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How to Explore Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya – Maasai 3 Day Tours | Sojourn Safaris Ltd

Explore Masai Mara game reserve in a 1 day or 3 day budget camping group joining safari from Nairobi. This article will give you tips on what are the best things to do in Masai Mara to get the most of your short safari. A visit to the Masai Mara should be in your bucket list of places to visit before you kick it. Find out what are the must do things in a Masai Mara 3 day camping or lodge safari from a Nairobi.

Top 7 Tips to Explore Masai Mara Game Reserve

If you want to really feel the fun of being in a 3 days Masai Mara safari, then you need to know what are the best things to do while you are there. You can plan to explore the Mara in a private 3 –day Masai Mara budget camping or lodge family safari. You can also arrange with friends to join a masai mara group joining safari from Nairobi and meet new people.

  • Explore Masai Mara Game reserve Big five animal’s game drive
  • Track the Wildebeest Migration in summer
  • Discover the Masai culture with a visit to Masai village
  • Fly in an air balloon safari with champagne bush breakfast
  • Go on a guided Walking safari among wildlife in Masai Mara game reserve
  • Savor a bush dinner by the bonfire
  • Watch most beautiful African sunsets

These are a few of the many activities you can do in Masai Mara on your 3 days safari from Nairobi. The conservancies outside the park allow more activities like night game driving and walking safaris. The game reserve does not allow such activities inside the park but you can make arrangements with your driver to book such outside of the park.

1.     Explore Masai Mara Game Reserve with Big Five Game Drives

1. Explore Masai Mara Game Reserve

Masai Mara game reserve big five game drives are the main activities for your 3 day safari in Mara. The game drives are arranged such that you have the first one at 0630 in the morning and a second one at 1600hrs. These timings are meant to correspond with hours when the sun is not too hot as the animals hide away from the day’s heat. Doing a game drive at 1200 is fruitless as most of the animals tend to take cover under the trees. Your Masai Mara game drives target to show you the big five animals which include the elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards and buffalos. These are the most sought after animals in each game drive. The rhino and the leopards are the hardest to see although you are guaranteed to see them in a 3 day tour of Masai Mara. Of course, there are other types of animals in Masai Mara to see besides the big five. The grazers are the majority and Masai Mara has an estimated population of more than 3 million animals.

2.     Track the Mara Wildebeest Migration in Summer (July – November)

2. Track the Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration

One event that has made Masai Mara to be voted as the new 7 wonders f the world is the great wildebeest migration. In this single event that takes place once a year, over 1.5million wildebeests move across 3,000km, crossing 2 countries in search of pasture. The wildebeest migration is so huge that it can be seen from space as a moving black mass. The migration takes a clock wise motion from Serengeti and Ngorongoro plains into north western part of the Masai Mara and returns back to Serengeti after 3 months in Masai Mara. This event is witnessed by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. The single most significant event of the whole migration is the Mara river crossing where hordes of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles have to cross the flooded river. The crocodiles in the water grab several thousands of the wildebeests, while the stampede and drowning claims their toll on the population too. Over 10,000 wildebeests lose their life in a single migration river crossing but that never stops them from doing it over a year later. Their security is in their numbers.

3.     Discover the Masai Culture in a Masai Village

3. Discover the Masai Culture in a Masai Village

It is recommended that you don’t finish your Masai Mara safari without visiting a Masai village to see how the Masai tribesmen live. The Masai people are among the few tribes that have refused to abandon their culture even in the midst of 21st century technological and social changes. A Masai village tour is usually arranged for the afternoon of the second day in Masai Mara. You will visit the Masai village and witness firsthand how they live amongst t the wildlife like lions and elephants. The Masai homestead will welcome you with dances and smiles. You will be ushered into one of their houses where they stay together with the children. The Masai village guided tour will educate you on how the Masai went to war, how they go through their rites of passage, how they marry, how they raise cattle among many other cultural norms. You will learn how to throw a spear, how to make fire from sticks and elephant dung and how to dance the jumping dance. You can also support these families that have had to sacrifice their land for the conservation of wildlife, by buying some of their curios and trinkets at the Masai market in the village.

