Mahali Mzuri

It’s hard to know where to start our review of Mahali Mzuri. Everything was perfect. We were greeted at the airfield with champagne and met our guide, Levi and his trainee Dansen. We were given a game drive on the way back from the airport and saw lions, a crocodile, hippos, and various other animals right away. We were lucky enough to have tent 12, while is on the far end provided excellent privacy and viewing of the valley below. The room was extremely well thought out and spacious. The only issue we ever had was the afternoons (12-4 or so) the tent became quite toasty - there is no AC but a fan is provided. The housekeeping staff kept everything in tip top shape for the entirely of our stay. The food was amazing - everyone was quick to provide refills of drinks and each evening game drive concluded with a glass of wine and snacks. One evening they arranged a special campfire at the end of the drive with the other guests that included a full bar. Another evening we were treated to a dinner under the stars with traditional dance and food. The staff kindly helped arrange a hot air balloon for my husband (I passed on this as the small plane to arrive at camp is the limit of my tolerance for small planes) and I went to the spa. The spa is incredibly reasonable and down further from the pool where you can hear all sorts of wildlife during your massage. The infinity pool was cool and extremely refreshing. Definitely bring your bathing suits for the warm afternoons between game drives. This was an amazing first experience for a safari. I appreciated the commitment to the local community by the resort as well. It’s nice to feel like your tourism dollars are going back into the local community. We saw so many animals during our time and that was definitely due to the experience and knowledge of our guides. We are dreaming of returning soon!

Hands down this was one of the best experiences of my life. Everyone at Mahali Mzuri feels like family. The food was fabulous. The chef is amazing and can take you on a tour of the garden. He has recipe books you can take home with you. Our waitress Letticia was wonderful. The game drives were unbelievable. We felt very lucky to have Kas drive us on the most phenomenal game drives. We saw so many animals including a black rhino that hasn’t been seen in the park for 13 years and the river crossing of the great migration. He has incredible skill and knowledge. I cannot recommend staying here enough. They pay such close attention to detail and care. I went with my family celebrating that I was done with a year of treatment fighting cancer. The manager wrote such a sweet note welcoming us and even my housekeeper made me feel special. Do not hesitate staying here one bit. it will be worth it. I highly recommend staying for at least 4-5 days. It was always a surprise to see what Kas would find. I also recommend going to the village and the hot air balloon ride. It is simply a magical place.

Where to even begin! Without a doubt, the best experience of our lives! From the moment we landed on the airstrip in Masai Mara, the entire experience was nothing short of magical. We were welcomed with champagne by Newton & Regina, who were our guides for our trip. Even on the short drive to the hotel, we saw so many animals, it was amazing. We arrived at the hotel to a welcome song by all the team, who also happen to all be amazing singers. Mariana and Caroline run the most beautiful home from home, and they were nothing short of fabulous. It should be a 7 star hotel, as the service we received was nothing short of exceptional. David, our server, is without doubt the best in the business. Every little detail, and nothing was ever too much. I don’t think we had an empty glass our entire stay…. A masterclass in hospitality! The food…. there are no words. Every day the menu changes, and every meal, every course, was stunning beyond belief, and the bread, freshly baked each day, and different for every meal, was a fabulous touch. The tent (if you can call it that) but exactly what you would dream of for a luxury safari, and Sarah our housekeeper made sure every little detail was pitch perfect… including the hot water bottles, which were a welcome surprise. The view is out of this world. Everyday we saw elephants, hippos and giraffes right in front of us! I took my Mum for her 60th birthday and they did more than you could imagine to make it so special for her, it really was magical! And then there’s the game drives! Newton is a master of the Mara, we saw every animal you could think of, and we saw hunting, birthing, fighting, you name it! And each day he would have a picnic, or champagne, or something else to just make the experience even better. He was able to anticipate the animals movements to ensure we always were in the best viewing spots, absolutely mesmerising! Just being in the camp, learning Kenyan with Caroline, learning about the local people with Marianne, or having a massage with Joanne & Vera, it feels like you’re at home! To Marianne, Caroline, David, Newton, Regina, Joy, Dennis, Sarah, Wilson, Vera, Joanne and all of the Mahali Mzuri family, thank you so much for a life changing experience! We will certainly be back soon xx

