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Exploring Maasai Mara, Kenya: Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Destination

Posted by Karl Olivier Jamandra on

Located in southwestern Kenya along the Tanzanian border, Maasai Mara is one of the top tourist attractions not just in Kenya but in the whole continent of Africa. It can certainly claim the title of the continent’s greatest wildlife destination as it is a travel destination like no other. Let’s learn in this blog the reasons why. But first, let’s find out how we can go here!

FEELING THE VIBE OF THE SAFARI. We only had two instances to get out of the safari vehicle out there in the wild during our game drive. This one time, I wanted to wrap myself up with the feeling of being there where the wild animals live and thrive. Not so many people get to experience this, so I’m so thankful to be there.

HOW TO GO TO MAASAI MARA?

Of course, you’d have to be in Kenya in order to go to Maasai Mara. As there are no direct flights from the Philippines to Kenya, book and secure connecting flights from these airlines: Emirates, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airlines, and China Southern Airlines. Many Filipinos follow the route Manila to Doha (capital city of Qatar), then Doha to Nairobi (capital city of Kenya. Ultimately, your choice of flights going there would depend on your budget, time flexibility, and itinerary.

SECURING YOUR FLIGHTS is one of the requirements before going to Kenya. You’d need flight details when availing Kenya electronic travel authorization.

AirAsia has started their venture into the African market via Kuala Lumpur to Nairobi route since November 2024. Unfortunately, they are set to suspend this route effective September 1, 2025.

Before taking your flight to Kenya, make sure to prepare these travel requirements: 1) valid Philippine passport, 2) Kenya Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), 3) yellow fever vaccine, 4) hotel or accommodation bookings, and 5) flight bookings. We also added another one – prophylactic medication to prevent malaria – as a precaution. For a more detailed description of these requirements, please visit my travel primer for Kenya.

Now, let’s talk about how you can go to Maasai Mara from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city.

THE SECOND TIME we went out of our safari vehicle was when we went to Mara River. Time for a photo opportunity again, of course!
WHO DID IT BETTER? Haha just kidding. Here’s Gerard (IG: @gerardonduty) as he also poses on our safari vehicle in Maasai Mara.

I’d say that the best way to venture into Maasai Mara is by availing tours offered by legitimate travel agencies. Why? You would have to consider the ease of travel going back and forth, as well as your convenience, safety and security. I’m not exactly sure if it’s possible to do a DIY trip in Maasai Mara, but I will try to convince you why availing tours is necessary.

  1. When you avail a legitimate tour, expect to have highly trained local guides for your trip. You know what, our vehicle broke down while doing safari, and thankfully, our guide knew what to do until help came to fix the car so we could continue with our game drive. He has shared that he had been a tour guide for about two decades, which means he already had a lot of experience spotting wildlife, identifying animals and explaining their characteristics and behavior, as well as giving information about the Maasai people, their land and culture.
  2. In a legitimate tour, you would be given an option to have transportation from Nairobi to Maasai Mara (and vice versa after your trip). This option may not be available in other tours, so you have to clarify with the travel agency if this is part of their offer. If you avail a tour with this option, you will be riding a reliable vehicle such as a Toyota Landcruiser so you can safely cross roads (both the smooth, concrete roads in the city and the wild, rough roads in the savannah). This will be the same vehicle that will be used to fetch you in Nairobi.
  3. When you avail a Maasai Mara tour, almost everything is handled. Aside from the mode of transportation, the parking fees (unless indicated otherwise), accommodations (unless you want an upgrade, which would cost you an additional fee), meals (provided by the accommodation), transfers and permits are already included.

Did I forget something? Kindly comment so I can add them up! Now, let’s go to the reasons why it’s worthwhile to visit Maasai Mara in Kenya.

  1. THE BIG FIVE

An expansive savannah that seems to stretch endlessly into the horizon, Maasai Mara is home to over 95 species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and over 500 species of birds. Among these creatures, there are five animals being sought for when tourists are in a game drive. What is a game drive? This what you will do in Maasai Mara: a guided trip through the national reserve using a safari vehicle with a pop-up roof!

The big five of safari include the lion, the elephant, the leopard, the buffalo, and the rhinoceros. Among these five, you’re sure to find the elephants. They’re some of the animals we’ve seen the most from morning to afternoon. The lions and the buffalos come next. Unfortunately, we were not able to find the leopard and the rhinoceros. Apparently, because it rained the night before, the leopards tend to go to a dryer place to stay. Meanwhile, the rhino is the rarest among the five in Maasai Mara.

THE ELEPHANT. One of the big five, the African elephant is the biggest land animal in the world.
THE LION. I couldn’t seem to figure out at first how many lions are actually sleeping here. Is there just one, or there’s actually two? Comment your answer!!!
THE CAPE BUFFALOS. Calm yet commanding, these African buffalos are easily distinguishable from other subspecies of buffalos because of their dark brown to almost black coat. They graze the open savannahs with their respective herds.

I hope you feel the action from these pictures I’m sharing. Think of waking up to the sweet tweets of birds at dawn, then witnessing the galloping of the impalas, sprinting of the cheetahs, and the yawning of the lions as they rest. You will encounter a lot of more creatures during your game drive here in Maasai Mara. From all these, I definitely felt like I was a part of a National Geographic wildlife documentary. Haha! The difference is that it’s most definitely real, as these wild animals are just right in front of you!

