African safari was on top of our travel bucket list. We chose Masai Mara for our first African safari experience. Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the premium safari destinations in East Africa, measuring over 1510 square kilometers in area, known for its beautiful savannas and spectacular wildlife.

How to get to Masai Mara?

We flew into Kenya- Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Stayed one night at one of the nearby Airport hotels. The next day after breakfast, we took a short 1 hour small flight from Wilson Airport to Keekorok Airstrip in Masai Mara. We were picked up by our lodge vehicle immediately post-arrival. Instead of flying, you can always take a road trip from Nairobi to Masai Mara.

Masai Mara Fly in Safari

We decided to fly into the Masai Mara instead of driving to save time and energy. We experienced the vast Mara landscape through the aircraft. Expect a couple of hours of flight time between Nairobi and Masai Mara Airstrips with intermediate stops to drop off fellow passengers. The Fly-in safari is a bit expensive compared to a road trip. But, it’s worth the money. Remember there is a baggage limit of 15 kgs per person (combined for carry-on and check-in) on these flights. Also, the airline requires you to pack in soft bags e.g. duffel bags. 

4 Days Masai Mara Safari Itinerary

We were on a 3-night 4-day safari trip to Masai Mara. We booked our trip via one of the African safari vendors. Our package included: 

1. 3-night 4-day accommodation on a full board basis (includes three main meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which are usually served as buffets) in a Keekorok Lodge. 
2. Round-trip Flights: Nairobi – Masai Mara – Nairobi
3. 2 Airstrip transfers in Masai Mara
4. 2 Private Transfers to and from Wilson Airport in Nairobi
5. 6 Game Drives – provided by the lodge in their 4×4 Vehicles.
6. Professional English-speaking Driver-Guide during the game drives

Check out this blog to learn about how to plan your safari and what to expect during your first safari.

Checking In Keekorok Lodge Masai Mara

Keekorok Lodge is a deluxe safari type of lodge in the heart of Masai Mara National Reserve. This is one of the first properties built in the reserve. The location of the lodge and overall ambiance were beautiful. We stayed in one of the premium rooms with stunning park views.  

The Big 5

This was our first African Safari. Our main aspiration was to spot all ‘Big Five’ animals.  ‘Big Five’ includes Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo. The term Big Five was coined by big game hunters to refer to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on foot. Now this term is commonly used by safari tourists and operators. 

Then there is the `Big Nine` which includes the Big Fives and Girrafe, Zebra, Cheetah, and Hippo. Masai Mara has all Big Nine animals so it is quite possible to spot all the Big Nine during your safari. But remember you are in the natural habitat of these wild animals so there is no guarantee of animal spotting. The most important tip here is never to skip a game drive!

Best time to visit Masai Mara

Wondering when is the best time to visit Masai Mara? Well, it depends on what you want to see. We chose November because this is not the peak season for safaris. November offers a relatively smaller crowd, lower cost, and abundant opportunities to see animals. This is also the season if you want to see a lot of baby animals and birdlife. I think it’s a win-win situation. November is the second rainy season of the year, the so-called “short rains” in Masai Mara. You can expect light rain during this season with localized cloudbursts. Your guide will make an effort to ‘drive around’ the rain to keep the vehicle dry. During our trip, we experience short rain only on one game drive out of 6.  

You can always plan your trip during main events like the great wildebeest migration, which has its own merits. Consider what you want to experience, the budget, and vacation time before planning your trip to Masai Mara.

Safari Highlights – Masai Mara Animals

Lions in Masai Mara

Lion is the largest of Africa’s big cats and the most sociable member of the cat family. You will get plenty of opportunities to see lions in Masai Mara. We were lucky to have spotted this magnificent lion taking a nap on our first game drive in the evening. Lions go hunting mostly at night and sleep about 20 hours a day. What a life! 

Do you know why Lions sleep on their back? According to our guide, sleeping on the back allows heat to escape through their tummies and paws, making them feel cool. 

Here is another spotting of sleeping beauties. Lionesses take their time to relax and get ready for the hunt. Do you know – lionesses usually take the lead during hunting?  

This is my favorite spotting of a male lion with his kill. He was eating his meal by the bush without sharing it with anyone else.

On one of the evening game drives, we found one lioness making different noises. Our guide suggested – she might be trying to find her group after getting separated. Lions are the loudest of the big cat family with a very complex communication system. They can make several types of calls to communicate.

Elusive Leopard

Another important tip for your African safari is to always look up. This tip is mostly helpful in spotting elusive leopards who like to chill along tree branches. Here is a photo of our leopard spotting during our visit to the Masai Mara. 

Magnificent Elephants

Another iconic animal you can spot in Masai Mara is the majestic African Elephant. We saw several elephants throughout the safari. Elephants are highly intelligent creatures. No matter how many elephants you encounter, it’s never enough. Elephant is my favorite animal and I was mesmerized with every elephant encounter.     

Chase and a miss

During one of the evening drives, we spotted a female lion hiding in the grass looking at the Girraff and its baby in the distance. We stopped our vehicle on the side and started observing her behavior through our binoculars in anticipation of the hunt. Nothing happened for a while. Most of the vehicles left the site in disappointment. But, we decided to wait. In the end, our wait paid off and we witnessed not one but two female lions chasing the baby Girraff. The poor baby Girraff ran for his life and finally survived.

Tip – Please don’t forget to bring binoculars on safari. If you don’t have them, it’s worth spending money on new binoculars before going on safari. It will enhance your safari experience.

Beautiful Giraffes

Baby Giraffe in the above situation was very lucky as he survived the chase. But, do you know – more than half of the Giraffe calves die in their first few months because of predators?

Giraffes are the tallest animals and can run as fast as 50 to 60 km per hour. In Masai Mara, we can see Kilimanjaro Giraffes distinguished by irregular star-shaped patches all over their body.  Giraffes are extremely picturesque. If you are on an evening safari try to capture the quintessential photo of Giraffe against the breathtaking Masai Mara sunset. 

African Buffalo

African Buffalo also known as Cape Buffalo weighs almost 800 kg and is one of the most dangerous animals found in East Africa. You can see multiple groups of cape buffalos grazing all around Masai Mara, occasionally giving you an angry look when you stop to click their pictures.

Our Noisy Neighbors- Hippos

The Hippo Bar at the Keekorok Lodge was our favorite hangout spot. Located right next to the river, enabling the lodge guests to enjoy a drink while watching hippos in their natural habitat. Our room was close to the river. We could hear hippo’s wheeze, honk, and grunts the whole night. I must say, Hippos are very noisy animals. At dusk, they leave water to graze on the grass near the lodge. It was mandatory for all the guests staying near the river to be escorted by a guard during late nights and early mornings. This is usually the case for most of the lodges in the Masai Mara. This was a thrilling experience in itself.

Mating Dance

We spotted a lot of birds during our visit. The most memorable one was the Grey-crowned crane performing to impress the other one for courtship. 

All Big 9 except…

We were able to spot all ‘Big Nine’ except Rhino. I look forward to our next safari experience for the Rhino encounter. Apart from the big 9, we spotted a lot of other animals like Impalas, Jackals, Wildebeest, Antelope, etc. Overall Masai Mara trip was wonderful and we will keep these memories very close to our hearts. 

Pin this adventure for future safari inspiration! 🦁 If you’re planning a trip or just dreaming of one, save this post to your Pinterest board for all the wild details you’ll want to remember.

The big question is – was this safari worth the hype? I would say 100% it is worth the hype. I am already dreaming of my next African safari. Everyone should experience an African safari at least once in their lifetime.