Tailor-made safaris
Discover the famous wildlife of the Maasai Mara and its Northern Conservancies on a safari arranged around your wishes.
A private retreat · Aitong · Kenya
Find your dreams.
Aitong Crater House.
Your own romantic hideaway on the edge of an ancient crater.
Enquire about your stay ↗DISCOVER YOUR HOME IN THE MARA ↓
5 en-suite bedrooms
Up to 10–11 guests
Full board
Managed by our local Maasai team
A GLIMPSE OF LIFE AT AITONG
Welcome to Aitong Crater House
Secluded in the bush.
At home in the wild.
Come and visit our own private and romantic Aitong Crater House, secluded in the bush on the edge of an ancient crater, near the Maasai village of Aitong and in the heart of one of Africa’s most exciting wilderness ecosystems.
We offer guests the chance to discover local wildlife as well as learn about Maasai customs and traditions. The house is managed by our local Maasai team, whose warmth and knowledge make this place feel like home.
★★★★★5/5 · 31 reviews on Tripadvisor↗
An extraordinary setting
Above the plains.
Beyond the everyday.
Situated at an altitude of 2,000 metres, the house overlooks the plains of the Maasai Mara. It is part of the Pardamat Conservancy, with views towards the surrounding Mara conservancies and the Siria, or Oloololo, Escarpment.
We built the house here for its breathtaking views, calming privacy and silence, broken only by the sounds of nature — and for its incredibly rich fauna and flora.
The Maasai Mara Reserve is around a 30-minute drive away, as are several nearby airstrips.
Locally managed · Personally cared for
Maasai hospitality.
A genuine welcome.
Our house is managed and cared for by Maasai people from the surrounding community. Friendly, interested and helpful, our team welcomes you with the warmth that makes Aitong so special.
Maasai team members also join our activities, from game drives to nature walks, sharing their respect for and knowledge of nature and wildlife.
Your stay includes our cook, butler, cleaner and Maasai guards.
Castle-like interior
A little Out of Africa.
A lot of character.
We have done our best to match the interior with both our own “castle” feeling and what we think fits this beautiful wildlife setting. Our modest interpretation of a Karen Blixen interior.
Antiques, old paintings and art objects bring a warm, familiar atmosphere to the house. There are five en-suite bedrooms, four with four-poster beds.
We hope you feel at home!
Find your room ↗Nature on your doorstep
Our wildlife.
Discover the wildlife of the Maasai Mara and its Northern Conservancies. Back at the house, enjoy tranquillity, the campfire and the magical sounds of the African bush beneath a spectacular sky.
Make your own memories
What would you
like to discover?
Nature walks
Explore the surroundings of the house and learn about Maasai customs, traditions and the natural world with local knowledge to guide you.
Maasai village visits
Get to know the local community and learn more about Maasai life and traditions.
Exceptional home-made food
Made with care.
Served with a view.
At our tranquil property, with its breathtaking views, enjoy meals prepared by our chef Joseph. Together, we have compiled a menu that matches our — and hopefully your — idea of how home-made food should be.
Discover Kenyan favourites suggested by our Kenyan friends, alongside the classic dining atmosphere of white tablecloths, linen napkins and beautiful wine glasses.
Discover our food ↗Breathe. Listen. Stay a little longer.
Feel yourself
at home.
What drives us
Two people.
A shared dream.
We are Karin de Rouw and Joseph Hoenen. We enjoy working hard to make our dreams come true. For Karin, that meant her own charming castle: Castle Vorden in the Netherlands.
For Joseph, it meant building houses in two magnificent places in Kenya: the Red House on the Indian Ocean and Aitong Crater House in the conservancies adjoining the famous Maasai Mara.
Community & conservation
A connection
that goes deeper.
We also like to contribute to the welfare of the communities around our houses. Joseph advises the Maasai community around Aitong on ecologically and economically sound grazing and wildlife–livestock systems.
He was also one of the founders of the Bureni Conservation Community Based Organization, bringing the fishing community and beach-house owners together to protect the coral reef.
Through the eyes of our guests
A place to remember.
★★★★★
“The house is like a castle in the safari. The food was excellent and the staff were awesome.”
Hunter F · August 2026
Read the review ↗★★★★★
“Perhaps most impressive is the staff here. They are attentive, friendly, outstanding cooks”
maria g · July 2026
Read the review ↗★★★★★
“An incredible house with a magical view of the Mara from the terrace.”
Lykke v · December 2025
Read the review ↗Excerpts from guest reviews on Tripadvisor.
Let’s plan something special
Your story
starts here.
Tell us when you would like to visit and who you are travelling with. We would love to help you create your own Aitong experience.
Personal contact · Tailor-made stays · Rates on request
Please contact us to enquire about your stay.