Masai Mara Safari Travel Advice

We take pride in providing our travellers with unbiased advice based on extensive, first-hand experience in the destinations we recommend. We’ve been tailor-making Masai Mara safari itineraries since 1998 – here are some of our top tips:

1. Book Early for the Migration

A year in advance is normal, as camps located near river-crossing hot spots get snapped up quickly. Talk to us about getting front-row seats during July to November.

2. Take to the Air

Hot-air balloon safaris are a Masai Mara specialty and deliver an unforgettable bird’s-eye view of the Wildebeest Migration. Not every lodge or camp offers them – get in touch with us to find out who does.

3. Meet the Locals, With Dignity

Make sure your Maasai cultural interaction genuinely benefits the local community and is an experience that is both meaningful and uncontrived. We’ll recommend accommodation and operators that do it the right way.

4. Go Private

The Masai Mara National Reserve can get very busy during the Migration’s high season (July to November). The Mara’s private conservancies offer low visitor numbers, excellent accommodation and game viewing as good as the main reserve. Off-road game viewing, night drives and guided nature walks – activities not permitted in the public section of the Masai Mara – are also on offer. Furthermore, by staying in the conservancies, you will contribute directly to local communities and conservation.

For general information on travelling to Kenya – like safety, climate, money and spending – visit our Kenya Travel Advice page.

Flights and Getting Around

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is Kenya’s major international airport for the Masai Mara. All safari trips depart from Nairobi’s smaller Wilson Airport and fly straight into the reserve by a short charter flight. You’ll land at one of the local airstrips and get transferred to your safari camp or lodge by 4×4.

Did you know you can book your flights through Go2Africa? For more information and frequently asked questions, please see our Flights section.

Safari Vehicles

Guided road transfers and game drives in Kenya are conducted in closed 4x4s with big windows and pop-up roofs. Most safari destinations in Kenya have extensive road networks and closed vehicles are therefore the norm when doing long-distance road transfers between airstrips, camps and lodges. A closed 4×4 game drive vehicle generally has three rows of seating and features a pop-up roof hatch that can be raised for game viewing and taking photographs. If you’re flying to one of the Masai Mara’s airstrips, your transfer vehicle could be open-sided.