Bucket List Activities & Things to Do in Masai Mara, Kenya

Activities & Things to Do in Masai Mara

Top things to do in the Masai Mara include experiencing the thrilling Great Migration (July–October), taking daily game drives to spot the Big Five, and soaring above the plains in a hot air balloon. Visitors can also enjoy cultural visits to Maasai villages, walking safaris, sundowner cocktails, and photography tours.

Here are the top activities in the Masai Mara:

• Game Drives: Explore the reserve in 4×4 vehicles to see lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos, particularly during early morning or late afternoon.
• The Great Migration: Witness over 1.5 million wildebeest and zebras crossing the Mara River (best from June to September).
• Hot Air Balloon Safaris: An early morning, breathtaking flight over the savanna, usually followed by a champagne breakfast.
• Maasai Village Visits: Learn about the culture, traditions, and daily life of the local Maasai people.
• Walking Safaris: Guided nature walks that allow you to explore the ecosystem on foot, often done in private conservancies.
• Sundowners: A classic safari tradition of enjoying drinks while watching the sunset over the savannah.
• Photography Safaris: Specialized, customizable vehicle tours designed to capture the best wildlife shots, including big cats.
• Night Game Drives: Available in private conservancies to spot nocturnal animals like hyenas and leopards.
• Bird Watching: Spot over 470 species, including vultures, eagles, and the lilac-breasted roller.
• Bush Meals: Enjoy breakfast or dinner in the middle of the wilderness.

Things to Do in Masai Mara, Kenya

1. Safari Game Drives

What exactly are “game drives” in the Masai Mara and on an African safari? Anybody considering a safari to Kenya, for instance, has probably seen references to game drives referenced in many places. The term “safari game drive” refers to an exciting outing in a vehicle into a wildlife area, such the Maasai Mara or another national park or reserve, to explore the park and observe various wild creatures in their native environment.

In Kenya, a safari game drive usually lasts two or three hours in the morning and afternoon. Morning drives start at 6:30 am and go until 9 am, while afternoon drives are from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. However, some travellers choose to go on a full-day game drive, which usually starts at 10 am and ends at 4 pm. In this case, the excursion will include a packed picnic lunch to be enjoyed at a designated spot inside the Masai Mara reserve between 12:30 and 2:30 pm.

Masai Mara game drives start at $75 per person every gamedrive, with the option to rent an exclusive vehicle from the camp for a full day rangering from $300 to$550, per vehicle, depending on the camp.

2. Hot Air Balloon Safaris

On any safari to the Masai Mara, you have the opportunity to partake in the once-in-a-lifetime activity of riding in a hot air balloon over the plains of the Mara. At first light, at about 6 in the morning, the balloon takes flight, silently gliding over the savannah grasslands below, where you could see a variety of animals. At the end of the hour-long journey, guests will be treated to a “Champagne Bush Breakfast” at the remote balloon landing spot. A professional pilot pilots the hot air balloon, and the British company Cameron is the go-to for quality balloons in this industry. It is recommended to make your reservation in advance because the basket sizes might vary and there is usually a maximum capacity of 16 persons per balloon, and sometimes even less if the basket is smaller. The photographs were taken by Governors Balloons.

3. Maasai Village Visit

Near the Masai Mara, you’ll most often see members of the Maasai ethnic group, arguably Africa’s most famous tribe. They cover a large portion of southern Kenya. Living in regions around Masai Mara, this nomadic warrior tribe has preserved many of its customs after having controlled huge portions of pre-colonial Kenya. So, what exactly is it that you see when you go to a Maasai village? During this hour-long excursion to a Maasai community, you will have the opportunity to engage with the locals, gain insight into their culture, and observe some of their traditions and customs up close.

4. Walking safaris & bush walks

Bush walking safaris are action-packed outings wherein visitors to a wildlife conservation area are led on leisurely strolls in search of wild animals in their natural habitat, rather than in a vehicle.

At Masai Mara, visitors can choose between two different kinds of wildlife walks. There is a nature trail outside the main reserve and one inside the camp. These camp treks cost between fifty and seventy-five dollars per participant and last anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour. Outside of the main reserve, walking safaris can last anywhere from two and a half to three hours and cover nine to fifteen km. The price per person can range from ninety dollars to one hundred fifty dollars, and it includes meals (breakfast or lunch) and game drives (to and from the walking safari site). For these kind of nature walks, it is best to go during the cooler parts of the day, such as first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon.

5. Horseback Safaris

For many reasons, including the abundance of wildlife in places like the Masai Mara Game reserve and the unique experience of riding up close to majestic animals, horseback safaris through Africa’s unspoiled wilderness are among the most thrilling safari activities. Masai Mara horseback safaris are only available in the wider Maasai Mara gion, which includes private conservancies and game ranches, as they are not allowed inside the main Reserve.

On a Kenya horseback safari, guests typically stay in makeshift camps that follow the route of the safari. Comfortable bedding within tents—ranging from premium to more basic 2 or 3-man tents—and a variety of amenities, such as freshly prepared meals and assistance with setup camp, elevate these campgrounds above simple camping.

6. Bush Meals & Sun-downers

In the Masai Mara, where you may be lucky enough to have breathtaking scenery and amazing animals as your backdrop, there is an almost primordial delight in enjoying a meal in the untamed savannah of Africa. That is why having a special lunch while on safari in Masai Mara is so popular.

7. Animals & Wildlife in Masai Mara

The animals of Masai Mara are, in a nutshell, some of the world’s most impressive specimens of their kind. People go from all over the globe to witness the incredible variety of wildlife that can be found in the Masai Mara and the Great Mara eco system. This area is home to about 90 different kinds of mammals and many more bird species.

On one hand, we have the Big Five: lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalo. On the other hand, we have the Big Nine: cheetahs, giraffes, hippos, and zebras. What follows is a list of some of the more notable birds that frequent the Masai Mara.

8. Great Migration Masai Mara

The Great Migration in the Maasai Mara, often called a “Seven Natural Wonder of Africa,” is the massive, year-round, clockwise migration of over 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle from Tanzania’s Serengeti. The herds arrive in the Masai Mara from July to October, searching for greener pastures. The main spectacle is the dramatic, dangerous Mara River crossings.