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A safari is on almost each traveler’s bucket checklist, and in case you’re keen to leap by the mandatory hoops to get to Africa, it may be an epic expertise. However I’ve additionally seen firsthand that planning a visit to Africa for a safari just isn’t for the faint of coronary heart.
Final yr, I traveled to the Masai Mara area of Kenya for a safari as a part of my honeymoon. The Masai Mara is, in my view, the simplest place to plan a safari – and probably the greatest to see probably the most wildlife, too. It’s a fantastic start line for anybody seeking to take a safari journey.
Even so, the planning course of felt a bit overwhelming. Ultimately our journey went off (largely) with out a hitch. Now I’m right here that will help you do the identical.
If you happen to’re contemplating touring to Africa, advance preparation is vital. Listed here are my safari planning ideas that will help you put collectively a stress-free journey to the Masai Mara this yr or subsequent.
Why the Masai Mara?
I’m tempted to only let a number of of my photographs reply the query: Why ought to I plan my safari journey to the Masai Mara in Kenya?
Quite a bit went into the choice to plan my honeymoon within the Masai Mara as a substitute of one of many different fashionable safari websites in Africa.
The Masai Mara, also referred to as the Mara, is likely one of the hottest safari locations on this planet, and for good purpose. It’s a comparatively small space in comparison with the neighboring Serengeti (about 10 occasions greater than the Mara) as an example, however the animal populations there are thriving.
The Masai Mara is 583 square miles, so it’s not precisely an intimate setting both, however there are an estimated 850-900 lions in that space alone, and the safari guides know precisely the right way to discover them.
The tip consequence: You don’t need to drive far to seek out wildlife exercise within the Masai Mara.
You may get proper up shut and private to the animals, too. The wildlife are used to people and are utterly unthreatened by us as a result of they’re protected. Whereas poaching and looking of those animals was an issue, it’s been all however utterly eradicated within the area, in line with our guides.
The Masai individuals are strict conservationists with a religious attachment to the land. It’s a superbly maintained area of Africa, making it presumably probably the most fertile wildlife-spotting area on this planet.
And, the entry to this land is wonderful. Each safari clothes shop and safari lodge has a fleet of vehicles just like the one above. These vehicles are sturdy and may drive virtually in all places. We logged dozens and dozens of onerous miles on daily basis.
By onerous miles, I imply onerous miles. The roads are extraordinarily bumpy and we didn’t see a patch of pavement for 5 days whereas we’re there. (Be sure you convey dramamine if you’re vulnerable to automotive illness.) However the drives are value each bump and may take you to some spectacular vistas and wildlife viewing factors.
One more reason why the Masai Mara is an ideal safari vacation spot are the lodging alternatives. Simply have a look at this Google Maps “motels” seek for all the area.
There are dozens of choices for guests with designs on a Masai Mara journey at every kind of value factors.
All through Africa, yow will discover different actually nice safari alternatives, too. Simply to the south of the Masai Mara is the Serengeti in Tanzania, which is a a lot bigger, extra unfold out model of the Mara. If you happen to’re seeking to see species of gorilla, a visit to Uganda may be the most suitable choice for you. And if you wish to see South Africa, there are many day journey wildlife excursions from there, too.
However for my cash, if you need an immersive safari camp expertise with the perfect alternatives to see lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and extra, the Mara is the perfect wager.
Moving into Africa
If you happen to’re bought on a visit to the Masai Mara, there are some issues you must know and get completed earlier than you may enter Tanzania or Kenya. The Masai Mara is in Kenya, however it borders Tanzania and plenty of vacationers – together with myself – will mix the 2 international locations right into a single journey in the event that they’re making the lengthy journey to East Africa.
Once I boarded our flights to Tanzania and Kenya, I clutched a folder filled with paperwork and knowledge for my spouse and I, and a few of these paperwork got here at no small price.
From required vaccinations, to e-visas, and lingering COVID-19 restrictions, right here’s what you must know to enter Kenya or Tanzania.
Paperwork Required to Go to Kenya and Tanzania
There are some issues I all the time convey with me on worldwide journeys, like photocopies of my passport and detailed, printed out itineraries of all the journey. However my folder was a little bit further plump heading to Africa.
