Basecamp Mara Houses offer the ultimate wildlife experience and luxury safari accommodation. Stay in a self-contained safari house that becomes your own exclusive Masai Mara getaway, with personal access to the wildlife-rich Mara North Conservancy.
Each of the three houses has a dedicated service team, including a private guide and safari vehicle. This means that each day can unfold exactly as you wish it to, and can be designed around your preferences regarding activity plans and mealtimes. Having so much flexibility makes your Maasai Mara safari even more relaxing, and lets us tailor the entire experience to the needs of your family and friends.
If you have ever dreamed of experiencing a Maasai Mara migration safari, then your wish can come true at Basecamp Mara Houses, and we’ll be delighted to make it happen for you.
Each of the three properties – Mara House, Acacia House, and Dik Dik House – has its own unique look and feel, yet all three offer the very highest standards of luxury family safari accommodation in the Maasai Mara, and warm, friendly service.
Accommodation
Basecamp Mara Houses is a property made of three independent houses. Each house is fully staffed with a dedicated waiter, room attendant, house manager and a safari guide. Mara House sleeps 6 and has 3 x en suite bedrooms, open plan dining room and lounge with fireplace, large outdoor verandah. Acacia House sleeps 6 and has 3 bedrooms (1 x en suite double room on the ground floor, 1 x bedroom with a shared bathroom and 1 x attic room ideal for children, an open plan dining room and lounge with fireplace and a large outdoor verandah. Dik Dik House sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms (1 x en suite double room, 1 x twin room. It has a lounge with fire place, open plan dining room, large outdoor verandah overlooking a private tower.
Mara House
Mara House has an open-plan dining room and lounge with a log fire – perfect for when the temperature takes a slight dip in the evenings. Sleeping six, the house has three en-suite bedrooms. The House also has a private outdoor verandah and a shared pool area. Though not hosted, Mara House comes with a full team, including a chef, house manager, room stewards, waiters and your own private guide.
Acacia House
Acacia House has an open-plan dining room and lounge with a log fire – perfect for when the temperature takes a slight dip in the evenings. Sleeping six, the house has one double room with en-suite bathroom, one attic room and a double room on the ground floor with a shared bathroom. The House also has a private outdoor verandah and a shared pool area. Though not hosted, it comes with a full team, including a chef, house manager, room stewards, waiters and your own private guide.
Dik Dik House
Dik Dik House has an open-plan dining room and lounge with a log fire – perfect for when the temperature takes a slight dip in the evenings. Sleeping four, the house has one ensuite bedroom and one twin bedroom with a shared bathroom, a private outdoor verandah and a shared pool area. Though not hosted, Dik Dik House comes with a full hospitality team including a private chef, house manager, room stewards, waiters and private guide.
When it comes to swimming pools in the Masai Mara, Basecamp Mara Houses are in a league of their own.
With the bar close by, the pool offers beautiful views out over the prolific waterhole, and provides a relaxing yet exciting spot in which to cool off after each safari adventure.
Facilites
- Wellness Space for massages
- Gift shop – supporting community groups & projects
- Communal swimming pool & bar
- Waterhole for wildlife sightings
Amenities
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Indoor shower & bath
- Fan
- Mosquito net over bed
- Private verandah & living area
- Fridge & water dispenser
- In-room safe
- Electricity
Basecamp Mara Houses give you the best of both worlds: the privacy and exclusivity of the Mara North wildlife conservancy, plus easy access to the Masai Mara National Reserve on your private game drive safari.
The three Basecamp Mara Houses are situated close to a bustling waterhole and each features a large private verandah. The local Maasai community are our partners in delivering your Masai Mara adventure holiday against a backdrop of one of the world’s most thrilling wilderness areas.
Discover where our other Saruni Basecamp Properties are in Kenya
Basecamp Mara Houses is a founding member of Mara North Conservancy and a key partner of Lemek Conservancy, protecting the northern corridors of this region.
Both conservancies are important community-owned wildlife areas in the Masai Mara ecosystem and their success has helped changing the story of tourism and conservation in the Masai Mara, improving the livelihoods of people and extending the size of protected land where fauna and flora thrive.
Tourism directly supports conservation through daily fees. This means that by visiting Saruni Basecamp, our guests are directly giving back to the community who protects this beautiful land, improving their quality of life, whilst at the same time encouraging the purpose for conservation.