4.     Fly In a Hot Air Balloon Safari and Have Champagne Breakfast at Dawn

4. Fly in a Hot Air Balloon in Masai Mara

One of the unmissable activities of the Masai Mara is to go on a hot air balloon at dawn. On the second day, you may opt to buy a hot air balloon game drive and enjoy watching the wildebeest migration from the air. Your driver will pick you up at 0500 and drive you to the hot air balloon airstrip. The captain bundles you in the balloon basket which takes 12 people and they start pumping the hot air into the enormous balloon. Slightly before dawn, the tethers are released and you gradually start to gain height as the balloon takes to the air. It is still dark but once airborne; the sunrise will come up in one of the most spectacular views across the African savannah. After watching the sunset airborne, you start to concentrate your attention to the millions of wildebeest and other animals below you. Some are startled by the looming balloon shadow as it approaches them while others just gaze up to you. After an hour of one of the most spectacular balloon game flights, you will land in a designated area and breakfast will be already set for you among the grass. You will be treated to one of the freshest bush breakfast on landing and some champagne. A certificate of flight is issued and you go along for an hour of game drive in the plains before you are driven back to your lodge or camp. Though the price tag at almost $500 is pricey, it is well worth the once in a lifetime experience to be above all that wildlife in the Mara; not to mention the amazing sunrise and champagne.

5.     Go On a Mara Guided Walking Safari among the Wildlife

5. Masai Mara Guided Walking Safari

Walking safaris in Masai Mara 3 day tour are mostly offered by conservancies around the game reserve. The Masai Mara game reserve does not allow walking safaris inside the park for visitor security reasons. However, the community conservancies around the park offer these guided walking safaris where you walk in the grass and view the wildlife at closer range than when in a vehicle. These are experienced masai guides who understand animal behavior and can predict when its unsafe to approach any animal. Similarly, they have acute vision and are able to avert danger even before you yourself have seen it. Its noteworthy to remember that the masai people live within these wildlife areas and have to fetch water, firewood and walk to shopping centres among the wildlife. So the Masai make for excellent walking safari guides in the Mara. In some lodges, walking safaris are offered with the escort of an armed ranger carrying a shotgun just in case of rouge animals. Walking safaris are a great way to experience nature on foot and feel the air around you. You will be amazed at how far these Masai guides can see wildlife and point them out for you.

6.     Enjoy a Masai Mara Bush Dinner over a Bonfire

6. Enjoy a Masai Mara Bush Dinner

Savor the privacy of a bush dinner set on a table in the grass close to your lodge. The lodge or camp offer special couple dinners for special occasions or on request. You will be able to have the best quiet romantic dinner in the moonlight and below the stars as the waiter serves you the different courses of the meal and keeps watch from an ear shot position. The setting could not be more magical as you pop the champagne and enjoy a quiet dinner in the bush amongst the wilderness. These moonlight diners are very popular with honeymooners and they are to die for. You can make local arrangements with your tour operator or order on last minute from the hotel or lodge at an extra fee. The bush diners are mostly restricted to adult couples and usually the policy does not allow children in such diners.

7.     Watch the Mara Magical African Sunsets from your Room Verandah

7. Watch the Masai Mara Sunsets

Masai Mara is known for the most romantic golden sunsets as the sun falls beyond the horizon casting a golden colour across the expansive savannah plains. You will be enthused by the wildlife silhouettes at dusk as their dark bodies are cast against a dimming sun to produce one of the most abstract yet readable pictures. From the silhouettes, you can tell the name and type of each of the wildlife and such pictures speak a thousand words about your ultimate experience in the wilderness of Masai Mara. From sunrise to sunset, each of your Masai Mara experience is a first. Not a single minute is like the other in Masai Mara in regards to wildlife and sceneries. It’s just magically dynamic.

These are afew of the things to do in a 3-day Masai Mara camping or lodge safari. You can enquire more on any specific activity that you would like to do in your own holiday and get it tailored for you.

Book your trip and explore 3-day Masai Mara game reserve experience; whatsapp Robert on +254722661827 or email us here: info@sojournsafaris.co.ke

How to Book a Masai Mara Camping Safari in Kenya

Masai mara camping safari

Explore Masai Mara game reserve in a camping safari from Nairobi. Exploring Masai Mara will see you view the big five animals and the wildebeest migration in July to October. Immerse yourself in this amazing wilderness staying in some of the most comfortable lodges or tented camps. The tented camps of Masai Mara can be either luxury camps or budget tented camps.

8 Steps to Booking a Masai Mara Safari in Kenya

For some people, booking an Masai mara safari is as easy as walking into a travel agency and picking a holiday off the rack. While this is the easy way to buy a package, it is also the most expensive. You can use this article to do your own research and find a local operator to book with hence saving hundreds of dollars.

For example, if you want to book a Masai Mara safari, you generally should;

  • Do your research
  • Use a local tour operator company
  • Check their tripadvisor reviews
  • Request for tailor made Itinerary
  • Bargain on the prices
  • Pay a down payment of not more than 40%
  • Request for proof of payments
  • Pay the Balance on tour cost

While this may look hard, its pretty easy to follow these steps and get a fairly priced local tour operator in Nairobi Kenya. Follow this step by step article and you may save some good money in booking your next tour to Masai Mara.