THE CHEETAHS. I was ecstatic when I saw cheetahs with my very own eyes! Why won’t I be when they’re the fastest land animal in the world!!!
THE HIPPOS. Did you know the hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in the world? How come? Well, they are territorial. They may look slow and passive, but when they attack, they are really aggressive! They’re known to chase people, even in boats, which they try to capsize!
THE MARABOU STORK. I personally find it unjust for this bird to be included in the “Ugly Five” because it actually looks elegant from behind!
  • THE GREAT MIGRATION

Between July and October, the Maasai Mara becomes a high-octane place of action as it sets the stage for the Great Migration, often called a world wonder because of how spectacular it is. I’ve watched documentaries showcasing this natural world wonder, and I am awed by what I was able to watch. We went to Kenya during the month of April, so we were not able to witness it ourselves. The captain of our hot air balloon safari, though, shared a video showing this phenomenon, and it was simply awesome to say the least. During the great migration, over 1,500,000 (yes, that’s 1.5 MILLION) wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles move across the Mara River. Many people describe it as one of nature’s most dramatic spectacles. Since I haven’t witnessed the Great Migration yet, I plan to go back in the future!

THE WILDEBEESTS. Because of their wispy beards, gnarly horns, and long faces, they’ve been included in the “Ugly Five,” a sort of counterpart of the “Big Five.” I’d say they don’t deserve to be included in that rather annoying list; thankfully, though, they’re more known as the primary animals in action during the “Great Migration.”
THE ZEBRAS. Ahh, “the striped horses with an attitude.” Zebras belong to the same family as the horses, but because they’re not domesticated, they’re more aggressive and unpredictable.
THE IMPALAS. Impalas are antelopes that live in the savannahs of East Africa. They are sexually dimorphic, which means the male and the female don’t look alike. Most often, a male is seen in a herd with the rest being only females.
THE HARTEBEESTS. Hartebeests are large, fawn-colored antelopes. Their most distinctive characteristics are a steeply, sloping back, long legs, and elongated snout.
THE WARTHOG. Another part of the “Ugly Five,” the warthog is one of the animals commonly seen in the savannahs of Kenya. With the friendly portrayal of this animal in The Lion King, many people don’t think they’re ugly. They’re adorable!
THE OLIVE BABOONS. Described as social and curious, the olive baboons live in complex family groups in Maasai Mara.
  • MEETING THE MAASAI PEOPLE

No trip to Maasai Mara is complete without visiting a traditional Maasai village. The Maasai people, dressed in vibrant shukas and adorned with intricate beadwork, are identified as guardians of the Maasai land. When we visited, we were welcomed with a song and dance number by the villagers! We were then shown the ways of life of their people, like how they make fire using only leaves and wooden sticks. We were also encouraged to visit a village house, which when seen from the outside seems so small yet was really relatively huge, having a lot of rooms and some other spaces to spare. We’ve learned a lot during our short time visiting the village. Don’t hesitate to ask the villagers as they actually welcome questions from visitors so they can teach the Maasai culture.

WITH THE MAASAI PEOPLE. Upon entering their place, we were welcomed by the Maasai people. They even asked us to participate in their dance, and of course, photo ops!
THE SHUKA. The traditional cloth worn by the Maasai people is called shuka, a vibrant, red-colored cloth patterned with checkered or striped designs.
THE MAASAI WEAPONS. Posing with Gerard and I here in this picture is the village chief’s son, who encouraged us to pose with their traditional weapons of spear and shield.
  • STAYING IN THE WILD

Staying in Maasai Mara is technically not staying in the wild per se, but their accommodations are surrounded by the wild! From luxury resorts to budget-friendly campsites, accommodation there can suit any type of traveler. We stayed in a tent-like accommodation, and while it is just so simple, it was enough to enjoy the place. Besides, don’t you agree that there’s nothing quite like drifting to sleep with the sounds of crickets? Haha. If you prefer a more luxurious stay, request this to your travel agency so you can have an upgrade but with additional fee.

SAFARI CAMP. We might have stayed in a very simple camp in Maasai Mara, but experiencing everything I’ve written here in this blog reminded me how blessed I am to be alive.

Common questions asked about the Maasai Mara Tour:

  1. Where to avail a legitimate tour in Maasai Mara? As what I’ve mentioned from my travel primer in Kenya, make sure you’re availing from legitimate tour agencies to avoid being scammed. As much as possible, double check if their tours are actually being offered by looking for their company in social media, legitimate websites, and travel blogs. Also, this is where apps like Klook, Agoda and Booking come really important. You have access to real user reviews, photos and/or videos, which would raise your confidence in availing the tours.
  2. How many days are enough in Maasai Mara? If you intend to immerse yourself in the savannah to experience nature, see its creatures (especially the big five), and meet the Maasai people, 5 to 7 days is a good option. Some people stay for more. In our case, 3 days is enough, albeit it’s relatively fast-paced in a way!
  3. Is it reasonable to upgrade the safari vehicle to a Landcruiser? If you have any other question, just write it down in the comment section! Now, if you want a hassle-free trip to Maasai Mara, our travel agency named Offduty Bucketlist is planning to offer a Kenyan tour next year of 2026. Visit our Facebook page or Instagram account soon for more details!

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I’ll be posting another part of Maasai Mara in my next blog post: the hot air balloon safari! For now, I hope you get to be convinced why you should head out and visit Kenya and experience Maasai Mara!

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