Right here’s a operating checklist of what each particular person must enter each Tanzania and Kenya:
- Well being surveillance kind (COVID-19-related)
- E-Visa (~$100)
- Passport (with six months of validity left)
- Yellow Fever vaccination card
- COVID-19 vaccination card (CDC playing cards have been accepted in each international locations)
First issues first: Be sure that your passport has six months of validity previous your arrival date in Africa. Kenya and Tanzania each require vacationers to have six months of passport validity to enter the nation.
About one month earlier than our journey, my spouse found hers was not eligible, so we had to do an Urgent Travel Passport renewal. It was hectic, however utterly doable.
The COVID-19 well being types can be found on every nation’s U.S. Embassy web site. You will discover the most recent restrictions and types on Kenya’s COVID-19 U.S. Embassy site and Tanzania’s COVID-19 U.S. Embassy site.
Absolutely vaccinated vacationers don’t want to check earlier than getting into Tanzania or Kenya.
Along with the COVID-19 necessities, each U.S. traveler to Kenya and Tanzania wants an e-visa that you would be able to full earlier than your journey. Fortunately, these e-visas are very straightforward to fill out on-line and printing out your e-visas forward of your journey will prevent precious time on the airport upon arrival.
You’ll must enter a bunch of details about your journey and take a headshot of your self for the e-visa, as properly.
You’ll be able to fill out these types at Kenya’s e-visa website and Tanzania’s e-visa website.
We’re all used to COVID-19 restrictions, visas, and passports, however the trickiest entry restriction for Tanzania and Kenya is the Yellow Fever vaccine requirement.
The Yellow Fever vaccine is fairly broadly obtainable in america, however it’s not a cheap shot. With out insurance coverage, the Yellow Fever vaccine can price anyplace from $200 to $400. And it’s important to have that yellow vaccination card as a way to enter both nation.
My recommendation? Schedule a go to with a journey drugs physician. My spouse and I went to an appointment collectively and the physician advised us all the beneficial vaccinations for the area and was capable of administer our Yellow Fever vaccine and provides us our proof, all in a half-hour’s work.
Different Issues You’ll Want within the Masai Mara
Along with the necessary pictures, our physician additionally beneficial we take a Malaria remedy. Malaria remains to be comparatively prevalent in East Africa. The mosquito stays the deadliest animal on the continent of Africa yr after yr.
Malaria sequence fluctuate. Ours was a capsule that we began taking a number of days earlier than the journey and continued taking each day by about two weeks after the journey.
Relying by yourself vaccination historical past, the physician would possibly let you know to re-up on another vaccinations earlier than heading to Tanzania and Kenya, too. I, as an example, additionally bought the Typhoid Fever vaccine in the course of the go to to cowl my bases.
Once more, I’d advocate reserving an appointment to deal with this stuff. Our physician laid out all the things in clear phrases to us, together with what we would have liked, what we must always have, and what we might elect to get when it comes to vaccinations for Africa.
Tips on how to Get There
In relation to planning a safari to the Masai Mara, the perfect place to fly to earlier than you join onto a bush flight is Nairobi Worldwide Airport (NBO).
NBO is an especially well-connected African hub the place almost each main airline flies. Whether or not you favor SkyTeam companions like Air France and KLM to Star Alliance companions like SWISS, Lufthansa, and Turkish or OneWorld companions like Qatar Airways, and different favorites like Emirates, you’ll have the ability to discover a connecting itinerary to NBO, no drawback.
Moreover, NBO is a hub for Kenya Airways, which has a fairly strong route community all through Africa, Europe, Asia, and even to New York (JFK).
For our journey to Africa, we flew Qatar Airways from Chicago (ORD) by Doha (DOH) to Zanzibar (ZNZ). After a number of days there, we grabbed a fast Kenya Airways flight from ZNZ to NBO.
We even bought a glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro alongside the best way!
Past Nairobi, you may as well fly to Dar es Salaam (DAR) in Tanzania, which has some connectivity to the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. Identical goes for Mombasa (MOI) in Kenya.
However far and away, probably the most handy choice is to begin your journey with a flight to NBO.
Flying to the Bush
It’s attainable to drive to the Kenyan bush, however it’s not suggested. It’s a few of the roughest bodily terrain on this planet. The roads are hardly roads. From all the things we learn, it’s actually a idiot’s errand. Your greatest wager for attending to the Masai Mara is to fly in on one of some airways that provide service to the area.
