What to do on your Masai Mara Kenya Safaris

Masai Mara National reserve is the most famous wildlife conservation area in Kenya and indeed the world. This game reserve is home to a rich variety of wildlife in a natural and untouched state. We offer daily departures for our Masai Mara Kenya safaris.

Masai Mara National reserve has a rolling savannah landscape dotted with shrubs and bush thickets, and is the Kenyan part of the large ecosystem stretching south to Serengeti in Tanzania.

The wildlife in Masai Mara National reserve is varied, ranging from the big cats to elephant, rhino and vast herds of herbivores such as wildebeest. A true animal kingdom!

• Area:1510 sq km Altitude: 1500 to 2180m [4950-7195 ft]
• Access from Nairobi: Road : 270 kms ( 5.5-6.5 hours ) Air :60 minutes, daily flights.
• Location:Masai Mara National Reserve is in the Rift Valley Province, S. W Kenya and S.E of Lake Victoria.
• Animals:Prolific wildlife , including the “big 9” and many more carnivores and plains herbivores.
• Vegetation:Open savannah and light patches of bush, woodland. River forests along the Mara river.
• Birds:Rich variety , including birds of prey such as vultures commonly found in Masai Mara and other Kenya parks. Other parks in Kenya such as Lake Nakuru however have a more diverse bird life than the Mara.
• Accommodation:Several lodges, ranging from luxury to budget as well as campsites within the reserve
• Safari Attractions:Wildlife all year round, and the annual wildebeest migration between July and September makes Masai Mara a prime safari location.

Activities in Masai Mara Tours

• Daytime Game Drives

The key focus to most safaris in the Masai Mara National Reserve is the actual game drives. The visitors have the option of choosing a full day game drive or two shorter ones during the day.

Whatever you choose, the guides will give it to you. There are always trained game guides at your disposal to take you round and answer your questions and concerns.

Enjoy the great wildebeest migration. We offer daily departures for all our Masai Mara Kenya safaris. Best prices guarantee.

• Night Game Drives

Who said you can only enjoy game drives during the day? You can actually take a night drive if you are that adventurous individual willing to experience the nocturnal life of the game reserve. Just like the daytime drive, we ensure the safety for everyone.

However, night game drives are not for the faint hearted. The reflection of a predator’s eye in the torch light can send chills down your spine. The experience of being in the wild at night is in itself so exciting, so go ahead and take the chance.

• You can decide to take a nature walk

Visiting the Mara is not just about jumping onto the truck and taking a ride around the park. Sometimes it helps to go another way. You can take a walk, with guards in tow of course, and experience a whole new level of the Mara’s ecosystem.

Taking this walk not only helps you stretch your legs, but also, you get to see some of the smaller habitats that are rarely seen from the height of the game vehicles. You get to be in tune with the nature more closely while on foot than while in the vehicle.

A briefing is always conducted to tell you how to react when you meet the bigger animals, but then again, such incidences rarely occur and when they do, the guides are always available and they know what to do.

• Enjoy a Hot Air Balloon safari with champagne breakfast

Balloon safaris are very thrilling as visitors enjoy a birds eye view of the expansive Masai Mara National Reserve. You get a rare chance to see all the animals from the bird’s eye view and also the beautiful Masai Mara flora and the terrain.  Masai Mara is such a beauty from the air and you will get great photos from up there.

Well, there you have it. A million reasons to visit the Masai Mara National Reserve. The experience you get there will give you magical memories that will last a lifetime.

The cost for a Balloon Safari in Masai Mara is $420. At Jamboree Africa Tours and Safaris (JATS), we have a special balloon Masai Mara Kenya safaris offers at $390 per person and for groups exceeding 5 travelers at $360 per person.

• Bush Camping

This is mainly for the highly adventurous and risk taking individuals. You can set up camp and organize a party with your friends and family in the wild. Although spending the night in a campsite is not as comfortable as a hotel room, but the experience is magical.

The thought of preparing meals in the wild and sleeping and waking up to the sounds of elephants splashing in the rivers or hearing buffaloes walking around is just thrilling. This is the ultimate definition of an authentic African safari experience and the memories made are unforgettable.