1.     Do your research

You will need to do some research for find a good local agent to book a Masai Mara camping safari with. A quick search online will give you a sample of good tour companies in Nairobi Kenya. Based on the prices, you can tell which company is making an effort to give you discounted rates. You can look for group joining safari packages so as to save money by sharing the vehicle.  You will find that many Nairobi tour companies offer daily departures from Nairobi. Depending on the number of days you want to go on safari, you will get a very good idea on what is the range between budget and pricy packages.

2.     Use a Local Tour Operator Company

Local tour operator prices generally tend to be cheaper than prices from foreign travel agents. The reason is simply the fact that, by the time packages get to the international agents, the prices will have been marked up at least twice. So you are likely to get better Masai Mara safari deals from local operators if you deal directly with them. You can get many of the local tour operators listed on Online Travel Agents (OTAs) websites like Safari bookings, Viator, Expedia among others. It’s also possible to simply Google the package you want like 5 days Masai Mara safari in Kenya, and check the prices and deals being offered by the various local tour companies.

Local Tour Operator company

3.     Check the Operator Tripadvisor Reviews

Trip advisor is a destination and tour company review platform where travellers can look up what past customers are commenting about a company. Trip advisor also provides a forum where travellers can ask questions to past visitors about a certain destination they want to visit. It’s a highly respected website in the travel industry. A good local tour operator will have some good reviews posted by their past clients. You can easily tell a not-so-good company by the frequency and number of negative reviews they have received as compared to the positive ones. Make sure to check out your selected companies before you can engage them.

Check operator on tripadvisor

4.     Request for a Tailor-Made Itinerary

Once you have selected the local tour company you want to work with, you can now request them for an itinerary based on your number of days available. Make sure to ask them to make a tailor made itinerary and not necessarily buy off the shelf from their website. Try and explain in great detail, what you are interested in terms of number of days of safari, places you are interested to visit or animals you would like to see. The tour operator will go to great lengths to try and make a perfect-fit itinerary for you. This tailor-made maasai mara itinerary will also depend on your group dynamics including age, family, lifestyle and interests. You will have a back and forth with the tour operator until you have an itinerary that suits your needs in price and places included.

5.     Bargain on the Prices

Local tour operators are usually fairly priced and you should be able to get a good deals when booking directly. However, you can always try to bargain for discounts on the quoted price especially if you feel your tour group is large enough to justify it. Most of the local Kenyan tour operators will be able to offer you a small discount especially for the lodge based safari packages to Masai Mara. However, masai mara budget tour packages are mostly fixed in price due to their already reduced pricing points. So unless you feel that a tour package is overpriced, the budget Masai Mara safari packages are usually take-as-is.

6.     Pay a Down Payment to the Safari

Once you have agreed on the safari itinerary content and prices with your tour outfitter, you can proceed to pay a down payment on the safari. In most cases, the safari operators in Nairobi will request you to pay 40% deposit on the tour and the balance at least 45 days to arrival date. This is more so important if you are booking within the peak season between July and October. During this peak season, rooms are scarce due to demand and you should make an effort to book your safari as early as possible. This will help the tour operator to secure your rooms in lodges well in advance.

7.     Request for Proof of Payments

Your local tour operator in Nairobi will furnish you with proof that your lodge has been booked. This will help you to know that some part of your safari has already been confirmed. Kindly note that any cancellation from this point onwards will come with cancellation fees. The hotels usually charge between 25% to 100% of any payments if your booking is cancelled anywhere between 45 days and a no show.

8.     Pay the Balance of Tour Cost

For bookings during peak season, make sure you have paid the balance of 60% of the tour cost at least 45-30 days before your arrival date. Most hotels insist that full payment of the booking should be done 45 days before arrival especially in the peak season. In case you are paying at last minute, 100% payment for the tour may be requested of you as a 1 off payment. Rooms are seriously scarce during the months of July to October and any chance you get to secure your masai mara accommodation should be taken as quickly as possible.

Make your booking today for a Masai Mara 3, 4, 5 or 8 day safari in Kenya; send us a whatsapp message here: +254722661827

Top 8 Masai Mara Game Reserve Highlights in Kenya | Sojourn Safaris Ltd

Masai Mara Game Reserve Highlights

Discover Masai Mara game reserve safari from Nairobi. Explore Maasai Mara 3, 4 or 5 day safari staying in luxury lodges or budget tented camps. Watch the big five animals and the great wildebeest migration and the Mara river crossing stampede. Whichever Masai Mara tour package you choose, you will be in for a treat in one of Africa most sought after wilderness vacation.

Here are 8 best Masai Mara game reserve safari highlights and things to do in Mara.