Airways that service the Masai Mara embrace Safarilink, Air Kenya, or Mombasa Air Safari. Safarilink and Air Kenya function out of Nairobi-Wilson Airport (WIL) which isn’t to be confused with Nairobi Worldwide Airport (NBO). Mombasa Air Safari operates out of Mombasa in jap Kenya.
In an effort to fly to the Mara from Nairobi, it’s important to get a automotive service or taxi between NBO and WIL. A one-way automotive service booked by Kenya Airways (our inbound flight operator from ZNZ to NBO) price us solely about $30, however the drive took near an hour. Nairobi has a few of the worst automotive site visitors on this planet, so construct in a multiple-hour connection in case you’re altering airports.
One of the best ways to e book these airways is immediately by their web site. However if you wish to get a way of their approximate schedules first, you may seek for flights to the Masai Mara on Google Flights – though the small print might be deceptive.
This desk, from Safarilink’s web site, offers you a way at how ceaselessly they function flights from Wilson (WIL) to the Masai Mara.
These flights, whereas frequently operated, aren’t your typical point-to-point flights. In virtually each case, these planes are making a number of stops on their option to the ultimate vacation spot, even when the fare is bought as a “nonstop” flight. Safarilink hundreds and flies these planes primarily based on how many individuals are flying which routes.
Additionally, Nairobi-Wilson just isn’t your typical airport. Every airline has it’s personal “terminal” like this one we used for Safarilink.
It’s fashionable and good on the within, that includes a present store, an upstairs lounge for paying clients, and a snack bar within the again proper of the picture above. However, attending to this terminal was a visit. Each automotive goes by the gates of the airport into what I can solely describe as a whole free-for-all, with automobiles and individuals are zig-zagging each which means.
As soon as inside, nevertheless, Safarilink made all the things fairly clean. We checked in with brokers behind the counter and so they whisked our luggage away for our flight.
Let’s speak about luggage. On our option to Africa, flying Qatar Airways Enterprise Class, we got basically zero restrictions about how a lot we might or couldn’t convey. That isn’t the case on these tiny Cessna planes into the Masai Mara. The bags restrictions are extraordinarily strict, so it’s important to pour over your fare phrases and circumstances earlier than you board.
We expertly packed our suitcases to fulfill very particular weight restrictions. Essentially the most distinctive restriction: You aren’t allowed to have any hard-sided suitcases onboard Safarilink and different bush flights. That seemed to be the norm for all of the airways servicing the Masai Mara. Exhausting suitcases are harder to pack into the underbellies of the tiny planes.
With a baggage weight restrict of 33 kilos (or 15 kgs) per particular person, I needed to buy an additional heavy bag every means that would weigh as much as 50 kilos. We stored the opposite one shut sufficient to 33 that the agent allow us to slide with only one further bought bag.
From the terminal window, we might see our aircraft able to depart. As you may see, it isn’t fairly the 787 we arrived to Africa on.
When it was time to fly, we lined up exterior of the aircraft to board, advised a baggage handler which luggage have been ours, and he gave us a thumbs up that we might get on the aircraft. We have been assigned seats in row two. Apparently row one is for the pilots.
It was a cool vantage level of a flight and one thing like I’ve by no means skilled. The flight took about 45 minutes from “gate” to “gate”. We even noticed some elephants from above as we have been descending.
The aircraft goes by the runway very low earlier than the touchdown as there isn’t a air site visitors management to examine the landings. All the pieces is visible for the pilots. After touchdown on the grime strip, we have been within the Mara. It was a really cool expertise, total.
The Musiara Airstrip was the place our safari lodge advised us to fly for a free pickup. It was a sleepy little airstrip and possibly my favourite airport on this planet.
The “terminal” was three related benches beneath a solar shade. No Precedence Cross lounge or Hudson Information stand in sight.
Curiously, on our means again to Nairobi after the journey, Safarilink put us on a Dehavilland Sprint-8 dual-propeller aircraft, which was a lot greater than our inbound plane. With 20 rows of seats and devoted flight attendants, the best way again was a a lot totally different flight expertise.
Checking in from the Masai Mara consisted of our information speeding our paperwork as much as the flight attendant, who checked us off the manifest and allowed us to board. She advised us which row to take a seat in after we bought on.
