The Masai Mara game reserve is home to an amazing kaleidoscope of untamed and rocky terrain, friendly locals, and a plethora of fascinating animals, both large and little.
Every year from July through October, the Masai Mara, which is known for hosting the magnificent Great Migration, welcomes 1.5 million wildebeests into its vast savannahs.
The conservancies and Masai Mara National Reserve are teeming with life and provide safari goers with a wide range of activities to choose from.
You're guaranteed to leave the reserve with lifelong memories and amazing experiences, whether you take to the sky for a sunrise hot-air balloon ride or hit the road on a 4x4 safari, the excitement never lets up!
Below is an account of how we planned and spent 3 days in Masai Mara, what we saw and learnt while organizing the trip.
Choosing a travel agent
Although I could arrange all of my travel through websites and apps, I highly recommend doing so through a travel agent.
The specific benefits of hiring an agent are immeasurable. They are true experts, and will be your advocate on the ground and can find crazy deals better than you can. They will take care of the little things, and will typically not charge extra.
We live in a world where we are bombarded with information, with tens of thousands of brand-new hotels, a variety of brand-new locales to visit, problems with passports and visas, inclement weather, transit strikes, political upheaval, natural disasters, travel insurance,—the list goes on and on.
How will you navigate all this to effectively plan your 3 days in Masai Mara?
That is why I chose to go with AjKenyasafaris.com limited for the planning and logistics part of my trip. They are a fantastic travel advisor who helped me escape the trip landmines you might find on safari!
They were also central in informing me where the action was and helping me craft a satisfactory 3 days Masai Mara itinerary. In terms of transport, you have the choice to use small vehicles such as Nissan Juke, Mazda Demio, Honda Fit, Toyota Premio, Mazda Axela to lower the cost, but game drives are done using 4x4 safari land cruisers or safari vans.
Day 1: Airport pickup and travel to Masai Mara
We arrived in Nairobi from Ghana at around 6am (the flight took six hours). At the airport, we were pleased to find Henry, a driver from AjKenyasafaris awaiting us.
My girlfriend and I then boarded the safari Land Cruiser and immediately set off. Our first stop was at the Ole Sereni hotel, near Nairobi city for a warm breakfast. I, for one, was ravenous, and the buffet style breakfast proved to be an excellent choice.
After that, we began our road trip to the Masai Mara. From Nairobi, you can either opt to go to Masai Mara by road or by air.
Since we wanted to enjoy the Kenyan scenery, we opted for a road trip, and the vehicle the travel agency provided was a dream!
Not only did it come equipped with luxurious theater style seats, but it had these large windows that maximized viewing angles.
The trip to the Mara took approximately five hours, with lots to see along the way. At the Rift Valley viewpoint, we had a first-hand experience of standing on the precipice of the enormous Rift Valley gorge that stretches from Mozambique all the way to Lebanon!
We also stopped briefly at Narok town for a delicious Kenyan meal comprising of Ugali (maize meal) and nyama choma(roasted meat).
After lunch, we proceeded to the Masai Mara game reserve and were surprised to spot a lion and two lionesses just a few yards into the reserve!
We checked in at Angama Mara, the safari lodge we had chosen for our Masai Mara 3 days tour.
Day 2: Full day game drive
One of the key activities on our 3 day Masai Mara itinerary was game drives.
Typically, when you book your tour independently, prices for game drives in the Masai Mara start at USD 75 per person for each game drive. If you want to rent a private car from the camp for a full day of driving, the cost will range from USD 300 to USD 550 per vehicle, depending on the camp.
However, booking all-inclusive safari packages through a travel agent is more advisable, as these include numerous game drives, lodging, food, and flights/ road transfers from Nairobi; resulting in lower overall expenses.
Professional travel agents offer these all-inclusive customized 3 days in Masai Mara safari itineraries that are not only fairly priced but which only include activities that appeal to you.
On our first game drive, we came across most of the famed Big Five save for the elusive leopards which we were informed can mostly be seen on night game drives.
We also got to visit a Masai village in the afternoon and were awestruck at how culturally grounded the Masai people are.
Day 3: Morning game drive, checkout, and departure
After breakfast on the third day, we went for another 2-hour game drive because no matter how many times you go around the Mara, no two trips are ever similar. The Mara’s inhabitants will always manage to surprise you.
After the game drive, we checked out and took a short flight back to Nairobi for our return trip home.
During our 3 days in Masai Mara, we learnt that the best time to visit is during the annual wildebeest migration or the peak season, which occurs between July and October.
Also, the best clothing to bring on a safari is casual in style, loose-fitting, and lightweight to keep you dry and comfortable.
For the best compatibility with the wilderness, choose neutral pastel tones instead of brighter ones. The colors most frequently recommended for safaris are khaki and forest green.
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