  • Explore Big five game drives
  • Discover Mara Walking safaris
  • Camp in tented camps
  • Watch the birds
  • Track the Wildebeest migration
  • Visit a Masai village
  • Ride a horse
  • Fly in a Masai Mara balloon safari

1.     Explore Big Five Game Drives

Explore Masai Mara game reserve in 2 daily game drives to look out for the lions, elephants, buffalos, leopard and rhinos. You will experience a game drive at 6:00am and again an evening game drive at 16:00hrs until dusk. Drive along the expansive Mara plains with wildlife strewn all over the plains. Masai Mara is home to over 3 million animals including giraffes, zebras, hyenas, cheetahs, gazelles, hippos, jackals, baboons, wild dogs among other millions of animals. You will be able to view the big five animals in a single day in the Masai Mara.

Explore Big five game drives

2.     Discover Mara Walking Safari

Discover Masai Mara walking safaris in private ranches around the Masai Mara game reserve. Most of the group ranches around the Masai Mara offer walking safaris. You will be picked by an armed Masai warrior and walk among the wildlife in the plains in the early morning to view wildlife as close as possible. Your Masai Mara guided walking safari will last s for 1hr or 2 hours and you are able to see the lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinos at a much closer proximity.

Discover Masai Mara walking safari

3.     Camp in Tented camps

You can camp in tented camps in Masai Mara to get that exciting oneness with nature feeling. Experience immersion in nature by sleeping in a tented camp complete with a bed, private bathrooms and a verandah to watch the sunset from. You don’t have to break the bank by staying in lodges while you can stay in some of the Masai Mara budget tented camps just next to the Masai Mara game reserve. Enjoy a bon fire in the evening outside your tented camp as you savor the day’s exploits in the game drives.

Camp in Masai Mara tented camps

4.     Watch the Birds in Masai Mara

Go on bird watching trips in Masai Mara and watch the more than 400 species of birds in the game reserve. Masai Mara has many species of birds in the various ecosystems including the riverine and ponds, the savannah grassland birds and the forest area birds around the forested areas. There are some resident masai mara bird’s species and some migratory birds that you can watch in Masai Mara. Some of the birds you will see in grasslands include secretary birds, kori bustards, ground hornbills, jaunty crowned plovers etc. on swampy areas you will see the saddle billed storks, yellow billed storks, sacred ibis, goliath heron and rufous bellied heron. Birds of prey include the martial eagle and the pigmy falcon including the majestic bateleur eagle.

Watch birds in Mara

5.     Track the Wildebeest Migration in Masai Mara

Track wildebeest migration for 3 or 4 days across the plains of Masai Mara safari. You will go on long game drives viewing the millions of wildebeests across the grasslands. Get a chance to see most of the 1.5 million wildebeests, zebras and gazelles migrating from Tanzania into Kenya and back. Your wildebeest tracking game drives will see you get close to live lion kills, cheetah chases and leopard ambushes. All the big cats will keep you entertained as they chase around the wildebeests. Mara river crossings are great places you will visit to see the awesome river stampedes as thousands of wildebeest scram and swim in the flooded river. Against all odds and marauding crocodiles, the wildebeests cross the river Mara in great numbers and you will able to witness and discover the migration in all its greatness.

Track Wildebeest Migration

6.     Visit a Masai village

You can visit a Masai village on your second day in Masai Mara. You have option of several Masai villages to go to in one of the afternoons. Learn how the Masai people dance the jumping dance, how they make fire from sticks, how they marry and many other local traditions. Visit one of their houses that have little ventilation and made from dirt and cow dung. Visiting the Masai village, you should also be ready to be asked to buy some trinkets and curios made by the Masai. These are mostly beadworks as the traditional knives and daggers won’t get into a plane. The Masai will be happy to invite you to join in their traditional jumping dance.

Visit a Masai Village

7.     Ride a Horse

Ride a horse and go on horse riding game drives in the private conservancies around Masai Mara game reserve. You will go on a guided horseback game drive in Masai Mara to watch the animals up close on horses. These are very popular safaris that allows you to ride off road as opposed to going on a game drive in a car which restricts you to the motorable tracks only. This will ensure that you are able to get as close as possible to the game and wildlife.

Ride a Horse

8.     Fly in a Masai Mara Balloon safaris

Go fly in a balloon safari in Masai Mara and watch the wildlife from up above. You will be picked early before dawn for your balloon safari in Masai Mara. Your Mara balloon flight starts before dawn and you will be able to see the sunrise and the animals below as they scamper from your balloon. The cool morning weather coupled with the millions of animals below and the thrill of the actual ride makes a Mara balloon safari a must activity. After the flight, you will be served with a champagne breakfast and go on a 1hr game drive as well as get a certificate after the ride. Make sure to go on a Masai Mara balloon safari. The Masai Mara balloon safari cost is worth the time you will spend and the experience.

Fly in Masai Mara balloon safaris

Book your Masai Mara safari from Robert; send him a quick whatsapp message here +254722661827

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