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• Masai Mara Safari

The ultimate guide to your next Masai Mara Safari

Get to know masai mara.

By Matthys van Aswegen

Safari Travel Planner

A first-rate Masai Mara safari experience brings together abundant big cat sightings with the chance to see the annual wildebeest migration.

The Masai Mara Reserve is known worldwide for its abundance of cats, portrayed by numerous wildlife documentaries.

The profusion of cats and the annual Great Migration that enters the reserve from July to October makes for concentrated wildlife interaction.

Places like the Musiara Swamp, Rhino Ridge, and Topi Plains are some of the most famous locations. The best places for migration safaris are the banks of the Mara or Talek rivers or the confluence of the two.

Combine your visit to the reserve with a stop at the neighboring private conservancies, where numbers are more controlled and walking safaris, night drives, and off-road driving are allowed.

A Masai Mara safari can be a wonderful experience but disappointing if not well-planned.

Many lodges bring hordes of visitors into the reserve during peak season, from July to the end of September, so get an expert to book somewhere that suits your taste.

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Why Maasai Mara?

• It’s home to the amazing seasonal Wildebeest Great Migration
• It hosts the highest concentration of big cats
• It offers spectacular Birdwatching Safaris
• Rich culture and historic Maasai Mara experiences

Where to go in Maasai Mara

• Mara Triangle
• Masai Mara Conservancies
• Masai Mara National Reserve
• Ol Kinyei Conservation

The Mara River is a river in Kenya’s Narok County and Tanzania’s Mara Region that runs through the Maasai Mara/Serengeti environment and crosses the wildebeest migration path.

The Mara River basin spans 13,504km2 (5,214 square miles), around 65 percent in Kenya and 35 percent in Tanzania.

The river runs for roughly 395km (245mi) from its origins in the Kenyan highlands to Lake Victoria, where it springs from the Mau Escarpment. The basin may be split into four land use and/or administrative divisions.

The Mara River is the main barrier for wildebeest herd crossings in the middle of the year, but smaller breakaway groups also cross the Talek and Sand Rivers. As late as November, stragglers have been observed crossing the Talek.

The Mara Triangle is where the  Great Migration herds enter and depart the Masai Mara National Reserve from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, making it a perfect location to witness this incredible wildlife display.

The Mara Triangle has a hot air balloon launch point, and this aerial pastime is not to be missed. Flying high over the Mara plains as the sun sets turns the scenery golden and allows you to view wildlife from the air, an unforgettable experience. The hot air balloon flight can be arranged through your camp or resort.

While the Masai Mara National Reserve is the focal point of the Greater Mara Ecosystem, several conservancies were established that border the unfenced national reserve in the last decade.

These conservancies are on private land owned by Maasai families that has been set aside for wildlife conservation and tourism.

The landowners lease their land to safari companies and lodges, who then pay monthly fees, which go back into the community, funding education and other development initiatives.

In return, the Maasai are still allowed to graze their cattle on the land, but only under strictly controlled conditions.

As a result of the establishment of conservancies, Maasai communities have benefited from economic upliftment, while wildlife numbers have increased as land that was once overgrazed is now being rehabilitated as wilderness.

Mara conservancies are the best option for people wanting a low tourist density Masai Mara safari experience, as most of the concessions only have a few camps and don’t allow self-driving, so there’s a limit to how many vehicles will be at sightings.

The other bonus of staying in a conservancy is doing the activities that aren’t allowed in the national reserve, including bush dinners, night drives, off-road driving, and walking safaris , which are all fantastic ways to experience the wilderness and animals.

On walks in the bush, Maasai guides will track animals and teach you about the ecosystem, its fascinating animal, bird, and insect life, and the medicinal and cultural uses of plants.

The conservancies, which cover an area of land almost the same size as the national reserve itself, are concentrated around the northern end of the reserve. They also lie to the east of the Masai Mara in more remote locations.

By staying at a Maasai-owned conservancy, you not only experience the luxury of exclusive wildlife viewing but also contribute to community conservation, improving the lives of local communities and helping wildlife numbers to increase.

Mara North Conservancy

On the northwestern edge of the Masai Mara National Reserve, the 74 000-acre Mara North Conservancy is one of the best concessions for its abundant wildlife, quintessential savanna landscapes, and commitment to community conservation.

Projects here work to rehabilitate overgrazed land and natural habitats and support the management of grazing areas.

Game viewing is excellent, and particular highlights are big cat sightings and the dramatic herds of the Great Migration . Out of all the conservancies, it has the greatest number of camps – ten in total – but there’s still a lot of space and privacy, with nearly 700 acres per tent.

Mara Naboisho Conservancy

It’s easy to see why this 50 000-acre conservancy is hailed by many as the top concession in the Masai Mara for Safari.

To the north of the national reserve, the Mara Naboisho Conservancy has only seven camps (877 acres per tent), so there’s plenty of wilderness without other cars, and the environmental impact is limited.

Here the concentration of wildlife is high, with abundant big cats and herds of wildebeest, elephants, and giraffes. It also ticks all the boxes for successful community conservation.

The conservancy was established when more than 500 Maasai land-owning families decided to connect their land to allow for wildlife movement. The Maasai now practice controlled grazing to allow the land to recover from intensive herding.

Enonkishu Conservancy

At the northern end of the Greater Mara Ecosystem, the 6000-acre Enonkishu Conservancy is focused on improving cattle management so that the ecosystem and wildlife can regenerate and local communities have sustainable income from grazing and conservation fees.

Wildlife to spot includes plenty of plains game, giraffes, buffalo, elephants, and a pride of lions that lives on the edge of the conservancy.

Ol Kinyei Conservancy

With only two small camps (as well as two mobile camps) on its 18 700-acres of grassy plains and undulating hills, the Maasai-owned Ol Kinyei Conservancy provides ample privacy and exclusivity.

It offers superb wildlife viewing, with a resident lion pride and leopards, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and more than 300 bird species. The camps in the conservancy also offer game drives in the neighboring Mara Naboisho Conservancy.

Olare Motorogi Conservancy

One of the oldest and most successful conservancies, Olare Motorogi (made up of the former Motorogi and Olare-Orok Conservancies), has been a blueprint for other concessions and community conservation in the Masai Mara.

It also offers exceptional wildlife viewing (with large numbers of lions and elephants), with one of the highest concentrations of animals and the lowest tourist densities in the Mara.

There’s a 94-bed limit on the conservancy with just one room per 700 acres on its 33 000-acres of riverine forest, valleys, and acacia woodland.

Olderikesi Conservancy

Along the eastern border of the national reserve close to the Serengeti in Tanzania, the 24 700-acre Olderikesi Conservancy is located in one of the most remote areas in the Masai Mara ecosystem.

It’s also one of the most exclusive concessions, as there are only 20 rooms on the entire conservancy – a distribution of one room per 1200 acres.

Olderikesi is your spot if you’re looking for solitude on your Masai Mara Safari. It’s also particularly rich in game and is known for fantastic lion, leopard, and cheetah sightings.

Mara Siana Conservancy

Recently established in 2015 by 1200 landowners, the 7898-acre Mara Siana Conservancy lies some distance from the Masai Mara National Reserve to the east.

If you want to get off the beaten track, this is a good option, as it’s more remote than some of the other conservancies and only has two lodging options.

In this secluded valley, there’s plenty of wildlife to be spotted, from prides of lions, herds of elephants, cheetahs, leopards, buffalo, and the occasional Black rhino and pack of wild dogs.

Loita Hills

Lying to the northeast of the Masai Mara, the little-visited mountain range of Loita Hills is home to Maasai communities and beautiful landscapes of immense plains, thick forests, verdant hills, and mountain peaks that loom up to 2150m (7054ft).

While this isn’t a conservation area, and there’s less wildlife than in the conservancies, there’s still game to be spotted, from buffalo and bushbuck to Colobus monkeys, as well as plenty of birds.

However, the main reason to visit Loita Hills is to witness the traditional Maasai culture, visit community projects and experience a walking safari with Maasai guides in an area where few other tourists venture.

There are a few options for walking safaris: staying at a base camp and doing day walks into the surrounding area or making a multi-day trip of up to 12 days staying at mobile camps with all your equipment and provisions carried by donkeys.

Loita Migration

While everyone has heard about the Great Migration, hardly anyone knows about the Loita Migration.

Around May, at the start of the dry season, a smaller movement of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and other antelope make their way from the Loita Plains (that lie to the north of the Masai Mara National Reserve) southwards into the reserve itself.

The animals move through the Mara Naboisho, Olare Motorogi, and Ol Kinyei Conservancies, so if you want to experience this mini version of the migration, book a stay at one of the camps in these concessions for your Masai Mara Safari.

Travel Tips

• The peak Great Migration months of August to October are especially busy in the Masai Mara, so be sure to book well in advance for lodging at conservancy camps.
• Keep in mind that many camps are small and intimate, so they only offer a few tented rooms and get booked up quickly.

• The best and easiest way to access lodges and camps on the conservancies is by flying into conservancies’ airstrips, where the lodge you’ve booked will have staff waiting to pick you up. You can drive to the conservancies, but you’re not allowed to self-drive inside the conservancy.
• If you stay in a conservancy, you can take game drives in the Masai Mara National Reserve to see the Mara River crossings during the Great Migration months.

Located in the far southwest of Kenya in the Great Rift Valley, the Masai Mara National Reserve is the East African country’s flagship park: a vast wilderness of abundant big game, spectacular landscapes and the scene of one of the planet’s most dramatic wildlife migrations. The reserve is named after the Maasai people, a semi-nomadic tribe of pastoralists who have long inhabited the region, and their word to describe this landscape – “mara” – which means “spotted” – a reference to the trees and bushes, as well as the shadows of passing clouds, that dot the plains.

The Masai Mara was established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary and today it encompasses an area greater than 370 000 acres, with no fences between the park and the neighbouring wilderness of the Serengeti National Park, across the border in Tanzania. The national reserve is only a small part of the Greater Mara Ecosystem, which also includes group ranches, community land and private conservancies.

The Masai Mara is one of the best places in Africa to see wildlife: the concentrations of game here are astounding. Resident in the reserve are the Big Five (although not many rhinos, and they’re hard to spot), as well as huge herds of plains game, hippos and crocodiles in the rivers and more than 500 species of birds. The reserve is particularly famous for its big cats – lions, leopard and cheetah – and the nature documentary show BBC’s Big Cat Diary was shot on the reserve’s plains. While the wildlife viewing at almost any time of the year is superb, the Masai Mara is best visited during the months of the Great Migration, when millions of zebra, wildebeest and gazelle make their way north into the park from the Serengeti, crossing the Mara River in search of fresh grazing. Watching vast herds of animals on the move, as well as the thrilling kills by the big cats that pursue them, is one of the most exciting safari experiences you can have, and it’s no wonder that the Great Migration is at the top of most safari travellers’ bucket lists.

Apart from wildlife, the landscapes of the Masai Mara are stunningly beautiful: the classic Out of Africa backdrops of seemingly never-ending savanna studded with photogenic acacia trees. To the west, the park is bordered by the Oloololo Escarpment, a dramatic plateau, while the rest of the park is made up of rolling grasslands, acacia woodlands, riverine forest and rocky hills.

Two major rivers – the Talek and the Mara – cut through the Masai Mara National Reserve, splitting it into three sectors: the Sekenani Sector, which lies to the east of the Talek River, the Musiara Sector, which is sandwiched between the two rivers, and the Mara Triangle, which is west of the Mara River. The Musiara and Sekenani Sectors are controlled by the Narok County Council, while the more remote Mara Triangle is administered by a non-profit conservancy company, the Trans Mara County Council.

Musiara Sector offers great game viewing in the Musiara Marsh, as well as some of the most spectacular wildebeest crossings at the Mara River. In the southeast of the park and bordered by the Sand, Talek and Mara Rivers, the Central Plains makes up the largest part of the reserve. The expansive grasslands of the Central Plains attract vast herds of plains animals, especially during the Great Migration from August to October, while the area is also famed for exciting big cat sightings. Within the Central Plains, the savanna of Paradise Plain is prime cheetah territory, while Rhino Ridge for black-backed jackals, spotted hyena and bat-eared foxes. Head to Lookout Hill for incredible panoramas of the Olpunyaia Swamp and sightings of hippo, as well as for scenes of wildebeest crossing the river during the months of the migration. As the closest area to Nairobi and with a huge number of lodges, hotels and camps, the Central Plains is the most popular area of the reserve for tourists.

The Masai Mara’s rivers are home to hippos and massive Nile crocodiles, as well as many species of waterbirds, while the Mara River, which wends its way through the national reserve, plays host to the biggest pods of hippos and also to the perilous crossings of wildebeest during the Great Migration.

One of the biggest mammal migrations on the planet, the Great Migration (otherwise known as the Great Wildebeest Migration), sees around two million wildebeest, gazelle and zebra – followed by hungry predators – move between the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania north to the Masai Mara National Reserve between June and September in search of fresh grass after seasonal rains. It’s been called the Eighth Wonder of the World and it’s easy to see why: the sheer scale of the herds is quite literally breath taking, and the everyday dramas of survival, hunting and attacks by predators are among the most thrilling wildlife sightings you can have. The most sought-after scenes from the Migration are the dangerous river crossings that the animals make across the Mara River, which usually take place in July and August in the Masai Mara. With a choice of lodges and camps near the Mara River, you’ll be able to stay close to the action, and spend game drives travelling between different crossing points on the river.

Going for a hot air balloon ride at dawn above the plains of the Masai Mara is an unmissable experience. Getting a bird’s eye view of the endless savanna dotted with game is definitely one way of taking your safari up a notch. There are several companies that offer sunrise balloon flights and trips can be booked through your lodge and the price includes transfers from your lodge as well as a champagne breakfast when you land.

Make a visit to a traditional Maasai manyatta (village) to learn more about the fascinating culture and history of the semi-nomadic people who call the Mara home. Learn about daily life in the manyatta and some of the traditional rituals and ceremonies that make up Maasai culture and see the villagers singing and dancing – the Maasai are famous for their jumping dance, where the warriors come together in a circle with one dancer in the centre jumping higher and higher along to the singing voices of the warriors. You’ll also be able to buy some of the exquisite and distinctive beaded jewellery pieces that the Maasai wear – a perfect souvenir or gift to take home.

If you want a unique experience in the Masai Mara, consider a Maasai homestay: spending a night or two in a Maasai manyatta just outside the reserve’s gates. You’ll get to see what daily life is really like for a Maasai community by helping out with village chores such as milking cows, and learning to make jewellery, but you’ll also get to spend time in nature doing bush walks with a Maasai guide.

• As one of Africa’s most popular safari destinations, the Masai Mara gets very busy, especially during the peak months of the year from June to September, when the Great Migration takes place, and during the Christmas holidays. The busiest region of the park is in the southeast, near the Talek, Sekenani and Olumuna gates, where there’s a spread of large hotels. The central part of the reserve is also particularly full during the Great Migration.
• The south of the Mara River has the park’s concentration of hotels and lodges, with 5000 beds, whereas to the north of the river there are only 500 beds. If you want to escape the crowds, head to the Mara Triangle in the west or stay in a camp on one of the many private conservancies that border the park to the north. Another way to avoid the crowds is to travel in early June or during October, when you’ll still have superb wildlife sightings but you’ll be sharing them with far fewer other cars. Early December is another great time of year to visit the Masai Mara – while you’ll have a bit of rain, the park is very quiet, and you’ll have the bonus of lush green landscapes and migratory bird species. It’s a good idea to book far in advance for lodging during the busiest months of June to October, but you should think about reserve a year in advance for accommodation and tours during the Great Migration – although you can also find some great last-minute offers.
• While there’s a general pattern for the movement of the Great Migration herds each year, the exact timing of the movements can be hard to predict, because it all depends on seasonal rainfall. There’s also no exact route that the herds take: large numbers of animals trek across the Mara River, crossing from the Serengeti into the Masai Mara and moving through the Mara Triangle in the west of the park, then turning east and crossing the Mara River again to move into the Sekenani and Musiara sectors of the park. The herds then make their way north into the conservancies that border the national reserve until the rains start in the Serengeti again and the animals start to move back south to Tanzania in search of fresh grass.
• To help you follow the herds, we have developed a web-based app – HerdTracker – which plots the exact location of the wildebeest migration in real time to a Google map. Sourced from pilots who fly over the parks, as well as local rangers and safari guides on the ground, HerdTracker works out the distances between the migrating herds and the camps and lodges in the Masai Mara (and the Serengeti across the border in Tanzania), which gives you the chance to find last-minute lodging as close to the herds as possible. We also have a live availability calendar to help you see which lodge still has last-minute rooms.

