If you loved the movie Out of Africa and are a romantic at heart, then you will fall in love with this new owner-run luxury safari lodge set in the heart of Kenya. Located high above the Great Rift Valley, Angama Mara boasts seemingly endless views across the Masai Mara, one of the richest game reserves in Africa. Angama Mara (meaning ‘suspended in mid-air’ in Swahili) truly is a place that lies between heaven and earth.
Tipped as one of the places to visit in 2016, Angama Mara is the culmination of Steve and Nicky Fitzgerald’s extensive vision and expertise. The couple were part of our preferred partner, &Beyond for many years and together have opened more than 50 luxury safari lodges across Africa and India.
This Kenyan gem is perfect for honeymoon couples seeking the ultimate romantic holiday destination, or anyone that loves uninterrupted landscapes, privacy, and tranquility. Some of the most iconic Ngong Hill scenes from Out of Africa were indeed shot here, and you can almost picture Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in this magical African landscape.
The Fitzgerald’s spent an entire year lovingly constructing Angama Mara (which opened its doors in June 2015) and borders Kenya’s exquisite and wildlife-rich Mara Triangle. The 700-hectare site also has a private airfield, complete with a private track that takes a mere 15 minutes to transport guests directly into the Maasai Mara Reserve. The greater Maasai Mara in essence can be divided into two parts: the Maasai Mara National Reserve (which is divided into the Mara National Park to the east of the Mara River, and the more exclusive Mara Triangle which lies to the west of the river) and the conservancies that border the reserve which are Maasai-owned and stretch to twice its size.
The Mara Triangle is much more exclusive than the Mara National Park, and so has far fewer safari lodges and safari vehicles traversing its terrain. On top of that, it also rates as one of the few places on this content that delivers consistently incredible game viewing. It’s a dream location for avid photographers who are pretty much guaranteed photo ops of a large variety of game and wildlife, and in such magnificent light too!
Angama Mara itself is divided into two intimate camps which lie alongside one another, each with its own dedicated staff on call, guest area and kitchen. The camp consists of just 15 tented glass fronted suites, in the classic East African safari style, that are perched evenly high along the edge of the Rift Valley, so as to afford each unit complete privacy and equally spectacular views of this remarkable landscape and the occasional hot air balloon floating by. There are two sets of interconnecting tents, perfect for families.
Unrivalled exclusivity, Maasai Mara front row seats with spectacular wrap-around views from wooden decks, luxurious, cultural visits to the nearby Maasai villages, access to tailor-made safari days in the company of Africa’s great mammals … these are but a few reasons why we think you should visit Kenya this year and experience the magic of Angama Mara for yourself.