• Visit the Masai villages and enjoy the Masai culture

So you came to the Mara but taking a game drive, long walks or bush camping is not your kind of fun? Well, there is something else that you can do to keep you busy and kick boredom away. You can sit back, relax and enjoy the rich Masai culture.

Since Masai Mara is in the land of the Maasai group in Kenya, most of the guides are definitely from this community.

Your guide can take you to the Maasai village where you get to experience the culture. Their villages are yet to be interrupted by commercialism, therefore, while there you get exposed to the reality of how the Maasai live and operate daily.

Conservation in the Masai Mara National reserve

The Masai Mara has a strong but vulnerable eco system with thousands of tourists annually visiting the reserve, putting pressure on the environment. Conservation in the Mara is of paramount importance, and has been targeted at preservation of the wildlife and environment.

Like most third world countries, Kenya has growing demand for land, with the increasing population ever searching for more space to live and cultivate on. The Mara has its share of human-animal conflict.

This is an issue being taken up by government, conservation bodies and NGOs. Funds are a major problem when it comes to conservation and often, organisations involved in conservation bodies depend on charities and donor funding.

Read More on Wikipedia.

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About Hells Gate National Park

Hell’s Gate National Park – “A Walk on the Wild Side”. The name Hell’s gate comes from the intense geothermal activity within its boundaries. Hells Gate National Park is a remarkable quarter of the Great Rift Valley. Spectacular scenery including the towering cliffs, water-gouged gorges, stark rock towers, scrub clad volcanoes and belching plumes of geothermal steam make it one of the most atmospheric Parks in Africa. Hell’s Gate is an ideal venue for a day trip from Nairobi where, in addition to the bio-diversity that includes raptors, visitors can enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing and a natural spa.

Hell’s Gate is not a Big Five destination. However, there is plenty of wildlife, but aside from buffalo – nothing to worry about – which makes walking and cycling excellent activities. Burchell’s zebra, Coke’s hartebeest, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle and impalaare the main grazers. You can also encounter Giraffe and Defassa waterbuck. Olive baboons are all over the cliffs. Predators aren’t easy to spot, but cheetah is here, while spotted hyena and black-backed jackal can sometimes be seen at dusk.

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Activities in the Hells Gate National Park includes

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Tsavo West National Park Overview

Tsavo West National park has a rolling volcanic landscape and is home to the “big five” animals. It also offers a temporary home to a huge number of migrating birds between October and January.

Tsavo West National Park was established in 1948 and is bordered by Taita Hills to thorests at the water margins. It covers a total area of 9065 sq kms and hosts a wide variety of wildlife species from the ‘Big Five’ (Lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant), numerous other carnivores, gazelles to over 150 bird species.

The park also has the Mzima springs, Shaitani Lava Flow which consists of caves, three craters, basalt flows and lava splashes. It is also rich e east and Tanzania to the south east with areas of unending succession of fantastic views across the plains dotted with fin graphite, marble andsulphite deposits.

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Fact File on Tsavo West N.P

Area : 9065 sq km Altitude: 200 to 1000 m [656 – 3280 ft]
Access from Nairobi / Mombasa: By Road : 275kms ( 5 hours )
Location : In Eastern and Coast Province, South East of Nairobi
Animals : Numerous – The Big Nine, and plenty other herbivores and birds
Vegetation : Open savannah and light patches of bush, cactuslike euphorbia trees
Facilities : Lodges and camp sites are available
Attractions : Mzima springs, Big Five, Rhino sanctuary

Pros

• Great wilderness destination
• Wide variety of animal with the Big Five present
• Excellent birding; many dry-country specials
• A chance of seeing rare black rhino in the Ngulia rhino sanctuary
• Walk along Mzima Springs, a beautiful oasis with hippos and crocodiles
• Opportunity to see hippos underwater from the observation chamber at Mzima Springs
• Views of Kilimanjaro on a clear day

Cons

• Wildlife densities are rather low
• Most tourist facilities are in a small area

Wildlife

Tsavo West is a real wilderness destination. All of the Big Five are present, but wildlife densities are lower than in some of the more popular parks in Kenya. However, there is a good variety of animals with many dry-country specials, including the shy lesser kudu and the rare fringe-eared oryx. Large elephant herds can be found gathering at the waterholes.

