From Nigeria to Masai Mara – How We Planned Our 3 Days Masai Mara Safari

It is said that spontaneity is the best form of adventure. Our 3 day Maasai Mara safari was heavily spontaneous on our part thanks to the wholesome planning we received from AjKenyasafaris.com, our Kenya Tour Operator.

But more on that shortly.

At the beginning of the year, a few workmates and I toyed with the idea of going on a Kenya safari and beach holiday in Diani. 

Since none of us had ever been to the country, let alone a safari, we did not know how to begin the process. Discussions on the matter sort of fizzled out until a few months later when I found myself idly watching a wildlife documentary.

According to the documentary’s narrator, Maasai Mara is one of the parks with the most animals and hosts the largest overland animal migration on the planet!

Now this I had to see. 

I also learnt that the entire spectacle takes place every year between July- October and involves more than two million wild animals.

Reviving our discussions in earnest, my workmates were equally curious about this phenomenon and couldn’t wait to find out more.

Given the novelty of the trip, we decided to enlist the services of a professional tour company.

Our travel partner

After sifting through dozens of tour companies, we opted to go with AjKenyasafaris limited. Our decision was informed by the impression the agency created during our free call with them.

Unlike some of the other agencies we tried to contact, these consultants promptly picked our call and were willing to address any concerns and queries we had.

Also, they gave us the option of choosing what can be included in our 3 days Maasai Mara itinerary and what should be excluded. Alternatively, they said, we could opt to go with their pre-packaged Maasai Mara itineraries if we so wished.

Discussions with the travel agent also served to enlighten us more about the country and its attractions. 

While we had been ignorant of our destination at the beginning, our talks with the agent left us feeling informed and in control of the decision making process.

We also learnt what we would require during our travels. That included the documentation needed, immigration requirements, vaccinations, and recommended clothing.

With all that information at hand, we confidently scheduled our trip for August. That would ensure we had a chance at catching the annual wildebeest migration and see the great spectacle firsthand.

The Maasai Mara safari 3 days tour

Come the day of travel, we departed Lagos for Nairobi by air, a trip that took approximately five hours.

Having fulfilled all the immigration requirements, our arrival process at the airport was quick and easy and in no time, we were on our way.

Just outside the arrivals gate, we were pleasantly surprised to find a driver from the travel company awaiting us.

After jovially welcoming us to the country, he loaded our luggage and off we went.

From Nairobi, visitors to the Maasai Mara have the option of taking a road trip or traveling by air. 

Since we would only be spending 3 days in Maasai Mara, and we had already spent 5 hours on our international flight, we opted to take a domestic flight to the Mara.

Our driver therefore took us to Wilson Airport (still within Nairobi) for our 50-minute Maasai Mara flight.

We arrived at the reserve in the evening and checked into our hotel, the Mara Fairmont lodge.

While the hotel cost $250 per person per day, it was money well spent, given the world class 5-star accommodation and treatment we received. 

Also, the lodge is adjacent to one of the most important features in the Mara ecosystem- the Mara River, the primary supplier of water to the animals of the Mara. 

That means visitors staying at the lodge get a consistent viewing of a variety of various animals.

Due to the lodge’s strategic location, I got to see a leopard on my first night as he came by to quench his thirst. 

Initially, I was unaware of how special the sighting was, until one of the lodge’s staff mentioned that leopards are highly elusive and difficult to spot during the day. 

They are nocturnal hunters who prefer to lounge on tree branches during the day and can mostly be seen in action at night.

Our 3 Days Maasai Mara itinerary

Our Maasai Mara Safari 3 days Tour took off on a high note with a hearty breakfast on our second day, after which we embarked on a full day game drive organized by our travel agent.

We piled onto the luxurious 4×4 safari Land Cruiser which offered excellent game viewing thanks to its customized open sides. If you are on a budget, you can use the cheaper safari van. Mostly a Toyota Hiace or a Mazda Bongo with a customized roof. 

Since the road from Nairobi to Masai Mara is a smooth ride, those on self-drive trips can use off-road vehicles such as the Toyota Harrier, Mazda CX-5, Toyota Prado and other off-road vehicles. 

Since the vehicle had a raised body, we could safely yet comfortably view the animals and take pictures while at it.

It was also fitted with a cooler meaning we had cold refreshments on standby. 

During the game drive, we learnt that Kenya has plenty of the big five (elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino, and leopard). We saw them in large numbers during the day (save for the nocturnal leopards).

Being the migration season, we also saw massive herds of wildebeest, zebra, gazelles, and other herbivores. 

They would thunderously cross the Mara River in droves, making the ground rumble. It was an indescribable experience.

These animals also had to constantly fend off predators whose numbers were just as plentiful. These included lions, jackals, hyena, crocodiles, wild dogs, cheetah, and lots of other reptiles and carnivorous beasts.

Later, we stopped for a picnic lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive.

Our 3 days in Maasai Mara came to a close on the third day with an early morning game drive followed by lunch at the lodge.

We then departed for Nairobi via road and managed to stop over at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint along the way.

Against the setting sun, it provided the perfect scene for some amazing insta-worthy photos.

The 3 days Masai Mara safari was the perfect introduction to Kenya and I cannot wait to go back and discover more.