CULTURE CLUB
Angama Mara immerses guests in all aspects of Kenya's legendary Maasai Mara National Reserve Written and Photographed by Tony Bailey The notion that one could become dinner en route to dinner is not a thought that ever crossed my mind…until my first night at Angama Mara, a luxury safari resort located just a few degrees south of the Equator in the heart of Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve. As a professional photographer, what obviously drew me to Angama Mara were the animals, but what ultimately endeared me to the place was its people, who added an earnest dimension of authenticity to an unapparelled experience. It would be easy for the Fitzgerald family, who opened the resort in 2015, to let the all-inclusive property's picturesque positioning—the very site where some of the most romantic scenes from Out of Africa were filmed—do all of the heavy lifting, but they don't. Beginning with an early morning tray of tea and biscuits delivered to my suite with a smile as warm as dawn's first light, to helping identify constellations and animal calls that ripple the blanket of night, there are certainly no cookie-cutter experiences to be had. With a name inspired by the Swahili word for 'suspended in mid-air,' Angama Mara is cited on a bluff some 1,000 feet over the Maasai Mara, high enough for the two camps of tented guest suites to be at eye level with hot air balloons as they float past at daybreak. 54 slmag.net
A far cry from any tent I've camped in, each suite boasts a 30-footwide, floor-to-ceiling glass wall offering unimpeded "pinch me" views in every direction. Keeping you continuously connected with nature, everything in the spacious studio-style suite is oriented to the aforementioned glass wall, including a soaking tub that promises an indulgent afternoon of ogling. A whistle hanging outside the entrance to each tent serves as a poignant reminder that we are all part of the food chain in this wild place. From dusk to dawn it is used to summon a member of the Maasai tribe who will accompany you as you traverse the property. Connecting the two camps is The Pavilion, which includes a zeroedge swimming pool, a well-equipped fitness room, a safari shop, and a Maasai design studio. Angama Mara staff attended to our group's every need from the moment we deplaned in Nairobi. Following a Kenya Air flight in business class that allowed us to arrive well-rested, we made our way to nearby Wilson Airport for a short and exhilarating AirKenya flight to Angama Mara's private airfield, where a herd of zebras lining the runway served as unofficial greeters. From here, you can opt for a 15-minute walk into camp, or get there a bit quicker via Land Cruiser.