Check more on Wikipedia.

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Divided into 3 parts by the Tiva and Galana rivers, the Tsavo East National Park is Kenya’s largest National Park covering an area of 11,700sq kms. But its huge size has also been its enemy and the park has been hard hit by poachers who slaughtered horrifying numbers of rhinos, elephants and other species.

At just over 21,000 km sq, Tsavo National Park is the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. Because of its size the park was split into two, Tsavo West National park and Tsavo East national park, for easy administration. Midway between Nairobi and Mombasa the area boasts volcanic hills, four rivers, more than 60 major mammal species and 1000 plant species.

Tsavo East National park, across the highway, has rolling scrub-covered hills and is home to large herds of elephant and buffalo. Other places of interest in the area are the small village of Makindu with its Sikh temple and nearby Makindu Handicrafts Co-operative; the Lava Flows of Shetani and Chaimuwhich offer fun caving; and Taveta, which can be used as a base to enjoy swimming with the pygmy crocodiles in Lake Chala or exploring Lake Jipe by motorboat or traditional dugout canoe.

It is a hot, waterless dry region with an annual rainfall of less than 51cm recorded, and has a large diversity of landscapes from the gorges of Lugard falls with its water carved rocks to the natural catchment at Muanda.

The park has dramatic sights of large mammals including great herds of elephant, antelope, hippos, black rhino, eland, lions and giraffe plus a host of birdlife. It is an ideal place for exclusive camping, game circuts and adventures and is the greatest of all Kenya’s parks. The middle section of the park has many rock and cave paintings.

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Fact File on Tsavo East Park

Area : 11,700 sq km Altitude: 200 to 1000 m [656 – 3280 ft]
Access from Nairobi / Mombasa: By Road : 270kms ( 5 hours )
Location : In Eastern and Coast Province, South East of Nairobi
Animals : Numerous – The Big Nine, and plenty other herbivores and birds
Vegetation : Open savannah and light patches of bush, cactuslike euphorbia trees
Facilities : Few lodges and camp sites
Attractions : The Big Five, rock and cave paintings

Check more on Wikipedia.

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Samburu National Reserve is situated within the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Measuring approximately 104sq. kilometres (approx. 65sq. miles) in size, this unfenced savannah grassland is roughly 350 km (217 miles) from Nairobi.

It is relatively small in size compared to other Kenyan parks, such as Tsavo or Masai Mara.

Samburu national reserve derives its name from the Samburu people of Kenya who have lived in the area for many years.

The Uaso Nyiro River cuts through this reserve, drawing a big population of Kenya animals to the park. The river bustles with activity from its huge population of Nile crocodile.

The reserve’s topography is mainly open savannah (grassland) with clusters of acacia trees, forest, thorn trees and grassland vegetation.

Samburu National Reserve was one of the two areas in which conservationists George and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness. Their story was made famous by the bestselling book and award-winning movie “Born Free”.

The game reserve is renowned for its rare species of animals unique to the park, namely: the long necked gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe and Beisa onyx. The elusive Kenya leopard is often known to visit the park, especially in the evenings.

Other Kenyan wildlife present in the park includes cheetahs and lions, as well as elephants, buffalo and hippos.

Birdlife is as plentiful as wildlife at Samburu National Reserve, which boasts over 350 different species of birdsincluding vultures, kingfishers, marabous, bateleurs, guinea fowl, Somali ostriches and others.

Samburu National Reserve Climate

The climate in Samburu is hot and dry during the day, and cool during nights and evenings.

Average maximum temperatures are around 30°C (85°F) with minimum tempatures of approximately 20°C. Most rain falls between March and May, with short rains falling from November to December, recording a total maximum rainfall of 350mm. July through October and January through March are mainly hot and dry.

How to Get to Samburu National Reserve

By Road: Kenya Expresso Tours and Safaris will make all your travel arrangements using a vehicle of your choice, either an open-topped minibus or safari van tour with a tour guide. The park is located about 345km (approx. 214 miles) from Nairobi, or about a five-hour drive. The roads and tracks to the park are all weather. The reserve is accessible by road via Isiolo and Archer’s Post.

