Masai Mara Sopa Lodge

Mara Sopa Lodge sits high on the Oloolaimutia Hills inside the Masai Mara Game Reserve, two hundred and fifty kilometres from Nairobi. It was one of the first lodges built in the reserve, which is why the gardens around it are dense with wild olive, croton, aloe vera, and mature trees that newer properties in the area do not have.

The lodge holds ninety-nine rooms spread across fifty round buildings with conical roofs, each containing two rooms. The design follows the form of traditional round houses, and the buildings run along the hillside with the main public areas and swimming pool at the centre. Standard rooms have a king-size or twin beds, mosquito nets, en-suite shower, and a verandah with two chairs. The twelve suites add a separate living area and a minibar on request. The honeymoon suite, at the highest point of the property, has a king-size bed, sunken bath, and a verandah positioned for the sunset view. Eight cottages have interconnecting rooms, which suits families travelling together.

From the lodge you can go out on game drives into the reserve, walk with a guide for bird watching or a nature walk, or take a hot air balloon flight over the plains in the early morning — the balloon lands and breakfast is served in the bush. The outdoor boma is used for evening dining. The reserve is one of the main sites for the annual wildebeest migration between the Serengeti and the Mara.

You reach the lodge by a one-hour flight from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to Keekorok airstrip, followed by a one-hour road transfer, or by a six-hour drive from the city.