August 14, 2026 | Press Release
Four decades after welcoming its first guests, Sopa Lodges is celebrating 40 years of safari hospitality, with a legacy that has grown from a single 36-room property in Kenya’s Maasai Mara to a collection of lodges and resorts spread across Kenya and Tanzania.
The journey began on August 8, 1986, when Masai Mara Sopa Lodge opened its doors. The property was built around a simple proposition: offer travellers an opportunity to experience East Africa’s wildlife and landscapes while delivering warm, consistent hospitality.
That first lodge eventually became the foundation for a wider portfolio. Today, Sopa Lodges operates six properties across Kenya and Tanzania — Masai Mara Sopa Lodge, Amboseli Sopa Lodge, Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort, Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge, Samburu Sopa Lodge and Tarangire Sopa Lodge. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge and Serengeti Sopa Lodge, which have since been rebranded as Explorer by Elewana Collection, also remain part of the brand’s broader heritage.
At the centre of Sopa’s growth has been its long-standing philosophy of “One Sopa, One Standard, One People”, reflecting an emphasis on consistent service while retaining a connection with the communities and environments in which its properties operate.
Over the past 40 years, the lodges have hosted travellers from markets around the world, offering access to some of East Africa’s most recognisable safari destinations. Beyond wildlife viewing, the brand has positioned cultural engagement, local communities and meaningful guest experiences as important elements of the safari journey.
Sustainability has also become an increasingly important part of Sopa’s future. The company continues to focus on conservation, cultural preservation and community partnerships, recognising that the long-term appeal of East African safari tourism depends on protecting the landscapes and heritage that attract travellers in the first place.
For the travel trade, Sopa’s 40-year milestone also reflects the importance of long-standing partnerships in building East Africa as a safari destination. The brand credits its people, communities and trade partners for helping shape its journey from one lodge and 36 rooms into an established regional hospitality name.
As Sopa Lodges enters its fifth decade, its anniversary is therefore less about looking back at four decades of accommodation and more about the evolution of the safari experience itself — from a pioneering lodge in the Maasai Mara to a broader hospitality portfolio built around wildlife, culture, conservation and the people who make the journey memorable.
