Masai Mara Safari Guide for First-Timers
What to expect on a first trip to the Masai Mara: how many nights to stay, when to go, what a game drive is really like and how conservancies differ from the reserve.
The Masai Mara is Kenya's best-known wildlife reserve and a good first safari for good reason. Open grassland makes animals easy to spot, big cats are abundant, and the reserve is within reach of Nairobi by road or a short flight. This guide covers what to expect.
How long to stay
Plan for at least three nights. A morning and an afternoon game drive each day gives you six drives, which is enough to see the main wildlife and to wait for something special. Many guests stay four or five nights, or combine the Mara with Amboseli or Lake Nakuru.
When to go
Wildlife is good all year. From about July to October the Great Migration is in the Mara and the river crossings draw the biggest crowds. Outside those months you will find fewer vehicles, green landscapes and lower prices. Our migration calendar has the details.
What a game drive is like
Drives start around dawn, when animals are most active and the air is cool, and again in the late afternoon. Your guide drives a 4x4 with a pop-up roof, tracks sightings by radio and positions the vehicle for the best view. Between drives you rest at camp, eat and watch the waterhole.
The reserve and the conservancies
The main reserve is open to all vehicles and can be busy at crossing points. The private conservancies around it limit the number of vehicles and allow night drives, walking safaris and off-road driving. Staying in a conservancy usually costs more but feels quieter. Ask us which suits you.
Extras worth considering
- Sunrise balloon flight over the plains, followed by a bush breakfast.
- Cultural visit to a Maasai community, arranged respectfully and with a fair share going to the village.
- Flying in to save a day of driving.
Getting there
By road, the drive from Nairobi takes about five to six hours and some of it is rough. By air, scheduled and charter flights land on airstrips near the camps in around an hour. Our Wings Over the Mara is a four-day flying trip, and our 7-Day Kenya Trails combines the Mara with Lake Nakuru and Lake Elmenteita by road.
Next step
Read the full Masai Mara destination guide, compare road or flying, or contact our team for a tailored itinerary.
Planning your safari?
Tell us your dates and we will send an itinerary and price.