Reviews of Tangulia Mara

"This is a lovely camp in a really gorgeous setting. The photographs on the Expert Africa website don’t do it justice (nor do the ones on Tangulia’s own site).

The camp is built on a hillside with minimum disturbance to the existing woodland, which means meandering and sometimes steepish paths to the large and airy tents. These have gleaming floors and bed frames made from the local African Olive hardwood, plenty of storage and large private balconies with sofas and tables overlooking the salt lick below. The decor is simple, welcoming and blessedly without that international, could be anywhere gloss I’ve found in camps elsewhere. There’s a good shower, although the hot water takes a while to come thru, and you should be mindful of the wooden floor as it can get slippery. Soap and shampoo are supplied, and a dinky washing line and pegs, plus a drinking water dispenser.

This camp doesn’t bring a wake-up hot drink, as some do, and I hate drinking tea from often coffee-tainted flasks in a moving vehicle, so camp very gracefully agreed to provide an overnight flask of boiling water and another of cold milk so I could make tea at 5 am. This was typical of the staff’s helpfulness throughout my stay. Admittedly the camp wasn’t full, but they solved problems and answered questions very quickly. The wi-fi is really good throughout the site but wasn’t working at all in the first room I was given. Not a problem. They asked me to pause my unpacking whilst they tried to fix it. When they found they couldn’t, they moved me to another room.

The mess tent is huge with lots more lovely Olive Tree wood, big cream sofas overlooking a huge salt lick, an informal dining table where lunch was served, and a longer, more formal table for dinner. There’s also a log fireplace in one corner with a couple of big comfy armchairs, and another arrangement of sofas at the rear. No shortage of places to sit, either with other guests or happily alone. You can also sit at the long bar which was well-stocked with spirits, not so great on wine, although I found a white that suited me fine after a spell in the freezer. All of this is lit at night by huge and amazing Moroccan punched metal ceiling shades. Really stunnin!

I found the breakfasts ‘out’ on drives much the same as in other camps - Tupperware boxes stuffed with unrelated things like granola, blueberry muffins and cold sausages, so I now ask for yoghurt, fresh fruit and honey, which camps always have and which are often local and delicious.

Tangulia Mara is really good at lunches and dinners - too good, in a way. Portions are huge and seconds keep coming. The food’s not fancy but is full of flavour and well presented. Their ice cream and sorbets are home made and scrumptious.

Wildlife-wise, everything is there, including the big five, but they’re not always easy to find. The river running past the salt-lick has a large pool which is always full of honking hippos (when they’re not wandering through the camp at night and splattering wet ‘hellos’) and (apparently) a massive crocodile which has been seen to catch and eat zebras and a giraffe. Other animals come for the salt lick. Just after I left, the camp posted a picture on Facebook of elephants, a black rhino AND a leopard all there at once. Since buffalo are also regularly there and there are lions close by, it’s not inconceivable that someone, some day could capture the big five together in one shot.

I didn’t see a leopard whilst I was there. There was a sighting but it was in a crowded area of the Maasai Mara Reserve. My guide heard about it over the radio but didn’t tell me ’til later. He knew I wouldn’t want to see a leopard surrounded by vehicles. Instead, he spent two mornings taking me to a remote area where a female lives with her cub. He’s known this female since she was a cub herself but we couldn’t find her. We did see lions, loads of elephants, including small calves, hippos and buffaloes, a big hyena clan with a hippo kill, antelope and zebra, a cheetah and, most enchanting of all, a serval pouncing on mice in the grass.

For me, the fact that there were no guarantees and we had to go looking for things was part of Tangulia’s charm. You might see the big five all in one day. You’re guaranteed buffalo and elephant, but you may not see lion or leopard at all, and black rhinos are particularly hard to find. I would say this is not a camp for safari virgins or box tickers. The area immediately around the camp is private land but outside of that, you’re in the National Reserve, where good sightings can be quickly surrounded by vehicles (despite supposed rules). Having said that, if I wanted to see the Mara Crossing, Tangulia Mara is where I’d stay, hands-down. Close enough to be there for the action, very fair rates in what would be High Season, great guides and a calming retreat from the mayhem.

