Massai Mara

Visiting

Unequivocally one of Africa’s most prized spectacles, the annual wildebeest migration is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that should be on every wildlife enthusiast’s bucket list. The movement of wildebeest and other herbivores across the Serengeti National Park and Masai Mara consists of more than 1.5 million wildebeest, 500 000 zebra, 18 000 eland and 200 000 Thompson’s gazelle. The herds are closely followed by an assortment of predators making for some action-packed game viewing opportunities

The wildebeest migration follows the year’s annual rainfall so its appearance in Tanzania and Kenya is weather dependant. Our travel consults are updated weekly by our guides in the field who closely monitor the location of the wildebeest migration throughout the year. This enables us to advise you on the best destination to visit during your particular time of travel.

Game parks are a major source of hard currency for Kenya. Entry fees are currently US$80 for adult non-East African Residents and $30 for children.There are a number of lodges and tented camps for tourists inside the Reserve and the Conservation area borders. The tourists/visitors cater for their own expenses, unless previously arranged by their agencies.

Although one third of the whole Maasai Mara, The Mara Triangle has only one lodge within its boundaries (compared to the numerous camps and lodges on the Narok side) and has well maintained, all weather roads. The rangers patrol regularly which means that there is almost no poaching and therefore excellent game viewing. There is also strict control over vehicle numbers around animal sightings, allowing for a better experience when out on a game drive.

Lodges and camps are available inside the Reserve including Keekorok. Balloon safaris are also available. Early morning departures let visitors see the vast landscape, the rising sun, and the gatherings of animals.

Mara Serena Airport, Musiara Airport and Keekorok Airport are located in the Reserve area of the Maasai Mara. Mara Shikar Airport, Kichwa Tembo Airport and Ngerende Airport are located in the Conservation area of the Maasai Mara.

The currency is the Kenyan Shilling, where KES1 is made up of 100 cents. Please check with your hotel for daily exchange rates. Foreign currencies such as the USD are widely accepted. However, please note that dollar bills printed before 2003 are not accepted in Kenya, as there was a large amount of illegal processing of dollar bills in the country at that time. High denomination notes may also not be accepted.
Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express are accepted by most restaurants, shops and hotels. Proof of identity may be requested, so be sure to carry a passport or some form of photo identification at all times.

Safety

The usual safety guidelines apply – don’t leave your luggage unattended and always keep your valuables close by or locked away. It is advised you check with your tour operator or hotel concierge - they will know if there are any potentially unsafe areas along your travel route.

It is wise to avoid deserted areas, particularly at night. Dress-down (i.e. don’t wear excessive jewellery) when exploring Africa’s diverse cities. Concealed travel wallets are recommended.

Passports & Visas

As of 02 July 2015, anyone who requires a VISA to enter Kenya must apply for an eVisa via https://immigration.ecitizen.go.ke/index.php?id=5

This includes visas previously obtained at port of entry into Kenya. Processing time is 1 week and after 01 September 2015 travellers may be denied boarding of their flight if not in possession of a valid eVisa.
Passports are required by all foreign visitors and must be valid for 6 months after the intended length of stay. Please ensure that you have at least 2 consecutive blank visa pages (not endorsement pages) in your passport. Our recommendation is 3 or even 4 blank pages if you are travelling through more than one country. If there is insufficient space in the passport then entry could be denied.
Where visas can be obtained at port of entry (excluding Kenya), fees are payable in US dollars cash only; we recommend small denominations as officials are not in the position to give change.
It is recommended to obtain visas prior to arrival as there is a likelihood of long queues at all airports.
If connecting between Kenya and Tanzania in particular it is advised to obtain visas before travel to save connecting time.

Guests travelling from Tanzania to Kenya must obtain a valid Kenyan visa before travel in order to confirm domestic flights between Nairobi and the Masai Mara National Park. This is due to the delays in the processing of visas for guests connecting between Arusha, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya and the knock on effect on domestic flight schedules.
Guests arriving at Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro Airports (Tanzania) and subsequently traveling to Kenya are required to obtain a Kenyan visa before travel.
Depending on nationality and country of origin, visa requirements may vary or change without notice. We advise checking with the appropriate consular authority prior to departure. Should the appropriate authority confirm that visas can be obtained on arrival, please ensure you have the applicable fee available.
Officials may not have sufficient change – it is recommended that all fees be carried in small-denomination US Dollar bills issued after 2008.

Maasai Mara

Visiting

Best time to visit

Currency

Safety

Passports & Visas