Can you guarantee we will see a river crossing?

No honest operator can. The herds follow the rain, and they love to change their minds. What we can do is place you in the right camp, give you three or more nights in the area and send a guide who knows the favourite crossing points. Most guests in August and September see at least one.

When is the best time to go?

Mid-July to the end of October, with August and September the peak. Outside those months the herds are in Tanzania, but the Mara still has excellent big cats and far fewer vehicles. Tell us your dates and we will be honest about what to expect.

Is this safari suitable for children?

Yes, from six years up. The game drives are long and the early starts are real, so we pace the days around young attention spans. Walking activities are for ages 12 and up.

Can we change the itinerary?

Absolutely. Add a night, swap a camp, bolt on Giraffe Manor or a beach finish. Everything on this page is a starting point, and sawa sawa, we can change it.

What does the price include?

Everything listed under Included: flights from Nairobi, accommodation, meals, house drinks, guiding, park fees and the private touches. International flights, visas, insurance and tips are extra. We confirm your exact quote in a written proposal.

How early should we book?

For July to September, twelve to eighteen months ahead is ideal. The best camps are small and fill quickly. Last-minute space sometimes appears, so ask us anyway.

7 Days Front-Row Seats To The Great Migration, Dust

A typical flow for this safari. Timings shift with the herds, the weather and your wishes, and your guide has the final say on where the action is.

Day1

Nairobi to Maasai Mara

Wheels Up, Lions Ahead

MorningMeet your guide at Wilson Airport and board a light aircraft for the Mara. The 45-minute flight is a safari by itself, with the Rift Valley rolling beneath your window.

AfternoonLand on the airstrip and your guide is already waiting. After lunch at camp, head out for your first game drive. Expect elephants, topi and, if the Mara is feeling generous, lions at sunset.

Overnight: Riverside tented camp, Maasai Mara
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Getting Around: Flight, about 45 min
Activities: Afternoon game drive

Day2

Maasai Mara, Mara River

Camped By The River

MorningUp before the sun with a flask of coffee. We head for the Mara River crossing points and settle in to wait. Herds can stand for hours, then cross in seconds, so patience is the real skill.

AfternoonA picnic lunch on the riverbank while we keep watching, then a slow drive back past giraffe and warthogs. Crossings cannot be promised, but we give them every chance.

Overnight: Riverside tented camp, Maasai Mara
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Getting Around: Private 4x4
Activities: Full-day game drive

Day3

Maasai Mara

Bush Breakfast, Big Cats

MorningTrack lions and cheetah in the early light, then pull up on a dry riverbed where a full bush breakfast has appeared, tablecloth and all.

AfternoonRest at camp through the heat, then an afternoon drive through the plains where the herds spread out. Sundowners on a rise as the light turns copper.

Overnight: Riverside tented camp, Maasai Mara
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Getting Around: Private 4x4
Activities: Morning and afternoon drives

Day4

Mara North Conservancy

On To The Quiet Side

MorningAfter breakfast, drive or fly to the private Mara North Conservancy, where vehicles are few and rules are relaxed. Your guide picks the best route for game on the way.

AfternoonSettle into your new camp, then head out in the afternoon light. Off-road driving is allowed here, so you can get close to the action without a crowd.

Overnight: Private conservancy camp, Mara North
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Getting Around: Drive, about 1.5 hr, or 20 min flight
Activities: Afternoon game drive

Day5

Mara North Conservancy

After Dark In The Wild

MorningA guided bush walk with a Maasai guide and an armed ranger, reading tracks and learning why dung is fascinating. Then a visit to a Maasai family for tea and beadwork.

AfternoonAfter a late lunch, go out at dusk for a night drive. Spotlights pick out leopards, hyenas, bush babies and serval cats you will not see in daylight.

Overnight: Private conservancy camp, Mara North
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Getting Around: Private 4x4 and on foot
Activities: Walk, village visit and night drive

Day6

Mara North Conservancy

Sunrise In The Sky

MorningOptional hot-air balloon flight at dawn, drifting over the plains with the herds below, followed by a champagne breakfast. Prefer to sleep in? Enjoy a lazy morning and a late game drive.

AfternoonYour last full afternoon in the Mara. We chase a last big sighting, then toast the trip with a private bush dinner under the stars.

Overnight: Private conservancy camp, Mara North
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Getting Around: Private 4x4
Activities: Optional balloon, afternoon drive, bush dinner

Day7

Mara North to Nairobi

Until Next Time, Kwaheri

MorningOne last slow breakfast and a final look at the view. A short game drive to the airstrip, then a morning flight back to Nairobi.

AfternoonLand at Wilson Airport in time for lunch or your onward flight home. We recommend a flight after 2 pm. Ask us about adding Giraffe Manor or a few days on the coast.

Meals: Breakfast
Getting Around: Flight, about 45 min
Activities: Transfer to airstrip

7 Days Front-Row Seats To The Great Migration,Dust Included

Why You Will Love This One

Two Camps, Six Nights

What You Will Remember