From Legacy Safari Camp to Luxury Collection

Mara Eden Safari Camp | Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

The Transaction

In February 2024, FIT Property completed the sale of Mara Eden Safari Camp, a long-established safari property occupying an exceptional position on the Mara River within Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve.

FIT Property represented both the buyer and seller, having secured the mandate, positioned the asset for sale and introduced the successful purchaser, a private family office.

Our involvement extended throughout the transaction, including negotiations, due diligence coordination, lease matters, county and management interfaces, required consents and the issues that arose through to successful completion.

The property was marketed at a guide price of USD 4 million. The final transaction consideration remains confidential.

The Asset

Mara Eden was a long-established safari camp with an established hospitality footprint in one of East Africa’s most internationally recognised wildlife destinations.

For the purchaser, the opportunity extended beyond acquiring an operating safari business. It was the opportunity to secure an established hospitality site inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve, directly on the Mara River, with the underlying location and real-estate fundamentals to support a substantially different long-term hospitality proposition.

From Mara Eden to Kinara

Following the acquisition, the new ownership undertook an extensive redevelopment and repositioning of the property.

The former Mara Eden site has since emerged as Kinara, A Luxury Collection Safari Camp, Masai Mara, part of Marriott International’s Luxury Collection portfolio.

This subsequent transformation provides a powerful illustration of the potential embedded in irreplaceable hospitality locations when legacy real estate, patient capital and a clear repositioning strategy come together.

Why This Transaction Matters

Legacy Asset: A long-established safari operation with an existing hospitality footprint in the Maasai Mara.

Irreplaceable Location: A hospitality site within the Maasai Mara National Reserve, positioned directly on the Mara River.

Private Capital: Acquired by a private family office through a bilateral transaction led by FIT Property.

Complex Execution: FIT remained involved from mandate and purchaser introduction through negotiation, due diligence, lease matters, required consents and completion.

Repositioning Potential: Following the acquisition, the asset underwent substantial redevelopment and subsequently emerged under Marriott’s Luxury Collection.

FIT Property | Hospitality & Investment Advisory

FIT Property is a specialist real estate advisory firm representing select hotels, resorts, safari camps, lodges, beachfront properties and hospitality development opportunities across Kenya and East Africa. We advise owners, investors, developers and hospitality groups on the acquisition and disposal of distinctive hospitality assets, including beachfront resort sites, coastal hotels, safari properties and confidential off-market investment opportunities.

Looking to acquire or dispose of a hotel, resort, safari camp, lodge or hospitality development site in Kenya or East Africa? FIT Property represents a select portfolio of on-market and confidential off-market hospitality opportunities.

EXCEPTIONAL PROPERTIES. RARE OPPORTUNITIES. PRIVATELY REPRESENTED.

Further details are available to qualified parties following a private discussion.

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