Marriott Enters the African Safari Market

Marriott has entered the African safari market. The JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge will be located in the Mara National Reserve, which is one of Africa’s most recognized wildlife conservation and wilderness areas. The JW Marriott is one of their more upscale hotel options, and it is set to open in 2023.

JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge’s location, overlooking the banks of the River Talek and on the outskirts of the reserve, will provide visitors with an elevated camp from which to explore the Masai Mara National Reserve, its breathtaking vistas, rich wildlife, and boundless plains.

The new lodge’s plans call for 20 private tents, including one presidential canvas-topped pavilion and two interconnected canopied suites, each with its own terrace overlooking the river and suitable for families. A restaurant, lounge bar, spa, and a big outdoor patio with fire pits will all be shared spaces, with traditional Masai dance performances taking place in the evening.

The reserve will provide visitors with the opportunity to see the Masai Mara’s “Big Five”: lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinoceros, and elephants. Between June and September, the reserve hosts the annual great wildebeest migration, which sees over 10 million animals trek 1,800 km from Tanzania’s Serengeti to the reserve.