By Air: The game reserve is accessible by air and there are daily flights from Nairobi to Samburu that you can book online. Travel time is about 45 minutes and the flights land at the park’s airstrip. Private charter flights are also allowed to use the airstrip.

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What to See & Do in Samburu National Reserve

Game Viewing: In the southern part of the park, you are guaranteed to see most of the Kenyan animals found in Samburu, namely: cheetahs, lions, leopards, impalas, buffalo, hippos, and dik-diks, as well as the native gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe and Beisa Oryx. You are guaranteed to see most animals during the dry season as they converge at the Usaso Nyiro River, their main source of water during the long dry weather. Elephants are also spotted during this time, and you can watch the Nile crocodiles swim in the river.

Bird Viewing: Samburu National Reserve is a paradise for bird lovers, with over 350 species of birds already recorded. You can enjoy a colorful assortment of birds such as vultures, kingfishers, marabous, bateleurs, guinea fowl, Somali ostriches and many more.

Samburu Cultural Tours: Visit the local Samburu villages where you get a chance to interact with the colorful Samburu people in their traditional setting and experience their culture. This is a good opportunity to purchase traditional Samburu souvenirs, art and collectibles.

Best Time to Visit Samburu National Reserve

The months of December through March and July through October are dry, making them by far the best months to visit the Samburu National Reserve. April through June are also good months but might be rainy.

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Mwea National Reserve was gazetted in 1976 covering an area north-west of Kamburu Dam at the confluence of Tana and Thiba rivers. Two islands within Kamburu dam (constructed in 1976) are in the protected area.

On the southern boundary is the Tana River, the eastern is the Thiba River and the northern boundary is an electric fence that stops animals from invading Makima settlements. The earliest human settlement in Makima dates from 1914, though wildlife conservation intervention was not until 1972.

Mwea National Reserve is today co-managed between Kenya Wildlife Service and Mbeere County Council. Mwea National Reserve Trust was founded in 1991 with the aim of soliciting funds to develop the reserve. Quite a number of projects have been funded through donations including a boat and outboardengine, energy saving jikos and translocating zebras.

Climatic conditions in Mwea National Reserve

Semi-arid with an annual rainfall of 510-760 mm per annum

Major attractions in Mwea National Reserve

Game viewing; boat rides at Kamburu dam; hippo point; realm of rare birds; walking circuit

Wildlife

Elephant, lesser kudu, Nile crocodile, hippo, giraffe, Burchell’s zebra, buffalo, leopard, grey duiker, black-backed jackal, bushbuck, waterbuck, olive baboon, Sykes’ monkey, serval cat, spotted hyena, warthog, rock hyrax, bush pig, impala and hartebeest. Rare animals including stripped ground squirrel, genet, blackbacked jackal, yellow baboons, are also found in Mwea

Birds: over 200 species of birds. Mwea is renowned for its water birds and waders. The only protected area in which the globally threatened and Kenya-endemic Hinde’s babbler is known to occur, the Reserve also shelters two other rare species; Pel’s fishing owl and the white-backed night heron.

Access

Road: From Nairobi via Thika-Matuu- Masinga Dam (160 km). This route is surfaced until Masinga Dam Bridge – a further 10 km of dirt road lies between here and Makima Gate. Access is also possible via Embu-Machanga.

Air: Masinga airstrip near Masinga Lodge. By Air: Masinga Airstrip near Masinga Lodge

Accommodation

There are no lodges, tented camps or self-catering accommodation options in Mwea Reserve. Masinga Lodge is located at Masinga Dam outside the Reserve.

Best time to visit

All year round

Activities

Game viewing, bird watching.

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About Meru National Park Kenya

Meru National Park is wild and beautiful. Straddling the equator and bisected by 13 rivers and numerous mountain-fed streams, it is an especially beautiful area of Kenya.

It has diverse scenery from woodlands at 3,000 feet on the slopes of Nyambeni Mountain Range, northeast of Mount Kenya, to wide open plains with wandering riverbanks dotted with doum palms.

