Reviews of Offbeat Mara
Wildlife sightings and reviews
41 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Offbeat Mara and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
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"Offbeat Mara review"
"Fantastic stay at Offbeat Mara"
Activity-wise it was all about the drives (although we loved our visit to a local Maasai village one afternoon/evening) - I believe Jesse is waiting on his rifle licence, which will mean he can offer walking safaris which I think would be a good addition. But the drives were amazing and we loved it that one day we got back to camp after a whole day out - and Jesse said 'jump in the jeep, a leopard's been spotted close to camp'. And we found her! So lucky and so glorious to have a local resident leopard - we saw her a couple of times after that, including one incident when she dispatched an infant warthog (cue lots of noise!). We really appreciated that genuine want on the part of the management to ensure we had the best possible experience.
Seeing a crossing was epic (our all-day excursion into the National Reserve was just brilliant) and the guides seemed to know place after wonderful place for breakfast stops. Having bacon and eggs - and a coffee - by a watering hole for zebra in the sunshine and by a hippo and croc-infested river was really special.
We also did an AMAZING night drive with our fellow seriously good fun guests... tearing around the plains on the roof of a Landcruiser with a couple of bottles of wine in tow was absolutely brilliant (though I don't want to get anyone into trouble!).
I feel a bit unfair marking the food and activities 'good' rather than 'excellent' - but that's just because I'm comparing them with Borana (which had a full-service kitchen whereas of course Offbeat doesn't!)... I thought it was all seriously good.
Overall - the Mara is in a league of its own in terms of the sheer abundance of game. Offbeat Mara was a fabulous base and we'd love to go back some day. Special mention to Jesse, Sam, Josphat and Komani for the laughs, attention to detail and general marvellousness!" See all these reviews: 8n in Kenya; 5n in Zanzibar
"Offbeat Mara review"
The contrast in the landscape with Meru could not be greater, open plains compared to deeper bush, which is why the 2 camps makes an excellent combination. Lucky enough to see 2 separate prides of lions eating their kill, large herds of Zebra and Gazelles as well as Topi, water buck and different birds to that seen at Meru. Both camps offer morning game drives taking picnic breakfast with you, which makes game drives longer then normal, but does give you the opportunity to stay out and see more wildlife.
An opportunity that I took up on every occasion, and very worthwhile." See all these reviews: 8n in Kenya
"A little piece of HAVEN!!"
From the moment we turned into this camp it was WONDERFUL!! Karl and Lara were there to meet us with some of their great staff. They made us feel so welcome and very comfortable. The whole experience here was truly amazing, the tents bucket showers(you could have a few a day - if you wanted) the quality of the food their chef produced was fabulous. One night we had this camp to ourselves, what a special treat.
One night, Karl had set up sundowner drinks in a location which he didn't realised was being shared with a group of lion cubs how special was that.
We had the most incredible four nights staying in Offbeat and would love to go back." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
"Excellent Camp"
One guest did complain, it seemed she wanted 5 star service and bucket showers did not meet this but for us it was perfectly good and All we needed." See all these reviews: 7n in Kenya; 6n in Seychelles
"The Mara experience without the crowds"
It had been a rainy period and also rained at night while we were there so there was lots of grass. Our guide David said that there had not been this much grass in ten years. He was a really excellent guide along with spotter Kapen. They knew my wife is a birder so helped her add lots of new birds to her checklist. Also, they shared with us the culture of the Masai people. Most of the time we were the only two in the vehicle with the guide and spotter. January is a good time to visit if you want more of a private experience and are not wanting to be there during the migration.
We still saw lots of wildlife. The first evening safari drive we got the "cat trick" ( leopard, cheetah, and lion). We had one other day that we repeated the cat trick with a leopard mother and cub, cheetah on a kill and a whole pride of lions, two big males, four lionesses and 7 cubs. This camp seems to be located in a real game hotspot. Most of our good sighting were within a mile of the camp. It sits along the river where the leopards hang out and the open plains are just up the hill where the game and the other big cats are hunting.
The conservancy is very pristine and beautiful with the open grassy plains dotted with flat top acacia. There are rivers running through with trees lining them. There are some really large elephants and lots of giraffe.
The tents were large and comfortable with king size beds and in suite bathrooms. The staff were all extremely friendly and the managers, Kyle and Lara were helpful and had lots of interesting stories to tell at meal time. The chef was really good and created lots of variety in his menu. We took breakfast with us to eat out on safari.
You are able to do night drives and walks since it is in the conservancy. We did both and they were both fun." See all these reviews: 14n in Kenya
"Great safari but contradictory feelings"
Another advantage is that you go on safari and you can stay as much as you like without any fixed timetable from the lodge. The landowner of the lodge is very flexible and accommodative.
On the low side, the activities and the service. Although we spent there our New Year's Eve, nothing special was planned and the service was very poor, even the fruits that are so numerous in Africa were so much limited in variety. We had also hard time with the bucket of water in our shower." See all these reviews: 5n in Kenya; 3n in Tanzania
The camp received a full supply delivery to the kitchen on the 30th of December and had a plentiful variety of fruit in camp so they are very sorry if these guests missed it. They also apologise if these guests were unaware of the safari shower system when booking the camp and we at Expert Africa should have taken more care to explain that to these guests.
"East Africa Manager"
"Excellent safari at offbeat Mara"
Excellent location, great food and hospitality from Kyle and Lara.