As for the rest of the year - if you want a beautiful place where you can choose to avoid other vehicles and have the possibility of finding wonderful things, then Tangulia Mara is certainly beautiful and my guide (Wilson) was brilliant and tireless." See all these reviews: 8n in Kenya

"A delightful camp. Staff in their colourful national dress. Nothing was too much trouble and their help for Sue was excellent.

The guiding was first class and we were lucky to see the migration crossing the Mara twice.

Again a warning as to the tracks similar to Laikipia.

Our tent was large and comfortable in a lovely position very private with no other tents visible." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya

"The Tangulia Mara was an excellent camp. Having the wildlife so close was a dream. The view over the river and water hole was wonderful. Hearing the animals walking up past our tent was very cool. One concern was the door to our tent; it did not seem to be particularly secure as it did not close tightly.

Staff were wonderfully attentive and food was very very good and so much offered. Our bush breakfasts were delicious and plentiful.

Being in the Mara for the Migration was a dream - more than I can express. Hundreds of thousands of animals together - amazing!

Our guides were very good and I appreciated the cooler of drinks onboard the trucks everyday. I did not enjoy the lack of or condition of the "roads" we used to get into the camp; however, I also understand that to make "proper" roads disturbs nature. It was a very minor issue.

To add to sightings: 1 x Genet; 1 x Monitor Lizard; 2 x Jackals; 5-6 x Topi Antelope" See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"We paid a premium for Jackson to be our guide. I felt he spent more time talking to his trainee than to us. When he did talk to us, he was hard to hear because he faced the windshield. After having a gold guide at Tortilis he was a disappointment.

The other guide Lucy was a great driver, especially when it rained and hailed. She was in control in the mud and didn't get stuck. But she only answered questions and rarely offered information. We didn't know what questions to ask. She also didn't seem to understand how best to position the vehicle so we could get the best pictures. Please don't face the sun. My roommate and I spoke to Jackson about Lucy. we feel she has lots of potential and as one of very few women guides she needs to be encouraged and helped to improve. She can be great.

The food was plentiful, really good but too much. Lunches were like dinners. And for dinner, I prefer plated meals, not served family style where you have to dish up your own plate. Even with hot hot plates, by the time everyone served themselves, the food was no longer hot.

The staff were pleasant. There was always someone around to escort us in the dark. The last night was cold and wet and they didn't leave hot water bottles in our beds that night. We could have used them. Brrrr.

I have one complaint. The morning we were leaving, I went for breakfast. When I returned to our tent to finish packing, the staff were already stripping the beds. I felt rushed. All the pillows from my roommate's bed were piled on top of my bed along with mine. While the cleaner left the room, I still felt rushed and didn't think to pull back the bed covers. As a result I left behind my expensive headlamp and my carrying case for my monocular. I take responsibility. But if they had waited until I left to clean the room, I feel I would have checked the bed and not left behind my important belongings." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya

"Lovely camp-including tents, main areas with views and property pathways. Very good vehicles.

They have two types of vehicles. The first day I was in, what I understood to be their newer vehicles. Very high rood covering and completely open-no windshield. These are very comfortable and roomy vehicles with great visibility. As a photographer, I found the lack of option to stand a bit problematic-both for spotting and for variety of shooting positions. It would be especially advantageous with such high grass. But they were very accommodating to switch me to one of their older style vehicles where you can stand. The visibility is a little less open as the trucks are bulkier and there is a windshield, but the amity to stand out weighed that. There was also better camera support shooting from seated. SO, overall both vehicles are very good, but I do think the newer ones are more suited to wildlife viewing and not equipped for photographers who might need lens support and different angles of view.

The camp itself is very good. My game drives were somewhat lacking, which can happen when dealing with wildlife.