• Most travellers who come to the Masai Mara book an all-inclusive package which covers lodging, food, transport to and from the park and activities such as game drives. Booking a package is the most cost-effective way to travel to a pricey safari destination. If you’re travelling independently, you can hire a car and a driver to travel to the park from Nairobi (a six-hour drive) or from the closest town of Narok (three hours’ drive away) and to travel around the park. You can also travel on public transport to the park from Nairobi and Narok, although many lodges will be able to organise transfers. The most convenient and hassle-free way of getting to the park is by flying in – either to a camp’s private airstrip or to one of the several landing trips spread around the park, where your lodge’s game drive vehicle will be waiting to pick you up.

It offers superb wildlife viewing, with a resident lion pride and leopards, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and more than 300 bird species.

The camps in the conservancy also offer game drives in the neighboring Mara Naboisho Conservancy.

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When is the best month to travel to masai mara.

• Masai Mara in January

• There’s less rain in January than in December, with an average of 15 days of rainfall in the month. If it does rain then it’s usually a short shower in the afternoon. January is one of the warmest months of the year, and day time temperatures can reach 28C, with nights dropping to a minimum of 12C.
• January is a great month to visit the Masai Mara if you’re a birder: the birdwatching at this time of year is superb and there are many migratory species to spot. It’s also the birthing season, so this is the time to go to the Mara if you’d like to see baby animals taking their first steps.
• Masai Mara in February

• February gets more rain than January, with an average of 17 rainy days a month. Temperature wise, it’s the same as January: average highs of 28C and average night-time lows of 12C.
• February is a good month to visit the Masai Mara if you want to see lots of baby animals (up to half a million wildebeest are born this month), and you don’t mind afternoon thundershowers. Wildlife viewing is good, and birdwatching is excellent, with many migratory species present in the park.
• Masai Mara in March

• March is a rainy month. Nearly every day of the month will have afternoon thundershowers and there may be continuous rain.
• High rainfall in March means that roads get very muddy and can be challenging to drive on, and some camps close down until May. The park sees fewer visitors this month, while the landscapes are lush and green. A highlight in March is spotting migratory birds.
• Masai Mara in April

• April is the wettest month of the year, with an average of 23 days of rain. It’s slightly cooler than March but still warm with average maximum highs of 26C.
• Because it’s so wet, the roads can be tricky and some lodges close down, making April one of the least ideal months to visit the Masai Mara. On the plus side, it is the low season so you can get discounts on lodging and there are far fewer other tourists so the park is much quieter. It’s also the last month to spot migratory bird species.
• Masai Mara in May

• There’s slightly less rain in May than in April, but it’s still one of the wettest months of the year. May marks the start of several slightly cooler months (with average daytime highs are 25C), lasting until September.
• May isn’t an ideal time to visit the Masai Mara because of the amount of rainfall making wildlife viewing and driving around the park more challenging. Some lodges and camps are also closed because of the rain. One plus of visiting at this time of year is discounted rates for package tours and lodging and far fewer visitors to share sightings with.
• Masai Mara in June

• After the rainy season months of March to May, June is much drier – down from 20 days of rain to an average of 12 days of rain during the month.
• June marks the start of the busy season in the Masai Mara – the weather is dry, and the days are cooler than at other times of the year, and the wildlife viewing is excellent, although the majority of the herds of the Great Migration have not yet arrived.
• Masai Mara in July

• Along with August, July is the coolest month of the year, and night times can dip below 10C so bring along warm clothes and lots of layers for early morning game drives. Day time temperatures are pleasantly warm. July is also the driest month of the year, with an average of only 11 days of rain.
• In July the herds start moving into the Masai Mara from the Serengeti at the start of the Great Migration so it’s an ideal month to travel to the park if you want to witness the thrilling spectacle. The lack of rain at this time of year also means that the bush is thinning, making it easier to see animals. The downside of travelling in July is that it’s one of the busiest months of the year: prices go up and sightings can be very crowded.
• Masai Mara in August

• August is one of the driest months of the year, and has the same cooler temperatures of July: average lows at night of 11C and highs during the day of 25C.
• August is very popular time for people to visit the park to witness the daily dramas of the Great Migration. As the dry season progresses, it becomes easier to see animals in the thinning bush. In terms of wildlife viewing, it’s hard to beat. Along with September, it’s the busiest and most expensive month to visit the reserve.
• Masai Mara in September

• September is slightly warmer than August, going up to an average daytime high of 27C, however, nights can be as chilly as 12C so bring along warm gear. September remains in the dry period, with little rain to disrupt game viewing.
• Together with August, September is the most popular month to visit the Masai Mara (expect lots of other tourists and the highest prices of the year), as the spectacle of millions of animals moving in the Great Migration is in full swing.
• Masai Mara in October

• October is one of the warmest months of the year, but luckily temperatures don’t rise much above an average of 28C during the day. It’s also a relatively dry month with little rainfall.
• October is a wonderful month to visit the Masai Mara, as the majority of the herds from the migration are in the park, but there are fewer visitors, so viewings aren’t as crowded as August and September.
• Masai Mara in November

• November marks the start of the second rainy season of the year – the so-called “short rains”. With an average of 20 days of rain this month, you’ll likely to see thundershowers on most days of your visit, although they are often only short afternoon rain showers, after which the skies clear up.
• November is a good time to visit the Masai Mara to catch the end of the migration as the herds start making their way back down to the Serengeti in Tanzania. It’s a good month for birders too, as migratory bird species begin to arrive in the park. The only downside can be the rain but the thundershowers are usually short bursts of rain in the afternoon and are unlikely to disrupt your game viewing too much.
• Masai Mara in December

• December falls during the “short rains” – the second rainy season of the year – in the Masai Mara, and sees and average of 17 days of rain during the month. While the rain can be heavy, it usually only pours for a short time in the late afternoon and shouldn’t affect your game viewing too much.
• Longer grass from the rain makes wildlife viewing a little more challenging this month, although December is a fantastic month for birdwatching in the Masai Mara as the migratory species can be spotted. The birthing season which is called “Toto Time” starts this month, so if you fancy seeing baby animals being born and taking their first steps then plan on visiting the park between December and February. It’s less busy in early December than during the peak months of June to October, but it gets very busy in the park during the Christmas holidays.

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Faqs about maasai mara.

• Safari lodges have guest rooms similar to a hotel with en-suite bathrooms. They are comfortably furnished with facilities normally associated with a hotel rooms, except your rooms are normally set in beautiful wilderness settings, with nature and wildlife around.
• Tented lodges have rooms which are tents on a platform and with a roof and also have en-suite facilities with showers, flush toilets and hot water. Basically all the amenities of a hotel room, except canvas walls and roof.
• The boutique lodges and camps can be very stylish and smart in terms of design and decor, often with very spacious rooms and even going so far in some cases as having plunge pools for each room.
• Eco-camps and smaller tented camps have insect-proof tents with en-suite facilities including a safari shower and flush toilet.  They give a more authentic safari experience but the tents are comfortably furnished with proper beds and you don’t need to bring your own sleeping bag! The emphasis is usually on having excellent guides and great wildlife viewing away from the crowds. Guests often eat together and people travelling alone usually say that they found the atmosphere friendly and enjoyed meeting other like-minded travellers around the campfire in the evening or at dinner.
• The Adventure Camps are a budget option with guests bringing their own sleeping bags and towels. Accommodation is in small dome tented with a mattress on the floor. Each tent has its own nearby cubicle with a flush toilet, safari shower, and wash basin. The Adventure Camps are suitable only for those who don’t mind “real camping” and can put with some degree of “roughing it”. Apart from the accommodation in simple dome tents, the meals and the guiding are the same standards as the higher quality camps and game drives are in 4x4 safari vehicles. For those on a limited budget, the Adventure Camps are a good alternative to the big tourist lodges and minibus tours for those for whom the safari experience is more important than hotel accommodation.
• If the weather causes unforeseen problems on the day of your hot air balloon safari, we will try to move it to another day or you will be refunded.
• The Masai Mara is an excellent all year safari destination, providing travellers with reliable sightings of it's resident wildlife. However, if you're planning a migration safari, it's best to travel during the months of August and October if you wish to witness the Mara River crossings.
• Kenya has a world of variety when it comes to tented accommodation camps, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another realm in the bush as your every desire comes try.

Our Recommended Activities in Maasai Mara

• Masai Mara Adventure

The breadth and diversity of lodging and activities offered in the Masai Mara National Reserve means that every kind of traveller is catered for. Solo travellers will find it easy to join up with group tours that run the gamut from budget-friendly camping trips to all-out luxury with all the special touches, adventurous travellers will be able to self-drive in the park and pitch their tents in a campsite, families will find child-friendly lodges with a host of kids’ activities, while travellers looking for a romantic holiday will be pampered at luxury camps that are well-geared for intimacy and romance, with private pools and decks, beautiful rooms and indulgent extras such as private champagne breakfasts for two in the bush.

Travellers who are looking to experience the Masai Mara without lots of other vehicles around sightings should consider the Mara Triangle. There’s a limited choice of lodging options: the lodge is large and offers a lot of facilities – so would be better suited to families and solo travellers looking to meet other travellers – while the camp is small and intimate, which would be perfect for romantic travellers. Alternatively, there are 10 camps located in private conservancies outside of the Mara Triangle that offer game drives in the area, so staying outside the Triangle itself is also an option.

Adventurous travellers on self-drive trips will love the Mara Triangle, as this is the only place in the reserve where you can pitch your own tent. It’s also easier to self-drive in this sector.

Travellers – whether solo, family, adventurous or romantic – looking to get a bit off the beaten track and escape the crowds of the national reserve should book a stay at a private conservancy for their Masai Mara trip. Solo travellers looking for peace and quiet should look at staying at one of the smaller camps in a conservancy, while adventurous travellers will enjoy doing activities such as bush walks which are not permitted in the national reserve. Families are well catered for at some lodges and camps in the conservancies – just do your research to find out which ones have family tents or rooms and offer special kids’ activities. Romantic couples and honeymooners will find the intimate camps of the conservancies perfect for a special safari holiday.

See Maasai Mara in Your Comfort

• Affordable Safari in the Masai Mara
• Budget Masai Mara Safari
• Masai Mara Luxury Safari

The most cost-effective way to do a mid-range trip to the Masai Mara is to join a safari tour which offers transport, a guide and lodging as part of the package.

For those travelling independently, you have a lot of options for mid-range lodging. Outside of the park gates you’ll find the best selection of mid-range lodges, camps and hotels but there are also some excellent mid-range options inside the park. The eastern region of the park has the best concentration of value-for-money lodges and camps, but it is the busiest area of the park, so be prepared to share sightings with many other cars, especially during the peak months. Considerations to keep in mind are the size of the camp or lodge. If you’re looking for peace and quiet in the bush, book a smaller camp with only a few tents or rooms, rather than one of the 150-bed lodges.

If you want a good deal on lodging, avoid travelling during the peak months of August and September and instead travel during October and November instead, when you’ll still be able to see the migration but lodge prices are lower. If you don’t mind muddy roads and rain, travel during the wettest months (the low season) of April and May, when you can pick up great deals on discounted lodge rooms.

The Masai Mara is an expensive destination and everything from daily park fees to lodging is pricey, however, you do have some choices when it comes to planning a budget trip. The best budget-friendly way to travel is on a group safari and stay in campsites: your transport, guide, park entrance fees and meals are included in the package price.

You can travel to camps on the outskirts of the park on public transportation from the town of Narok and then book game drives into the park from your camp. There are a number of campsites outside the park gates – the least expensive lodging option – where you can either bring your own tent, rent a tent or pay more to sleep in a permanent erected tent. Another lodging option is to organise a homestay and spend the night with a Maasai family in a village outside of the park.

Some adventurous travellers prefer to hire their own 4×4 (and rent camping equipment from Nairobi) and explore the park on their own steam, staying at campsites outside the park or in the Mara Triangle. Having your own vehicle gives you plenty of freedom, and camping in the bush is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in nature. Be aware that the roads leading into the Masai Mara National Reserve are in bad condition – particularly between the town of Narok and the Talek and Sekenani Gates. It’s good to have some 4×4 driving experience in Africa and understand the rules of the park if you’re driving yourself: don’t ever go off road, and leave the wildlife plenty of space.

Inside the park, your camping options are limited to the Mara Triangle, where you can stay in either the public campsite or special campsites (which need to be reserved in advance). If you’re camping inside the park you need to be entirely self-sufficient and take in all of your own food, water and firewood.

Prices in the Masai Mara are highest during the peak migration months of August and September and lowest during the rainy season of April and May, so if you’re looking to pick up good deals on lodging, consider travelling during the wettest months of the year.

There’s no shortage of luxury lodging in the Masai Mara, so you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a superb place to stay, whether it’s an intimate tented camp or a stylish lodge. Upmarket camps and lodges usually offer fully-inclusive packages that encompass all your meals and activities, such as twice-daily guided game drives, and if you’re on a concession, then night drives and bush walks. Extra activities such as hot air balloon rides can also be arranged through your lodge. From high-end properties you can expect fabulous locations stylish décor, lots of attention to detail, excellent service and amenities such as infinity swimming pools and spas.

To escape the crowds don’t stay in one of the large hotels in the east of the park but rather at one of the camps in the Mara Triangle in the west, or for even more exclusivity, book your trip at one of the luxury camps or lodges situated in one of the many conservancies that border the park. These private conservancies have a limit of the number of beds per hundreds of acres, as well as vehicle limit at sightings, so you’re guaranteed to avoid the cars that can pile up around a sighting in the Masai Mara itself.

For the ultimate Great Migration experience, stay at one of the mobile luxury tented camps which move position in the Greater Mara Ecosystem along with the herds of animals between July and October. These minimal footprint camps get you closer to the action than anything else, and you’ll get to experience the magic of camping in the bush – without actually camping. There’s no sacrificing comfort, as the spacious tents come with en suite bathrooms (flush toilets and hot bucket showers) and solar power, as well as communal dining and lounge tents decked out in rugs and antique furniture. Gourmet meals and attentive staff seal the deal. Mobile camps usually only have less than 10 tents, so you’re guaranteed an intimate experience that makes the most of an immersion in the wilderness.

Wherever you stay, consider hiring one of the top private freelance guides to the Maasai Mara – such as Jackson Looseyia, one of the presenters of BBC show Big Cat Diary – who will join you for all of your game drives and enhance your wildlife viewing immeasurably.

By far the easiest (and most luxurious) way of getting to the Masai Mara, or any of the conservancies, is by flying in on a scheduled or chartered plane. Some camps have their own private airstrip but if they don’t then you’ll be able to land at one of the landing strips scattered around the park, and your camp will arrange a pick up and transfer. If you’re travelling around Kenya after your Masai Mara safari, you’ll be able to fly to Mombasa or Malindi on the coast, as well as other safari destinations, or to Nairobi.

While you can organise your own luxury Masai Mara safari, many travellers prefer to have a tour operator put together a tailor-made package of flights, guides and safari lodges. Going through a tour operator will take a lot of the hassle out of arranging the trip, and also ensure that you’re staying at the right lodge or camp at the right time of year to see the best of the park’s wildlife.

Who is Travelling to Maasai Mara with you?

• Family Safari in the Masai Mara
• Masai Mara Honeymoon
• Solo Travel in the Masai Mara

A family holiday in the Masai Mara is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that your kids will never forget. Exploring one of Africa’s greatest wilderness areas seeing elephants, lion, leopard, cheetah, giraffes and massive herds of antelope against photogenic savanna backdrops will enchant kids of all ages. The Masai Mara is also one of Africa’s best safari destinations for families because of the ease of spotting game on the open plains, the thrilling dramas of the Great Migration scenes, and a host of child-friendly places to stay.

Having the perfect family holiday in the Masai Mara is all about where you stay. Research family-friendly lodges (some lodges have minimum age limits) and be sure to book one that offers family tents or rooms (with their own dining and lounge areas), kids’ activities such as nature walks, treasure hunts, bow and arrow shooting, fire making, storytelling and special extras such as kids’ adventure clubs.

