💡
Tl;dr – Marriott continues to grow its footprint of safari properties in Africa, and this newest opening will be under the Ritz-Carlton brand.
Scheduled for a debut in August 2025, The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp is the latest addition to Marriott’s burgeoning safari footprint. If you’ve been reading You Are Travel for the last few months you may have come across a few pieces we’ve written about points-forward safari properties. I compiled a list of (possibly) all the current safari properties bookable on points (I’ve just updated it to include this one), and I reviewed Marriott’s newest property at Kruger National Park – Leopard Sands, which I visited last July. While there isn’t a ton out there on this Ritz-Carlton property right now, I did some super-sleuthing (called the property and spoke with a team member), and I’ve learned that Marriott will release a press release with more details on the property this coming Tuesday, February 25, 2025. Let’s dive into it!
The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp
When the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp debuts, it will be Marriott’s third-upscale safari lodge in Africa, joining the aforementioned Leopard Sands and J.W. Marriott Masai Mara. Notably, this property will come to market faster than the J.W. Marriott Serengeti planned for a 2026 opening. There’s also an intriguing darkhouse Tribute portfolio property, the Turaco Ngorongoro Valley, that opened in November of 2024. I wouldn’t describe it as a ‘luxury’ property, but its location warrants consideration. Located less than 2KM from the entrance to the Ngorongoro Crater, a place famous for having the highest density of large mammals on the planet (and, as a result, your best chances of spotting lions), it could be a decent pitstop should you be on a ‘do-it-all-see-it-all’ journey around Africa’s top safari destinations. But I digress.
Here’s some of the information I’ve learned from the chatting with the team/website:
The Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp is located right along the Sand River, near the border of Kenya and Tanzania. Here are the exact coordinates of the location.
There will be 20 rooms, the same number as the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge, and that’s not a coincidence, as the properties were developed and managed by the same company. (In fact, the current phone number listed for the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp rings the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge).
The team member I spoke with confirmed that information will be available Tuesday after Marriott releases its official press release.
Currently, there aren’t any published rates – cash or points – for the property. No rates yet available – Source: Marriott.com
Some amenities will include a pool and a fitness center.
I wasn’t able to glean any insights as to the game drives or dining situation, but I imagine that, given the shared ownership, those offerings will at least be on par with those offered at the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge—if not better.
My Take on This Property
I’m excited for the Ritz-Carlton Masai Mara Safari Camp. As a self-proclaimed champion of bucket-list experiences bookable on points, it matters little to me whether this is the most glamorous safari affair. At the end of the day, it’s an experience that is more attainable for folks on points who might otherwise not be able to make it happen.
This property came on my radar from a posting to Flyer talk, and I have to say ‘game recognize game’ to the traveler who posted this. 
Early last year, I similarly stumbled upon Leopard Sands while searching Marriott’s website to find properties in South Africa. Nothing was out there about the property, and I still don’t know if Marriott formally announced its opening. That rogue search result led to me turning in the first ‘blogger’ review for the property. 🙂
Despite the inconsistency across the Ritz-Carlton brand, I’ve had some pretty solid experiences on my recent stays at Ritz properties in Asia and Oceania, including quite possibly the single best hotel stay I’ve enjoyed at one of the four major chains (more on that in a future post). After seeing what the brand can be at its best, I’m more open than ever to seeing how the proper management, location, and drive can create grand experiences.
Let me know if you plan to check this place out in the comments!
