Mara Moja in the Enonkishu Conservancy

Mara Moja is a spectacular home located in the Naretoi Estate within the Enonkishu Conservancy. Staying here has been one of the most unique and memorable experiences of our lives.
 
The home is located on 5 acres of land nestled in a bend of the Mara River and is private and fully self-contained. When we arrived, our family was welcomed by Bethwel, the house manager, and Joel, the chef. There is also Steven, the night askari (watchman) who accompanies guests around the estate at night and prevents disruptions from wild animals who might wander in after dark.
 
The home contains a main house where there is a kitchen and indoor living and dining area. There are also two large, covered patio areas for relaxing and dining outdoors. We had most of our meals in the outdoor dining area where we felt a part of nature. Often, we would see wild animals like dikdik and warthogs scurry across just a few meters from our table. The indoor living area was a cozy place to end our day in front of a crackling fire.
 
In addition to the main house, guest quarters are comprised of a collection of small villas. Months ago, when I was browsing through Airbnb’s, there was a particular photo that caught my eye. The photo was of a children’s room with two sets of bunkbeds and a ladder on the roof with a swing hanging down. I had shown the photo to my children and they couldn’t stop talking about it. Upon seeing the house in person, it was even more impressive than in the photos. This two-bedroom, two-bathroom guesthouse was just perfect for our family. The house is decorated in a mixture of modern-African and safari style that is welcoming, non-pretentious and comfortable.
 
There are three other smaller guest accommodations that looked amazing but we got so comfortable in our room that we didn’t try all of them out. There is a smaller guesthouse that has a king-size bed and a “hidden” bunk bed behind. There is a smaller bedroom remade from a shipping container that can sleep one or two people. Lastly, there is the safari tent that can sleep two people. Leo and RY spent our last night on the property in the safari tent.
 
The property also has a swimming pool where our children swam several times, a trampoline, various hammocks and comfortable chairs across the property to read a book or observe nature’s beauty and some climbing and playing apparatus for kids.
 
What made the property even more special was the warm hospitality provided by all of the staff in Mara Moja. Bethwel, Joel and Steven were friendly and accommodating toward our family. Without any fuss, they knew intuitively what would makes us feel at home. Joel was expert at preparing all of our meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of our favorite dishes prepared by Joel included cinnamon pancakes at breakfast, roast lamb with rosemary, a variety of roasted vegetable dishes, nyama choma (Kenyan roast meat), butternut squash soup and ham and zucchini quiche for our picnic in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. He prepared ungali, a Kenyan staple made of maize flour, but we preferred rice or bread.
 
One particular detail that I appreciated very much was the collection of books on Africa and the Maasai culture. During one afternoon, I took great enjoyment in skimming through two of the books, “Different Drums” by Michael Wood and “Maasai” by Tepilit Ole Saitoti. In the children’s room, there was also a small library of children’s books, many of them related to African culture, wildlife and myths. We enjoyed the African myths that often explain why certain animals have specific qualities. We wanted to remember the stories and share some of them with you so our family made recordings of several of the stories which we will share in another blog post. 
 
Having both worked in the hospitality industry and having stayed in countless Airbnb’s all over the world, Leo and I both have a discerning eye when it comes to accommodations. Mara Moja exceeded our expectations in every way. The home exudes an authentic African safari feel. The entire home is solar-powered and seemed to blend seamlessly into the natural surroundings. It is thoughtfully designed for families to be comfortable, so much so that our entire family could imagine staying on forever.
 
In chatting with locals, we found there are still a number of 5-acre plots left for sale in the Naretoi Estate. Prices have increased manifold since the Naretoi Estate was first established, but by western standards, they are still affordable. Maybe one day, we will have the chance to return to this place of unparalleled beauty