Right here’s one final have a look at the Musiara Airstrip parking zone and terminal as my spouse gave a remaining look on the Mara.
Tips on how to Discover a Safari Lodge
When it comes time to seek for a safari lodge within the Masai Mara, I’d begin with two sources.
- The Masai Mara’s listings of accommodations
- After which for extra particulars about these properties: Google Hotels
Google Accommodations is nice useful resource to start narrowing your search due to its filters. You’ll be able to filter for issues like “all-inclusive obtainable”, “pool”, by star ranking, and far, way more.
Utilizing Google Accommodations, you may get your checklist of potential properties all the way down to a manageable degree very quickly.
If you happen to’re trying to make use of factors and miles to e book, take your search outcomes to these particular loyalty web sites. There aren’t many western lodge chains (in addition to Fairmont) with safari lodges within the Masai Mara, however most of the safari lodges you’ll discover are bookable by journey portals the place you can use your hard-earned factors.
We used the Capital One travel portal to e book the Neptune Mara Rianta Luxury Camp. We paid for our keep by the portal as we have been making an attempt to hit a spending bonus on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card on the time, which earned us 10x factors on the keep. We additionally bought $300 back onto my credit card statement thanks to the Venture X’s annual travel credit, too.
Right here’s what the itemizing appears like for Neptune on the Capital One Journey Portal for a one-week’s keep in October 2023.
As you may see, camps like these aren’t low-cost. Every week at Neptune will price you greater than $5,000 or a half one million Capital One factors. However almost all the things is included in that price, which might prevent numerous complications in case you select to go that route.
Ought to You Guide An All-Inclusive Safari Camp?
Reserving an all-inclusive safari camp is the easiest way to go about reserving a safari, in my view.
There are only a few, if any, foods and drinks choices exterior of those resorts as a result of the Masai Mara is an especially wild place! The native individuals, the Masai, are a really conventional group, which means foods and drinks service is completed virtually solely on the resorts. Subsequently, the resorts can cost exorbitant quantities to visitors not staying on all-inclusive charges.
Whenever you e book an all-inclusive fare, you don’t need to sweat hour-to-hour about feeding your self. The resort takes care of all of it.
You may as well e book all-inclusive lodge charges that embrace your inbound and outbound bush flights and your recreation drives, too. In our case, at Neptune, the speed we booked by Capital One didn’t embrace our recreation drives, which have been $75 per day plus the charge to enter the parks. (Extra on that later.)
General, the all-inclusive charges are the most suitable choice for many vacationers, until you’re extraordinarily assured in your potential to get across the African bush and feed your self.
Neptune Mara Rianta Luxurious Camp
There’s no scarcity of epic safari lodges on this area. You’ll see many of those camps marketed on the perimeters of the opposite automobiles if you drive across the Masai on recreation drives. Governor’s Camp and Little Governor’s Camp, for instance, is likely one of the fanciest (and priciest) choices for vacationers. Angama Mara is one other higher-end choice.
The camp we selected after weeks of looking out and pouring by opinions was the Neptune Mara Rianta Luxurious Camp. The primary evaluate on TripAdvisor began with “We cried after we left.” I used to be bought.
Neptune Mara Rianta Luxurious Camp is located proper on the Mara River on the northern finish of the Masai Mara. You’ll be able to hear the hippos (safely down a steep, 30-foot embankment) oinking and grunting all day and all night time. The resort really offers you earplugs for this actual purpose, however my spouse and I delighted in listening to their hilarious symphonies.
Neptune has 20 tents on the property, every one dealing with the river. In the course of the tents is a big important lodge tent, that includes a spa, a lounge space, a bar, and a eating room. There’s a swimming pool within the again between the principle tent and the river, too.
We spent hours in the principle tent studying and enjoyable throughout our journey. The service was extraordinarily immediate. I used to be supplied drinks or tea the second my butt hit any of the couches or chairs.
The workers on the resort would additionally come discover us within the night hours earlier than dinner to ask us what our plans have been for the following day, which gave us a number of hours after every day’s recreation drives to unwind and take into consideration our plan for the following morning.
The eating room was stunning. The tent partitions could be rolled up every morning for breakfast, which put your proper among the many tree tops overlooking the river.
