera, Elly and James! You truly made our stay at the beautiful Angama Mara one to cherish for a lifetime.
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Date of stay: February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve Mitchell, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 09 Mar 2023
Dear CN, Thank you so much for sharing your experience here - and appreciating all of the little touches and details whcih we strive so hard to get right every day: from a friendly meet & greet off the plane in Nairobi, to a full jar of cookies and a proper hairdryer. We are so happy that our service made you feel really special, and spoilt on your birthday - it really is a joy to share the Mara with guests who appreciate it so. Very kind of you to refer friends & family, promise we'll look after them too, and James, Elly, Sadera and the whole team will be waiting with arms wide open. With best wishes, Steve
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We recently returned from our second trip to Angama, and somehow, this was even better than the first! Having worked in the service industry ourselves for many years, my wife and I have a deep appreciation for the amount of effort that goes in to making such a complicated experience seem absolutely effortless, and the Angama staff does it all with a beaming Kenyan smile. From the moment we arrived, we truly felt like family. Every step of the way, the team at Angama anticipates your need before you even know it and will bend over backwards to make sure your experience is special.
A huge thank you to Douglas, our safari guide, for his knowledge and passion for the Mara. Upon landing at the Angama airstrip, we were so excited to see him again! After two visits to Angama, Douglas has made us feel like friend and family, and we loved the opportunity to introduce him to my parents on this trip.
Thank you Azei, Joseph, and your incredible team for continuing to exceed every possible expectation. There is no place like this in the world, and it's a place I wish everyone could experience at least once in their lifetime. Tutaonana tena!
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from NickyFitzKenya, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 09 Feb 2020
Coming from fellow service industry guests this is the highest praise. Thank you for coming back to stay with us and for posting this lovely feedback. The title you chose certainly puts pressure on us! But we are up to the task of delighting our guests for every moment that they are in our care. I can say we have the best guests on Earth! From Douglas, Azei, Joseph and the rest of the Angama family thank from us all and we look forward to welcoming you back to our little corner of Africa one day soon. Warmest thanks Nicky
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Angama is the Swahili word for suspended in mid air, personally I think you are closer to heaven!
Waking up in an enormous tent/room beautifully decorated with everything one could possibly need and watching the hot air balloons take off in the Mara, BELOW you is a pretty awesome way to start the day.
Besides having to make the most difficult choices of what to eat, as every option is more delicious than the last, and having Terry making sure you are never in need of anything, there are so many delights to do at this lodge that no day needs to be the same, which makes it even more special.
We spent a morning beading with the Masai ladies, and then having a picnic lunch with Wilson under a magnificent tree in the Mara before heading out on our game drive. The game viewing and birding were exceptional.
The next day followed with a champagne picnic breakfast breakfast after a sunrise start. We also invited the resident photographer Robert, to join us on our game drives. He was so helpful showing us how to use our personal cameras and take great game photos, a massive bonus. The informative walks with Lishaan and Patrick, are not to be missed, it is so interesting to learn about the Masai healing plants. A highlight also has to be a walk through the “Shamba”, their vegetable garden, where they serve you lunch of fresh produce and a delicious glass Chardonnay all the time looking over the Mara…. Lastly we also took timeout in the rimless swimming pool and gym building; this was totally necessary as we had to make space for Chef Moses’s next delicious meal!!
The hardest part of our stay was having to leave….
