Kenya, the land of spectacular game drives, as we call it, is every wildlife fanatic’s dream come true. It’s a Santa Claus with a bag full of surprising experiences on a one-on-one with nature unfiltered that gives immense joy to unpack. Kenya has the best game drives in the world to observe magnanimous wildlife & its migration, serene water bodies, and ravishing culture. Here’s bringing to you the magical itinerary to explore Maasai Mara National Park in its best form and don’t miss out on the gems of the unbelievably beautiful country.
Kenya was on our bucket list for a very long time. We wanted to visit the country during the migration period of animals & birds and that period falls towards the end of June but that gets delayed to end of the July now due to climate change. We embarked on the journey in August 2019 after tonnes of research and it was the best decision made!
Day 1: Nairobi to Maasai Mara
We stayed overnight in Nairobi after our arrival and began our journey to our first destination, Masai Mara next morning. It was a ride of 6-7 hours with two stops on the way. After 3 hours of the journey, we took a break at the extremely popular Great Rift Valley where you can get your hands on some boiled corns & fresh fruits to pick up for your next lag of the drive. After we reached at Maasai Mara around 4.30 pm, we went for our first game drive in Kenya and guess what! We spotted a leopard with her cubs and the experience was so surreal!
#Tip: You don’t need an AC car as the climate there is very nice. But by the time you reach the destination, you won’t be able to recognize yourself & your luggage because of dust. If you have dust allergy, we highly recommend covering your mouth and nose throughout the journey.
After a hectic day, we feasted on fruits, salads, vegetable curry, rice, and desserts at our campsite. Our accommodation was in the compound of the national park with deers and unique birds around our site. We had security guards called Masai with their swords taking rounds of the area so that we could have a good sleep. Their services were top notch!
Day 2: A wild meet with thousands of Zebras and a gang of Cheetahs
We had three exciting game drives on our second day at Masai Mara National Park. We spotted deers, giraffes, zebras, and elephants in our early morning drive but missed an encounter with big cats. But the mid-morning game drive was something to cherish forever! We literally saw thousands of Zebras migrating through the park with our own eyes. The sight was so mesmerizingly overwhelming. Watching a bunch of 5 Cheetah brothers during our evening drive and seeing them owning their territories made us realize how the jungle raj is maintained among the animals! We ended our day with such an amusing game drive!
Day 3: A trip with migratory Zebras & Wildebeests
We took a Full Day Game Drive and went to see the REAL migration that happens for 4 hours straight (one-way drive) from one end of Masai Mara National Park to the other end, towards Tanzania. So, we literally traveled with lakhs of zebras & wildebeest together. They migrate across a river that is home to thousands of crocodiles and arrives in Serengeti.
This national park is extremely huge and its Mara River is an eminent attraction. We had a short trek with a local guide to enjoy the marvels of this river featuring hundreds of crocodiles and hippos. It is a visual delight for all the souls with a sweet spot for wildlife. It took us forever to go back to our campsite at the end of the day and we dozed off with the full & happy hearts.
#Tip: Don’t expect to buy any souvenir from this place. Rinnku always looks for souvenirs everywhere she goes but this place disappointed her. We were surprised to see how authorities efficiently protected this place from getting commercialized! The only treasure to bring back home from Masai Mara National Park is the memories of cuddling with nature and her marvels. 🙂
Day 4: Our Maiden Hot Air Balloon Experience
Like many of you, we also had a ride on a hot air balloon in our bucket list. We ticked it off for the first time in Kenya. We reached the center at 5 am in the morning and after a briefing session, we hopped in the cart to fly up in the air. Mesmerizing sky, a bird-eye view of African migration, and a handsome pilot (a bonus for Rinnku :D) – what more could we have asked for! Now the question is, was it worth the price? Honestly speaking, it wasn’t. You may choose to do the same thing in any other destination and it wouldn’t even cost you half of the price we paid for. It is an expensive experience in Kenya as it offers a view of the animals migrating. But when you’re flying, you can barely see anything from such height. Anyway, overall it was a good and fresh experience for us! After the balloon ride for 1 hour, we landed on the other side of the area and had a delectable buffet breakfast.
Now, this was truly an amazing thing to do. It’s called ‘Bush Breakfast’. The feel of the place was so amazing and extraordinary. We had Zebras migrating on the opposite side of our site where we were enjoying our breakfast. Sounds thrilling, right? Also, we got our certificates for the hot air balloon ride and Rinnku is a fan of collecting certificates from around the world!
Also read: Lake Naivasha & Lake Nakuru – Two Wild Gems Of Kenya You Don’t Want to Miss Exploring!
We had an evening game drive to end our Masai Mara National Park stay with a wild bash. In the drive, we saw a Leopard up close climbing a tree to eat his meal! It was undoubtedly the most shining highlight of our stay.
This was an end to our trip to Maasai Mara National Reserve and we bid goodbye to this place with a very heavy heart to explore other beautiful destinations of the country. Kenya is a more naturally gifted country than others. Our memories of making eye contact with wild animals during our game drives still make our hearts palpitate faster! Kenya was a dream escape for us, indeed. Trouted as one of the best destinations in the world to see wildlife miracles up close, Kenya is a treasure trove for watching animals doing their things in a natural sanctuary. Do you need any more reason to include Kenya in your bucket list right away? We surely know, you don’t!
