Kenya Safari in Masai Mara: Everything You Need to Know
Meet Amanda and Nathan
We're Every Further Mile!
We love to combine local and international travel to inspire families to do the same. We've spent too much time in front of the TV and decided to make changes that allowed us to instead make memories that will last a lifetime.
JOIN US ON OUR JOURNEY!
The best place to see what we're up to is on our Youtube channel.
You want to go to Africa to see all the exotic animals, but you’re not sure the best way to go about it or where to start?
Read on to get our recommendation of one of a trip that is the BEST mix of adventure, luxury, relaxation, and wilderness!
Wake to the sound of hippos laughing in your luxury tent beside the Mara River, enjoy 4-star meals, and head out on daily adventures to play ‘spot that wild, exotic animal’.
Preparing for Your Kenya Safari:
These are a few things that you will want to prepare yourself with before you go:
Booking your Safari:
Our driver, Michael, with South Expedition Africa, was amazingly knowledgeable of not only Masai Mara, where we were on Safari, but also how to find the animals in the park.
When you’re considering transportation through Kenya, then I would highly recommend finding a company with a history of having knowledgeable drivers. It adds so much more to your trip if they can answer your questions, point out interesting areas, explain the culture, etc. This is especially true if you are going on an eight-hour bus trip after your long flight. Yup, it took us 8 hours to drive on very bumpy roads from Nairobi to our accommodations in Masai Mara National Reserve.
Also, consider what the van you’ll be driving in looks like. We really liked ours since it had a pop-up cover. It mostly kept the rain and sun off us but allowed us to see the animals and scenery clearly.
When you book your guide, your driver will (should…be sure this is part of your package) pick you up at the airport and drive you to your luxury tent accommodations.
Luxury Tent Accommodations:
We stayed at Ashnil Mara, beautiful luxury tent accommodations located along a river, with a beautiful view, a lovely large eating area with monkeys climbed atop the canvas tent, and an easy boardwalk leading to your tents with netted comfortable beds, a nice porch, and your own private bathroom.
Additionally, they have a lovely pool to take a dip and amazing meals prepared by a hilarious and friendly cook (we also loved Sammy, our waiter for the whole week!).
These accommodations are one of the many in the vast Masai Mara National Reserve. Although Masai Mara was larger than I imagined it to be, it’s nothing in comparison to the Serengeti. Masai Mara is actually a small triangle at the north of the Serengeti. When we were on safari we came up to the border between Kenya and Tanzania and were able to see where Masai Mara ended and the Serengeti began.
Packing:
When going on a Kenya Safari, you really need to check what the temperature will be like the time of year you go. We went in April, which is the rainy season. It was still quite warm, but we had some doozies of downpours!
To pack for warm and/or rainy weather:
- Light colored clothing (as not to absorb the heat)
- Light fabrics and layers
- A showl or sweater for the evening (or do what we did and buy an African Kanga wrap, which doubles as a souvenir)
- Light/comfy closed toed shoes (for safety…also shake them out before wearing them)
- Sunscreen and mosquito repellent
- Sunglasses and hat
- And all the norms like toiletries
- Don’t forget your CAMERA!
How Much Money to Bring on Safari:
Make sure to have cash on you. There are different stores and stalls that you will/can stop at on your way to the resort, you’ll want to buy some souvenirs, there will be drinks and such to buy and don’t forget the tip for the driver and staff at the resort. (Tips are highly encouraged since they make so little and many are sending money back to their family!!) It’s always good to have cash because credit is not always available.
We recommend at least $1000 USD. If you don’t use it all, then exchange it back, but likely you will.
Journey to Masai Mara:
When we took this amazing trip, it was with some friends of ours and it started with landing in Nairobi. This busy city nicely welcomes its guests with its small airport and easy-to-maneuver customs.
While the 8-hour drive from Nairobi to Masai Mara may seem a bit long, it was excellent to be able to take a drive across the country to see the people and have a glimpse at how they live.
We had 8 hours to wind down roads through towns and cities with children running and laughing, people working at their food stalls, and across the countryside to see beautiful, tall men and women in their bright red shukas walking their fields with staffs.
