Aruba Mara Bush Camp

The Talek River view was breathtaking, and the camp felt peaceful and safe, with staff always around and attentive. Aruba Mara Camp is beautifully designed, luxurious, and surrounded by nature. It’s also just a five-minute drive from the Masai Mara National Reserve, which made getting out for safari easy. We stayed a month ago and felt welcome from the moment we arrived. The team accommodated our needs and went out of their way to make delicious vegetarian meals for us. Our experience was even better than expected, and we highly recommend it.

We hired a guide, driver, and car from the camp and had a great time, though the car’s power plugs didn’t work during our three-day safari. The staff, including the owner, were very kind and helpful. Since the 2024 floods, the camping area at Aruba Mara has changed quite a bit. Self-sufficient campers now get lovely river views, while most of the tented rooms have moved farther away to a supposedly safer area. The ground where campers stay still needs leveling. From the campsite we saw hippos, elephants, hyenas, genets, bushbabies, and baboons, and heard leopards across the river at night. There’s a shelter with a cooking area, so you don’t have to crouch down to do dishes like at many East African campsites. Flush toilets were available, our showers were very hot during the four nights, and having a power plug in the kitchen was handy. Definitely recommend it!

The game drives were the standout for us. We hired a car and one of Aruba Mara’s guides, and had some of the best wildlife sightings ever. Truly excellent. My husband, two friends, and I camped in our own tents and ate at the restaurant. The facilities were clean and good, with hot showers. We also really liked the food and friendly staff at the restaurant. A wonderful stay, 10 out of 10, we can wholeheartedly recommend the camp and will surely return.

The tents were spacious, spotless, and comfortable, with plenty of hot water, and we always got a second helping of the super yummy food. We especially loved the game drives with our Masai drivers, who put so much effort into giving us the wildlife viewing we wanted. Hearing local Masai people share fireside stories about the savanna was another favorite. As Europeans in unfamiliar surroundings, we felt safe, comfortable, and genuinely cared for throughout. We loved seeing so many local people involved in running the camp. It’s one of the region’s pioneer camps, and you can feel its experience and professionalism in the staff. We loved every moment and can’t wait to come back. Thank you for such a unique stay.