Consider staying at a lodge or camp on a conservancy where you can do guided bush walks, to give the kids a break from long game drives (walks are not permitted in the national reserve). Some lodges offer child minding services but these usually need to be requested before your trip. Most upmarket lodges and camps that allow children will be able to cook child-friendly meals.

Another option for families is renting one of the private houses on conservancies bordering the Masai Mara. These houses – which come with their own team of staff – can only be booked exclusively, which means you’ll have privacy as well as more freedom for the children.

If you have young children, it’s a good idea to book a private game drive vehicle for your family, so that you can tailor the length of your game drives and choose your own schedule (usually morning game drives start very early) and also not disturb other guests.

Keep in mind that many camps and lodges are unfenced, so you need to keep a careful eye on your children and not let them wander around on their own.

Doing a fly-in safari is the easiest option if you have small children, as the drive to the Masai Mara from Nairobi is long and on bumpy roads. It’s a short flight on scheduled or chartered planes from Nairobi (and other destinations in Kenya) to the airstrips in the reserve or in the conservancies. You won’t need your own car once you’re in the reserve as most lodges and camps offer guided game drives, and will pick you up from the airstrip.

As with any African travel with kids, make sure that you get any required vaccinations at least six months before you travel. The Masai Mara is a malarial area, and you should consult your doctor about the necessary prophylactics. The most important thing is to prevent being bitten, so always dress your kids in long-sleeved shirts and trousers and spray with mosquito repellent – especially around dawn and dusk – and use a mosquito net when sleeping.

If you’re looking for a romantic safari destination , the Masai Mara will tick all of your East African safari fantasies: quintessential savanna landscapes, an abundance of animals and big cats, the drama of the Great Migration, as well as excellent camps and lodges that add special touches for Masai Mara honeymooners or romantic couples.

For the ultimate Masai Mara Honeymoon, prioritise exclusivity and intimacy when choosing your camp or lodge. Rather than staying at one of the massive lodges in the eastern section of the park – some of which have 150 beds – pick a small camp that has less than 10 tented rooms on your Honeymoon Masai Mara Safari.

A great option for romantic couples who want to escape the crowds of the Masai Mara is staying in one of the many private conservancies that border the reserve, which offer the same superb wildlife viewing and photogenic landscapes, but with a restricted number of beds per acre and a limited number of vehicles per sighting, which makes for a much more exclusive wilderness experience on your Kenya Honeymoon experience.

Mobile tented camps are also a wonderful option for a Safari Honeymoon in the Masai Mara, as they are usually very small, with only a few beds, and give you the chance to experience life under canvas in remote locations – but with the creature comforts of hot bucket showers, flush toilets, five-star quality food and stylish furnishings.

The best of the luxury camps – whether on a conservancy or in the reserve itself – combine incredible settings with romantically designed rooms – think lots of privacy, open-air bathrooms, private plunge pools, and, at one camp, even a four-poster bed under the stars. You can also book private game drives for more wilderness time without other guests.

The special experiences that camps can organise for romantic couples on their Masai Mara Honeymoon to make your stay even more memorable include private champagne breakfasts in the bush, couples’ massages, sundowner cocktails in spectacular locations, private candlelit dinners on your balcony or deck and sunrise hot air balloon rides for two.

Solo travel in the Masai Mara is an exciting adventure in one of the world’s top safari destinations, whichever way you choose to travel.

Self-drivers will have the freedom to explore the park on their own, while if you would prefer to join up with a group, there are plenty of options for organised tours, ranging from budget-friendly safaris where you stay at campsites, all the way up to the most luxurious and exclusive camps and lodges. Travelling on a tour is by far the most affordable way to experience the Masai Mara. Independent travellers looking to meet other travellers will have opportunities to socialise with other people at their lodge or camp either on game drive or at dinner (some camps do communal dinners).

If you’re looking to stay in a big hotel or lodge with lots of facilities, then pick a property in the eastern sector of the park or outside the park gates, as this is where the biggest concentration of large hotels is. For a quieter wilderness experience, choose to stay at a lodge in either the Mara Triangle or on one of the private conservancies, where guest numbers are limited and camps tend to be small and intimate.

What You Need To Know

• Welcome to the Masai Mara
• Highlights of the Masai Mara
• Wildlife in the Masai Mara
• Masai Mara Weather

Kenya’s flagship park, the Masai Mara National Reserve, is one of Africa’s finest wildlife destinations where quintessential safari landscapes of vast acacia-dotted savannas teem with animals. The stellar highlight of the Masai Mara is, without a doubt, the Great Migration, an annual movement of millions of wildebeest, gazelle and zebra migrating between neighbouring Tanzania the Kenyan park. Seeing the dramatic daily scenes of the Great Migration – the massive, noisy herds, the animals making the perilous crossing of the crocodile-infested Mara River and the thrilling big cat hunts – are among the best and most exciting wildlife experiences you can have in Africa.

Apart from the Great Migration, the Masai Mara has excellent wildlife viewing throughout the year, and sightings of four of the Big Five – leopard, lion, elephant and buffalo – are pretty much a given, making it a perfect first timer’s safari destination. The Mara is famous for its leopard, lion, and cheetah, but there’s plenty more game to see on the wide-open plains, from giraffe and eland to smaller predators such as bat-eared fox, spotted hyena and black-backed jackal.

While there’s a wide range of lodging options to accommodate all budgets, the Masai Mara’s luxury lodges and camps really stand out. Scattered across the park – in some truly spectacular remote locations – they offer a taste of the “Out of Africa” safari romance: tented rooms and suites that open right onto plains full of grazing animals, impeccable décor and antique furniture, four-poster beds, infinity pools and outdoor canvas bathtubs – as well as excellent service and well-trained guides who are not only experts at finding wildlife, but will also bring the bush to life with their storytelling skills. Luxury mobile tented camps that occupy different seasonal locations in the park give you the chance to get as close to the migrating herds as possible, without having to rough it. These camps combine an intimate low-key wilderness experience with luxury comforts: a recipe for the perfect safari.

While game drives are the focus of a Masai Mara safari, there are other plenty of other activities to include in your itinerary, from sunrise hot air balloon rides over the plains, cultural visits to local Maasai villages, picnics and sundowners in the bush, horseback rides, and visiting the locations from the film Out of Africa, while some lodges and camps offer a host of kids’ activities such as storytelling, bow and arrow shooting and fire making.

The Masa Marai National Reserve makes up just one part of the Greater Mara Ecosystem, which is also made up of community ranches and private conservancies owned by local Maasai, and which offer privacy and the exclusivity of limited numbers of visitors spread out across vast areas. As the Masa Mara has increased in popularity, many safari goers now choose to stay on these conservancies – many of which were established in the last 10 years – for the same wildlife experiences as the Mara but with far fewer other cars around. What’s also special about the conservancies is the option of doing walking safaris with Maasai guides, an exciting activity that is not on offer in the reserve. With their abundant game, spectacular scenery, commitment to community conservation and low tourism densities, the Masai Mara conservancies are now up there with East Africa’s best safari destinations.

Few places have a higher concentration of wildlife than the Masai Mara, and sightings of four of the Big Five are almost a guarantee on any trip (although rhino are harder to spot). The Mara is also one of the best reserves on the planet for seeing the three big cats: leopard, lion and cheetah. It’s no wonder that the BBC TV show Big Cat Diaries is filmed on the reserve.

Along with the Serengeti in Tanzania, the Masai Mara plays host to the greatest wildlife spectacle on Earth: the Great Migration. For most nature lovers, witnessing the movement of millions of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle across the Mara River and streaming through the vast plains of the Masai Mara, is one of the ultimate wilderness experiences. Seeing the daily dramas of survival and death are the stuff nature documentaries are made of.

The Masai Mara conservancies – private concessions which border the reserve and make up part of the Greater Mara Ecosystem – are reason alone to visit the safari area. These conservancies encompass nearly as much land as the national reserve and offer the same incredible wildlife densities – as well as the Great Migration herds – but without the crowds, as each conservancy adheres to a limited number of beds per acre.

The Maasai, one of Kenya’s most recognisable tribes, are part of what makes a visit to the Masai Mara so unique. These semi-nomadic pastoralists have a rich and fascinating culture and visiting a Maasai village or doing a homestay with a Maasai family can be one of the most memorable aspects of a trip to the Masai Mara. Many guides in the lodges and camps of the Mara are Maasai, and they share their superb tracking skills to wildlife spotting and a wealth of knowledge about the ecosystem, animals, plants and birds with guests. The private conservancies that border the national reserve are either owned by or leased from the Maasai, and the tourism industry provides important financial support to local communities as well as an incentive for continuing conservation projects and initiatives.

The Masai Mara has one of the best concentrations of game in the world and is the best reserve for spotting big cats – and that’s not to mention the legendary Great Migration that takes place here annually, providing the kind of dramatic scenes that you usually only see on nature documentaries. There’s plenty to the Masai Mara to warrant return trips.

As with any safari destination, there’s much to be said for returning to the Masai Mara at different times of the year for various natural attractions. The Great Migration months of July to October promise thrilling sights, but the other months of the year have their own attractions, such as migratory birds between November and April and baby animals being born during the rainier months of the year. Travelling during the quieter months of the year will also mean that you have more of the wilderness to yourself, as the migration period and the Christmas holidays can get incredibly busy, and it’s not uncommon to have many cars packed around a sighting.

The conservancies that border the Masai Mara are destinations in their own right, offering abundant game, spectacular scenery and the exclusivity of only a few camps over massive areas. If you stay inside the park itself on your first visit, it’s definitely worth returning to the Mara for a different experience on a conservancy and for the chance to do walking safaris.

The Masai Mara has wildlife in abundance: the reserve is home to the Big Five, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to see lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant on any trip, although black rhinos are harder to spot. The reserve is particularly famous for its populations of big cats, with one of the highest concentrations of lion in the world, as well as large numbers of leopard and cheetah. Other predators include spotted hyena, black-backed jackal and bat-eared fox, while antelope species include topi, eland, reedbuck, impala and Thomson’s gazelle. Masai giraffe – the largest subspecies of giraffe found only in Kenya and Tanzania – is easily spotted.

The Great Migration is the most famous wildlife spectacle in the world, and the reason that many people travel to the Masai Mara. Each year, millions of antelope move across the savanna from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara, crossing the Mara River and falling prey to predators along the way.

While the Masai Mara is more renowned for its wildlife than its birds, its varied habitats are still home to more than 500 species of birds, from kori bustards, ostriches and ground hornbills in the grasslands to saddle-billed storks and goliath herons in the swamps to Schalow’s turaco and Ross’s turaco in the riverine forest and seven species of kingfisher in the rivers. There’s an incredible diversity of raptor species – 57 recorded species – as well as seven species of vulture, while migratory birds arrive in the reserve in November and stay until April.

Located near to the equator in southern Kenya, the Masai Mara is warm year-round, with higher temperatures from October to March and slightly cooler weather from June to August. There are two rainy seasons: March to May (known as the “long rains”) – April being the wettest month – and November to December (known as the “short rains”). The months of June to October are the driest in the year.

Weather wise, the best time to visit the Masai Mara is from June to October for the low rainfall and comfortable day time temperatures, although wildlife viewing is good in the park all through the year.

A big consideration for timing your trip to the Masai Mara is witnessing the Great Migration at the best time. The annual movement of animals into the park changes every year based on rainfall, but in general the herds move into the Masai Mara from July to October, while August and September are the peak months to see the migration.

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How To Spend 3 Days In Masai Mara, The Safari Park From The Lion King

This Kenyan national park is one of the best places in the world to see lions, leopards, and cheetahs in the wild.

When it comes to planning an African safari , TikTok can agree on one thing: Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya needs to be on your itinerary.

“The Land of the Big Cats” has a reputation as one of the best places on the continent to see lions, leopards, and cheetahs in the wild; it was one of the main filming locations of the live-action Lion King movie .

Masai Mara’s location in the Great Rift Valley gives it a leg up on wildlife diversity compared to other reserves. Its 580 miles of lush savannah is home to almost 90 different mammal species, and safari-goers have a good chance of spotting all of the African “Big Five” — lions, leopards, elephants, African buffalo, and the elusive black rhinos — as well as members of the slightly lesser-known (but equally ‘Gram-worthy) so-called “Ugly Five,” hyenas and warthogs included. If you visit in late summer, you might even see the Great Migration of over 2 million wildebeests, zebras, and other herbivores crossing the Mara River from the neighboring Serengeti Desert.

This February, I spent 10 days visiting Kenya’s national parks and game reserves on an itinerary curated by EF Ultimate Break , a Gen Z and millennial tour company. After a week of bush glamping in sparsely vegetated and dusty parks throughout Kenya, Masai Mara was comparatively lush, and my safari Jeep was constantly stumbling upon families of elephants, giraffes, and lions.

If you’re heading to Kenya on safari soon or scrolling TikTok for future inspiration , here’s what’s worth doing at Masai Mara and how to spend three days at the reserve.

What To Do At Masai Mara

Day 1: hang out with baby elephants & meet the maasai tribe.

After a 20-plus-hour journey from Chicago, I stretched my legs at one of Nairobi’s most popular attractions. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s Orphans Project houses baby elephants and rhinos who are currently unable to survive in the wild for whatever reason, and it’s just as cute as you’d expect. There was a collective “aw” as the tiniest baby black rhino stumbled out to meet the crowd, and we got introduced to all the baby elephants as they clumsily ran to the keepers for their bottles of milk.

The experience was more crowded and touristy than I expected, but I enjoyed learning the story behind each baby animal, seeing their personalities, and petting them. You’re also able to sponsor one of the baby elephants or rhinos until they’re ready to go back into the wild.

After hanging out with the animals, get into your safari Jeep to drive the five hours to Masai Mara. I stayed at PrideInn Mara Camp, which had glamping tents and cottages just steps from the park and Lake Talek, but there are plenty of accommodations around Masai Mara’s perimeter (including regular hotels like a JW Marriott Masai Mara if sleeping in a tent without air conditioning isn’t your vibe).

The best part of the PrideInn Mara Camp (and others in the area) is the presence of the Maasai tribe , which welcomed us with a traditional song and dance. There were also a number of warriors who worked in the hotel and who would walk us to and from our rooms if it was late at night.

Day 2: Take A Hot Air Balloon & A Drive

The park is huge, so soaring over the savannah to see the landscape and animals from above is an efficient and bucket list-worthy way to start off your safari experience.

We had to wake up at 4 a.m. to head over to the hot air balloon launch site, but I quickly stopped complaining about the early call time when we were in the balloon and the sun was rising over Masai Mara.

We got to take in bird's eye views of the Mara River (including a rare sighting of an adorable baby hippo that was splashing through it), check out a family of grazing giraffes from above, and get eye-level with the vultures in the trees. Afterward, we enjoyed an English-style brunch with unlimited mimosas in the middle of the bush, then headed back to the camp to nap it all off.

In the early afternoon, we headed on our second safari and stayed until twilight. After spending almost two weeks in Kenya, I realized it’s 100% worth doing two safari drives a day — one in the morning as the sun rises and one at dusk right before the predators are about to start hunting — to get the fullest picture of how the animals act in their natural habitat.

Depending on the time of day, you’ll also see different personalities from the lions. When I went in the morning, the lions weren’t the apex predators I’d anticipated. Instead, the pride was almost playful, with a young male lion with a dandelion mane nuzzling his father and the female lions, and cuddling with them in the sun. The only hint of their agility and quick reflexes were shown in how they quickly flipped from side to side and how alert they seemed at all times, with their heads suddenly popping above the grass when they’d been lazily napping in the sun just moments earlier.

Another day, as the sun went down, I saw a group of lionesses who’d been napping and were barely camouflaged in the long grass start to oh-so-casually make their move. They inched toward a grazing herd of wildebeests, their eyes locked on their next meal. I wouldn’t have experienced these different personalities if I hadn’t seen both in action.

Day 3: Go On A Morning Game Drive & Visit The Maasai Tribe

After going on a sunrise game drive, take an afternoon tour of the Maasai tribe’s village. Dressed in signature bright red robes, the warriors greeted us at the entrance of their village. They taught us some of their chants and performed a 10-minute celebratory song and dance that we were encouraged to take part in, which included mimicking the roaring of lions, shaking our shoulders, and competing to see who could jump the highest.