Enjoyed a walk with Kyle and Kapeen, very informative and gives a different view of the bush." See all these reviews: 8n in Kenya
"Good choice in the conservancies"
Our walking safari and night safari were particularly interesting and unique - we saw a rare Aardvark and a lioness hunt a baby gazelle, which got away twice! The opportunity to spend a lot of time in close proximity with the Offbeat lion pride during the day and at night was excellent and it was great to watch the young cubs play.
The lodge was nicely laid with space between the tents. The atmosphere was relaxed and laid back, but at times this felt like bordering complacency. We noted that some of the tents were being refurbished, which is timely as they're beginning to look a bit tired!" See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya
"A True African Safari Experience"
The communal tent and dining area invited you in with comfy cozy lounges and pillows, bar, games, and books, and a variety of animal skulls for the kids to investigate. Drinks and snacks around the campfire in the evenings to share game drive stories and highlights of the day, and communal dinners by candle light and lantern in the open air dining was fantastic, with a special visit from a little bush baby friend. Food was excellent and varied and dietary needs for finicky eaters (3 and 6 year old) were met. We arrived on my birthday, and the chef and staff surprised us with song and a gorgeous birthday cake to help us celebrate. It was lovely. When it was time to retire, the night watchman walked us back to our tents and stood guard all night long. Kyle walked with us as well, because our youngest wouldn't let him out of her sights. ;-) We felt very safe and well looked after.
Massai Mara is a wildlife wonderland, and this visit did not disappoint. We saw so many amazing things and any expectations we may have had were shattered. We witnessed The Great Wildebeest Migration, one of the seven wonders of the world, with our very own eyes and it was more than we ever could have imagined. Thousands and thousands of wildebeest and zebra nervously gathering at the river banks to drink, cautiously pressing forward and then retreating until one takes a leap of faith and the rest follow. What surprised me the most was that the animals go back and forth, at one point wildebeest crossing one way, and zebra crossing the other. It was hilarious and confusing and wonderful. Hungry crocodiles circling and waiting for opportunity to strike. Hippos grunting and nudging and positioning for the best spot. We were watching a National Geographic special live, with our own eyes, and I do not think anything will compare to this experience.
We saw lions, lots and lots of lions and cubs too, a rare black rhino, leopards, elephants and elephant babies, zebra, wildebeest, gazelle, topi, hyena, giraffe, eagles and birds, cheetah, hippos fighting and more. I could not get over the abundance of animals we saw, and the experiences we had in three short days. David and Kapen were our Massai game driver and spotter, and I cannot stop telling people about them and how wonderful they were. They were fantastic, period, and especially with our two girls, and so very knowledgeable and personable and fun. We had an exceptionally hard time saying goodbye, and I tear up writing this just thinking about it. This was a dream, a trip of a lifetime, and a dream come true.
We hope to inspire people to visit Kenya by sharing our stories and our photos, because this place is truly special, truly magical, and everyone should experience it at least once in their lifetime, and Offbeat Mara should be part of the plan." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya
Holiday styles & special interests in Kenya
From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Kenya.
Other lodges in Maasai Mara Conservancies
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
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.
Kicheche Mara
Kicheche Mara Camp has just eight tents and a rustic and comfortable feel. It is set by a stream in a pretty area of the Mara ecosystem's Mara North Conservancy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hemingways Ol Seki
Magnificently located tented lodge on a bluff looking south across the Naboisho Conservancy toward the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Ol Kinyei Adventure
Ol Kinyei Adventure Camp is a satelllite of the larger Porini Mara Camp. Both of them are located in the Maasai-owned Ol Kinyei conservancy, the oldest community conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
Saruni Wild
Saruni Wild is a rustic and traditional safari camp in the Lemek Conservancy, with just three tents and limited electricity.
Ngare Serian
The luxurious Ngare Serian and its sister camp Serian face each other across the Mara River on the western side of the Mara North Conservancy
Porini Mara Camp
Porini Mara Camp is a small, pioneering eco-camp in the first private conservancy in the Mara region, with comfortable accommodation and a range of activities.
Cottars 1920s Camp
Cottar's 1920s Camp is a classic, luxury tented camp with a 1920s safari theme, located in its own conservancy on the southeast border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Offbeat Ndoto
Small and intimate, Offbeat Mara is set in a valley above the (often dry) Olare Orok River within the Mara North Conservancy.
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.
Basecamp Leopard Hill
With six beautiful tents, Basecamp Leopard Hill is a smart safari camp in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
Leleshwa
Leleshwa was a delightful, boutique safari camp on the picturesque banks of a tributary of the Talek, with an extensive, little visited game area on its doorstep.
Mahali Mzuri
Mahali Mzuri is a strikingly modern tented camp in the Virgin Limited Edition group, in a remote part of the Mara ecosytem's Olare Motorogi Conservancy. It has lovely views and all the luxuries of a five-star hotel.
Mara Nyika
Mara Nyika is one of the newer additions to the Naboisho Conservancy and offers a luxurious and exclusive safari.
Basecamp Wilderness
Basecamp Wilderness Camp is a simple, traditional tented camp, set in a remote valley in the Naboisho Conservancy in the Mara ecoystem.
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.
Mara Bushtops
Mara Bushtops is a luxury safari hotel on a private concession, outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve, with the emphasis on comfort, relaxation and good food and wine.
Entumoto
Entumoto is a high-end tented camp, with a swimming pool, situated in a very pretty location on the east side of the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
Cottars Private House
Cottar's Private House is one of the few truly luxurious, modern private houses in the Mara ecosystem, spoiling its guests with first-rate staff, a swimming pool and wonderful views.
