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Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara

Reviews of Kicheche Mara

Wildlife sightings and reviews

95 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Kicheche Mara and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Aug-2018, 65 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Kicheche Mara.
Lion

100% success

Leopard

68% success

Cheetah

91% success

Wild dog

4% success

Buffalo

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Spotted Hyena

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Eland

92% success

Striped Hyena

6% success

Black Rhino

5% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Showing 21-30 of 95
Duration
Arrival date
Gwendolyon
Ithaca,NY

"Home on the Mara"

4 nights Arrived 24 Oct 2023
"What an amazing place. The people, the food, the tents, the guides. Everything was perfect. We had no idea what to expect, and never in our wildest dreams would have expected such perfection.

From the moment our guide, Saruni, picked us up from the airstrip, our greeting and reception when we arrived, the comfort of the “tents”, the thoughtfulness in remembering and catering to each guest’s needs, the laundry service, the wake up coffee, tea and cookies, the amazing and delicious meals, it was all perfect. The staff, Maurice, Fred, Priscilla, and Charles, to name a few, go out of their way to ensure the guests’ comfort on all levels (food, accommodations, activities).

I made the mistake of not indicating a food preference on my Expert Africa form and Priscilla noted this to herself. For the following meals she prepared for me a separate dish accommodating this. Sam made sure we got to our tent safely every night and to the truck every morning; and also went out of his way to assist my traveling companion when she hurt her leg. Everyone we met made a point of talking with us, getting to know us, and making us feel like family.

I am in awe of the amount of knowledge our guides, Jimmy, Saruni, and George have to share with us. Prior to the trip I had no true understanding of what a silver rating implied. It becomes overwhelmingly clear once we were in the trucks with them. Every animal, every plant, every bird and their song. Everything about their behavior. The connection with some of the animals, knowing their history and behavior." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

5 sightings

Cheetah

5 sightings

Eland

4 sightings

Elephant

5 sightings

Giraffe

5 sightings

Hippo

5 sightings

Leopard

3 sightings

Lion

5 sightings

Spotted Hyena

3 sightings

Wildebeest

3 sightings

Zebra

5 sightings

Ms D.
Canada

"Kicheche Mara review"

4 nights Arrived 24 Oct 2023
"Loved this place.

The staff and the accommodations were superb.

The drives were absolutely amazing with lots to see and take in, and the drivers were very informative and friendly. I felt very safe at all times.

I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to go on safari." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Cheetah

Multiple sightings

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Gar
USA

"Kicheche Mara review"

4 nights Arrived 24 Oct 2023
"From the first welcome to the final goodbye, this place was amazing!
Everybody was so warm and welcoming upon arrival and throughout the stay.
The food and beverage offerings were excellent - certainly better than one typically associates with 'camp food'.

The tents were very inviting and comfortable - all with a view of the plain below the camp.

The game drives were well executed - morning and afternoon.
(I do have to say that Jimmy's driving was a bit unnerving at times. I nicknamed him - depending upon the situation, it was "Lead Foot Jimmy" (due to excessive speed) or "No Roads Jimmy", which was often times combined with the lead foot. He is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly; I really enjoyed his fun personality, but was a bit nervous at times due to his aggressive driving.)

Breakfast on the plains - WOW! Watching the different animals in the distance, while being pampered by the guides setting up breakfast and making coffee. Such an indulgence!

Then again, during the Sundowner experience. Kenyan sunsets, cocktails, snacks - what could be better?!

Cocktails by the fire upon return in the evening, to talk about what an amazing day it had been - or to quietly reflect on the amazing day on The Mara with the abundant animal sightings.

All the guides were kind, welcoming and knowledgeable. So knowledgeable - and clearly love what they do, which equates to a better experience for their passengers." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

10 sightings

Cheetah

8 sightings

Eland

6 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

6 sightings

Leopard

4 sightings

Lion

10 sightings

Spotted Hyena

10 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr and Mrs M
London

"Kicheche Mara review"

3 nights Arrived 8 Sep 2023
"Nice location. Very personal service. Staff were very friendly and so willing to help.

Guide was excellent, very knowledgable and attentive to our safari focus. Also gave lots of advice on photography.

Tent was a lovely size - really spacious and with lots of windows and great views.