Then, they sectioned us off into groups to tour the family huts and learn about their pastoral lifestyle. Many of the Maasai people have gone into tourism and are employed by hotels and other hospitality businesses in the area, but they’re one of the few tribes where many members still practice their traditional way of life.

After the tour, we got to shop the tribe’s gorgeous beadwork, carved wooden products, and other souvenirs. I picked up a blue bracelet, a beaded choker, and some wooden coasters painted with safari animals to bring back home with me.

Ultimately, I came back to Chicago feeling relaxed, inspired, and fully ready to take advantage of my apartment’s air conditioning. I gained a deep appreciation for my proximity to wildlife during my bush glamping adventure (yes, even for the crickets and lizards in my tent).

Going on safari was life-changing for so many reasons. I was awestruck by seeing a 3-day-old hippo hanging out with his mom, and a pack of elephants racing across the savannah. I was surprised that the lions and giraffes seemed to barely take notice of our Jeep.

The safari also taught me a lesson in patience. Unlike in a zoo, you’re not able to control when or where you’ll see cheetahs, hippos, or prides of lions — which ends up making it so much more fulfilling when you do.

It’s not a question of if, but when, I’ll go back to Masai Mara on safari. And who knows — maybe this time I’ll spend more than a few days exploring Kenya’s most famous game reserve.

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​Overview – Masai Mara NR

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Kenya.

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Masai Mara National Reserve is one of Africa’s most famous parks and it’s undoubtedly one of the continent’s best places to see animals. The wildlife viewing is superb throughout the year. The grassy plains and regular rainfall support a huge population of herbivores, in turn attracting many predators. All three big cats are relatively easy to see. The yearly wildebeest migration coming through the park is one of the world’s most amazing wildlife spectacles.

Pros & Cons

• Excellent wildlife viewing throughout the year
• Annual wildebeest migration (from July or August to October)
• Open savannah makes for easy wildlife spotting
• Wide variety of accommodations for different budgets
• Hot-air balloon safaris
• The park gets busy, especially during high season
• Access road is bad so a fly-in safari is recommended
• Roads can be in terrible condition, especially after rain

Masai Mara NR Safari Reviews

• Expert Rating 4.4 /5 – 17 Reviews
• User Rating 4.8 /5 – 442 Reviews

The Wildebeest Migration

The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is where 2.5 million wildebeest , zebras and gazelles follow the rains in search of new grass every year. They make their way from Serengeti National Park (in northern Tanzania) to the Masai Mara, and they usually cross into Kenya in July or August. Although the timing is never guaranteed, August and September are when you’re most likely to see the herds undertaking the famous crossing of the Mara River in Kenya. They slowly head back into the Serengeti around October.

The Masai Mara is one of the best parks in Africa for seeing big cats , especially lions. Even leopards are quite used to vehicles and you can see their natural behavior, while cheetahs inhabit the open savannah, hunting or seeking their next meal. Of the other Big Five , elephant and buffalo are also plentiful, but black rhino is trickier and they only roam in the Mara Triangle area.

• More about Masai Mara's wildlife

Grassland savannah dominates the landscape in the Masai Mara, but pockets of acacia woodland , riparian forest around the Mara River, and rocky hills intersperse the plains. The Maasai word ‘Mara’, meaning spotted, refers to these dots in the landscape. In the north, the Oloololo Escarpment (also called the Siria Escarpment) marks the northern boundary of the Mara. The stunning views from the top take in the whole ecosystem.

The Masai Mara has a generally mild climate that doesn’t vary too much from a comfortable 26°C/79°F in the region’s Dry season (June to October). Differences in temperature are mainly due to changes in altitude in the park, with conditions getting cooler the higher you climb. The Wet season (November to May) comprises a shorter and a longer rainy period that are broken up by a brief dry spell.

• More about the weather and climate

The Dry season (June to October) is the best time to visit the Masai Mara. The roads haven’t yet deteriorated because of rain, and thirsty animals crowd around the local waterways. The second half of the Dry season is often when the incredible annual wildebeest migration passes through. January and February, the interlude between the short and long rains of the Wet season, is also a good time to visit.

• More about the best time to visit

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1,467 Masai Mara Safaris

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Most Helpful Expert Review

Gemma authored several Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.

Cheap, cheerful and ideal for first-timers

Plenty of travel writers and tour operators can be a bit snobby about the Masai Mara. It’s East Africa’s most popular and best-known park, with easy access from Nairobi and a plethora of cheap accommodation options. All this combines to...

Full Review

Latest User Review

Saw the big 5

Safari Tours to Masai Mara NR

4-Day Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru Luxury Safari

$1,276 to $2,134 pp (USD)

Kenya: Private tour Luxury Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Nairobi (Start) , Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Nairobi (End)

Kenya Tulia Safari Holiday Arcade

5.0 /5  –  48 Reviews

5-Day Masai Mara Lake Nakuru Amboseli

$1,298 to $2,046 pp (USD)

Kenya: Private tour Mid-range Lodge

You Visit: Nairobi (Start) , Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Amboseli NP, Nairobi (End)

Beacon Safaris

4.9 /5  –  265 Reviews

5-Day Masai Mara Fly-in Luxury Tour

$4,851 to $5,071 pp (USD)

Kenya: Private tour Luxury Tented Camp

You Visit: Nairobi (Start) , Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)

Nashibe Adventures

5.0 /5  –  13 Reviews

4 DAYS MASAI MARA SAFARI ~ MID RANGE

Masai Mara is one of the most famous wildlife conservation areas in the world, with a rich & varied collection of African wildlife. This 4 days Masai Mara road safari departing from Nairobi offers travellers an amazing safari experience with accommodation in quality lodges or camps including six exciting, private gamedrives inside the main Maasai Mara National Reserve. This tour is ideal for tourists arriving on the morning flights into Nairobi from US, UK and India markets as they do not require an overnight stay in the city prior to the Safari. Travelers from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE if arriving on the Emirates and Ethihad flights will most likely require an overnight in Nairobi.

A typical Safari Itinerary is listed below. Note that prices vary depending on the month or season of travel, with July to October being peak season while April to mid June is low season.

3 nights Masai Mara

Day 01: Start of your Safari from Nairobi

Our driver guide reports to your hotel for Start of the safari, with a 8 - 8.30am departure for a scenic drive down into the Rift Valley, to Masai Mara, Kenya's premier game reserve. You will be in your own private safari vehicle. Stop briefly enroute at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint for stunning views of what is the world's largest valley. Arrive at Masai Mara for lunch. The afternoon gamedrive at 3.30 pm allows spotting of the unrivalled wildlife in the park. Return to your camp by 6.30pm. Dinner and overnight at Basecamp [ Option of Keekorok Lodge or Mara Sopa Lodge or similar, in case of unavailability ].

Day 02: Enjoy Full day in Masai Mara

You enjoy two gamedrives today, one in the morning at 6.15am, before breakfast and the other in the late afternoon after lunch. As your safari is private your gamedrive timings are flexible, useful if you are travelling with children, or are on a honeymoon. You may also choose to have a full day gamedrive [ one for the whole day] with a packed picnic lunch at no extra cost. Return to your camp by evening. Dinner and overnight at Basecamp [ Option of Keekorok Lodge or Mara Sopa Lodge or similar, in case of unavailability ].

Day 03: Enjoy Full day in Masai Mara

Full day at Masai Mara with morning and afternoon gamedrives. You may want to add a Maasai Village visit or a Hot air Balloon ride into your safari [ Optional activities at additional cost - please enquire with us ] . Return to your camp by evening. Dinner and overnight at Basecamp [ Option of Keekorok Lodge or Mara Sopa Lodge or similar, in case of unavailability ].

Day 04: Return to Nairobi

After a relaxed breakfast and check-out. Depart for return road transfer back to Nairobi with a shortened morning game drive en-route. Arrive Nairobi by early afternoon [ typically by 2.30pm] . Drop off at your hotel, or free onward transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Rates are per person sharing in US Dollars.

Rates depend on number of people travelling together in one vehicle hence 2 [two people] , 4 and 6 persons.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What's included.

• Accommodation as specified in the itinerary on Full board* basis in the camp.
• Exclusive transport in a Safari Tour Microbus with a Gameviewing roof hatch and UHF radio
• 05 Private Safari gamedrives for the tour
• Services of a certified Professional, English-speaking Driver~Guide including all his expenses & allowances
• Fuel, driver and car park fees, driver's allowance
• All Park entry fees for clients, driver~guide and vehicle
• 24 hour Back Up support if required

What's not included

• International flight tickets and visa costs.
• Tips, drinks, laundry, calls, and all such costs of a personal nature.
• Credit Card Surcharge of 5 to 7% will apply or Bank Transfer Fees of USD 50.

Contact us using the form below to book the tour or for any questions We reply immediately

Add an Experience

Maasai Village Visit

US$ 40 per person

Hot Air Balloon Ride

Starting from US$ 485 per person

Dinner at the Carnivore Restaurant

4 Day Fly-in Masai Mara Safari

Related regions :

The Masai Mara is well known for its year-round concentration of animals, big cat sightings and the Great Mammal Migration which occurs annually - a wildlife spectacle not to be missed!

During your tour, you’ll stay at the luxurious Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp where you will experience luxurious accommodation, exceptional service, and panoramic views of the African bushveld. Here, amidst the reserve’s astounding year-round concentration of animals, including the seasonal Great Wildebeest Migration, guests can have an unsurpassed wildlife experience. Guests can almost exclusively explore this area on a game drive or on foot, enjoying access to pristine outdoor dining locations.

Discover one of Africa's most beautiful wildlife areas and enjoy a diverse selection of activities, including exhilarating dawn and dusk game drives, nature walks led by knowledgeable Maasai guides, and the once in a lifetime experience of a hot-air balloon safari.

Offering a complete wilderness experience, this four-day safari is ideal for couples, solo travelers, and families alike.

Day 1-3: Masai Mara Game Viewing, Balloon Safari Adventure

On arrival in Nairobi, you will be transferred to Wilson Airport for a flight to &Beyond  Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp. Enjoy lunch before meeting your guide for high tea and setting out on a late afternoon game drive.

The Masai Mara is home to an excellent year-round concentration of game, including the more than two million wildebeest, zebras and other antelopes that make up the famous Great Migration. Be sure to look out for elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, and cheetah on your daily game drives.

One morning during your stay, wake up early and embark on an hour-long balloon safari over the vast plains of the Masai Mara. The dawn scenery from the balloon is breathtaking as you float above the diverse habitats of the reserve, which include the mighty Mara River, swamps and forests. On landing, you enjoy a delicious champagne breakfast on the plains.

Accommodation: Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp

Day 4: End of Journey

After breakfast, bid farewell to the Mara as you drive to Kichwa airstrip for a scheduled flight to Nairobi's Wilson airport. On your arrival, transfer to the Jomo Kenyatta International airport for your onward travel arrangements.

Location and getting there

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What our guests say about Kim

April 24, 2024

Kim helped us for the details of trip…

Kim helped us for the details of trip planning.

March 6, 2024

Kim was very prompt and efficient

Kim was very prompt and efficient. I look forward to dealing with her in future. Thank you.

January 17, 2024

The quick and good service from Kim…

The quick and good service from Kim Abrahams

Apr 27, 2024

Anja is awesome!

Anja is awesome!! She went above and beyond for me as I had several changes until I locked in my bucket list itinerary and then my friend cancelled. She wasn't mad and just went about cancelling her portion which saved me money in the long run. Anja is a true professional regardless and I have been dealing with her since Sept 2023. Cannot wait until my trip in Sept 2024.

Apr 26, 2024

Shann was beyond amazing

Shann was beyond amazing. Listened to our needs, communicated super-efficiently and gave really honest excellent advice. She was so patient, kind and professional. The time difference across the globe made no difference. I am so excited for the itinerary she has put together. I usually cobble my own itinerary together for our holidays and it’s so time consuming and hard work. This was a piece of cake! Thank you Shann.

Great planning and service

Great planning and service, and everything worked like clockwork. We booked an Inyari Lodge safari with air with Safari.com. it wasn't clear if there will be 2 or three of us, so with Candis' help we booked a family chalet for 2 and added the third later when it was confirmed he can come. Candis put us on flights that maximized our game drive time (unlike some of the other guests) so we got all 6 drives in 3 nights. The lodge was great. Especially the game drives. We saw more than we hoped for. Additionally, Safari.com's insurance was very competitive. Highly recommended.

Apr 24, 2024

Apr 23, 2024

Shann was amazing

Shann was amazing , great prompt service and went above and beyond to meet our travel requirements.

Apr 22, 2024

My experience with safari.com is always…

My experience with safari.com is always incredibly, pascal made happen my dream again. He is the best always answering questions and making everything perfect.thank you again pascal, can’t wait to tell all about my second trip to Africa in October.

Thank you Heleen Coetzee for your excellent service!

Thank you Heleen Coetzee for your excellent service. We have booked through her at Kruger park numerous times. She is very helpful and quick to assist.

Apr 21, 2024

Fantastic travel agent for African safari family trip!

Wow! Shann was and is fantastic! She figured out a way to make our entire trip work. We are going on a 2 week trip to South Africa and Botswana. She really helped tie it all together as a wonderful, cohesive trip. She is super nice and super smart and very knowledgeable. She is also flexible and thoughtful, etc., etc. When the chips were down (and we literally were considering pulling the plug on the whole trip), she found a way to make the entire itinerary work and got us excited about our wonderful adventure! Highly recommend!

Apr 20, 2024

safari booking

We were looking for a Safari. Anja from Safari.com supported us to book accommodation and flights, she was very polite, super fast and very supportive. We can recommend her and Safari.com, it was great to book there.

The Masai Mara in Kenya is nature's epic masterpiece.

A little bit about Masai Mara

Rolling hills, sprawling savannahs, dramatic river crossings and of course... more wildlife and adventure than any movie could ever portray. Welcome to the Masai Mara, home to the lions of ‘Big Cat Diary’, temporary residence of the ‘Great Migration’, mighty Maasai warriors and some of the most luxurious safari lodges on earth.

The Masai Mara features a stunning kaleidoscope of wild and rugged landscapes, warm and welcoming people and an exciting array of creatures – big and small. World famous for hosting the epic Great Migration, the Masai Mara welcomes 1,5 million wildebeests onto its sprawling savannahs each July through October. The Masai Mara National Reserve and conservancies are brimming with life and offer safari travellers a wide variety of activities to choose from. Whether you take to the skies for a high-flying hot-air balloon adventure at sunrise or hit the road for a 4x4 safari, you’re sure to leave the Masai Mara with unforgettable experiences and lifelong memories.

Going on a Masai Mara safari

Part of the fun of going on safari is planning your safari. We’ve been there... and know how it feels. As avid travellers we can imagine you have loads of questions while planning your trip to the Masai Mara. Very few places on earth are as unspoilt, adventurous and authentic as the Mara eco-system.

Reading up on the Masai Mara, finding out what you might encounter, exploring your accommodation options... we've done most of the work for you and created this site to help you find all the answers to any questions you may have. To top it off, we've brought together a top-notch collection of Masai Mara safari lodges and camps for you to choose from. Naturally, we're only an e-mail or message away if you need a little extra help planning your safari.

About the Masai Mara

Known as one of the world’s most famous wildlife areas or ‘the world’s eight world wonder’, the Masai Mara has endless plains, breath-taking vistas and abundant wildlife. Learn more about the Masai Mara here.

Masai Mara special offers

Dreaming of the perfect safari holiday? We’ll help you find your way while planning your trip and provide you with a selection of the best available deals. Check out our latest Masai Mara special offers and discounts.

Getting to Masai Mara

Whether you’re arriving from far, far away or travelling to the Masai Mara from a destination in the region. We’ll guide you through your options for getting to the Mara and for getting around once you’re here.

As newbie safari travellers, we were blown away by our experience of the Conservatory - the animals in abundance; the landscapes; the people; the smells and sounds.

It was an amazing experience to actually see the river crossings, that we had seen so many times on TV during the wildebeest migration.

We saw a leopard on a tree and we were lucky enough to watch four lionesses and three cubs eating a fresh hunt. In the evening safari we were able to explore a massive variety of hippopotamus and a crocodile.