Game to view includes: lion, elephant, cheetah, leopard and some of the rarer antelopes; LesserKudu, duiker and Dik Dik, one of Africa’s smallest antelopes. Large prides of lion can be seen and some of Kenya’s largest herds of buffalo. The rivers abound with hippo and crocodile, fishing forbarbus and catfish is permitted at camp sites and along the Tana River. In the mid 1980’s, the Park suffered from poaching, however Kenya Wildlife Service armed wildlife security patrols have driven out the poachers and the elephant population has stabilised with breeding herds settling down.

Over 300 species of birds have been recorded including: the Peter’s Finfoot which inhabits theMurera and Ura Rivers, the Pel’s Fishing Owl, kingfishers, rollers, bee-eaters, starlings and numerous weavers.

The Park is most famous as the setting for Joy Adamson’s book “Born Free” — the story of the Adamson’s life and research amongst lion and cheetah. “Elsa” the lioness was the most well-known and her grave is marked here. One lodge and two tented camps are planned inside the Park. There are eight special campsites which must be pre-booked, one public campsite, Kenya Wildlife Service self-help banda and Leopard Rock bandas (total 120 beds).

On the border of Meru National Park is Bisanadi National Reserve. Known as ‘Kinna’, the border between Meru and Bisanadi Parks is the traditional division between the Meru and Borantribespeople. The Reserve was opened in September 1979 and occupies an area of 606 square kilometers. A true wilderness area without any accommodation it is only accessible by 4WDvehicles. There is an airstrip at Korbessa.

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Another area made famous by the Adamsons is Kora National Park. Opened in October 1989, 280 kilometers northeast of Nairobi, it is an easy outing from Meru National Park. Covering an area of 1,787 square kilometers, bounded by the Tana River, George Adamson’s camp was here until he died. A feature is the sudden appearance of lush green “oases”, created by the lines of doumpalms which shelter the banks of the Tana River. Striking are the Inselbergs — isolated rocky outcrops covered in vegetation which create random islands above the plains. Kora has diverse wildlife: 21 species of fish have been recorded, with 500 species of insect, 33 molluscs and 40 reptiles. Species to view include: elephant, Lesser Kudu, wild dog, striped and spotted hyenas, leopard and cheetah.

Other regional Parks include Rahole National Reserve, offering a wide variety of plains game, hippo, crocodile and excellent bird viewing; also Mwingi National Reserve, formerly North Kitui. Game to view includes hippo, crocodile, buffalo and warthog.

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Lake Nakuru National Park was established in 1961. It now covers an area of 180km² (69.5 square miles) and is situated in the Great Rift Valley – 156km northwest of Nairobi in the Nakuru district of the Rift Valley Province.

Lake Nakuru National Park is managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service. Lake Nakuru is a large, shallow lake surrounded by marshes, woodland and grassland. There are some rocky outcrops and the largest euphorbia forest in Africa on the eastern side.

The lake is fed by three main rivers; the Njoro, the Makalia and the Enderit rivers, as well as several springs. The park has very good roads and some excellent viewpoints overlooking the lake from Baboon Cliff and Lion Hill.

The lake supports the blue-green Cyanophyte Spirulina Platensis, which is the main food source for the brilliant pink flamingoes that can be found wading on the lake’s edge.

At times, there can be up to two million greater and lesser flamingoes and tens of thousands of other birds. Food conditions change periodically, and the number of birds fluctuates at times so, if possible, you should check with the national park before making a long journey to view the birds.

It is also a good idea to carry a spotter’s guide to identify the many animals and Kenya birds you will see here.

Lake Nakuru National Park also offers sanctuary to huge numbers of native African animals including waterbucks, warthogs, impalas, buffalo, Rothschild giraffes, elands, endangered black rhinos, white rhinos and, occasionally,leopards.

A large herd of hippos have a territory in the northern part of the lake, making for interesting game viewing.

Climate in Lake Nakuru National Park

The climate around the lake ranges from cool to hot and humid. The annual rainfall is 965mm which is lower than many other parts of Kenya. The wettest months are March to May and October to December, but even at these times it is not as rainy as other areas.

How to Get to Lake Nakuru National Park

By Road: Kenya Expresso Tours and Safaris will make all your travel arrangements using your vehicle of choice, either an open-topped minibus or safari van tour. It is 156km northwest of Nairobi to the main gate and 4km from Nakuru town.