Food was wonderful." See all these reviews: 9n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

1 sighting

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Cheetah

1 sighting

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

1 sighting

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

P and S
Chilterns

"Kicheche Mara review"

2 nights Arrived 10 Aug 2023
"Very good.

Also saw several topi and Hartebeests" See all these reviews: 16n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Uli
Germany

"Great time at Kicheche Mara"

3 nights Arrived 21 Jul 2023
"The camp is beautifully situated in the Mara North Conservancy and has only 10 tents. Ours (Duma) was very spacious and nothing was missing - wonderful! We had a nice view of a small river where buffalo, hippos and elephants occasionally appeared.
The service was very friendly and helpful and the meals were excellent.

Two games were offered per day: in the morning from 6:00 a.m. to around 11:00 a.m. (longer if required) and in the afternoon from 4:00 p.m. to around 7:00 p.m./7:30 p.m.

Our guide Paul was very nice and experienced, but unfortunately he had only been in the conservancy for a day, so he couldn't be very familiar with the paths, fauna, territories, favorite places of animals, etc. That was the only thing that wasn't perfectly organized, but we still had interesting sightings and a good time with Paul and his assistant Dixon." See all these reviews: 7n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Cheetah

1 sighting

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

A & B
Corrales

"Kicheche Mara with NJ Wight review"

3 nights Arrived 9 Jul 2023
"What I think of as the Kicheche magic began the moment Saruni and David picked us up from the airstrip. Our first game drive was from the airstrip to camp, and I felt as if I was in a dream. But it was definitely real! The camp itself is in a gorgeous setting, the staff is superb, the tents were the very definition of "glamping". And the food - oh my goodness. We were definitely spoiled - I gained 5 pounds on this trip. but it was worth it.

Something that made our time at Kicheche Mara extra special was a complete surprise. NJ had let them know that we were celebrating our 39th anniversary, so they arranged a private dinner for us. When we returned from the evening game drive, we were escorted to our tent. There we found the patio to our tent had been transformed. There were luminarias going up the steps and along the edge of the patio, a candlelit table with tablecloth, flowers, and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine. Our waitress served a superb meal (the butternut squash ravioli was amazing!). We sipped our sparkling wine while looking out at the fireflies, hearing the bell frogs and the quiet munching and rustlings of the elephants as they ate their dinner. Magic indeed.

But despite the amazingly high quality of every aspect of the camp, the heart and soul of this experience came from our guides. Saruni and David have a passion for the Mara that comes through in everything they do. Their knowledge of the wildlife, the land, and the people truly enriched our safari experience. Somehow they managed to keep up their energy, enthusiasm, and sense of humor for every ride. I was sorry to say goodbye to these two men." See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

10 sightings

Cheetah

2 sightings

Eland

10 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Lion

10 sightings

Spotted Hyena

10 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Ms A.
USA

"Kicheche Mara review"

3 nights Arrived 9 Jul 2023
"This was the first camp I visited on my trip, and it was really wonderful. The tents are brand-new and extremely comfortable, the location is hard to beat, and all the staff I encountered were kind and helpful.

I was sick for the first full day of my stay, which could have made for a terrible experience. The lovely location and staff meant that the stay was still a pleasure, and once I was able to venture out, the animals in the area were outstanding.

In addition to the animals listed in the wildlife survey, I saw lots of jackals, funny vervet monkeys, and excellent birds including a lilac-breasted roller." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

5 sightings

Elephant

4 sightings

Giraffe

3 sightings

Hippo

2 sightings

Lion

1 sighting

Spotted Hyena

2 sightings

Wildebeest

3 sightings

Zebra

4 sightings

Mrs J.
USA

"Kicheche Mara review"

3 nights Arrived 9 Jul 2023
"Staff at the camp and our guides were knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. Our guides David and Seroni were exceptional. The food was 5 stars." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Cheetah

Multiple sightings

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Ms Janice
Virginia

"Kicheche Mara review"

3 nights Arrived 9 Jul 2023
"I cant say enough about how excellent the experience with Kicheche Mara was. SUPERB staff, food, service, tent accommodations were excellent. Only suggestion is to make the "drapes" to the bathroom area a bit less see through, when sharing a tent with a stranger in a group situation there is no privacy at all. separating the beds to be a bit further apart would also have been nicer. Maybe a ceiling fan if possible for better air circulation too." See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

10 sightings

Eland

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

10 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Showing 21-30 of 95
99%
95 reviews of Kicheche Mara by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
89
5
1
0
0
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Other lodges in Maasai Mara Conservancies

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Kicheche Bush Camp

Kicheche Bush Camp

Kicheche Bush Camp is a smart and intimate tented camp with a relaxed atmosphere and the perfect base in the Mara for keen photographers.