The property has formed a local women’s group, where the ladies are encouraged to sell their artefacts through the shop.
Saruni Basecamp sponsors young Maasai to train as guides at the Koiyaki Guiding School and lead future generations of conservationists and safari guides. In fact, in this property, the training of Maasai guides and managers – a novelty in Kenya at the time – was pioneered more than two decades ago.
For Basecamp Mara Houses sustainability starts at home: more than 80% of the staff come the community of landowners. They proudly wear the traditional Maasai attire and they share their culture and heritage with our guests. To provide jobs, income, training and guidance for the local Maasai people is one of our main missions. We encourage the training of senior female staff, too.
Our guests are encouraged to participate in our reforestation work. The way it works is simple: we throw the seedballs into degraded areas during our game drive. A seed, encased in a fertile charcoal crust, will germinate and soon these areas will be covered once again with indigenous trees and shrubs. We have partnered with a company called Seedballs Kenya to help re- green our parts of the country.
Rates from US$1600 per House
See our 2026 Saruni Basecamp Rates and Terms & Conditions – simply click on the view/download button below.
Please contact us for Resident Rates applicable to residents of Kenya & East Africa.
View or download the 2026 Basecamp Mara Houses rates
Are the Basecamp Mara Houses wheelchair accessible?
Each of our Mara Houses in Kenya’s Masai Mara has its own character, and each offers features that make a stay easier for guests with mobility needs.
- Dikdik House: no stairs throughout, and fitted with support rails.
- Acacia House: the ground floor is entirely flat.
- Mara House: the majority of rooms are wheelchair accessible, and the pool area is easy to reach.
Every guest’s needs are different. If you or someone in your party has specific mobility or accessibility requirements, please let our Reservations team know when booking and we will gladly help you choose the right tent or room and prepare for your arrival.
Activities & Experiences
- Guided, shared day & night game drives
- Picnics, bush meals & sundowners
- Wellness Space
- Pool swimming
- Young Explorers Club – family activity
- Visit to local weekly village market
- Tribal Story-Telling through song & dance
- Drive atop Mount Kilileoni
- Ol Chorro Rhino Sanctuary visit
- Migration River Crossings
- Birdwatching
- Seedballs throwing
- Hot Air Balloon Safari
Reasons to Visit Basecamp Mara Houses
There are many reasons to visit Basecamp Mara Houses and we have selected the six main ones to make it easier for you to feel the uniqueness of this safari lodge, where nature, wildlife and people connect in a special way.
Secluded Location
Mara House, Acacia House and Dik Dik House are nestled in the quiet Ol Chorro Losoit valley, in the heart of the untouched, private and protected Mara North Conservancy. Enjoy exclusive experiences in the world-renowned Mara-Serengeti ecosystem from this secluded location, with access to both the Mara North and Lemek Conservancies.
A remarkably high density of wildlife
The nearby Lemek Hills are a haven for the endangered wild dog – a highlight of any safari. Leopard and cheetah are frequently seen in the area, while you may well encounter grazing zebra and elegant waterbuck each time you step outside. The skill of our guides means you’re also likely to spot some of the lesser-known – but no less intriguing – birds, animals and reptiles that call the Mara home.
Exclusive Use
All houses are booked on an exclusive-use basis only, offering the perfect retreat for families or groups of friends seeking privacy and comfort in the wild – your home-away-from-home in the heart of the wilderness.
Flexibility and freedom
During your stay at Basecamp Mara Houses, you can plan your day as you please, with a dedicated safari guide and custom-built safari vehicle available for activities that can start and end whenever you wish. From thrilling game drives and guided bush walks to relaxing at the pool or playing board games in the lounge, each day unfolds at your preferred pace.
Tailored Service
At Basecamp Mara Houses, our dedicated team is on hand at all times to arrange the activities, meals and experiences that fit in with the way you and your family or friends would most like to experience the Mara. Our wildlife guide, personal chef, room steward, waiter and household manager work hand-in-hand to ensure your stay is seamless and memorable.
Delicious dining experiences
Our private chefs create delicious meals tailored to your preferences. A stay at Mara Bush Houses includes bush breakfasts and sundowners, and you can choose to dine indoors, on your private veranda overlooking the waterhole, or at the shared swimming pool, which also has its own barbecue and dining area.
