Set in a treelined grove along the banks of the Sand River, The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp is luxury in the most superlative sense.
It is early on a Monday morning at Wilson airport as my daughter and I check in for our flight on AirKenya to Keekerok airstrip. Brimming with excitement, we step on board the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft for our 45-minute flight to the southwestern part of Kenya.
The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp guide Amos meets us right outside the aircraft and asks whether we would like to proceed directly to the lodge or take a slight detour to see what wildlife we can find, and we decide on the latter. A few olive baboons are sitting in the middle of the road, and a hyena is lounging further afield to the left, and scurries into the bush when it hears the vehicle. Amos picks up his binoculars as he has seen something moving out on the plains. Driving closer, there is a coalition of two male lions resting on the side of a termite mound. They seem to be looking for a shaded spot as the day has started to warm up.
As we go around the fountain at The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp to the arrival point, the Maasai are waiting in their red shukas, ready to welcome us. They start singing and dancing, and as we alight from the safari vehicle, they offer us a Maasai blessing. This consists of a ceremonial chant, followed by a sprinkling of sage and water. “It is such a significant ritual for us, the Maasai, to welcome guests into our community,” Maasai Staicy tells me. “The ceremony is seen as a cleansing, and you are no longer a guest, but part of the family.”
She accompanies us across the bridge, which is suspended over the Sand River, where we are introduced to more Maasai and the effervescent camp manager Sigi. At The Canopy, we meet our butlers for the duration of our 4-night stay – Zaifa (food and beverage) and Liz (personalized service). With twenty suites, ranging from one bedroom to two bedrooms, and a Presidential suite, guests can opt for the accommodation which best suits their needs. The majority of suites have views of the Sand River, while those on the southern side also have vistas over Tanzania.
We are staying in a one-bedroom suite, which blends refined luxury amongst the breathtaking wilderness. Spanning an impressive 1,755 square ft, the suite comprises an entrance hall, a bedroom, a freestanding bath, double vanities, two wardrobes, an indoor and outdoor shower, and a flush loo. And this is only the master suite. The guest area has a lounge with comfortable seating, a fully stocked mini-bar, an indoor and outdoor shower, and a flush loo. On the outside veranda, each suite has its own private plunge pool, and ours is shielded under a large warburgia or African greenheart tree.
Designed by LW Design, the Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp has wholly embraced the art of immersive architecture. The camp is an oasis of a juxtaposition of simplicity and exceptional grandeur. Blurring the lines between a sense of connection and the reality of belonging, we immediately feel the warm embrace of what it truly means to be one with nature and nurture.
Every element was guided by a deep reverence for the land, which formed the core of the design. Elevated at almost ten feet above the ground, the open-plan suites encapsulate a sensory experience with the sights, sounds, and scents of the Mara moving freely through the space. Walking from our suite along the wooden boardwalk towards The Nest, where most meals are enjoyed, Zaifa shows us to our table. A team of chefs ensures that all diets and food choices are catered to.
And if you want something that is not on the menu, they will make it for you. Nothing is too much effort when it comes to the food offerings at The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp. Dinners are themed around different international flavors, with the boma providing a window into the wonderful taste of Kenyan cuisine.
After lunch, we stop by the photographic hub, where guests can take their pick of a Canon mirrorless camera body and lens to use during their stay. Expert guidance is given on how to improve your photography skills, and guests are encouraged to chat to a team member about editing their wildlife photos.
Twice daily game drives are conducted in the Masai Mara National Park, and since we are closest to the Mara Triangle, we head in a north-westerly direction. Amos is keen to showcase the best of the wildlife that inhabits this special part of East Africa, and our first safari does not disappoint. We spot a family of defassa waterbuck and a pride of lions lying sound asleep. Few things rival an African sunset, and tonight’s one is like the sky is being painted in hues of pinks and oranges.
In the evenings, we are treated to traditional Maasai dances followed by storytelling by Staicy and Frieda around the fire, also known as Enkatini. They delve into the history of the Maasai culture and what their songs and dances mean to them as a tribe. Explanations are given on how the Maasai would live and honor their ancestors through various traditions.
Tonight, we dine on Italian delicacies, which include an array of pastas, pizzas, meats, and desserts. I chose the rib-eye steak with potato mash and vegetables, and my daughter thoroughly enjoys the margherita pizza. Since the camp isn’t fenced, we are escorted to our room by a Maasai warrior. After a cleansing shower with the fragrant Healing Rituals shower gel, my daughter and I both feel incredibly privileged to stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp.
For the morning’s safari, Amos will be driving towards the Talek River, which stretches across the Masai Mara National Park from east to west. It is about an hour away, and we encounter a small breeding herd of elephants, a Thomson’s gazelle, and the Rongai Five coalition of five lions feeding on a buffalo. There is a standoff between one of the lions and a hyena, with the scavenger making haste to avoid being attacked. Lions don’t take kindly to their food being taken away, and the remains are being closely guarded from being pilfered by vultures and black-backed jackals.
A few highlights include happening upon three lion cubs on a sandy riverbed waiting for mom’s return. They are still there on our afternoon safari, looking rather forlorn and hungry. And the ultimate sighting is finding the gorgeous Luluka – the darling leopard of the Masai Mara National Park. Her elegance and beauty can only be described as absolutely breathtaking. She walks along the banks of the river, whereafter she exits to the east and plops herself down on the road, providing a spectacular conclusion to our stay at the magnificent The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp.
