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5-star hotels in Narok

This shortlist gathers the 5-star hotels in Narok, all of them safari camps and lodges in the Maasai Mara and the conservancies around it, ranked by class and guest rating. It is for travellers who want the top tier of the Mara and nothing below it.

15 hotels5 rated 4.5+898 guest reviews

Staying in Narok

The Maasai Mara lies in Narok County in southwest Kenya, where the national reserve meets the Serengeti in Tanzania. Private conservancies surround the reserve and many camps sit inside them. The wildebeest migration usually crosses into the Mara between July and October. Light aircraft fly to airstrips inside and around the reserve, and the road route runs through Narok town; the straight line distance from Nairobi is about 180 km.

These 5-star addresses are spread across the reserve and its conservancies rather than in one town. Elewana Sand River Masai Mara, Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Mara Sweet Acacia Lodge and Mara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp Hotel sit in the Masai Mara National Reserve; Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara in the Olare Orok Conservancy and Mahali Mzuri in the Motorogi Conservancy; Neptune Mara Rianta and Mara River Camp in the Mara North Conservancy; Angama Mara, Mara Explorer, Jambo Mara Safari Lodge and JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge in the wider Maasai Mara. It suits couples and families on a safari short break, with several properties rated 4.7 or higher by guests.

The shortlist

Ranked by hotel class, then guest rating and number of reviews.

  1. Elewana Sand River Masai Mara

    ★★★★★4.9341 reviews

    Masai Mara National Reserve

    Why stay hereSet inside the Masai Mara National Reserve on the Sand River, Elewana Sand River Masai Mara is a 5-star camp for travellers who want to be deep in the reserve rather than on its edge. Its 341 guest reviews average 4.9 out of 5. The address places it directly in the reserve, which suits visitors building a Mara stay around game viewing.

    See Elewana Sand River Masai Mara
  2. Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara

    ★★★★★4.8221 reviews

    Olare Orok Conservancy

    Why stay hereOlare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara sits in the Olare Orok Conservancy, a 5-star option for guests who prefer a conservancy setting adjoining the Mara. A guest rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 221 reviews reflects consistently strong feedback. It fits travellers who want a conservancy address while staying in the Narok shortlist of top-class camps.

    See Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara
  3. Angama Mara All Inclusive

    ★★★★★4.7322 reviews

    Maasai Mara

    Why stay hereAngama Mara All Inclusive is a 5-star property in the Maasai Mara, offered on an all-inclusive basis. Across 322 reviews it holds a 4.7 out of 5 guest rating. The combination of a top class rating and inclusive arrangement makes it a practical choice for visitors who would rather not arrange extras on top of their Mara stay.

    See Angama Mara All Inclusive
  4. Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive.

    ★★★★★4.813 reviews

    Mara North Conservancy Maasai Mara

    Why stay hereIn the Mara North Conservancy, Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive is a 5-star camp run on an all-inclusive basis. Its 4.8 out of 5 guest rating comes from 13 reviews, a small but positive sample. It suits travellers who want a conservancy location north of the reserve with the inclusive format handled up front.

    See Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive.
  5. Mahali Mzuri

    ★★★★★5.0

    Motorogi Conservancy

    Why stay hereMahali Mzuri stands in the Motorogi Conservancy and holds a 5-star class. Its single review carries a perfect 5.0 out of 5, so the rating reflects very little feedback rather than a long track record. It is a pick for travellers drawn to a conservancy address in the Mara and willing to judge on a thin review base.

    See Mahali Mzuri
  6. Mara Explorer

    ★★★★★

    Maasai Mara

    Why stay hereMara Explorer is a 5-star camp in the Maasai Mara, listed for travellers who want top-class class in the heart of the Mara rather than a town base. No guest rating is recorded for it here, so the choice rests on its 5-star class and its Mara address.

    See Mara Explorer
  7. Mara River Camp

    ★★★★★

    Mara North Conservancy Maasai Mara Masai Mara

    Why stay hereMara River Camp is a 5-star camp in the Mara North Conservancy of the Maasai Mara. Choosing it means a conservancy setting within the Narok shortlist of top-class stays. No guest rating is recorded in the data, so guests should weigh it on its class and location alone.