Masai Mara lodges & camps

The Masai Mara is rough and rugged, however you don't have to rough it during your stay. Eco-chic safari lodges with four-poster beds, sundowners with your favourite G&T and infinity pools overlooking the African savanna await.

We’ve selected a variety of warm and welcoming Masai Mara safari lodges and camps for you to choose from during your stay. Each of the accommodation options we’ve selected is known for offering premium safari activities, first-class accommodation and every creature comfort you could wish for during your stay.

All accommodations in Greater Masai Mara

Browse all camps & lodges

National Reserve accommodation

Browse Masai Mara NR accommodations

Mara conservancies accommodation

Browse conservancy lodges & camps

Masai Mara lodges we love

We would like to share a few accommodation options with you for your stay in the Masai Mara. Our safari lodge options come in a variety of price ranges, giving you plenty of possibilities to find the right Masai Mara safari camp for your travel budget.

Keep in mind that the following are simply suggestions. We offer tailor-made safari experiences and look forward to creating just the right mix of Masai Mara safari accommodation and activities based on your personal preferences. We look forward to helping you create the bespoke Masai Mara safari of your dreams.

Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp

lodge location Mara Triangle

Kenyan hospitality meets Maasai-inspired luxury on the lush green banks of the Saparingo River. &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp lies on the edge of the Oloololo escarpment, where riverine forest meets the sweeping plains of the Masai Mara.

from US$ 435 per person per night

Cottars 1920s Safari Camp

lodge location Olderkesi

Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp offers guest vintage luxury at its very best. Cream-coloured tents decorated in 1920s epic safari style, professional Maasai safari guides and above all a sense of elegance and class - this classic Kenyan safari camp has it all.

from US$ 1,059 per person per night

Elewana Sand River Camp

lodge location Musiara Sector

Ideally situated in one of the most remote parts of Masai Mara National Reserve, Sand River Camp pays homage to romantic 1920s safaris. Its design reminds guests of the many African adventure themed Hollywood movies created in that time period.

from US$ 670 per person per night

There were lion cubs galore, a baby zebra born in front of my eyes, pretty much everything an avid photographer could hope for.

The Maasai people were extremely welcoming, and were there to make sure our experience was nothing but the best. We will definitely be back.

The Big 5 and more - giraffes, zebras, hippos, lions with their families, cheetahs and hundreds of wildebeests - no shortage of amazing game sightings every day...

Masai Mara highlights

The Masai Mara is a dream come true for everyone who ever watched ‘Out of Africa’ and longed for the adventurous, romantic nostalgia of an African safari in the wild. The Great Migration, big cats and Maasai warriors await.

The Masai Mara is a photographer's paradise. This region is known for pristine riverine forests, dramatic towering escarpments, stunning sprawling savannahs and of course... all the creatures, big and small, that roam the land. Add a visit to a Maasai village to your stay for a cultural immersion and gain some insight in the day-to-day life of your hosts. For an extra special birds-eye view of the African plains, take to the skies during a hot-air balloon safari. When it comes to crafting the safari of your dreams, the sky is the limit.

Balloon safari

View golden plains from above

Maasai people

Extraordinary cultural meetings

Exhilarating wildlife

Wildlife up close and personal

The Great Migration

Wildlife spectacle in the Masai Mara

Safari activities

Drive, walks & more

Masai Mara National Reserve

Kenya's premier wildlife reserve

Luxury accommodation

A luxury safari home from home

Mara North Conservancy

Enjoy the perks of a conservancy

Conservancies in Kenya are the way to go; protecting the extraordinary wildlife whilst giving the local community an income, together with education on the interaction between the two.

Wonderful area for wildlife viewing. Having been there twice both times were awesome experiences! Will return again.

The highlight of our trip to Mara was seeing the migration at the Mara river. A once in a lifetime experience to see the Wildebeest migrating. An amazing scene of nature it was.

Masai Mara video

The best way of understanding what the Masai Mara and its conservancies are about is by seeing some thrilling footage from the area. Watch this video to experience Kenya's Masai Mara, its splendour and to meet some of our celebrity wildlife species.

Be careful, after watching this video you can be sure that you want to travel to Kenya. Today.

We saw 8 lions in one drive, and a hippo pod being circled by a dozen crocodiles that launched into the water, trying to get the baby hippos in the center of the pod. Wow!

I was fortunate that when I was recently in the Mara North Conservancy there were so few tourists. I saw plenty of wildlife. The sightings of big cats were especially good.

The Mara Triangle is the most beautiful, lush area of the Masai Mara. Loads of elephants and all types of wildlife without all the land cruiser traffic found in other areas of the Mara.

Send your enquiry

We hope you have found all information needed to decide that the Masai Mara in Kenya is the perfect place for your next safari adventure. Still have questions? Or maybe you would like some more specific information about the different lodges? Please fill in the contact form and we will get back to you soon!

• Masai Mara National Reserve & conservancies
• [email protected]

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Safari au Masai Mara pour assister à la grande migration

Mis à jour le 11 septembre 2023

Le Masai Mara est l’une des meilleures réserves pour un voyage safari au Kenya et même en Afrique. Sa faune y est abondante et sa localisation idéale pour assister à la grande migration. La réserve tient son nom de la rivière Mara qui la traverse, et des Masaïs, tribu qui y vit encore aujourd’hui. Vous y vivrez un séjour unique, entre nature et culture. Notre agence de voyage vous livre ici ses secrets pour l’organisation de votre safari au Masai Mara.

Pourquoi choisir le Masai Mara ?

Le parc masai mara : une réserve incontournable.

La Réserve Nationale du Masai Mara est une étape incontournable pour un safari au Kenya . À travers ses 1500 kilomètres carrés, c’est une grande diversité de paysages que les visiteurs ont le plaisir d’y découvrir. Des collines, des zones boisées – prisées par les girafes (que vous pouvez aussi voir à l’insolite Giraffe Manor ) – et des plaines verdoyantes qui deviennentsavanes au fil des saisons. Le décor n’est jamais le même.

Ses prairies fertiles nourrissent un grand nombre d’herbivores comme les gnous, les zèbres et les gazelles. Mais vous y rencontrerez bien évidemment beaucoup d’autres animaux, à commencer par les “ Big Five ”. Ce terme renvoie aux animaux les plus recherchés lors des safaris. À savoir les lions, les éléphants, les rhinocéros, les buffles et les discrets léopards. Au total, 95 espèces de mammifères et presque 500 espèces d’oiseaux ont été recensées dans le parc du Masai Mara.

Assister à la grande migration

Chaque année, de mi-juillet à septembre, la Réserve Nationale du Masai Mara devient le théâtre de la grande migration.

Ce sont alors 1.5 million de gnous , des centaines de milliers de zèbres et de gazelles, qui rejoignent les terres du parc national du Masai Mara. Ce phénomène migratoire s’explique par le perpétuel mouvement des herbivores. Toute l’année, les troupeaux sont en quête de nouveaux pâturages pour y trouver de l’eau et de l’herbe fraîche. À la vue de cette arrivée massive de nouvelles proies, les prédateurs, eux, se lèchent les babines…

Les mois d’aout et de septembre offrent le clou du spectacle avec les traversées de la rivière Mara . Cette courte baignade est très dangereuse pour les troupeaux de gnous. Ils doivent d’abord galoper sur des pentes abruptes, nager parmi les crocodiles et rejoindre l’autre rive, où des lions se tiennent prêts à les accueillir… Assister à ce spectacle vous tiendra en haleine !

Rencontrer les Masaïs

Le parc national du Masai Mara au Kenya a été établi en tant que sanctuaire naturel en 1961. Il s’agissait alors d’un territoire de 520 kilomètres carrés. Celui-ci s’est progressivement étendu, pour le plus grand bonheur de la faune mais au détriment des populations locales. Lorsque le statut de réserve naturelle a été officialisé en 1974, une partie des terres est revenue à leurs propriétaires d’origine, les Masaïs.

Aujourd’hui, cette tribu vit toujours sur son territoire ancestral. Elle y cohabite en harmonie avec les animaux du Kenya qui peuplent la réserve.

Il y a une dizaine de villages Masaïs dans la réserve mais seuls quelques-uns sont ouverts aux touristes moyennant quelques euros. Lors de votre visite, les masaïs vous feront découvrir leurs habitations, leurs chants et danses, et vous apprendront même à allumer un feu – sans briquet ni allumette cela va de soi !

Vous l’aurez compris, un séjour en terre Masai n’est pas un voyage comme un autre, c’est la promesse d’un safari inoubliable et d’une belle découverte culturelle .

Les autres activités

Envolez-vous pour un petit déjeuner inoubliable lors d’un survol du Masai Mara en montgolfière . Bien qu’onéreux (comptez environ 400€ par personne), c’est une expérience à ne pas manquer lors de votre voyage. Lors de ce safari aérien, vous survolerez la réserve, surplomberez les animaux et admirerez le lever du soleil. Idéal pour les voyageurs romantiques qui ne craignent pas de se lever tôt !

Profitez également de votre venue pour visiter Sheldrick , l’orphelinat pour éléphanteaux et rhinocéros . Cet organisme de bienfaisance accueille de jeunes animaux vulnérables, privés de leurs parents ou blessés. Ils y sont soignés et préparés à réintégrer leur environnement naturel.

Un safari dans la Réserve Nationale du Masai Mara

Comment se passe un safari dans la réserve.

Pour profiter au mieux de votre safari dans la réserve nationale du Masai Mara, nous vous conseillons d’y rester au minimum 2 nuits ce qui vous permettra d’avoir une journée complète sur place. Cependant 3-4 nuits est idéal pour avoir vraiment le temps d’apprécier ce magnifique parc d’Afrique (lié avec son voisin Serengeti en Tanzanie). Les passionnés de faune sauvage pourront même y passer une semaine entière. En ce qui concerne l’organisation et la visite, plusieurs choix s’offrent à vous:

Le game drive avec un guide/rangers

Partir en «  game drive  » à bord d’un 4×4 ouvert avec un guide appelé ici « rangers » est l’option la plus populaire. C’est l’idéal pour parcourir l’immensité des plaines et pour observer les animaux facilement. En effet, ces excursions sont menées par des rangers. Ces derniers connaissent la réserve comme leur poche, savent où trouver les animaux, et vous en apprendront beaucoup sur la faune et la flore locale. C’est l’option que nous vous conseillons et que nous proposons dans les voyages que nous organisons.

Pour vous imprégner pleinement de la nature et participer activement au pistage des animaux, nous vous conseillons de faire un safari à pied . Pas de panique, nous ne vous jetterons pas aux lions ! Vous serez accompagné par des rangers professionnels dont la mission est d’assurer votre sécurité. En action, ils vous apprendront à pister les animaux dans la savane en analysant leurs empreintes. C’est aussi tout un écosystème qui s’ouvrira à vous ; la terre, la flore, les insectes, les oiseaux… Un safari à pied dans le Masai Mara est une vraie connexion avec la nature, un instant suspendu.

Safari au Masai Mara en « seffdrive »

Vous pouvez également partir en safari avec votre véhicule de location (un 4×4 de préférence). Cependant, sans l’aide des rangers, il faudra bien ouvrir l’œil pour apercevoir les animaux ! Veillez également à respecter les différentes réglementations de la réserve. Rien de compliqué, il s’agit seulement de règles de bon sens pour assurer votre sécurité et celle de la faune:

• Se tenir à distance des animaux (25 mètres minimum) et ne pas les déranger en faisant du bruit
• Respecter les limitations de vitesse
• Ne jamais sortir du véhicule en dehors des zones où c’est autorisé
• Nourrir les animaux est interdit
• Ne pas jeter ses détritus dans la réserve

Prendre une excursion (depuis Nairobi)

Si vous êtes en voyage en autonomie au Kenya et que vous souhaitez néanmoins faire un safari au Masai Mara accompagné d’un guide, il est possible de réserver une excursion au départ de Nairobi. Votre rangers vous prendra alors directement en charge depuis votre hôtel à Nairobi et vous conduira jusqu’au parc puis vous guidera pendant toute la durée du safari.

Quels animaux voir pendant un safari au Masai Mara?

La densité d’animaux dans le Masai Mara est assez exceptionnelle et vous ne devriez donc pas avoir trop de mal à faire des observations intéressantes. On y trouve notamment le célèbre Big Five (Éléphant, buffle, lion, rhinocéros et léopard) mais aussi une multitude de prédateurs, herbivores, reptiles et oiseaux dont voici les principaux:

Questions pratiques pour organiser un safari dans le Masai Mara

Quelle est la meilleure période pour un safari au masai mara .

Le Kenya bénéficie d’un climat agréable tout au long de l’année. Sa température annuelle moyenne est de 26°C le jour et 12°C la nuit. Côté précipitations, on distingue deux saisons des pluies. Une très courte au mois de novembre et une saison humide plus longue, de mars à mai.

La meilleure période pour un safari au Kenya dans la réserve du Masai Mara est entre juin et septembre . Vous pourrez ainsi profiter du soleil et observer l’un des mouvements migratoires les plus impressionnants au monde, la migration des gnous. Notez que les mois de juillet et d’aout sont les plus agités. C’est la période des grandes vacances pour les voyageurs européens. Septembre est sans aucun doute un mois à privilégier.

La période de janvier et février est aussi une bonne option pour votre voyage. Ces mois sont calmes et chauds. Une échappée ensoleillée à cette période de l’année vous épargnera des températures glaciales de notre hémisphère.

Comment se rendre dans la réserve nationale du Masai Mara ?

Comme pour la plupart des réserves d’Afrique, l’accès au Masai Mara n’est pas aisé. Vous pouvez vous y rendre en voiture (4×4) ou en avion.

En 4×4, il faudra prévoir environ 6 heures de trajet sur des pistes chaotiques. Bien que la route soit longue et mouvementée, elle vaut le détour. Vous découvrirez en chemin des paysages magnifiques. À noter que cette option économique n’est possible que lors de la saison sèche lorsque les routes sont accessibles.

L’avion est l’option la plus rapide et la plus confortable. Comptez 45 minutes de vol pour rejoindre l’ aéroport Olkiombo depuis Nairobi . Un billet coute entre 200 et 250€.

Où séjourner lors d’un safari au Masai Mara ?

De nombreux campings, lodges et camps de toile permettent de dormir au cœur même du Masai Mara. Le choix est large et permet de satisfaire toutes les envies et tous les budgets.

• Des aires de campings ont été aménagées dans la réserve. Elles sont surveillées par des gardes pour assurer votre sécurité mais n’offrent que très peu de confort. C’est donc l’option pour les baroudeurs souhaitant un safari au Kenya à petit prix .
• Les lodges proposent des chambres et des hébergements du type bungalows. Ils sont confortables, pour certains luxueux, mais plus touristiques. La pension complète y est généralement incluse. Le Lodge constitue donc de loin la solution la plus confortable et luxueuse dans le cadre de votre voyage dans le parc du Masa¨Mara
• Les camps de toiles offrent le même service que les lodges mais sont plus intimistes et plus luxueux. Dans votre tente du camp vous disposerez d’une bonne literie et de votre propre salle de bains avec eau chaude. Vous profiterez du confort qu’une installation « en dur » mais resterez proche de la nature. Le chant des oiseaux et les cris des singes vous réveilleront au petit matin.

Chez Twalo nous avons un coup de coeur pour l’ Ilkeliani Camp . Situé au beau milieu de la savane, ce camp luxueux offre des tentes équipées et magnifiquement décorées. Depuis la terrasse de votre suite, vous profiterez d’une vue plongeante sur la vie sauvage. Au crépuscule, levez les yeux au ciel, vous avez rendez-vous avec la voie lactée ! Les feux de camps sont également des moments forts lors des soirées au campement et marqueront un moment inoubliable de votre voyage au Kenya dans le parc du Masaï Mara.

Quelle que soit l’option que vous choisirez, vous n’oublierez jamais vos nuits passées au coeur de la nature pendant votre safari au Masai Mara.

Si la visite de la Réserve Nationale du Masai Mara vous intéresse, nous pouvons l’inclure à votre séjour au Kenya. N’hésitez pas à nous faire une demande de devis en cliquant ici .

Poursuivez votre séjour au Kenya avec la visite du Lac Naivasha et des parcs nationaux d’ Amboseli et de Tsavo . Notre itinéraire de 10 jours au Kenya est à retrouver ici .