Another brilliant trip to our favourite Kenyan Game Lodge, our third visit. Not only is the game viewing excellent, twenty lions feeding on a kill surrounded by about one hundred hyaena for example, but the staff are wonderful, they simply can’t do enough for you. Well done David our waiter, Joy the ever present, and Amaiza our housekeeper, and the wonderful Mariana with her deadpan, dry sense of humour; congratulations and thanks to all you and the many other staff always ready to help and advise. How good they are was there for all to see with their diplomatic, patient, and careful handling of a particularly disruptive and entitled family. Eddy the chef was fantastic as always, not only with his wonderful menus but also in his attempts to mitigate the disruption to the staff caused by the family. None of this adventure would be possible without our brilliant guide Levi, whose ability to spot game from incredible distances is legendary, at least in our eyes. He also has an uncanny knack of knowing just where each particular sighting would appear next, meaning he could always anticipate the best position for a great ‘photo or to just to sit back and look at the wonderful animals, some seemingly close enough to touch. The Lodge itself and the individual “tents” are perfectly placed to watch the animals passing below, particularly elephants, giraffe and hippo, and the sounds of the night are clearly audible from the complete safety of your tent. Security guards patrol the entirety of the Lodge and surrounds throughout the hours of darkness and are always on hand whenever you need them especially to escort you to and from the bar and dining room after dark. The description “tents” does not do justice to the accommodation. These are very solid structures with all the amenities you would hope to find in this grade of luxury Lodge. Thanks to everyone at Mahali Mzuri, keep up the great work and we will return.

It’s very hard to describe how special Mahali Mzuri is. From the minute you arrive to smiling faces and a traditional welcome song, you are met with an astonishing view down the valley, complete with hippos, hyenas, elephants and giraffes! The staff were the most attentive I have ever seen. By the end of our 5 nights, we all felt like we were staying at a friend’s luxurious private safari. The two safaris per day were nothing short of exceptional. We saw literally everything we came to see, multiple times, up close, without other vehicles most of the time. Our amazing guide, Gideon, seemed to anticipate all the animal behaviour before we even saw them, so we were always in the right place at the right time. He was so passionate and focussed, and so knowledgeable, we feel like we have a deep insight into African wildlife and local culture. Another highlight was the local school. We had brought gifts (Mahali Mzuri send you a link to buy appropriate things) and we were met with the most inspiring principal who has worked so hard to build the school from one tin shed to a population of 400 students. This was done through donations from Mahali Mzuri guests and please consider visiting and donating yourself. The kids were so passionate about learning, the teachers so talented - lives are being utterly transformed there. Marianne, the General Manager, runs a highly efficient and caring team and was often seen laughing and chatting with guests. She was just a joy to be around and her enthusiasm was infectious. Finally, all the staff went out of their way to engage and entertain our 12 year old son. He even went on a game drive without us which he claims was his utmost highlight of the whole holiday. Caroline. Ann, James, Bob, Denis - thank you and your colleagues for making us feel so special and welcome. We will be back to visit soon!

Amazing staff. Great Safari drives. Everything else is 0 At $4,000 a night, you would expect much more from a luxury safari lodge. Food quality is absolutely unacceptable. Moreover, there is no possibility to get any food in between breakfast, lunch or dinner. Meaning if you are away doing an activity at breakfast or at lunch, then you will simply not be fed. There are no snacks, no sandwiches, no chips, no nuts... really nothing to eat. No room service. Be careful of food poisoning as well. Unfortunately, TIA (this is africa), and even at a luxury lodge you get very sick and the rest of your trip is ruined. No more safaris or activities, you have to go back home or stay in your cheap tent. There is also no activities really offered in-between the morning drive and the evening drive. You have to figure out some ways to fill up your time. The tents are very old, very cheap and run down. Very cold (around 15 degrees), so you will freeze at night. Everything has a price and a value. In my opinion, this is all well worth $700-1000 per night. Definitely not $4,000. I feel ripped off, both of my time and my money.