Kobe Mara is a boutique safari lodge located on the edge of Kenya’s Maasai Mara, offering guests an authentic and immersive safari experience. They were looking for a company to redesign and develop their website to better reflect their unique brand, showcase their accommodation and experiences, and inspire travellers from around the world.
The project started with a discovery phase to better understand Kobe Mara’s vision, target audience and competitors. We analysed a range of safari lodge websites to identify common design patterns, but also looked for opportunities to stand out.
One of the main goals was to move away from the traditional “brown safari website” aesthetic and create a calmer, more modern experience. This proved to be an interesting challenge, as green naturally plays a major role in the brand and many safari websites already rely heavily on earthy colour palettes.
During this phase, we redefined the sitemap and content structure to create a clearer user journey. Several wireframe iterations were created to determine the best way to showcase the lodge, with a particular focus on presenting the accommodations and guest experience in an engaging way.
Because safaris are highly visual, imagery became a key part of the design. However, the available photography had been taken by many different photographers over the years, resulting in varying styles, colours and quality. Finding a balance that created a cohesive visual experience became an important part of the design process.
The final product is a fully responsive, custom-built website that not only showcases the unique experience of staying at Kobe Mara, but also provides the business with a scalable platform that can evolve alongside the lodge.
Like many digital products, the website has continued to evolve after launch based on real user behaviour and business needs.
One of the biggest changes was replacing the integrated booking system with an external booking platform. While the original integration worked well, it became clear that most guests prefer to contact Kobe Mara before making such a significant booking. The external platform also proved to be a more cost-effective solution.
Additional enhancements have also been introduced, including interactive elements such as a clickable USP section that encourages visitors to explore the lodge’s unique selling points in a more engaging way.