En 2023, le prix d’entrée dans la réserve du Masai Mara pour les adultes est de 70 USD si vous passez la nuit dans la réserve et de 80 USD si vous entrez pour la journée. Les enfants paient eux 40 USD en dormant dans la réserve et 45 USD en dehors. A cela, il faut ajouter des frais d’entrée pour la voiture qui dépendent du nombre de place dans le véhicule: comptez 400 KSH pour un véhicule standard. Pour plus d’informations sur le budget à prévoir, rendez-vous sur l’article Conseils pour un safari au Kenya .

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Get To Know Us

Welcome to the enthralling world of "Safaris In Masai Mara" – a cutting-edge wildlife company that redefines the way we perceive and interact with the natural world. At Safaris In Masai Mara, we believe that the true essence of life lies in the wild, where each creature, from the tiniest insect to the mightiest predator, plays an irreplaceable role in maintaining the delicate balance of nature.

Our mission is to bridge the gap between humans and wildlife, fostering a profound connection that nurtures a collective sense of responsibility for preserving and protecting the wonders of the animal kingdom .

Nairobi, Kenya

+254 799 646336

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Culture, colour & crossings

This iconic reserve is named after the Maasai people, an ancient tribe that still call this wild landscape home.  This national reserve neighbours the abundant Serengeti along the border of Tanzania and is known for being one of the best safari destinations in Africa to see big cats and other members of the Big Five. However, it’s also the setting of the greatest wildlife wonder on earth, the Mara is world famous for its vast assemblages of wildebeest as they embark on their journey after the rains. The reserve is divided by the mighty Mara River, where its tributaries are margined by lush riverine forests and the famous location of spectacular river crossings during the July –September.  The reserve is home to over 470 bird species and 95 animal species, including all of the great predators.

The Masai Mara National Reserve, is possibly the most iconic African wildlife destinations, where immense acacia-dotted savannas teem with animals of all shapes and sizes. The highlight of the Mara is of course the Great Migration, an annual event where millions of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migrate across the vast landscapes of Kenya and Tanzania. Witness the dramatic scenes as the nervous and noisy herds embark on the perilous crossing of the crocodile-infested Mara River. The Masai Mara is also home to a wide range of bird and animal species. The reserve is also known for it’s abundant big cat sightings, from large lion prides to the elusive leopard. Top wildlife to see include – Lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, rhino, African wild dog, honey badger, giraffe, hippo, buffalo, crocodile, wildebeest, zebra, topi, eland, gazelle, baboob, caracal and hyena.

The Masai tribes are amongst the most well-known of Africa’s ethnic groups, due to their living proximity to the various game reserves, their vibrant clothing and fascinating traditions. The Masai Mara tribe has a very distinct appearance, with fierce warriors raising their spears in pride, bearing their blood-red cloaks, known as shukas. The Masai women embellish themselves with earrings whilst the men cover their braided hair with thick ochre paste and extravagant head-dresses which are often made with lion mane or eagle feathers. During your visit to the the surrounding Maasai conservancies there is a chance to spend time with these fascinating people, with bushwalks, village visits and warrior training lessons offered by the Maasai tribes. Still today the people of the Masai tribes live in a type of enclosure known as an Enkang created by sharp thorn bushes. This essential material and design helps guard the tribe and their livestock from not only dangerous predators but also rival tribes. Over the years the people here have stayed true to their traditions, rituals and beliefs and are a wonder to meet.

Our Favourite Camps

ELEPHANT PEPPER CAMP

Accommodation:   eight luxury safari tents, two honeymoon tents (lounge area can be converted to 2nd bedroom for kids). room type:   double or twin beds (customers choose), two persons maximum. bathroom:   toilet, double wash basins, shower. location:   north of masai mara national park. meals:   plated dinners and lunches, buffet-style breakfasts. facilities:   campfire boma, restaurant. activities:   morning- & afternoon game drives. guided bush walks..

SAND RIVER MASAI MARA

Accommodation:   15 canvas luxury tent (1 bedroom), 1 family tent (2 bedrooms) room type:   11 double and 4 twin rooms. fan. wifi. bathroom:   toilet, double wash basins, bath, indoor- & outdoor shower. location:   in the south of masai mara national park, very close to the border with tanzania. meals:   mostly buffet style. occasionally plated. facilities:   bar, pool, restaurant. activities:   morning- & afternoon game drives..

COTTAR'S 1920S CAMP

Accommodation:   five luxury canvas tents, four family suites and one bush villa. room type:   double, two persons maximum. family suite has a double bed and twin beds. the bush villa has 5 rooms with double bed.  wifi. bathroom:   toilet, double wash basins, bath & shower. location:   east of masai mara national park, very close to park border and tanzania border. meals:   plated dinners, buffet-style lunches & breakfasts. facilities:   bar, restaurant, pool, spa, library. activities:   morning- & afternoon game drives. guided bush walks. night drives. rhino trekking.  .

LITTLE GOVERNERS CAMP

Accommodation:   canvas safari tent, meru-style. room type:   double or twin beds (customers choose), two persons maximum. wifi. bathroom:   toilet, double wash basins & shower. location:   southern tip of masai mara national park. meals:   mostly plated. occasionally buffet-style. facilities:   campfire boma, bar, restaurant. activities:   morning- & afternoon game drives. guided bush walks..

MARA PLAINS CAMP

Accommodation:   seven canvas safari tents. two tents share a deck and can serve as a family unit. room type:   double or twin beds (customers choose), two persons maximum. fan. wifi. bathroom:   toilet, double wash basin, bath & shower. location:   south sector of masai mara national park. meals:   plated. authentic bush cuisine. facilities:   campfire boma, restaurant, bar, library. activities:   morning- & afternoon game drives. guided bush walks. night drives..

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Masai Mara safaris

Best safari camps and lodges in the masai mara.

Stuart Butler

• In this guide
• Samburu, Buffalo Springs & Shaba
• Meru National Park
• Lake Nakuru National Park
• Amboseli National Park
• Nairobi National Park
• Off the beaten track
• Kenya besides safari
• Where to stay
• How to get there

The very essence of a Kenyan safari landscape, the Masai Mara stretches along the Kenya-Tanzania border and forms the northern fringe of the greater Serengeti ecosystem (most of which is in Tanzania ).

The Masai Mara is the part of Kenya in which I have spent the most time (months and months if I added it all up), and was the scene of one of my best ever travel experiences. Some years ago a Maasai friend and I set out on a five week hike that took us across the entire Mara ecosystem. By day we walked alongside the wildlife and Maasai herders. By night we camped out under the stars and slept in traditional Maasai villages. An unforgettable adventure!

Ready to experience it yourself? Here's my essential guide to the best safaris in the Masai Mara.

Lions prowling in the Masai Mara

The best Masai Mara safari camps & lodges

Our expert's top picks, masai mara national reserve, mara north conservancy, naboisho conservancy, olare motorogi conservancy, ol derikesi conservancy.

Nashulai Maasai Conservancy

One of the great success stories of Kenya safari has been the emergence of networks of conservancies, usually adjacent to the better known national parks. These are community-run or privately-operated protected areas, run for the benefit of wildlife and local communities. In the Masai Mara, the Nashulai Maasai Conservancy is particularly interesting, as it’s the only one that was 100% established by local Maasai and the only one where the Maasai remain in their homes within the conservancy. I can also highly recommend Mara North, Naboisho, and Ol Dereski; you’ll likely have an amazing time in any of them.

Offbeat Mara

Mara North is perhaps the best known conservancy in the Masai Mara, and Offbeat Mara is one of my favourite camps in the entire place. It's a small, un-showy camp of just seven tents including two family tents. In addition to the standard game drives you can do night drives, guided bush walks, horse riding, hot air balloon flights and even do some Maasai running coaching!

Saruni Eagle View

Naboisho is a ground breaking conservancy working hard to protect wildlife and local communities. The scrubby terrain here is packed with big animals. There are eight camps here, all of which are excellent but Saruni Eagle View is one of my favourites. There are nine tents, making it very small and intimate, and all the usual conservancy activities on offer: night game drives, bush walks and some fascinating Maasai culture talks at night around the campfire.

Kicheche Bush Camp

With one of the densest populations of lions in Kenya you’d be hard pushed to go wrong at Olare Motorogi, a simply stunning conservancy. There are five camps here, one of my favourites is Kicheche Bush Camp with six tents spread out under the Acacias. It's a popular spot for photographers; the 4X4s are modified for SLR cameras and extended game drives are the norm.

Cottars 1920’s Camp

Ol Derikesi Conservancy, tucked into the remote southeast corner of the Mara region, is Kenyan safari at its best. There’s an incredible amount of wildlife around here – including lots of lions – and just one spectacular camp; Cottars 1920’s Camp, whose 11 tents are presented in a nostalgic 1920s style.

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Where to stay in the masai mara, accommodation types in the mara.

The Mara has a huge range of accommodation options. In fact, with over 300 registered camps and lodges, many conservation experts fear that there is too much tourism development.

Options range from shabby, basic and cheap (think around USD $50-150 per night) to something fit for the royals and with a price tag to match (it’s not hard to find places costing USD $1,000+ a night).

The three main gates into the Mara (Sekenani, Talek and Oloolaimutiek all have lots of budget and mid-range accommodation. These vary from Maasai homestays (book through www.semadepngo.com), and basic campgrounds to well-turned out Maasai-run safari camps.

There are also a smattering of high end safari camps where acting in an environmentally and socially aware manner is as important as all the bells and whistles that come with a stay.

If you want to stay inside the reserve then options are more limited and tend to revolve around a couple of dated safari ‘package hotel’ style lodges or much more impressive intimate safari camps.

But in my opinion, by far the best areas to stay are in the conservancies that fringe the national park. These conservancies have vastly expanded the amount of land under some kind of protection. Staying in a conservancy is unquestionably expensive, but everyone should try and allow for a couple of nights in a conservancy camp.

Remember also the high prices aren’t just paying for the uniformly magnificent accommodation and superb safari experience but a great bulk of what you’re paying contributes to leasing the land and devoting it to conservation. Essentially your money is paying to preserve the wildlife habitat.

There are around 16 conservancies fringing the Mara but not all are fully set-up to safari tourists. Some of the best include Mara North, Naboisho, Olare Motorogi, Ol Derikesi, and the excellent, community-run Nashulai Maasai Conservancy.

Masai Mara safari highlights

What to see and do.

The Masai Mara and the rest of the Serengeti ecosystem has the greatest population of large animals on the planet. Sit on a ridge here and watch as thousands of grazers mow the grass while keeping a beady eye out for the predator population that includes famously big lions, as well as cheetah, elusive leopard and cackling hyena.

All of the famed “ big five ” (so named because they were the prize targets of early-20th century hunters) are present here: lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino. All but the rhino (there’s a growing population but they remain elusive) can be easily seen.

As well as up to a million plus wildebeest, there are dozens of species of antelope, gazelle and other herbivores including huge numbers of zebra, impala, Thompson’s gazelle and giraffe. And the rivers are stuffed with hippos and crocodiles.

Then there’s the smaller creatures who are even more numerous than the big boys: Aardvarks and porcupines, jackals and warthogs, baboons and vervet monkeys, squirrels and agamas.

From ostrich to weaver birds, birders will also delight. Over 500 bird species have been recorded in the Mara – that’s about the same as found in the whole of the UK!

The migration

One of the Mara’s top draws is the arrival of the wildebeest migration between June and October, when around 1.2 million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebra, gazelle and impala cross over from the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania.

Safari-goers flock to the Mara River to watch the migration’s most spectacular moment, as hordes of wildebeest thunder into the water, running the gauntlet of waiting crocodiles. It’s nature on its grandest scale – but also the busiest time to go on safari in the Masai Mara. If you’d rather see the migration untroubled by crowds, I recommend you look at Tanzania instead.

Conservancies

The Mara is fringed by private and community conservancies, which together double the size of the protected area. These conservancies protect key migration routes (especially for elephants) and areas of hilly woodlands, as well as the classic grassland savannah.

In many cases wildlife populations are actually greater in the conservancies than within the reserve itself. And, with visitor numbers strictly limited to guests of the handful of camps and lodges within each conservancy (some conservancies, such as Olderkesi, have just one camp – in this case it’s the spectacular Cottars 1920’s Safari Camp – it’s easy to feel as if you have a great swathe of African bush all to yourself.

Staying in a conservancy guarantees you the finest wildlife guides in the business, quality safari vehicles, wonderfully romantic accommodation and superb food as well as a whole host of activities not available within the reserve itself (such as bush walks, bush breakfasts, sundowners and the opportunity to learn more about conservation).

Balloon rides

Riding high on the morning thermals above the plains is a quintessential Kenyan experience and the Masai Mara is the place to do it. From on up high you'll marvel at snake-like lines of migrating wildebeest, watch the shadow fall from an acacia tree at dawn and, if you’re really lucky, see lions or cheetah readying themselves for the a pounce.

Nothing brings the Mara alive like exploring it on foot. You’re not allowed to do a walking safari within the reserve itself but if you’re staying in a camp on the edge of the reserve or in one of the conservancies then a bush walk should be easy to organise.

The best time to visit the Masai Mara

Seasons and climate in the mara.

When the wildebeest roll through the Mara between July and early October the safari goers arrive en masse. But, even with high season prices and crowds this is still by far the best time to be in the Mara. The wildlife show is quite simply spectacular, the grass is green and the weather – not too hot and not too cold – is just perfect.

Another popular time is Christmas through to mid-March. The wildebeest migration might be far away (but resident wildebeest remain) but there’s still a massive amount of other wildlife on hand.

Mid-March-early-May is the height of the rainy season and many camps close and wildlife is dispersed. June, before the high season crowds arrive is a very rewarding time to be here.

The best time to visit Kenya for safari

January & FebruaryThis is a hot and dry period…

How to get to the Masai Mara

The easiest and most common way of getting from Nairobi to the Masai Mara is by small plane. There are numerous small, unsurfaced air strips within the reserve and surrounding conservancies and dozens of planes (each carrying around 8-12 passengers) fly in and out every day.

The two main airlines serving the Mara are Air Kenya ( www.airkenya.com ) and Safari Link ( www.flysafarilink.com ). As well as linking Nairobi with the Mara they also link individual air strips within the Mara and offer frequent flights to Malindi and Diani beaches and other major national parks. Baggage weight limit is normally only 15kg. Excess baggage fees are steep.

Budget safaris and fully independent visitors often come overland from Nairobi or other parks and reserves. On a good day with light traffic leaving Nairobi it’s possible to drive from the city to the Sekenani gate in just five hours. However, a day of light traffic around Nairobi is as rare as a squat giraffe so allow a full day for the journey.

Masai Mara safari FAQs

Your questions, our expert answers, can you recommend any family-friendly camps/lodges in the masai mara.

I would suggest rather than staying within Masai Mara proper, stay in one of the conservancies that now fringe the Mara.

In the most basic of terms these are like private, community-run wildlife reserves. Conservancy operators lease the land from local people and each local family receives a guaranteed monthly payment. The conservancy also provides employment and sets up development projects. People continue to graze their cattle but in a more controlled manner. And in return, fences are removed and the wildlife encouraged to return to the lands they were once driven out of. The conservancies have been a great success both for wildlife and local people. And, for tourists, they offer a very exclusive experience and the world's finest safaris.

Each conservancy has only a handful of very discreet high end camps and only guests of those camps can go on a safari in the conservancy, which means crowds of vehicles around a lion are non-existent.

The conservancies also allow activities not permitted within the reserve such as walking (highly recommended), bush camping, night safaris, etc. This makes them ideal for kids because it breaks up the routine and allows a little more freedom.

The safari vehicles and guides used in the conservancies are absolutely the best in the game and the wildlife populations are the equal of the actual reserve. However, there's a catch (of course...), conservation like this doesn't come cheap. All of the conservancies are superb but some names are Naboisho, Mara North and Nashulai Maasai Conservancy (this last one being slightly cheaper than the others and lots of focus on meeting local people). As for actual camps you cannot go wrong with any of them. All the conservancy camps are superb. I'm a big fan of the Basecamp offerings, Off-Beat and Kicheche. All are a little less extravagant than some of the other camps.

If you want to only visit the reserve and not a conservancy then I suggest either Basecamp Mara, Oldarpoi or you could go for a Maasai homestay in Sekenani village. Expect basic but perfectly comfortable rooms but an amazing experience. Your kids would really enjoy this.