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Date of stay: May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve Mitchell, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 08 Jun 2022
Dear Wanda, Moses, Wilson, Leshan, Patrick, Terry, Robert and the Maasai mama's all join me in thanking you for sharing your experience at Angama Mara here, we are delighted that you enjoyed your stay as much as you did - taking the time not just to enjoy the gameviewing on offer in the Triangle, but also the property and everything on offer. I mean aren't holidays meant to be at a slower pace, with the flexibility of a different plan for each day??! Best regards, Steve
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Trip of a lifetime to the Mara. Angama is unbelievable and is a world-class five star resort. I would put this place up to any in the world in terms of service and attention to detail. Our guide Sophie picked us up promptly at the airport and took us for a game drive. She was relentless in trying to find us close up encounters of every animal in the Mara including the big five. Our butler James was excellent and was always prompt and perfect with his service. The rooms are unbelievable and this is what you pay for: the view of the Mara below is spectacular. I would just stay there for the spectacular sunrise. We had a nice sunset dinner and the Masai people did a show and dance for us. Angama also provided nice community areas where you can meet other guests. Nikki is an excellent host and does a great job. They made us feel safe in this COVID world. We stayed four nights and wish we could have stayed More. We will be back! Thanks for a life changing trip Angama!
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Date of stay: January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicky Fitzgerald, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 30 Jan 2021
Thank you both so much for coming all the way from Seattle to the Mara to come and stay with us. Every guest is precious but guests in The Time of Covid are all the more so. I loved how you described Sophie as being relentless - you are absolutely right. She doesn't give up until her guests are happy. On behalf of Sophie and James thank you for your gracious feedback on them. I very rarely crack a comment in TripAdvisor reviews and was tickled pink to see my name up in lights :) Please come back - we will be waiting with arms open wide to welcome you back to your home in the Mara. Warmest regards Nicky
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We cannot stress enough how incredible this trip was. first of all, the staff are the most welcoming, warm people in the world and everything on the property was stunning, clean and the food was amazing. Doris and Josephat always greeted us with smiles and made sure everything we needed was taken care of. Our server Kimani always had the biggest smile on his face and made every meal exciting and wonderful.
Daniel, our guide, truly made our experience. He is the most patient, knowledgeable and kind man in the world. Anyone who gets him as their guide is SO LUCKY!
We are so sad to leave this place and will definitely be back. This was the most PERFECT experience. Thank you Angama, we love you!
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Date of stay: February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve Mitchell, Owner at Angama Mara
Responded 20 Feb 2022
Dear Dana, Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience at Angama here on Tripadvisor, we love it when our guests love their stay so much – and actually count ourselves as the lucky ones, being able to share the Mara with you! I have passed on your feedback to Doris, Josephat & Kimani – and Daniel thanks you for filling up his calendar ;) We look forward to welcoming you back, Best, Steve
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Dear Kristi.
I'm so sorry for the delay in answering this question, as I hadn't seen it. Angama caters for many different dietary requirements, and yes, there are plenty of gluten-free options available which Evans and his team are adept and experienced in producing. Hope you have what you need to finalize your trip, if in any further doubt please write to us at the email address listed. Best, Steve (CEO & Co-Founder)
Hampshire, United Kingdom153 contributions95 helpful votes
There really isn't a lobby as such. As we arrived, we met the manager at one end of the dining room, which is pretty much open anyway, except in the rain, and from there we moved out onto the large decked sitting and dining area where all the introductions and briefings were conducted in the fresh air. The only problem is that the view from here over the Masai Mara is so fabulous that it's really not that easy to concentrate!
Johannesburg, South Africa46 contributions58 helpful votes
Hello from Angama
We are delighted you are coming to stay with us next and so look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful Mara.
The response above from Charlie is pitch perfect - who needs a marketing team when your guests do it for you? Thanks so much for coming to stay with us Charlie and for jumping in with an answer.
There certainly is a good chance you may see a crossing in October but those pesky migrating animals have a program all of their own - most unpredictable.
But of what I can assure you is that you will not be disappointed by your game viewing experience - the Mara never fails to deliver.
We will do all we can (cookies, marshmallows) to keep the wildebeest in Kenya in time for your arrival.
So looking forward to hosting you here at Angama
Warm regards
Nicky Fitzgerald
Owner
There are more places to choose from in the Maasai Mara National Reserve area.
LOCATION
KenyaRift Valley ProvinceMaasai Mara National Reserve
NUMBER OF ROOMS
30
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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