    See Mara River Camp
  8. Sarova Mara Game Camp

    ★★★★★

    Valley Road C12

    Why stay hereSarova Mara Game Camp is a 5-star camp on Valley Road C12. It appears on this Narok shortlist as one of the top-class properties in the wider Masai Mara area. No guest rating is recorded here, so the decision rests on its 5-star class and its listed address.

    See Sarova Mara Game Camp
  9. Jambo Mara Safari Lodge

    ★★★★★

    Maasai Mara

    Why stay hereJambo Mara Safari Lodge is a 5-star lodge in the Maasai Mara. It suits travellers who want a lodge-style, top-class base for a Mara visit within the Narok shortlist. There is no guest rating in the data for this property, so it should be judged on its 5-star class and its Mara setting.

    See Jambo Mara Safari Lodge
  10. Muthu Keekorok Lodge Maasai Mara Narok

    ★★★★★

    C14 Keekorok

    Why stay hereMuthu Keekorok Lodge Maasai Mara Narok is a 5-star lodge at C14 Keekorok, placing it at Keekorok in the Maasai Mara. It is a lodge rather than a tented camp, which may suit guests who prefer that style of top-class accommodation in the Mara. No guest rating is recorded for it here.

    See Muthu Keekorok Lodge Maasai Mara Narok
  11. Mara Serena Safari Lodge

    ★★★★★

    Masai Mara National Reserve

    Why stay hereMara Serena Safari Lodge is a 5-star lodge inside the Masai Mara National Reserve. Being in the reserve itself is the main draw for travellers who want to stay within the protected area rather than a surrounding conservancy. No guest rating is recorded in the data, so the choice rests on its class and reserve location.

    See Mara Serena Safari Lodge
  12. Mara Sweet Acacia Lodge

    ★★★★★

    Masai Mara National Reserve

    Why stay hereMara Sweet Acacia Lodge is a 5-star lodge in the Masai Mara National Reserve. Its reserve address is the practical point for visitors who want to be inside the protected area during their Mara stay. No guest rating is recorded here, so it should be considered on its top-class class and location.

    See Mara Sweet Acacia Lodge
  13. Mara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp Hotel

    ★★★★★

    Maasai Mara National Reserve

    Why stay hereMara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp Hotel is a 5-star tented camp in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The tented format suits travellers who want a camp experience inside the reserve rather than a conventional lodge. No guest rating is recorded, so the case for it rests on its class and reserve setting.

    See Mara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp Hotel
  14. Osero Lodge

    ★★★★★

    Enarau Ranch

    Why stay hereOsero Lodge is a 5-star lodge at Enarau Ranch. The ranch address sets it apart from the reserve and conservancy camps on this shortlist, which may appeal to guests wanting a different Mara base. No guest rating is recorded for it in the data, so judge it on its class and location.

    See Osero Lodge
  15. JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge

    ★★★★★

    Talek River Masai Mara Reserve

    Why stay hereJW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge is a 5-star lodge on the Talek River in the Masai Mara Reserve. Its riverside reserve address is the distinctive point for travellers who want to be inside the reserve along the Talek. No guest rating is recorded here, so the choice rests on its class, river setting and reserve location.

    See JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge

How to choose

Top-rated picks

Mahali Mzuri holds a perfect 5.0 from 1 review, Elewana Sand River Masai Mara 4.9 from 341, and Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara and Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive both 4.8. These are the highest guest scores in the shortlist, though the review counts behind them vary widely.

Mahali Mzuri · Elewana Sand River Masai Mara · Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara · Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive.

Most reviewed

Elewana Sand River Masai Mara has 341 reviews, Angama Mara All Inclusive 322 and Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara 221.

Elewana Sand River Masai Mara · Angama Mara All Inclusive · Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara

In the national reserve

Elewana Sand River Masai Mara, Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Mara Sweet Acacia Lodge and Mara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp Hotel all give a Masai Mara National Reserve address, putting them inside the reserve itself rather than in a surrounding conservancy.

Elewana Sand River Masai Mara · Mara Serena Safari Lodge · Mara Sweet Acacia Lodge · Mara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp Hotel

In a conservancy

Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara sits in the Olare Orok Conservancy, Mahali Mzuri in the Motorogi Conservancy, and Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive and Mara River Camp in the Mara North Conservancy. Conservancy addresses suit travellers who prefer the private conservancies that surround the reserve.

Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara · Mahali Mzuri · Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive. · Mara River Camp

Where to stay in Narok

Masai Mara National Reserve

The national reserve is the core of the Maasai Mara, in Narok County in southwest Kenya, and it is where the reserve meets the Serengeti in Tanzania. Elewana Sand River Masai Mara, Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Mara Sweet Acacia Lodge and Mara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp Hotel carry this address. Staying here puts you on the reserve ground itself during the July to October migration.

Our picks here: Elewana Sand River Masai Mara · Mara Serena Safari Lodge · Mara Sweet Acacia Lodge

Mara North Conservancy

Mara North Conservancy is one of the private conservancies that surround the national reserve. Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive and Mara River Camp are both addressed here. A conservancy address means you are in the protected land around the reserve rather than inside it, with the reserve and its airstrips still within the Mara area.

Our picks here: Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive. · Mara River Camp

Maasai Mara

Angama Mara All Inclusive, Mara Explorer and Jambo Mara Safari Lodge give Maasai Mara as their address, in Narok County in southwest Kenya. The wider Maasai Mara is where the reserve meets the Serengeti in Tanzania and where light aircraft fly to airstrips inside and around the reserve.

Our picks here: Angama Mara All Inclusive · Mara Explorer · Jambo Mara Safari Lodge

Plan your stay

Getting there and around

Light aircraft fly to airstrips inside and around the reserve. By road the route runs through Narok town. The straight line distance from Nairobi is about 180 km. Maasai Mara is in Narok County in southwest Kenya, where the reserve meets the Serengeti in Tanzania, and private conservancies surround the national reserve, so several of these camps sit in the conservancies rather than on the reserve itself.

When to go

The wildebeest migration usually crosses into the Mara between July and October, the main period when the herds move into the reserve and the surrounding conservancies. That window is the busiest and most sought-after time to be in the Maasai Mara, so plan well ahead if the migration is the reason for your trip. Outside it, the reserve and its conservancies remain open for safaris.

Things to do near Narok

Questions, answered

Which of these 5-star hotels is closest to the centre?

These 5-star properties are safari camps and lodges spread across the Maasai Mara and its conservancies, not town hotels, so none sits in a centre. Their addresses range from Masai Mara National Reserve to the Olare Orok, Motorogi and Mara North Conservancies and the wider Maasai Mara.

Which is the top-rated pick in this shortlist?

Mahali Mzuri has a perfect 5.0 guest rating, but from just 1 review. Elewana Sand River Masai Mara follows at 4.9 from 341 reviews, then Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara and Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive at 4.8 each, from 221 and 13 reviews.

Do any of these hotels have a pool or spa?

The hotel records for this shortlist list no facilities, so no pool or spa can be confirmed for any of them here. Check the individual hotel page, built from the booking supplier's record, for the facilities each property actually offers.

Do any of these hotels allow pets?

The records behind this shortlist carry no pet policy, so none of the 5-star properties here can be confirmed as pet-friendly. Ask the camp or lodge directly before you travel with an animal.

Is parking available at these hotels?

No parking information appears in the hotel records for this shortlist. As these are Mara camps and lodges reached by light aircraft to airstrips inside and around the reserve, or by road through Narok town, confirm arrival and vehicle arrangements with the property.

Which of these hotels is best for families?

The data here gives class, guest rating and review counts rather than family facilities. Angama Mara All Inclusive, with 322 reviews and a 4.7 rating, and Elewana Sand River Masai Mara, with 341 reviews and 4.9, are the most reviewed options to compare for a family safari.

Which hotels sit inside the national reserve rather than a conservancy?

Elewana Sand River Masai Mara, Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Mara Sweet Acacia Lodge and Mara Explorer Luxury Tented Camp Hotel all give a Masai Mara National Reserve address. Olare Mara Kempinski Masai Mara, Mahali Mzuri, Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp All Inclusive and Mara River Camp sit in conservancies.

When should I go to the Maasai Mara for the migration?

The wildebeest migration usually crosses into the Mara between July and October, when the herds move into the reserve and the surrounding conservancies. That is the main period to aim for if the migration is what you want to see.

More ways to stay in Narok