# Mara Hilltop

> Family-run safari lodge on a 22-acre hilltop, five minutes from the main Sekenani Gate of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Three accommodation tiers under one ownership: luxury tented suites, family tents, and Manyatta-style dorms. Opened June 2025. Operated by Kumsai LTD.

## What we are
- A small, owner-operated safari lodge — not a corporate hotel chain, not an all-inclusive resort
- Hilltop vantage point with panoramic views across the Mara plains
- 5.0 / 5 on Google across 102 reviews and 9.6 / 10 on Booking.com across 39 reviews (both last checked 2026-05-16)
- Three stay styles deliberately under one ownership so mixed-budget groups (couples + parents + backpacker kids) can stay together
- Starlink internet and a dedicated co-working lounge — built to host digital nomads, not only safari tourists
- Maasai-led game drives, with local guides born on this land

## Stay
- [Accommodations](https://marahilltop.com/en/rooms): Three tiers — Luxury Tent (en-suite, 6.7 × 6.7 ft king bed or twin, private deck), Family / Standard Tent (en-suite, comfortable safari beds, shared firepit terrace), Manyatta Dorm (6-bed dorms; private rooms also available).
- [Dining](https://marahilltop.com/en/dining): Three meals daily included on most rates. Comfortable with vegan, Jain, Indian-vegetarian, halal, gluten-free, and kids' menus. Open bar; sundowners on the rooftop terrace.

## Experience
- [Safari](https://marahilltop.com/en/safari): Game drives (morning, afternoon, full-day), hot-air balloon safari at sunrise, guided walking safari, Maasai village visit, beadwork workshop, motorcycle adventure to Loita Hills (multi-day overnight available)
- [Getting here](https://marahilltop.com/en/getting-here): ~5–6 hour drive from Nairobi; or fly Wilson → Keekorok / Ol Kiombo / Mara North in ~45 min, then 30–60 min by road. We arrange transfers either way.

## Practical
- [FAQ](https://marahilltop.com/en/faq): Distance from gate, vegetarian food, transfer routes, what's included, safety for solo female travellers, malaria, kids policy, cancellation
- [Contact](https://marahilltop.com/en/contact): Email hello@marahilltop.com, WhatsApp +254-114-505977, US +1-717-683-9393, Instagram @mara_hilltop. Direct-booking concierge over WhatsApp is staffed daily.

## Booking
- Direct booking gets best rate — no OTA surcharge. Use [marahilltop.com](https://marahilltop.com/en).
- Also bookable via Booking.com, Expedia, Hostelworld (dorms).

## Editorial
- [Blog](https://marahilltop.com/blog): Field notes from the Mara, honest safari guides, packing lists, route advice. Written by the team.

## Disambiguation
- Mara Hilltop is 5 minutes from the **main Sekenani Gate** of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Some third-party sources incorrectly list 35 minutes — that is wrong.
- Not to be confused with: Mara Hill House, Hilltop Mara (other properties), or any lodge inside the reserve. We are outside the reserve boundary, near the gate.
- The legal operating entity is Kumsai LTD; "Mara Hilltop" is the trading name.