These bumpy roads may give you a bump or two on the head due to some deep potholes, but no worries, the drive was a part of the overall experience and one I wouldn’t have wanted to miss. (Maybe reconsider if you are pregnant)
Adventures on a Week-Long Kenya Safari:
Most of our travels have brought us on whirlwind adventures with little downtime. Our Kenya safari, however, was a great mix of adventure and relaxation.
In order to see a variety of animals, there were days that we began our safari at the crack of dawn and some that we slept in and waited until after breakfast.
Truthfully, it was hard to sleep in with hippos chuckling outside our tent, but we were content to be woken this way and to relax in our beds basking in the comfort and uniqueness of our surroundings.
Most of the meals are all-you-can-eat buffets, but some may end up being off-the-menu as the number of travelers at the resort fluctuates. During the shoulder, rainy season (April) before the great buffalo (wildebeest) migration (July-ish), there were fewer guests.
But all the meals were delicious and the cook was friendly and hilarious. A great part about Ashnil Mara is the final dinner. The entire staff came out playing instruments, dancing, singing, and the cook rubbed his belly leading a conga-like line as a send-off for your group.
Each day, you can go out on 1-3 safaris (each lasting approximately 3-5 hours) in an effort to see as many different animals as you can.
Because the park is so large, the animals had plenty of space to roam and wander, making it difficult to pin down exactly where the different animals were.
A couple things that helped were; having a driver that had done safaris in this park in the past and the fact that the different drivers in the park would radio each other when they found different animals.
Aside from eating and going on safari, other ways to pass your time are to go for a swim in the pool, lounge in the bar/dining area, chat with other travelers, relax and read, played and explored. Each day brought its own unique place to explore and time to relax.
Meet the Animals On Your Kenya Safari:
Our van had a top that lifted up to give a better and closer look at the animals than watching through a window. It also made for clearer pictures. But, it calls for some bravery since you get up close and personal with some fairly dangerous animals.
We got close enough to a cheetah and lionesses that they could have easily jumped in for a visit.
Our driver knew when to stay back though and we always felt safe. When we came across male lions feasting on a hippo and a leopard that jumped down from a tree, we stayed back. Leopards are loners with no patience for any creature no matter how big or small and lions get testy when they are worried you might take their food.
It was easiest to find the buffalo, hippopotamuses, warthogs, zebras, alligators, hyenas and female lions with their cubs.
It took more effort to find elephants, giraffes, baboons, cheetahs, leopards and male lions. These we saw only a few times or even just once (leopard and male lions).
Sadly, with the declining numbers, we never found a rhinoceros (which was top of our son’s list of favorite animals).
Of course, there were many others that we saw that aren’t on this list including exotic birds, meerkats (yes, we saw both Timon and Pumbaa), and many others.
Safety Factors:
Despite the Kenya Safari being a staple of world tourism since the Victorian age, some people still worry about their safety when visiting different countries in Africa.
Perhaps it’s from hearing stories from others or what they might see on a news station. However, Kenya is a big country (about the size of Spain). Just like there are places and things you should be wary of in Kenya, so are there places everywhere you go, even North America. It’s just about making good choices and knowing how to be safe.
We have gone over some of this, but just in case you missed it, let us help you get started on this journey…
Use a Safari Service
Book your African safari through a reputable safari travel service. These services will arrange a driver that will pick you up at the airport, drive you to the lodge and on the safari itself.
The service we used, South Expedition Africa, told us the name of the driver (we recommend Michael if he’s still with the company), who would pick us up from the airport and gave us an email to contact them if we had any questions or concerns.
Knowing the driver’s name gave us another layer of security to ensure we didn’t just hop in a car with the many cab drivers hovering around looking for fares.
Read Reviews
We chose a lodge with great reviews. Ashnil Mara provided a glamping experience deep in the heart of the Masai Mara Reserve.
It offered five-star service in a luxury tent with a morning and nightly turndown service, including opening/closing of ‘windows’, mosquito netting, and hot water bottles waiting under the sheets at night. Singing you to sleep each night were the sounds of laughing hippos, chirping tree frogs and distant lions.