100% (104 reviews)
Kicheche Valley

Kicheche Valley

Kicheche Valley is a boutique tented camp in a wooded district of the Mara ecosystem's Naboisho Conservancy, with plenty of wildlife in the area.


99% (66 reviews)
Naboisho Camp

Naboisho Camp

Naboisho Camp is one of the most luxurious of the handful of camps in the Naboisho Conservancy. It offers day and night game drives, game walks and full creature comforts in the bush.


98% (49 reviews)
Offbeat Mara

Offbeat Mara

Offbeat Mara is a small traditional camp that appeals to safari traditionalists, located in one of the Maasai Mara’s quiet conservancies.


98% (42 reviews)
Encounter Mara

Encounter Mara

Encounter Mara is located in the private Naboisho Conservancy – a game-rich area of the Mara ecosystem – and offers a contemporary take on the traditional, low-impact luxury safari camp.


92% (18 reviews)
Elephant Pepper Camp

Elephant Pepper Camp

Elephant Pepper Camp is a small 10-tent bush camp, put together in the traditional "campaign" style, and including a large honeymoon/family tent.


99% (17 reviews)
Serian

Serian

Serian is a luxury tented camp on the east bank of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy. It is the sister camp of Ngare Serian, on the west bank.


97% (15 reviews)
Mara Plains Camp

Mara Plains Camp

Mara Plains is one of the very best camps in the Mara ecosystem. Located in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just outside the Mara reserve, it has access to three wildlife-viewing areas.


100% (13 reviews)
Kicheche Walking Wilderness

Kicheche Fly Camp

Kicheche Walking Wilderness Fly Camp is a temporaray dome tent camp set up for participants in Kicheche's two-day walking safari between Kicheche Valley and Kicheche Bush Camp.


96% (10 reviews)
Basecamp Eagle View

Basecamp Eagle View

Basecamp Eagle View is a community-focused safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy, with a strong emphasis on responsible tourism and a spectacular location.


96% (10 reviews)
Porini Lion Camp

Porini Lion Camp

Porini Lion Camp is a pioneering, community focused eco-camp, with excellent guides and game viewing, in the predator-rich, Olare Motorogi Conservancy.


82% (9 reviews)
Hemingways Ol Seki Mara

Hemingways Ol Seki

Magnificently located tented lodge on a bluff looking south across the Naboisho Conservancy toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve.


96% (9 reviews)
Saruni Wild

Saruni Wild

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Offbeat Ndoto

Offbeat Ndoto

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Porini Mara Camp

Porini Mara Camp

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Ngare Serian

Ngare Serian

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96% (5 reviews)
Basecamp Leopard Hill

Basecamp Leopard Hill

With six beautiful tents, Basecamp Leopard Hill is a smart safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.


100% (5 reviews)
Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp

Karen Blixen Camp sits on a meander of the Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy, just beyond the northern boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.


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Cottars 1920s Camp

Cottars 1920s Camp

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92% (5 reviews)
Leleshwa

Leleshwa

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Mahali Mzuri

Mahali Mzuri

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100% (2 reviews)
Saruni Mara

Saruni Mara

Saruni Mara is a luxurious permanent lodge, on the remote northern edge of the Mara North Conservancy, with stunning views, good guiding and very private and comfortable rooms.


80% (1 review)
Mara Nyika

Mara Nyika

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100% (1 review)
Basecamp Wilderness Camp

Basecamp Wilderness

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100% (1 review)
Mara Bushtops

Mara Bushtops

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Mara Toto Tree Camp

Mara Toto Tree Camp

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Cottars Private House

Cottars Private House

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Basecamp Mara Houses

Basecamp Mara Houses

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Entumoto

Entumoto

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