The meals was additionally distinctive. That is no buffet-style all-inclusive. Every four-course meal with limitless drinks was unbelievable, and we by no means had the identical factor twice in our 4-night keep.
If you happen to opted for a recreation drive that bought again round lunchtime, they might serve you at tables proper alongside the river. Hippos and different wildlife have been seen from the desk at lunch.
The rooms have been related to the principle tent by an extended, sweeping bridge that took you onto a strolling path. Our tent occurred to be the closest to the principle space, so our stroll was solely a couple of minute lengthy. A number of occasions we noticed tiny monkeys swinging from the timber as we walked to the tent.
The tents aren’t rustic as they sound – you’re not sleeping on the bottom Neptune. I’d describe it as glamping on steroids.
Every tent comes with its personal riverfront deck with a seating space exterior the place you may sit and eat, journal, or calm down.
The tents have tons of pure mild because of very massive home windows that may be rolled up or down. Each reservation is assigned a butler if you test in, and that particular person handles rolling up and down your home windows and turning your mattress down and cleansing your tent on daily basis. They even heat your mattress up for you with a bag of sizzling water throughout dinner.
The nights get chilly within the bush given it’s at a fairly excessive elevation, so these touches have been wonderful.
This is only one half of the tent. The opposite half had a wardrobe, a rest room room, a double sink, and a full stone bathe, too. I didn’t {photograph} that a part of the tent, however I can let you know it was a nicer rest room than 90% of the brick and mortar motels I’ve stayed in.
However the single greatest a part of the Neptune Mara Rianta Luxurious Camp was our information, Daniel. Daniel is the pinnacle information at Neptune and taught us a lot in our 4 days. We spent most likely three-quarters of our time within the Masai Mara with Daniel, who’s a local Masai and grew up within the area. He was humorous, sensible, and had an unbelievable eye for wildlife. Inside 5 minutes of selecting us up from the airport, Daniel discovered us some giraffe.
Daniel was extraordinary, and from speaking to the opposite visitors, there have been no slouches among the many guides at Neptune.
I can’t advocate Neptune Mara Rianta Luxurious Camp sufficient. It was an ideal safari lodge expertise. Phrase is that camps like Governor’s are actually above and past, however it’s onerous to think about one other property doing it higher than Neptune did.
Sport Drives 101: What to Carry and Count on
Let’s get to the enjoyable half! You’ve completed all of the onerous work, you’ve bought all of the pictures, and now you get to begin daydreaming concerning the recreation drives. It’s the rationale you needed to e book this loopy journey to start with.
Sport drives are excursions into the bush, normally in an open-sided car, for the aim of viewing wildlife. Right here are some things I want I knew earlier than my first recreation drives this fall.
Pack a pair of binoculars. That is embarrassing to confess, however I forgot to convey binoculars. On a safari. I do know.
You don’t want an epic pair of monster binoculars to convey alongside. A pair of pocket binoculars will suffice. The guides usually get you so shut that you just don’t want binoculars in any respect, and by chance ours was form sufficient to share his with us on daily basis, however it could have been good to have our personal.
Carry loads of money earlier than heading into the Masai Mara. One other factor I didn’t know earlier than attending to the Mara was that every park has a cash-only entry charge. At one park entrance, we have been capable of pay utilizing a bank card as a result of the sky was clear that day (severely), however many of the park entrances for the sport drives required money cost for park entry.
Usually, that was a $75 per particular person charge, so it’s essential to have sufficient money for that. ATMs are scarce within the bush. We have been advised we might go to 1 if we would have liked, however it could be an extended, bumpy drive to get there.
U.S. {dollars} are broadly accepted within the Masai Mara, so that you don’t want an excessive amount of native foreign money, however you need to have loads of money for the park entrances and for tipping your information and the resort workers.
As is obvious from these photographs, there aren’t numerous Wells Fargos and even comfort shops within the space. Having money is essential if you’re that removed from a developed metropolis.
It’s each the allure and the disadvantage of the Mara. Be sure you’re ready to your journey earlier than you get in your bush flights.
Backside Line
A safari in Africa is actually a once-in-a-lifetime expertise. However planning and getting ready for a safari journey might be tough.
My very own journey to the Masai Mara area of Kenya final yr taught me loads about what it takes to journey to East Africa. Though the method can appear daunting, its not onerous to cowl your bases for an Africa journey in case you take the precise steps.
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