Reviews of safaris to Maasai Mara National Reserve
123 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Maasai Mara.
"Unforgettable Kenya experience"
The highlight of our trip was our time at Samburu, where we enjoyed (perhaps with some luck) exceptional moments (lions stalking impala herd, lion stealing a leopard kill, leopards climbing trees, cheetah making a kill among others) and had the privilege of travelling with one of the best guides we've ever experienced in Francis at Saruni Samburu - a breathtaking setting for a lodge!
Our time at Meru at the start of our trip and just before getting to Samburu gave us an intimate and involved experience which was a perfect way to kick-off the Kenya experience. After Meru and Samburu we enjoyed the overwhelming abundance of the Mara. Our stay was initially in the Mara North Conservancy where we were able to enjoy more flexible activities like walking safaris and night drives and concluded in the main reserve with spectacular river crossings on our last day in Kenya!
Throughout our trip, we felt very safe and the locals were always welcoming, cheerful and always happy to help and went the extra mile to make us feel comfortable and at home. We also had a vegetarian dietary requirement which was perfectly catered for throughout our trip at all the lodges. Recent events have hurt the tourist business in Kenya which is a real shame as the country, its people and its wildlife have a lot to offer and a lot for the rest of us to learn from!
We would absolutely visit Kenya again and almost certainly call ExpertAfrica on our next African holiday! Thank you very much for helping us with this memorable Kenyan experience!" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari
"Excellent Honeymoon in Africa"
In fact, we were already discussing plans to return before the trip was over. Kenya expert, Richard Trillo, and the rest of the Expert Africa team did a fantastic job. We are so grateful for the excellent recommendations and help planning this trip of a lifetime.
We will be using Expert Africa again to plan future trips.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No suggestions, everything was top notch!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 6 on a Kenya safari
"Trip of a Lifetime - exceeded my expectations"
We appreciate the honest descriptions on the website and in the brochure and for all the help from Expert Africa, in particular with your flexibility over the transferring of the deposit to the following year, for all the advice on the phone and for your help when we were delayed at Heathrow.
We would like to mention the wonderful service we received from Edward at Southern Cross. He was so much more than the "driver" we had anticipated. He acted as a guide and friend to us during our time in Nairobi, fitting in all the things we wanted to do, which included the Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum and two visits to the Elephant Orphanage, where he somehow got us the front of the queue at the 11am session. He didn't just drop us off, but came with us to help buy tickets and was very helpful when depositing and collecting left luggage at Wilson. We were delighted when he was there to meet us at Wilson airport on our last day. We really enjoyed our time with him.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
We really can't think of anything that you could have done to make our trip better. Everything you organised for us was perfect.
In all my communications with Expert Africa, I always felt that I was dealing with experienced and knowledgeable people who I could trust and who genuinely wanted me to have an enjoyable holiday. Thank you." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 7 on a Kenya safari
"Kenya 2015 - Absolutely fabulous !!"
Some of the best wildlife viewing I've ever had .
Lovely accommodation - would definitely go back to Rekero .
Feel a bit mean about comments I made regarding Little Governors , and I know it's very popular with many people , but
I just felt they are falling behind the competition somewhat. Particularly the food .
Many thanks to Richard Trillo for all his advice in the planning of this trip !
Will definitely use EA again
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Tell people that if they already have a visa when they arrive at Nairobi airport - do nand in the ""Visa"" line at immigration
Use the ""Other passports"" line
( go figure !)
Otherwise you will have to queue up twice!
Our transfer cars were absolutely great . Our driver Eddie said to say Hi to Richard Trillo.
We were told that the morning visit ( 11am - noon) to the David Sheldrick elephant orphanage was a bit of a bunfight and that as we had adopted two elephants and therefore qualified to visit at 5pm when they come home to bed ( by arrangement) - we should do that and not go at 11am.
The experience was great and there were only about 25 people there .
But the shop was closed at 5pm - and we had wanted to buy a hat that we had seen somebody else on our travels wearing.
So go early if you want to visit the shop too.
Nanyuki airport is really nice and has Wi-fi . Good restaurant and souvenir shop.
