Ashnil Mara Camp

We visited in December 2024. Absolutely loved our stay at Ashnil Mara! Beautiful property, kinda luxury. The location is unbeatable, right in the heart of the Masai Mara, with stunning views of the Mara River. Breakfasts, hot lunches, and dinners were all delicious with plenty of options — truly a treat after safari mornings. The staff energy was incredible — always welcoming, friendly, and full of enthusiasm. We especially enjoyed the African dance and activities, which added a fun cultural touch to our stay. Our tent was spacious and comfortable. While there’s no AC, the ventilation was great, and the large balcony overlooking the Mara River made it easy to enjoy the wilderness. The camp itself is beautifully maintained, blending luxury with the rustic safari experience. Yes, it’s a bit pricey, but staying in the middle of wildlife paradise and having such excellent service and amenities makes it worth. I truly loved this camp and would highly recommend it for anyone visiting the Mara.

This was the best vacation I’ve ever been on! The staff was amazing, everyone was so friendly especially Amos Sankale who was assigned to our table. His service was impeccable! The tents were such an amazing vibe to go with a safari, very luxury. The staff would clean the room and open and close the windows during the day for comfort, this place is unbeatable. Was nervous about the food as I am a picky eater, but they have plenty of variety and the quality is unmatched. Would give higher than 5 stars if that was an option.

Fabulous unique location. The personal touch and overall service was fab. Jospeh who was our waiter and Ishmail who was our room cleaner were both lovely and made us feel very welcome. The accommodation was spacious and the rooms were very homely. The buffet food was outstanding for both lunch and buffet, probably the best I have ever known. Location to the Massai for safari also brilliant. We won’t forget this trip!

You couldn't get a better glamping experience. To our surprise, the tents were actual cabin with tent roofing and interior walls. 5 person, 3 bed room beauty. Great view out back on the deck of the Mara river hosting many Hippos and crocodiles. Listening to the hippos at night was amazing. Love to call out our server George who always tended our table with persicion. Thank you George. Amazing place not to be missed if going on Safari.

The place is better in person than in pictures. Maybe my expectations were not so high as I had only seen the pictures from the website. The place is actually very cute, the twin room I stayed in was spacious, mosquitos were not an issue at all. The hippos can be heard and seen from the hotel which is so cool. Staff is friendly, the safari was great. Food was okay.|The shower tiles were kind of stained giving a bad impression on the cleanliness, but overall the room was clean and comfortable. I had a very good stay.

I planned my trip to Eastern Africa in late July, so we had a good chance to see the river crossing and after doing a lot of research on the internet, I zeroed in on Ashnil Mara camp to stay in the Masai Mara national park. I was not wrong. This is arguably the best location in the park to view the River Crossing and the Great Migration. The camp is located right on the Mara River and is about fifteen minutes or less from the place where the river crossing generally occurs. The camp is beautiful and quite large with about 60 rooms. There is plenty to do in the common area. The hospitality at Ashnil Mara is no way less than what we got at the Cliffs in Nakuru. The place was sold out expectedly, but the staff do such a great job. One never feels that it’s crowded. The buffet options are very sumptuous and the dining staff if very sincere and helpful. There is a lot of wildlife just around the camp but its very safe inside at any hour. The Balloon rides are about an hour’s drive, but they wrap up just ten minutes away. The camp is also close to Keekorok airport. The camps are very large, spacious, comfortable, and very private. I would unhesitatingly recommend Ashnil Mara for your stay at Masai Mara.