The food was, in my opinion, well below what I would expect for a camp of this standing. Very disappointing. Honestly, this was a big shortcoming for a camp of this standing. The food was absolutely not at all comparable to other properties I have stayed at. In fact, I would say it was the most disappointing of any camp I have stayed at both in terms of quality, variety and presentation. (When plated(as opposed to served at the table, which was more usual) the food was just piled on the plate with no sense of presentation at all.) The lack of variety was very disappointing. (ie: over 4 lunches there were cubed beets served 3 times and pizza served twice(I will say the pizza was actually the best of what was served for lunches.) One lunch had 3 different servings of carrots on the plate-grilled, shredded carrot salad and cubed and mixed in rice. It was accompanied by a dry vegetarian patty, but when I inquired what that was made of, no one could tell me. One lunch I was served plain spaghetti noodles. No sauce. (There was a meat sauce for those eating meat but no sauce option for vegetarian. Packed breakfast included the same fruit option every day. A whole apple, orange or tree tomato ( I think?) These were the only fruits included all 4 mornings. I even mentioned that I don’t eat apples, but they were still on offer every day and again in the evening when a half of small apple by itself, warmed with a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon was served for desert. At dinner one night I asked what the vegetarian option was made of, and the server did not know. So, I opted to try the lamb cubes-(which were served on two of the 4 nights)-but found it very tough and difficult to chew. The soups in the evening were very good, as were the savoury items at breakfast, but other than that, very disappointing." See all these reviews: 4n in Kenya

"Wow such an amazing and special place! Nestled up in the hills in their own private area- it was so peaceful and you felt very much at one with nature. From the massive balcony of our tent as well as the main camp area you had a perfect view across the salt lick and to the river where there were always animals to watch. On our very last morning a mum and very young waterbuck calf came walking right under our tent.

The tent itself was huge. Nice wooden floor throughout, large beds, bathroom area, and as I mentioned the lovely balcony which was so big it had two sofas on it. Lovely furniture which looked like it was made out of reclaimed wood added to the special feeling of the tent.

The main restaurant/bar area of the camp was also a lovely spacious area to relax and have a drink in the afternoon or before dinner, with lovely relaxing sofas all around to sit on as well as plenty of space they laid out for dinner.

All the meals were delicious. We had picnic breakfasts out in the bush on 2 days and picnic lunch on one day, the rest of the meals back at the camp. The lamb stew was a dinner highlight for us but all the meals were freshly cooked and fabulous.

All the staff at the camp were so friendly and helpful, always eager to discuss what animals we had seen that day and make sure we had everything we needed. Very good at keeping our wine glasses topped up as well!

We mustn't forget the animals! Can't believe what wide variety of animals we say on our game drives - in the main national park on our very first evening we say the marsh pride of lions attempt to hunt down a buffalo, before being chased off by an angry herd of elephants who didn't appreciate being caught in the middle of the hunt.

We saw every animal you could think of, as well as many others. We couldn't believe there were so many elephants in the Masai Mara, it was great to see them moving across the open plains, the matriarch in the lead, as well as stopping and having a drink at different rivers. We saw several other lion prides, including 2 male lions having a munch on a hippo for breakfast.

We also saw a cheetah attempt to hunt down a gazelle. One day we went for a whole day safari to the Mara North area- we were lucky to see a rhino and her calf, lions having a sleep, wildebeest in their tens of thousands migrating over from the Serengeti- at one point all across the horizon were wildebeest. We also saw a group of wildebeest cross the river as part of the migration - an amazing sight (they all made it across - no crocodiles around!). It was also lovely to see some of the smaller animals - we saw several eagles, dik diks, loads of baboons (including a small baby attempting to climb up a bush), and mongoose to name a few.

Our guide, Lucy, was absolutely amazing. So knowledgeable about the animals and always knew exactly where she was going and where she could hopefully find different animals. She did a great job of showing us the wide variety of animals in the Mara. We feel very privileged to have been guided by one of the very few female guides out in the Mara.