We're visiting the Masai Mara but would like to visit another area on safari in Kenya. Can you recommend anywhere very different to the Masai Mara to see different wildlife and landscapes?

The most common combinations for a short add-on to the Masai Mara are Amboseli , Laikipia or the Samburu area.

For your requirements of a different habitat and wildlife then without doubt I would suggest Samburu National Reserve. This is a much drier and hotter area than the Mara with different vegetation and animals. And, even the animals you might have seen in the Mara are different up here with different species of giraffe, zebra and ostrich all present (and in my opinion all more beautiful than the kinds in the Mara). The park is also superb for elephants.

Samburu, though still popular, is notably quieter than the Mara and, once away from the river, it's easy to feel you have the place all to yourself (and especially if you go into the co-joined Buffalo Springs and Shaba reserves). Depending on when you are there you will find direct flights from the Mara, but otherwise will have to go via Nairobi. If you're driving it's a long way – a 10 hour non-stop drive, so flying is the better option.

Is February a good time to visit the Masai Mara, or would June-July be better? What would be the differences?

February is a very good time for safari in the Masai Mara , but also very different to the experience in June and July.

It's hotter and drier in February and generally there are fewer other tourists. There will still be plenty of zebra and wildebeest around but these are the non-migrating resident herds, so they don't form the massive iconic herds that you might see on TV.

July is good because the migrant wildebeest are all normally in the Mara by then, but its also absolute peak high season so can be busy and expensive. June is perhaps my overall favourite month. Everything is green after the rains and it's nice and cool with far fewer tourists than July, but the first migrant wildebeest might start to arrive (it all depends on rains and the state of the grass).

In short, all three months are excellent but each is different so it might be best to go with whatever just suits your timings better.

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About the author.

Stuart is an award-winning travel journalist covering safari, trekking and conservation in Africa for the Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, BBC, Bradt Travel Guides, amongst many others. He is the author of Walking With The Maasai , a journey through some of Kenya's lesser-visited Maasai lands.

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Welcome to the Masai Mara

Royal mara safari lodge.

The Royal Mara is located in the Mara North Conservancy which is the richest and most varied wildlife section of the Masai Mara wildlife ecosystem. Join us and play witness to the spectacle of the annual Great Migration, One of the New Seven Wonders of the world, a vision beyond belief. Watch over two million wildebeest and zebra brave the waters of the Mara River – and her gauntlet of crocodiles. but with one unflinching resolve: to reach the lush plains of the Masai Mara and the Mara North Conservancy. Here, eagerly awaiting, are the big cat predators

This is a land of high drama, of epic struggle and perpetual rebirth. To see the Mara is to stare life head on and be humbled by its savage beauty. We hope the one day you will join us and share in the splendor of this majestic paradise. – Royal Mara Staff

Our Happy Customers

Welcome to the Masai Mara of Kenya, recently designated as one of the new seven wonders of the world. The Royal Mara safari lodge is situated directly on the annual wildebeest “great migration” route, near the two world famous wildebeest migration Mara river crossing points and near leapord gorge, all made internationally known by the BBC’s big cat diary television program.

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1 day trip to Masai Mara

Known for its great wildebeest migration, abundant lions and the rich culture of the native Maasai people, traditional pastoral herders who have grazed cattle here for centuries, southwest Kenya’s Masai Mara is a treat for all of the senses.

With its high concentration of lions, leopards, and cheetahs, the area is iconic for wildlife spotting, even on a short 1 day trip to Masai Mara. As well as being home to Maasai tribes, the reserve is famous for the Great Migration and can make for a spectacular short stopover on a day trip from Nairobi.

Table of Contents

The best day trip to Masai Mara Tours 

Cost of a day masai mara safari from nairobi.

Budget tours start from $230 per person and increase from there. The biggest factor determining the price of a safari is typically the accommodation. However, on a one day safari however, this may be the transport i.e. flight given the time constraints if you choose this means versus road transport. Shared flights are usually cheaper than private tours. 

This is especially the case for single travelers. On a day trip trip you might want to consider a fly-in safari, but these are considerably more expensive than road safaris. Check out the seasons too; low-season prices can be favorable and while you’ll probably get some rain at this time, it’s when the scenery is at its best.

Typical day trip to Masai Mara from Nairobi breakdown

Safari tour highlights.

• See the Big Five including the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo in an iconic world-famous game park
• Return flight across the great Maasai plains
• All-inclusive tours including entrance fees, meals, and transport
• Private tour guide in English and other languages
• Game drives in comfortable, open top safari vehicles
• Unforgettable savannah vistas
• Experience the Maasai people and culture
• Optional activity add-ons including hot air balloon safaris

Tour inclusions

The following details typical tour inclusions and exclusions on the best day trip Masai Mara safari package: 

Itinerary example for a day trip to Masai Mara from Nairobi

The typical itinerary that safari visitors can expect on a 1 day Masai Mara tour includes:  

Day 1 – Start your safari from Nairobi

Meal plan: Lunch

The Mara day trip is a full day excursion from Nairobi to Masai Mara game reserve departing Nairobi before dawn and enjoying a 5 hr game drive. Game drives start from the Sekenani gate where you’ll be introduced to the famous Big 5!

This includes the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and the African buffalo in addition to numerous other birds of prey and antelopes, zebras and giraffes. 

After a full day hanging out with the wildlife in this incredible backdrop, you’ll enjoy your packed lunch, soak in the views and depart for your journey back to Nairobi, arriving back at your hotel or residence. 

Safari essentials and information

Is a day safari in masai mara sufficient.

A one day trip is indeed short, but it can be done and you will get to see the Big 5. If you’re coming from Nairobi, taking an internal flight direct to Masai Mara would be ideal, as this takes just 50 minutes, if your budget allows for it. 

If you travel by road, you’ll have a long drive, however you will arrive in time for two game drives and enough time to have your lunch and more. In summary, it is possible and indeed worth it, however if you can commit more time, two or three days would be even better. 

With one full day in Masai Mara , you’ll have plenty of opportunity to explore this iconic safari destination with a dusk-to-dawn game drive that will include lunch at one of the incredible picnic spots overlooking a wildlife watering hole. 

Animals on a Masai Mara safari?

The reserve is home to the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo) and has the highest concentration of Big Cats not just in East Africa but worldwide making the location a perfect research center for hyenas and Big Cats. 

World famous for hosting the epic Great Migration, the Masai Mara welcomes 1.5 million wildebeests onto its sprawling savannahs each July through October. Other wildlife that visitors can expect to find include abundant elephants, buffalo, giraffes, lions and cheetah alongside the migratory animals and zebra. 

With over 450 animal species, visitors can also have a clear view of animals catching them in action when on a hot-air balloon African safari early in the morning. Leopards are frequently encountered, endangered black rhino hide in the dense thickets and large rafts of hippo and enormous crocodiles are found in the Mara River crossings. 

Best time to go on a Masai Mara safari?

To avoid crowds, the low-season months of April to May and November to December see fewer visitors than the rest of the year. While this isn’t the best time for wildlife viewing, there are always animals around. April and May are the wettest months, but you’ll be rewarded with spectacular scenery and an abundance of baby animals. 

Midsummer can get busy though, so come at the beginning or end of that period with its full on wildlife without crazy crowds. Even during the high season, some areas of the Mara are busier than others, but for a really exclusive safari experience you can book into one of the private conservancies bordering the Masai Mara.

Fly or drive to Masai Mara?

On a day trip safari, flying and driving to the Masai Mara are both viable options, with flying bringing obvious time savings (50 minutes from Nairobi) and incredible views of the wildlife and landscape. Flying also comes with a higher price tag. The drive to the Mara takes almost 6 hours, with the last 100km/62mi of the road quite poor. Fly-in safaris usually include top-end accommodation and all your activities. 

On a day trip tour of the Mara, you can easily break up the drive with a stopover. Lake Nakuru NP is the most popular option. This Rift Valley lake teems with birdlife, and this is the best place in Kenya to see rhinos, which are very difficult to spot in the Masai Mara, as well as the hustle and bustle of African countryside life.  

Another great option is to spend a night at Hell’s Gate NP. The dramatic scenery is the main attraction and, as there are few dangerous animals, cycling and hiking are permitted in the park. 

Will I get to meet the Maasai people?

Yes, meeting the wonderful Maasai people and getting to know all about their lives is a highlight of any visit here. Many lodges and safari companies employ Maasai as guides and drivers, and also as employees in their lodges and tented camps. 

Most can also arrange visits to local Maasai communities if this is possible before booking your Kenya safari. It can be difficult to interact meaningfully with the Maasai on such occasions, although you can learn a great deal if you take the time to talk with those guiding you, serving your food or cleaning your rooms. 

How much spending money do I need for a 1 day Masai Mara safari?

Visitors should budget for approximately $300 for a Kenya safari per person per day, including food and accommodation. Kenyan safaris can be more expensive than their continental counterparts due to the higher costs of accommodation and food.

What animals will I see on a day trip to Masai Mara?

Visitors on a 1 day Masai Mara safari will see the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo), hyenas, wildebeest, giraffes, cheetah, zebras, endangered black rhinos, hippos, crocodiles and much more.

What is the best part of Masai Mara?

The best part of Masai Mara is the renowned and remote western section of the reserve, known as the Mara Triangle. It is managed as a non-profit conservancy run by the local Maasai and is considered one of the best areas for game-viewing in the area. 

Game Drives

Hot air balloon.

• Walking Adventure
• Night Game Drive

Cultural Visit

Bird watching.

• Luxury Camps & Lodges
• Mid-Range Camps & Lodges
• Budget Camps
• Eco-friendly Camps
• Private Villas
• Self-catering Accomodation
• Nairobi to Maasai Mara via Road
• Nairobi to Maasai Mara Flight
• Mara Conservation

Maasai Mara National Reserve

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a breathtaking wildlife sanctuary located in the Narok County of Kenya. Named after the Maasai people, the area’s indigenous inhabitants, and the Mara River which divides it, this reserve is globally renowned for its exceptional wildlife population, picturesque landscapes, and unique cultural experiences. Spanning approximately 1,510 square kilometers, the Maasai Mara offers visitors an unforgettable opportunity to witness the beauty of nature at its finest.

Established in 1961, the Maasai Mara National Reserve forms a part of the greater Mara ecosystem, which also includes the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The reserve is situated at an altitude of 1,500 to 2,170 meters above sea level, providing a variety of habitats to support its diverse wildlife population. The area experiences two rainy seasons: the long rains from March to May and the short rains from November to December.

The Maasai Mara is home to an abundance of wildlife, including the famous “Big Five” – African elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, and rhinoceros. Additionally, it hosts over 450 bird species, including vultures, marabou storks, and ostriches. The reserve is globally renowned for the annual Great Migration, during which over 1.5 million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles traverse the Mara River in search of greener pastures between July and October.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers. With its unparalleled natural beauty, abundant wildlife, and rich cultural experiences, a visit to the Maasai Mara is sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Activities to Do in The Mara

Walking safari, horseback safari, wildlife photography.

MAASAI MARA FACTS

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of the world’s most famous and important wildlife conservation and wilderness areas. Here are some facts about it:

Great Migration

People & culture, why visit the maasai mara, extraordinary wildlife, luxury safari lodges and camps, breathtaking landscapes, the great migration, get in touch, +254113420342, [email protected], maasai mara national reserve, narok county, kenya., monday - sun: 06:00- 18.00, send us a message we will get back to you..

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Kisumu Masai Mara Game Reserve Safari 3 Days 2 Nights

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Visit Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya from Kisumu on this 3-day road safari and discover one of the world’s most famous safari reserves as seen on BBC Big Cat Diaries. This tour begins from Kisumu city and could either end in Kisumu or Nairobi. Kisumu city is located in Western Kenya about 292 km/ 180 Miles from the Mara.

The driving time is approximately 5 to6 hours to the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Beginning from Kisumu, the tour takes you to the Masai Mara through the Kericho tea zones into Narok and then the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Masai Mara National Reserve is the best-known wildlife area in Africa, home to healthy big cat populations and an abundance of plains game, bolstered by the arrival of millions of wildebeest during the Great Migration. Visit at any time and you have a good chance of seeing lion, elephant, cheetah, Masai giraffe, and buffalo, as well as varied birdlife, hippo, and crocodiles along the rivers.

Activities include hot air balloon rides , day and night game drives, seeing the Wildebeest migration, enjoying cultural visits with the Maasai, exploring the reserve on nature walks, and bird-watching with 470 birds to find.

The safari includes all road transport in a mini-van or a 4×4 safari vehicle, services of a professional safari driver guide, full board accommodation in superb quality, well-located lodges/ camps, game drives, and nature walks and bird watching, and all park entrance fees.

Masai Mara National Reserve Highlights | What to See and Do

Game viewing:  The Masai Mara Game Reserve is one of the best places in Africa for wildlife viewing. If the big cats are what you’re looking for on your Kenyan safari, you are guaranteed to spot them at the Mara.

Wildebeest Migration :  Over 1.5 million wildebeest, zebras and several species of antelope make an annual circular tour between the Serengeti in Tanzania and Masai Mara in Kenya in search of greener pastures.

Hot Air Balloon rides:  For the adventurous tourist who wants a bird’s view of wildlife from the air, a hot air balloon ride is the best way to travel over the massive Masai Mara Park.

Bird Watching : For bird lovers, the Mara birds come in every color and size. More than 400 bird species have already been recorded, including birds of prey.

Birds include vultures, ostriches, long-crested eagles, pygmy falcons, secretary birds, and many others.

Masai Cultural Village visits:  You could step back in time and visit a Masai village where you get a chance to interact with the Masai people in their traditional setting and experience their culture.

Guided walking tours, horseback safaris, and bush dinners: Visitors to the Masai Mara National Reserve can also enjoy horseback safaris and bush dinners, and guided nature walks.

Kisumu Masai Mara Game Reserve Safari 3 Days 2 Nights Itinerary

Day 1: kisumu – drive to masai mara game reserve.

0800 Hours: This morning we have breakfast at our Kisumu Hotel/ residence then depart by road to the Masai Mara Game Reserve through Kericho, Sotik, and Mulot towns into Masai Mara. This enormous reserve is actually part of the vast Serengeti plains famously known for its spectacular great wildebeest migration and is home to the Big Five: Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo, and Rhino.

1300 Hours:  Lunch at our Lodge and relax before departing for the afternoon ‘Spice” game drive.

1530 Hours: The Mara Game Reserve is one of the greatest wildernesses in the world. Large mammals are varied and easy to see.

Residents among the Park’s are Masai Giraffe, Buffalo, Eland, and thousand of plain games including Impala, Zebra, Topi, both Thomson’s and grants Gazelles.

1830 Hours:  Return to the camp for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Options: Luxury Accommodation:  Olare Mara Kempinski, Mahali Mzuri Safari Camp, Olonana Camp Mid-Range Accommodation:  Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Keekorok Lodge, Sentrim Mara Camp Budget Accommodation:  Rhino Tourist Tented Camp or Mara Acacia Camp, Mara Springs Camp

Meal Plan:  {Lunch & Dinner}

Day 2: Full Day in the Masai Mara Game Reserve

Our full day in the Masai Mara Game Reserve will be spared for the search for the big cats of the Masai Mara and the spectacular view of the famous migration. All of the “Big Five” animals (elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and buffalo) can be spotted here. Herds of plains zebras are found throughout the park.

Other animals include giraffes, jackals, gnus, warthogs, gazelles, hartebeests, hyenas, bat-eared foxes, Topi antelope, hippos, and crocodiles in the Mara River. For bird lovers, the Mara birds come in every color and size. More than 400 bird species have already been recorded, including birds of prey.

You can enjoy a colorful view of birds such as vultures, ostriches, long-crested eagles, pygmy falcons, secretary birds, marabous, red-winged Schalow’s turaco’s many others.

Accommodation Options: Luxury Accommodation:  Olare Mara Kempinski, Mahali Mzuri Safari Camp ,  Olonana Camp Mid-Range Accommodation:  Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Keekorok Lodge, Sentrim Mara Camp Budget Accommodation:  Rhino Tourist Tented Camp or Mara Acacia Camp, Mara Springs Camp

Meal Plan:  {Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner}

Day 3: Masai Mara Game Reserve – Drive to Nairobi or Back to Kisumu

0600 Hours: If you are not participating in the hot air balloon you enjoy morning tea/ coffee or Hot chocolate followed by a morning game drive. On the plains are enormous herds of grazing animals plus the elusive Cheetah and leopard hiding amidst acacia trees.