We are currently staying at Ashnil Mara Camp (16th–18th September 2025), and while the property’s location along the river and its initial vibe during arrival were truly promising, the reality of the stay has been extremely disappointing. The only saving grace — and the reason for 2 stars instead of 1 — is the stunning setting and the quality of food. Beyond that, the service and attitude of the team here are the worst we have experienced across Kenya.||||To begin with, the reception and restaurant staff lack even the most basic warmth and hospitality expected of a “luxury” camp. They follow an absurd system of assigning the same dining table to guests for all meals — we were allocated one of the worst locations, and despite polite requests, were not accommodated with a fair rotation like river-side for one meal and inside for the next. Such rigidity and indifference immediately dampen the experience.||||For a property charging premium rates and branding itself as luxury, the facilities are shockingly inadequate. Guests are provided only 500ml of drinking water per person per day, and any additional water has to be purchased — something that felt outright inhuman given the climate and setting. The tents have no slippers, no hair conditioner, no dental or sewing kits — all of which we later discovered are available at their shop to sell rather than provide. There are no telephones in the rooms, leaving guests stranded in case of emergencies or even basic service requests.||||Our tent (No. 20) came with yet another frustration — the Wi-Fi does not work here at all. When raised, the staff brushed it off with a cold apology and informed us that “nothing can be done,” despite Wi-Fi working perfectly at the reception and other rooms. Only after insisting, we were casually told they might shift us tomorrow — which shows how little they value guest comfort.||||To make matters worse, the tents have no proper fans or ventilation arrangements to handle the extreme daytime heat, making them unbearably hot and uncomfortable. For a safari camp that charges such exorbitant rates, this lack of foresight and basic comfort is shocking.||||Overall, while Ashnil Mara Camp enjoys a superb location and serves good food, everything else — from facilities to staff attitude — falls drastically short of even average expectations, let alone luxury standards. Sadly, this has been the worst hospitality experience we’ve had in Kenya, and I would not recommend it to anyone seeking genuine comfort, service, and value for money.

We’ve just returned from one of the best holidays we’ve ever had all thanks to Ashnil Mara Camp.||||I had read some mixed reviews before booking and wasn’t sure what to expect, but after our stay, I can confidently say choosing Ashnil was the best decision. No one is perfect but the team goes above and beyond to make your stay as perfect as possible.||||Arrival & Check-in||||We booked directly through the Ashnil website (note: confirm all costs beforehand as some charges aren’t listed). We were picked up from the nearest airstrip (Olkiombo) - the transfer fee is separate - and our safari began right away! We spotted giraffes, zebras, and Topis even before reaching the camp.||||On arrival, we were welcomed with smiles and a refreshing drink. Check-in was smooth, and our bags were carried to our tented room.||||Accommodation||||Our tent was spacious, clean, and comfortable with a separate ensuite bathroom and toilet. Amenities included a safe, hairdryer, hangers, six bottles of water (replenished daily), and basic toiletries (even mosquito repellent is provided). Our room had a fan and power sockets with USB-A ports. Umbrellas are also provided in the room.||||The only small drawback was the lighting - it could be brighter in the evenings.||||Service was impeccable. Our housekeeper Herbert was wonderful - opening and closing the curtains daily and placing hot water bottles in our beds each night, a thoughtful touch during the cool evenings.||||Some rooms are located quite far from the reception, so if you prefer to avoid long walks, request one closer to reception. Rooms 11–20 are conveniently located, while 21–40 are farther out. However, rooms 21–24 may offer lovely views overlooking the river.||||There is also a pool and spa service available.||||As night fell, we enjoyed sitting around the fire, meeting other travellers, and swapping stories about the day’s safari sightings.||||Dining||||We stayed on a full-board plan, and all three buffet meals were excellent, with a good variety and changing dishes daily. The Indian section was small but tasty. Breakfast included eggs cooked to order, tea, and great Kenyan coffee.||||Staff & Service||||The staff were outstanding — always friendly and eager to help. Special thanks to Mercy, Linda, John, Joseph, Vincent, Moses, Herbert, Carlos (the Indian chef), and Kepha (our safari driver and guide).||||Kepha made our game drives unforgettable - knowledgeable, patient, and passionate about the wildlife. He tried hard to show us the big 5 although we only managed to see 3 of them. Maybe next time!||||He also took us to a Maasai village, which was a wonderful cultural experience. You pay a small fee directly to the villagers (about $30 minimum). They give you a short tour, show you inside their traditional huts, and share insights into their way of life. Feel free to ask about their lifestyle, eating habits, and traditions. And a lot of them speak English very well. Afterwards, you can browse their handcrafted jewellery and souvenirs - there’s no pressure to buy, but don’t forget to haggle if you do!||||Suggestions for improvement -||||Add an intercom for room service/reception||Brighter room lighting||Include drinks like water in the room rate during meal times||Provide a few USB C sockets for faster charging||Replace the metal bidet pipe with a rubber one to avoid rust issues||||Final Thoughts||||There are many camps in the Maasai Mara, but Ashnil Mara Camp strikes the perfect balance between comfort, warmth, and an authentic safari feel.||||We left with unforgettable memories and can’t wait to return.||Highly recommended!||||PS - The photos shown are not of our specific room but are meant to give you a general idea of what to expect. Room layouts may vary slightly.