Nobody weighed our luggage anywhere except at Wilson airport - and even there they were not as strict as expected" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
"July 2015 Trip"
The full migration not yet happening as wilder beast content with grasses in Tanzania and major crossing not expected until Sept/Oct
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No
Would certainly recommend Expert Africa to other travellers." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
"My Jun 2015 trip"
"My Feb 2015 trip"
"My Nov 2014 trip"
I was first attracted to the EA web site by the concrete, hands-on reviews. Richard patiently answered our questions and dealt with our changing plans as we coordinated with friends working in Kenya. Once in country all our reservations, transfers and stays went smoothly except for one minor payment problem. The camps we visited were accurately rated and described on the EA site.
Although we arranged the Zanzibar portion of our trip on our own, James D. gave us good advice on our options there." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 7 on a Kenya safari
"Big Adventure"
I'd like to mention our transfer driver, John, who looked after us between the 2 Nairobi airports. He took great pride in looking after us at all times as we asked to be taken on quite a few detours and his friendly attitude and "mother hen" nature really put us at our ease in what for us was a very different environment from anything we'd experienced before.
For the entire holiday it was strange, but good, to be able to mentally sit back and be completely managed by others, leaving us to enjoy the moment without having to worry about how to achieve the next steps." Read full review: 6 nights in Africa; 4 on a Kenya safari
"Exceelent. A wonderful trip"
Timing was just about right--ie a week.
The Base camp Mara camp could have been better but it was only one night and set the other two camps up." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 7 on a Kenya safari
Where to stay in Maasai Mara
Our suggestions for safari camps in Maasai Mara National Reserve
Rekero
Rekero is an unpretentious, high-end safari camp, for travellers who take their wildlife watching seriously and are prepared to pay for an exceptional location.
Little Governors'
Little Governors’ Camp sits by a swamp (an old oxbow of the Mara River) in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It has its own balloon-launching site.
Tangulia Mara
Tangulia Mara is a rustic and traditional safari camp on the border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve owned by Jackson Looseyia of Big Cat Diary fame.
Governors' Camp
Governors' Camp is a large tented camp on the Mara River and one of the oldest in the Mara region, dating from 1972. Although unfenced, and regularly visited by elephants, the whole compound is always busy with human activity.
Serian Nkorombo
Serian Nkorombo is a luxury bush camp in the Musiara sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve on the east side of the Mara River.
Sand River Camp
Luxury colonial-style tented camp on the banks of the Sand River close to the Tanzania border – a great spot to see the wildebeest migration.
Sala's Camp
Sala’s Camp is a comfortable and intimate tented camp, with seven tented rooms, located on the banks of the Sand River, in the far south of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Governors' Il Moran
The smallest and most expensive of the three camps in the Governors’ group, Governors’ Il Moran Camp hugs a meander of the Mara River just 1km north of the main Governors’ Camp.
Mara Expedition Camp
Mara Expedition Camp is a small luxury camp located in a slightly elevated area of bush and woodland, just outside the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Basecamp Maasai Mara
Basecamp Maasai Mara is a family-friendly, award-winning eco-camp on a U-bend on the north bank of the Talek River, on the boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Ilkeliani Camp
Ilkeliani Camp is a smart elegant camp overlooking the Talek River, on the edge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Angama Mara
Angama Mara is a top-end luxury tented camp on the Siria-Oloololo escarpment of the Maasai Mara ecoystem, just above the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Ngenche Safari Camp
Mara Ngenche is a non-hosted, luxury tented camp with an antique style, which is perfect if you're looking for private dining while staying somewhere small and personal.
Tipilikwani Camp
Tipilikwani Mara Camp is a larger, mid-range tented camp offering good value from its base on the Talek River just outside the Mara National Reserve.
Mara Serena Safari Lodge
Mara Serena Safari Lodge is a large safari hotel with views of the Mara River, in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Mara Explorer Camp
Mara Explorer is a smart tented camp is in a scenic location on a bend in the Talek River.
Governors' Private Camp
Located on a secluded bend of the Mara River, Governor’s Private Camp has just eight tents and is booked on an exclusive basis.
Entim Camp
Entim Camp is well located in the heart of the Mara National Reserve, offering traditionally styled tented accommodation.
Naibor Camp
Naibor has a great location in the Mara reserve, and offers accommodation to suit different budgets, with stylish high-end tents and some simpler ones too.
Ishara
Ishara is a highly luxurious safari camp in the Maasai Mara, located on the Talek River, which is one of the best areas in Kenya for wildlife.