Avoid the Cities on Your Own
We didn’t wander around Nairobi before heading on our safari. I’m sure there are plenty of safe places and plenty of dangerous places in Kenya’s capital.
Not being from Kenya we don’t know where the dangerous places were and at what times different areas become dangerous. Just like in any nation where poverty is prevalent the risk of being robbed exists.
Just avoid wandering about on your own. If you want the Nairobi experience, find a local driver you trust to act as your guide and follow their lead.
Listen to Your Guide
We listened to our tour guide. The animals on safari are amazing to look at and there are times when you can approach them and times you should not.
Case in point: When lions are full of food and are taking a deep nap you can pull up right next to them. So close you could open the door and touch them… but don’t.
On the other hand, when lions are eating, our driver Michael stayed a good one hundred feet or more away. Not quite as far away as the Hyena stayed but almost. He knew which animals were dangerous and gave us instructions for potential situations.
If a cheetah hops up on the van, don’t panic and don’t scare it. They won’t hurt you unless they feel threatened. Leopards are the opposite. They are ornery creatures with little patience for anyone or anything, so keep your distance when observing these majestic creatures.
Don’t make loud noises around bull elephants or they may charge. And finally, never get out of your van unless your driver says it’s safe to do so. Our guide Michael kept us safe and at no point did I ever have the feeling that we were in danger.
Get Vaccinated
We made sure our vaccinations were up to date. Safaris are awesome but at dawn and dusk you will inevitably be bitten by mosquitos, you touch things in public places, and come into contact with other human beings. Be sure to have the following vaccinations before you land: Typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cholera, yellow fever, rabies, meningitis, and influenza.
Be Cautious of Unknown Pests
We found a strange spider in our bathroom when we arrived. To be on the safe side I killed it and later discovered it was not deadly, but it was poisonous. The lodge does a great job of keeping out the wildlife and dangerous pests but as any Floridian or Australian will tell you, you cannot completely guarantee a pest free environment.
When walking around the lodge we also wore shoes and did not put our hands anywhere we couldn’t see.
Be Polite to Your Hosts
We were polite. Insert Canadian joke here. A lot of people underestimate the value of this last safety tip. Polite people make fast friends and friends want to look after you. By being polite and friendly we became friends with our guide, our servers, and even our cooks.
These people look after your safety and give you advice while you stay in their country. A quick way to win friends is to learn four words in their language: hello/jambo, goodbye/kwaheri, please/tafadhali and thank you/asante.
Doing this shows people that you respect their culture enough to make the small effort of learning a few kind words. I should also mention that being polite doesn’t mean being a pushover. Trust your gut. If you need to speak up or ask questions to protect yourself or your family, then do so. You can politely say no just as easily as you can say it rudely. Save your ‘firm’ voice for a possible emergency and it will have more effect.
Staying at Ashnil Mara Camp and exploring Masai Mara in a safari van was a safe, fun, life-changing and truly amazing adventure that we could never forget. Please don’t let the news reports or random stories scare you away from what can be a very safe and life-changing trip. Stay smart and you’ll stay safe.
So, Why Go On a Kenya Safari in Masai Mara?
Are you looking for a luxurious adventure? Wanting to explore something really unique, but want the perks of an all-inclusive resort? Need something that you can do with your children, but needing a break from theme parks?
Then I highly suggest considering a Kenya Safari. Masai Mara is just one of the many National Parks that you can explore, but from personal experience, I know that Ashnil Resort is an amazing experience with friendly staff, clean and beautiful accommodations, delicious food and a great location for sightseeing and exploration. See ‘The Big 5’ (lion, buffalo, leopard, elephant, and rhino) and many more.
Is going on a Kenya Safari on your bucket list? Have questions about our safari in Kenya?
I’d love to try to answer them for you! Leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to keep an eye out to answer any questions you might have.
Popular Posts
One of best ways to make money online is through affiliate marketing, which is simply the art of advertising for others throughout your blog (we teach about this on our website). We use affiliate links on this website directing you to products and deals that we believe are great. They may not be perfect for you and there may be outdated information, so keep an eye on what you click on! Let us know if you have any questions.