0930 Hours: Return to the lodge/ camp for breakfast.

1000 Hours:  Optional visit to an authentic Masai village (at an extra cost) to witness the singing and dancing that are part of their daily lives and sacred rituals.

1100 Hours:  Depart the Mara by road back to Nairobi or Kisumu arriving in the late afternoon.

Meal Plan  {Breakfast}

Kisumu Masai Mara Game Reserve Safari 3 Days 2 Nights Prices

Kisumu masai mara game reserve safari 3 days 2 nights   rates includes:.

Safari Game drives + All meals included while on safari + All applicable Game Park entrance fees + Guaranteed window seating with open top + Safari vehicles carry cold drinks and mineral water + Choice of accommodation in Masai Mara Game Reserve + Round trip transport from Kisumu to Masai Mara Game Reserve back to Kisumu or Nairobi & Multi-lingual Professional Safari Guide/ Driver

* Departs daily and upon request

Kisumu Masai Mara Game Reserve Safari 3 Days 2 Nights  Rates Do Not Include:

* International Airfare * A visit to a Masai Village * Accommodations in Nairobi * Cost of obtaining passport and visas * Gratuity for your professional driver guide * Sundowner bush cocktails and bush dinner * Gratuity for Porterage/ waiters at hotels, camps, and airports * Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from the airport) * Personal expenses such as traveling insurance, excess baggage fee, communication charges that include, laundry, emails, faxes, and phone calls beverages including luxury champagne, luxury spirits, beer, and wines during meals or meals not indicated in the itinerary

Booking & Reservations Kisumu Masai Mara Game Reserve Safari 3 Days 2 Nights Contact

Mobile: + 254-721-242-711 WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711 Reservations: +254 718-179-967 Email: [email protected] Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com

Proceed Booking

Or continue as guest.

Are you ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure in just one day? 

Imagine witnessing the majestic wildlife and breathtaking landscapes of Kenya’s Masai Mara. This article is your ultimate guide to making the most of a 1 Day Masai Mara Safari.

In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know to ensure your Masai Mara day trip is spectacular. From the awe-inspiring wildlife encounters to cultural experiences, we’ve got you covered.

A Detailed Explanation of the 1 Day Masai Mara Safari

The Masai Mara, known for its vast wildlife and stunning scenery, offers an unparalleled safari experience, even if you only have one day to spare. 

Here’s a closer look at what your day might entail.

The Journey Begins: En Route to Masai Mara

Setting off on your safari adventure.

Your 1 Day Masai Mara Safari begins with an exhilarating journey towards the world-renowned reserve. This drive is far more than just a route to your destination; it’s an integral part of your safari experience, offering a window into the heart of Kenya.

Through Kenya’s Diverse Landscapes

As you venture towards the Masai Mara, the urban landscape of Nairobi gradually gives way to the vast, open countryside. 

This transition allows you to witness the diverse landscapes Kenya is celebrated for. From rolling hills to flat plains, each kilometer brings a new scene, setting the stage for your upcoming safari adventure.

A Glimpse into Local Life

Traveling to the Masai Mara, you’ll pass through small towns and rural communities, offering insights into the daily lives of Kenyans. 

These moments – children playing by the roadside, farmers tending to their fields, local markets buzzing with activity – add a rich cultural layer to your Masai Mara 1 Day Safari.

The Anticipation Builds

As you approach the Masai Mara, the excitement builds. Each mile closer to the reserve heightens the anticipation of the wildlife encounters that await. 

This journey, with its changing landscapes and glimpses into local life, is a perfect introduction to the natural and cultural beauty that defines Kenya and the Masai Mara.

Also read: Exploring the Majestic Masai Mara Landscape: A Journey of Discovery

The Heart of the Safari: Game Drive

Embarking on the wildlife adventure.

As you enter the gates of Masai Mara, the real adventure of your 1 Day Masai Mara Safari begins. 

A 5-hour game drive awaits, promising encounters with some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife. This is the moment where the vastness of the Mara unfolds before you, teeming with its rich biodiversity.

Encountering the Big Five

The Masai Mara is renowned for its exceptional opportunities to see the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinoceroses. 

As you traverse the open plains, keep your eyes peeled for these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. 

The thrill of spotting a leopard lounging in a tree or a herd of elephants crossing your path is an experience that epitomizes the essence of a Masai Mara 1 Day Safari.

A Rich Tapestry of Wildlife

Beyond the Big Five, the Masai Mara is a sanctuary for many other wildlife. From graceful giraffes and swift cheetahs to various antelopes and vibrant bird species, each turn in the Mara brings a new discovery. 

The open plains and rolling hills provide the perfect backdrop for wildlife viewing, ensuring that your safari is filled with moments of awe and wonder.

In the heart of your safari, every moment is an opportunity for an unforgettable encounter, making your 1 day Masai Mara safari a truly remarkable journey into the wild.

Lunch in the Wild: A Culinary Experience

After the morning’s thrilling encounters on your 1 Day Masai Mara Safari, it’s time for a well-deserved lunch. 

This isn’t just any meal; it’s a culinary experience set against the backdrop of the wild African landscape. A sumptuous buffet awaits at one of the select lodges in the Masai Mara, offering a taste of local and international cuisine.

Also read: Masai Mara Safari Packages: Uncover the Best Deals

A Blend of Local and International Dishes

The buffet presents a variety of dishes, allowing you to indulge in the flavors of Kenya. 

From traditional Kenyan fare that might include ugali (a maize-based staple), sukuma wiki (a greens dish), and nyama choma (grilled meat), to international dishes that cater to a range of palates, there’s something for everyone. 

This meal is a perfect blend of the familiar and the exotic, adding another layer to your Masai Mara 1 Day Safari experience.

Dining with a View

As you dine, take in the stunning views of the surrounding plains and perhaps even some wildlife in the distance. 

This lunch in the wild is not just about the food; it’s about the atmosphere, scenery, and unique dining experience amidst the untamed beauty of the Masai Mara.

This culinary break is an integral part of your safari, offering a moment of relaxation and reflection on the morning’s adventures, recharging you for the rest of your 1 day Masai Mara safari.

Cultural Immersion: Visiting a Masai Village

Experiencing the maasai way of life.

A visit to a Masai village is a highlight for many on their 1 Day Masai Mara Safari. This experience is more than just a stop; it’s a deep dive into the rich cultural tapestry of the Masai people. 

As you step into the village, you’re greeted by the vibrant colors of the Masai shukas (traditional clothing) and the warm smiles of the local community.

Learning and Participating in Traditions

The Masai are known for their strong traditions and deep connection to the land. 

During your visit, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about their nomadic lifestyle, cattle-herding practices, and unique customs. 

Engaging with the villagers, you might witness traditional dances, listen to folk songs, and learn about the significance of their beadwork and crafts.

A Unique Souvenir to Remember Your Safari

One of the joys of visiting a Masai village during your Masai Mara 1 Day Safari is the chance to purchase handmade souvenirs. 

These items, ranging from beaded jewelry to hand-carved artifacts, are not just souvenirs; they are stories and traditions crafted into tangible forms. 

By purchasing these, you’re not only taking a piece of Maasai culture home but also supporting the local community.

Building Bridges of Understanding

This cultural immersion is a bridge between visitors and the local Maasai community, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of their way of life. 

It adds a meaningful dimension to your safari, enriching your experience beyond wildlife viewing.

Incorporating a visit to a Masai village into your 1 day Masai Mara safari offers a unique perspective on the cultural heritage of Kenya, making your safari experience all the more memorable and impactful.

Here’s everything else you need to know about planning your 1 Day Masai Mara Safari.

Also read: Exciting Masai Mara Safari: A Guide for Adventurers

Planning Your Trip: When to Go

Embarking on a 1 Day Masai Mara Safari requires careful planning, especially when it comes to choosing the right time for your visit. 

The Masai Mara, a world-renowned wildlife haven, offers different experiences throughout the year, but for the optimal safari, timing is crucial.

Optimal Wildlife Viewing: Dry Season

The dry season, spanning from June to October, is considered the prime time for a Masai Mara 1 Day Safari. 

During these months, the sparse vegetation and limited water sources make wildlife easier to spot as animals congregate around waterholes and rivers. 

This period is also when the spectacular wildebeest migration typically occurs, a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that draws visitors from around the globe.

Witnessing the Great Migration

The Great Migration, where millions of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles traverse the plains in search of fresh grazing, is a highlight of visiting the Masai Mara during the dry season. 

This natural phenomenon creates thrilling wildlife encounters and dramatic river crossings, making it a highly sought-after period for safari-goers.

Considerations for Off-Peak Travel

While the dry season is ideal, the Masai Mara’s diverse ecosystem ensures a rewarding experience year-round. 

Traveling outside the peak season can offer a different perspective of the reserve, with lush landscapes following the rains and fewer tourists, allowing for a more intimate safari experience.

In planning your 1 day Masai Mara safari, consider these seasonal dynamics to align your trip with your wildlife viewing preferences and the chance to witness the majestic wildebeest migration.

What to Pack: Essentials for Your Safari

Preparing for your 1 Day Masai Mara Safari is an exciting part of the adventure, and packing the right items is crucial for a comfortable and enjoyable experience. 

Here’s a guide to the essentials you’ll need for your journey into the heart of Kenya’s wildlife haven.

Clothing and Comfort

For your Masai Mara 1 Day Safari, choose comfortable, breathable clothing that can handle the African bush and fluctuating temperatures. Opt for neutral colors that blend with the natural environment. 

Layering is key, as mornings can be cool, but it quickly heats up. A lightweight jacket or fleece might come in handy.

Protection Against the Elements

The African sun can be intense, so a wide-brimmed hat and high-SPF sunscreen are must-haves to protect against sunburn. 

Sunglasses will shield your eyes from both the sun and the dust. If you’re sensitive to light, polarized lenses can be a great help.

Gear for Wildlife Viewing

A pair of binoculars is essential for spotting wildlife at a distance. 

For those keen on photography, a good camera with a zoom lens will help capture those once-in-a-lifetime safari moments. Remember extra batteries or a power bank, as charging facilities might be limited.

Hydration and Snacks

Staying hydrated is crucial, so pack a reusable water bottle. 

Some safaris provide water, but having your own is always good. Bring snacks like nuts or energy bars to energize you during your safari adventure.

Packaging these essentials sets you up for a successful and memorable 1 day Masai Mara safari. Remember, being well-prepared means you can focus on the incredible experiences ahead!

Making the Most of Your Time: Tips for a Successful Safari

A 1 Day Masai Mara Safari is a whirlwind experience filled with potential wildlife sightings and breathtaking landscapes. 

To ensure you make the most of this brief yet impactful adventure, here are some essential tips to keep in mind.

Start Early for Prime Wildlife Viewing

The early morning hours are magical in the Masai Mara. 

Animals are most active during the cooler parts of the day, so an early start increases your chances of witnessing them in their natural habitat. 

An early start also means you can enjoy the serene beauty of the sunrise over the savannah, a truly unforgettable experience.

Stay Attentive and Patient

Wildlife viewing requires patience. Your guide will do their best to locate animals, but nature is unpredictable. 

Keep your eyes peeled for movements in the bush or birds suddenly taking flight – these can be indicators of nearby wildlife. Remember, part of the excitement of a Masai Mara 1 Day Safari is not knowing what you’ll see next!

Trust and Listen to Your Guide

Your guide is an invaluable resource, armed with knowledge of the terrain and animal behavior. 

Listen to their stories and insights – they can greatly enhance your understanding and appreciation of the Masai Mara ecosystem. Always follow their instructions for your safety and the welfare of the wildlife.

Embrace the Unpredictability

Each 1 day Masai Mara safari is unique. 

You might witness a pride of lions lounging in the sun, elephants gracefully traversing the plains, or the elusive leopard perched in a tree. 

Embrace the unpredictability and thrill of the safari; it’s what makes each experience special and memorable.

By following these tips, you’re well on your way to a successful and enriching safari experience in the Masai Mara. Remember, it’s about the journey as much as the destination, so soak in every moment of your adventure!

 Top 5 ideas  for a 1-day Masai Mara Safari

 1. enjoy views of the kenyan countryside en route to masai mara: .

The journey to Masai Mara offers a glimpse into the vibrant life of rural Kenya. 

Travelers can observe the daily activities of local communities, including children heading to school and pastoral scenes, providing a unique cultural experience even before reaching the game reserve.

2. View the Scenic Great Rift Valley: 

A stop at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint offers breathtaking views of this geological wonder, including the sights of Mount Longonot and Mount Suswa. 

This natural marvel forms a stunning backdrop on the way to Masai Mara.

3.5-Hour Game Drive in Masai Mara: 

The trip’s highlight is a comprehensive 5-hour game drive in Masai Mara, where visitors can witness abundant wildlife, including the Big Five. The game reserve’s flat plains provide excellent viewing conditions, maximizing the safari experience.

4. Visit the Mara River

 If time permits, a visit to the Mara River is rewarding. Famous for its large Nile crocodiles and hippos, the river also plays a crucial role during the wildebeest migration, offering a chance to witness this iconic event.

5. Masai Village Visit: 

An optional yet enriching experience is visiting a Masai village. 

This visit offers an insight into the traditional lifestyle of the Masai people, including their unique customs, dances, and crafts, adding a cultural dimension to the safari experience.

Final Thoughts

Your 1 Day Masai Mara Safari is an extraordinary journey, not just a simple tour. It’s a deep dive into the heart of Kenya’s awe-inspiring natural landscapes and a vibrant tapestry of cultural heritage. 

This brief but impactful adventure offers a glimpse into the untamed beauty of one of Africa’s most famed wildlife sanctuaries.

As you reflect on the tips and insights shared, remember that this safari is more than just spotting the Big Five; it’s about embracing the spirit of adventure and the unpredictability of nature. 

Whether it’s the thrill of a lion chase, the grace of giraffes against the sunset, or the warm smiles of the local Masai people, each moment contributes to the rich tapestry of your safari experience.

As you embark on your Masai Mara 1 Day Safari, carry a sense of wonder and openness to the experiences that await you. 

Let this journey be a reminder of the beauty and diversity of our world, inspiring memories that will indeed last a lifetime. Go forth with anticipation, ready to capture the essence of Kenya in a day!

FAQs About 1 Day Masai Mara Safari

1. What wildlife can I expect on a 1 Day Masai Mara Safari?

You can expect to see a variety of wildlife, including the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and buffalo), giraffes, zebras, and many species of birds. The Masai Mara is renowned for its rich biodiversity.

2. Is a day trip to Masai Mara worth it?

Absolutely! While a longer safari offers more time to explore, a 1-day trip to Masai Mara is a fantastic way to experience the essence of a Kenyan safari, especially if you’re short on time.

3. What should I wear on a 1 Day Masai Mara Safari?

Wear comfortable, neutral-colored clothing suitable for the weather. Layers are recommended, as temperatures can vary. Remember a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen for protection against the sun.

4. Can I visit the Masai Mara during the rainy season?

Yes, but the best wildlife viewing is during the dry season (June to October). The rainy season can make some roads impassable and wildlife harder to spot.

5. How long is the drive from Nairobi to Masai Mara?

The drive from Nairobi to Masai Mara typically takes about 5-6 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions.

6. Are there any age restrictions for the safari?

Generally, there are no strict age restrictions, but it’s best to check with your tour operator, especially if traveling with very young children.

7. Can I take photographs during the safari?

Yes, photography is encouraged, but always respect the wildlife and your fellow travelers. Avoid using flash and keep noise to a minimum.

8. Is it safe to visit a Masai village during the safari?

Visiting a Masai village is generally safe and provides a great opportunity to learn about local culture. Always follow the guidelines provided by your guide.

9. What kind of vehicle is used for the game drive?

Most safaris use 4×4 vehicles or minibusses with pop-up roofs for optimal wildlife viewing.

10. Are meals included in a 1 Day Masai Mara Safari?

This depends on your tour package. Some packages include meals, while others might require you to bring your own or purchase.

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Thrilling 1 Day Masai Mara Safari: A Journey of Discovery