There are also gates – the Lanet gate from the Nairobi-Nakuru road and the Nderit Gate if traveling from Maasai Mara or Elementaita.

By Air: Chartered light aircrafts may land at Naishi airstrip.

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What to See and Do at Lake Nakuru National Park

Bird watching: Enjoy the fabulous water birds and other bird species. The best place to view the birds is from Baboon Cliff, where you get an excellent view over the lake, and the wonderful spectacle of pink flamingoes along its edge.

However, the number of birds in the park fluctuates as food conditions change, so check the bird population with the national park before making the journey.

Game viewing: See the endangered white rhinos and other animals including waterbucks, warthogs, hippos, impalas, buffalo, Rothschild giraffes and more.

Drive through the unique vegetation and the biggest euphorbia forest in Africa.

Viewpoints include Lion Hill, Baboon Cliff and Out of Africa.

Visit the beautiful waterfall at Makalia.

Best Time to Visit Lake Nakuru National Park

The best months to visit are June to September and January to March. However the rainy seasons are generally not as wet as other areas and the roads are good year-round

Check more on Wiki Travel.

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Kisumu City – Kenya Tourist Attraction Destinations

Today Kisumu city is Kenya’s third largest city, with a population of around 160,000. It is situated on the north tip of Winam gulf, which in itself is part of Kavirondo Gulf of Lake Victoria.

Kisumu at one time was the major port of Lake Victoria during the commonwealth of East Africa. Since the breakup of the community, Kisumu’s importance has declined. Ships, such as the majestic RMV Victoria, were built here at the time.

It is a matter of pride to report that the many negative aspects such as potholes, security, have improved considerably and drastic steps are now being taken by the town council to supply clean water on tap to the residents of Kisumu.

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Thee have also been significant developments in Kisumu city such as the Kisumu Museum now well known throughout the world for its fine collections on native Luo culture and the local wildlife.

The old market is still running strongly. On the outskirts of town, attractions range from Hippo Point, at Dunga, just south west of Kisumu, known for its hippopotami and occasional crocodile and not forgetting the loveliest sunset on the lake, to Jamhuri Gardens with lovely grounds for strolling and studying indigenous plants and flowers.

Western Kenya Circuit  Safaris

Explore Western Kenya – Lake Victoria, Kisumu city, Ndere island, Kakamega forest and more, through visiting the western part of Kenya. These hidden treasures gets well off the usual tourist routes. You will embark on guided walks to unique destinations, and absorb the cultures and ways of life of a number of local people, including a home stay with villagers from the Luo tribe. Some highlights include, boat ride and Crescent Island visit on Lake Naivasha, Rhino, lion, buffalo, impala, gazelle & warthog at Nakuru National Park, guided walks in Kakamega rainforest, Kit Mikai, the Crying Stone, traditional Home stay experience.

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Kakamega Forest – Kenya Game parks and Reserves

The Kakamega National Reserve is a 36 km2 reserve, situated at the north end of the Kakamega forest, in Western Province, Kenya. The forest is at an elevation of about 1560 m, along the northeastern edge of the Lake Victoria basin.

Along its eastern edge rises the partially forested Nandi Escarpment which runs along the western edge of the Rift Valley. The Kakamega Forest is generally considered the eastern-most remnant of the lowland Congolean rainforest of Central Africa. Faunally and florally, Kakamega is dominated by central African lowland species, but due to its elevation (predominantly between 1500 m and 1600 m) and proximity to the formerly contiguous Nandi Forests it also contains highland elements and is thus unique. The forest boundary (including the reserves) encloses about 238 km2, of which less than half is still indigenous forest.

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Throughout the Kakamega forest are a series of grassy glades, ranging in size from about 1 to 50 ha, with a few larger clearings. The origins of the glades are uncertain. Some are certainly recent clearings, but others predate recent records. These may have originated from past human activity such as cattle grazing or may be the result of herbivory and movements by large mammals such as buffalo and elephants (both now extirpated from the region). The glades vary a great deal in structure, some being open grass and others having a considerable number of trees or shrubs. A number of streams and small creeks run through the reserve. The larger creeks are usually bordered by a few to tens of meters of forest on either side which divide the glades, while the smallest creeks flow through open grasslands, often forming small marshy patches.

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