Tangulia Mara feels extra special being the first Maasai-owned and run camp in the Mara, and it is clear how proud both the owners Jackson and Dominic and all their staff are of their camp and what they have achieved with making this amazing special place. Definitely an unforgettable experience." See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"I stayed here for 4 nights and loved everything about it.

It has a wonderful setting and my tent overlooked the natural salt lick and a bend in the Mara river. Many animals were to be seen just sitting out on the verandah - including lions.

Jackson was not there but his partner, Dominic, was an attentive and interesting host.

Lovely food and my guide, Benjamin, was full of information and showed me the best possible sightings.

Lots of fairly rustic type furniture very much in keeping with the camp." See all these reviews: 9n in Kenya

"The service felt very personalized, with a Masai celebration and cake commemorating our long-delayed family graduation trip on our final night. The food was excellent with very good vegan options and attentiveness to our group's dietary restrictions. The only non-dairy milk was coconut milk.

Our guide was superb, and the animal sightings were numerous. We were there in June 2022 - rainy season and pre-migration - and some sites could not be accessed due to muddy terrain. Also, the tall grasses and pre-migration status meant that some sightings were harder to come by. That said, even the drive from the airstrip on the first day was fantastic!

The site is beautiful - we could view game from our porch, and if the tents were "less polished" than other sites they were still luxurious: the showers were hot, everything was clean and spacious, and service was outstanding." See all these reviews: 7n in Kenya; 6n in Rwanda

"So glad Richard Trillo encouraged us to go to Maasai Mara and to Tangulia. It is great it is Maasai owned and run so very different from monster chain hotel camps. The owner, Jackson Looseye is amazing, expert friendly, sophisticated, worth a visit just to meet him.

Drive from the landing strip was a safari in itself with our great guide Benjamin. The camp has wonderful views over the green river valley, spent an hour just watching giraffes graze, there were always animals to watch from our terrace. Tent and location great.

The game and the birds are amazing here, we have enjoyed many safaris but this location had almost everything.

Good staff, and food a lot of care, breakfasts and sundowners by the river.

The walk and visit to the local village was a great experience, not to be missed. Very friendly if sobering." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya

"I stayed in Tangulia Mara for 11 days, as a solo female traveller. I felt very much at home in this very pleasant camp.

I indicated that during the pandemic I did not feel comfortable having communal meals, so I had my meals at a separate table, where I was joined in the beginning of my stay by Susan (assistant manager) and later by Damaris ( the manager). We had long talks about the various aspects of the Masai culture and their and my personal lives.

Whenever I was in the comfortable lounge area, I would be joined by one of the staff members, and we always had interesting conversations about the Masai people and the changes that are taking place in their culture. For me this was important as I was eager to learn, and I very much like to engage with the people whenever I travel in Africa.

Tangulia Mara camp is a rustic camp, that is beautifully located in a quiet part of the Masai Mara. The path from the lounge to my tent was newly paved, which was very comfortable as it rained a lot at night and my tent was located downhills.

The tent was airy and spacious, and decorated with nice wooden details and beautiful beadwork. There was a big container with drinking water, a fridge, and a fan.

I had a tent with a view on the salt lick and the Mara river, and every day I saw hippo’s, elephants, buffalo, giraffe, impala, waterbuck, baboons, and many birds from my big porch. The shower was great, and I would find a warm waterbottle every evening. At six in the morning I got hot tea in a thermos mug and biscuits in my tent, and we always enjoyed a picknick breakfast during our gamedrive.

Sometimes we would also take a picknick lunch.

I had Sophia and Dalton as my guides, they were a knowledgeable team, and good drivers which was important on the extremely muddy and bad roads in the Masai Mara.

We had wonderful sightings, and could stay there as long as I wanted to observe the behaviour of the wildlife. One of the many good things about Tangulia Mara is, that each guest/couple/group gets a private car if possible, even in the high season.

Last but not least: the food was very tasty.

The only downside is, that it can be rather busy with cars on sightings of predators, especially in the central part of the Masai Mara. The area where Tangulia is based, was much more quiet." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya