Masai Mara Safari: A First-Timer’s Guide to Kenya’s Wild Wonderland
- Ankitha
- Sep 2, 2018
- 12 min read
Updated: Sep 25
Masai Mara safari
In August 2017, we made our way to Kenya for the very first time — and with it, our very first experience in Africa. After months of planning, I finally zeroed down on a Masai Mara safari instead of the Serengeti or Kruger. With only four to five days on hand, the Mara felt like the best choice, especially since it shares an unfenced border with the Serengeti in East Africa.
If you have been following me on Instagram, you know this year has been about continents. We went to Asia, North and South America earlier this year. Naturally Africa wasn't going to be far behind. After doing plenty of research about the best places in which to see the migration, I zeroed down on two options - Masai Mara and Serengeti. After doing some more reading, I found Masai Mara to be the more commercial option. Considering we had only four to five days to do this trip, I chose Mara over big-league safaris like Serengeti or Kruger.
Did you know that the Masai Mara and Serengeti actually share an un-fenced border of sorts and are both part of East Africa?
Table of Contents
FAQ
Q: What is the Masai Mara famous for? A: For the annual Great Wildebeest Migration, the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo), and breathtaking African savannas.
Q: Can you self-drive inside the Masai Mara? A: Yes, but most travelers opt for guided tours due to tricky terrain, long drives, and better chances of spotting wildlife.
Q: How long should you spend on a Masai Mara safari? A: At least 3–4 days to maximize chances of seeing the Big 5 and migration.
Best Time to Visit Masai Mara safari
The best time to plan your Masai Mara safari is from June to October. These dry months allow you to avoid heavy rains while giving you the best chance of catching the wildebeest migration.
For more details, check the official Kenya Tourism site.
Flights and Visa
We flew Ethiopian Airlines into Nairobi with a layover in Addis Ababa. If you’re connecting via Addis, keep at least 3 hours for transfers.
As of 2024, all travelers can now go visa-free to Kenya, making your Masai Mara safari much easier to plan.
Vaccination Travel + Visa
Yellow Fever vaccination is required to enter Kenya. The good news? It’s a lifetime shot — so if you plan to travel often in Africa, you’re covered.
How to Pick a Safari Guide
Unlike most of our trips, Africa required a guided experience. You can either:
Compare operators on SafariBookings
Read reviews on TripAdvisor
Book budget-friendly group tours via GetYourGuide
Pro tip: Email at least 3–4 operators with your travel dates and budget. Most reply within hours.
Where You Will Stay on Safaris
Most tours include accommodation, meals, transfers, and park entry fees.
We stayed at Aa Lodge Mara, about 10 minutes from the reserve. Electricity was limited, internet was patchy, but waking up surrounded by the jungle made it magical.
If you arrive late in Nairobi, consider a night at Best Western Meridian Hotel before heading out.
Search for stays on:
We arrived just past noon in Masai Mara. Checked in to our cottages at the Aa Lodge Mara.
The cottage was well laid out with a huge comfortable bed, wood finished floors and a walk-in closet. The lodge was about 2 kms from Masai Mara, about a 10 minute drive.
Keep in mind that electricity is still an issue in Africa. There may not be power during the day (which is alright since you will be out anyway). They try not to use generators all day long and the power comes back around 6 p.m. Also, the internet was only available in the lobby, and even then it was real patchy. Apart from that it was a lovely place in the middle of the jungle.
Food
The food was included as a part of our package. It was nothing to rave about. There was a buffet spread for all three meals. There was a lot for vegetarians on the menu but unfortunately, it was just boiled vegetables and tasteless noodles or pasta. We never stayed for lunch since we were out throughout the day. If you are going to be out on a game drive, the tour includes packed lunch which was basically some cake, couple cookies, fresh juice, fruits and water. Being vegetarian can be challenging in few countries. If we know it's going to be a struggle, we like to carry few packs of ready to eat noodle cups, granola bars, trail mix and cookies. If you are a picky eater like me, I would recommend carrying food for Africa.
SAFETY
I did not feel insecure while we were Masai Mara but it's definitely better be cautious while heading out in the city. There was a rather unfortunate incident on our way back from Mara. A road side accident resulted in a mob forcefully loading an injured passenger on to our jeep. I have no qualms with helping out bystanders but the way the events unfolded (within seconds) was a tad scary. The mob were this close to cracking open the window on our jeep. We decided against going to the hospital and drove to the police station instead. It was shocking to see how brazen the cops were considering there was a bleeding man with a broken leg in our car. I shudder to think what would happen if we ever need the cops to bail us out in Nairobi. Not the best way to end our trip but hey, lesson learnt.
What to Pack for Safaris
Neutral-colored shirts & khakis
Comfortable shoes
Sunglasses & sunscreen
A hat or shawl (for chilly mornings)
Snacks (especially if vegetarian, as food variety is limited)
Tip: Pack light but practical. Game drives are dusty, and comfort matters more than style on a Masai Mara safari.
Highlights
Day 1 – First Sunset Drive
Our first game drive revealed vast grasslands, thorn trees, gazelles, and zebras. By sunset, we spotted giraffes right outside our lodge. The famous African sunset lived up to its reputation.
We were surprised to see that there were hardly any trees in sight. Apparently, over the years, elephants have knocked a lot of them down. Now the Mara landscape is basically solitary thorn trees, blue-green hills, and vast grasslands.
The hills stretched on for as far as our eyes could see. The sunset was impossibly beautiful, and in the middle of all this were the gazelle, impala, wildebeest, and zebra.
Back to the lodge at 7 p.m. for dinner and off to bed. As we were driving back, we spotted our first giraffe - actually make that two giraffes. This was just outside our lodge. Such perfection.
Day 2 – Big 5 Adventure
We checked off buffalo, lions, elephants, and even two rhino sightings. The absolute highlight was a pride of lionesses surrounding us before casually walking away. That night, optimism was high for spotting the elusive leopard.
Early into our drive, we spotted our first big one, the African buffalo.
Half an hour after that, the second biggie - a lioness, in the middle of the road. This was the first time we were less than a few meters from a full-grown species of a wild animal. She stared right at us - it was exhilarating!
After driving further we checked the mighty elephants off our list. We stopped to watch a herd of them walk past us. This was an easy one, after all, they are pretty hard to miss.
It was adorable the way the adults were keeping an eye on us, never letting the baby stray very far, slightly weary of our presence.
Along the way we saw birds, scavengers standing over a dead wildebeest and graceful impalas. The impalas were actually everywhere and are so tiny. We could barely spot them with all the tall grass.
Lunch time. Found some shade to park our jeep. Turned off our engines in the hope of catching the wildebeest migration...
as it turned out, they were in absolutely no mood to move that afternoon.
Number 4 at 3 p.m. We counted the rhino horn we saw poking out of a bush far in the distance as a win. We were lucky enough to spot it twice that day when we stumbled on to another aggressive rhino chasing after birds.
Did you know that there are actually two types of Rhinos in Africa: the black and the white rhino. The black rhino is highly endangered and threatened by poachers. They are aggressive and solitary animals.
The picture below was the highlight of our day. A pride of 5 lionesses were resting under the shade. Our guide suggested we turn off our engines and wait for them to move. After about 15 or 20 minutes, one of the lioness finally stood up.. slowly all of them followed. We were so mesmerized by their grace we didn't realize they had us surrounded in all four directions (it was just a coincidence).
It wouldn't have taken them more than a few minutes to devour us but they couldn't have cared less. They moved on, drank from the puddle and carried on towards the bushes. The whole experience was surreal and I was politely reminded of where we stood in the food chain.
This was the first real day of our Safari and we had already netted four of the big five and nearly watched the migration. We were feeling pretty optimistic about our chances of catching the final of the five - the leopard, known to be the most elusive of the African game in Masai Mara. We had done everything by the book so far. Setting off before the sun rose. Driving at snail’s pace searching the tree tops to the point of eye strain. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Day 3 – Leopard Chase & Migration Tease
We saw ostriches, cheetahs, wild dogs, and finally, the leopard — perfectly camouflaged in the grass. By the Mara River, we almost caught the wildebeest crossing, with crocodiles lurking below.
First thing in the morning, a close hunt and a rare sighting - the wild dogs.
The male (black) and female (brown) ostrich standing tall.
Ever since we booked our Safari trip, I was skeptical about watching a hunt (I swear, I can't even watch it on National Geographic). We saw this Cheetah nearly chase down the wildebeest. Sigh. Circle of life be damned.
Our guide was particularly insistent we stay to watch at least one hunt but I would always force him to drive on. The chase may be fascinating but I don't have the stomach to watch a killing.
The king of the jungle - finally. People have always been fascinated by these elegant, majestic members of the cat family. While they are impressive hunters, most of the times you're more likely to find them resting in the shade. They generally hunt during the night, which is why you won't find zebras or giraffes resting for very long.
No, we hadn't forgotten about our agenda for the day - the chase for the leopard was on. At about 10 a.m. our guide was radioed in about a sighting not far from where we were. We dashed over as quickly as possible but of course, the animal had disappeared already. Disappointed, we kept driving for few hours searching all the bushes and treetops before stopping for lunch by the Mara river, waiting for the wildebeest migration.
Do you spot the wildebeest on the other side?
We got so close to watching the entire migration as a herd of them had just made their over the river. We scrammed to get a glimpse but missed it by a whisker.
We continued to wait for a few hours but sadly because of all the cars, the rest of the wildebeest got distracted and never made it over that afternoon.
It was still a beautiful experience watching hoards of them over on the other side at Serengeti.
Did you know that the Crocodile is the natural enemy of the wildebeest?
Back to the hunt.. our guide was constantly in touch with the other drivers looking for the leopard. After a long time, there was a murmur about a sighting but it quickly died down.
We still didn't give up and continued driving for sometime. Gradually we noticed the population of grazing animals decrease - apparently, this meant we were entering the leopards' territory. We kept our eyes peeled for anything and everything that was moving. Suddenly, Anand screamed "there". I was thinking, "not another giraffe, please" but lo and behold - a single male specimen perfectly camouflaged in the grass.
As more cars started making their way over, he finally decided to get up and put on a show for us - surprising, considering his solitary nature.
That was it. We had had a fabulous safari experience where we managed to see the big 5 and nearly caught the migration.
The weather could not have been more splendid on our drive back that day. Looming clouds, chill in the air and wildebeest everywhere. Can you imagine wide yellow plains transformed into a sea of brown because of the sheer population of wildebeest around? It was pure magic.
Day 4 – Farewell Drive
Our last sunrise game drive was emotional. Elephants, giraffes, and impalas against a lavender sky made for a breathtaking farewell to the Mara..
How do I describe the emotion of watching the massive sky as it goes from blue to pink to orange and blood red over the rift valley? That is the reality of being here - it’s the earthy experience with the smells and sounds of nature that a camera could never capture. I am hooked.
I could go on about the wonderful things we saw but there were a few moments like this one that stand out the most. We were the only car for miles. It was a cloudy day so we turned off our engines and waited for the clouds to clear. An impala made it’s way out of the bushes. It was playing without a care in the world. I was dazzled watching all of this. Just then the skies cleared and I had my shot with the little one. These animals are really something special.
Elephants walking over vast plains. Lions lazing under the shade. Cheetahs hunting the wildebeest. Zebras and Giraffes grazing in numbers. All of this beneath a stunning lavender blue sky. Everything comes alive under the African landscape.
If you look really closely at the picture below, you can spot over a thousand wildebeest lined up against the horizon...
Final Thoughts
Every Masai Mara safari is unique. Some travelers chase hunts, others want the perfect lion photo, while many just want to watch animals roam free.
For us, it was about experiencing Africa at its purest — raw, wild, and unforgettable.
The Mara didn’t disappoint. From the Big 5 to near-migration sightings, every day was different, every sunset magical.
If you’re planning your first trip to Africa, let it be the Masai Mara safari. You’ll return with memories (and photos) that will stay with you forever. Every time we put our heads out of the van, we found something amazing - sometimes it was a lioness, sometimes it was a wildebeest and sometimes it was just the sight of a single tree standing tall against stunning blue skies. The African Savannah did not disappoint.
Being on safari is not just about experiencing the animals but about taking in every smell, every movement and enjoying the vast landscape around.
Our fantastic guide took us to the most picturesque points in the park to experience the never ending plains. We couldn't have asked for a better experience on our first time to the continent.
Now that I have rambled on for over 3000 words it's time for me to let you go.
Drop your comments below and show some love. Feel free to shoot me an email with your feedback.
Cheers,
Anki
To explore more African destinations, be sure to check out other blogs for additional insights.
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