Masai Mara National Reserve

The view, nature and silence

Masai Mara is a amazing place. Loved the horizons, silence and the variety of wildlife. Never expected it would impress me this much. Been in Kruger before but this is a totally different experience. More endless planes and in it, very easy to spot, birds and animals. Also liked the climate, due to the elevation it was just perfect between 20-24 degrees Celsius.

Better than expected

Because I had already seen the Northern part of Tanzania (which was amazing), I didn't think Masai Mara would be just as good. While Tanzania wins it in terms of scenic beauty and variation of landscapes, Masai Mara is equally good when it comes to wildlife. I had amazing sightings - lions (eating), cheetahs, a leopard closeby in a tree, a lot of elephants, hyena, topi, impala, giraffe and many more. I have some beautiful photos of all of them and also some stunning photos of the landscapes. I really loved the long drives on dirtroads standing in the vehicle with the wind and the sun in my face.

The weather was perfect. Not too hot. Not too cold. Only a few short showers in the afternoon. Accommodations were beautiful. Perfect trip altogether.

The experience was memorable.

Stunning wildebeast migration

During the big migration the Masai Mara turns into a full-blown spectacle: Virtually endless herds of wildebeast make their way to or from the Serengeti. Along with dramatic crossings of the Mara river. Think crocs...

We stayed at Little Governor's Camp. Their 4-star tents are amazing! They left me wondering how 5-star tents would look like... (which we recently tested in Botswana...)

Musa is a very knowledgeable n experienced guide who made the safari wonderful.

Ashnil mara is a beautiful property on the mara river n what makes it stand out are its Staff. Attentive, friendly n hardworking! The food selection was also very good n tasty. It was an experience of a life time we saw Wildlife, up close n personal! Our tour guide Musa knew exactly where to go n view the animals. The weather was a lil crazy with it being too hot when the sun was up. N too cold as the sun set. All the people we met from start to finish went the extra mile to make us hav a memorable n wonderful holiday.

June may not be the best time to visit

June, being the time of the year just before the Migration, was not the best time to visit. The grass was very high and smaller big cats like Cheetahs and Leopards were impossible to spot in the grass growth.

Still the bigger wildlife like Wildebeests, Buffaloes, Elephants and Giraffes were almost common without compromising on the 'wild' feel. Lions were quite easy to spot but the Male lions were quite elusive.

Out of Africa experience, wild and spacious

Beautiful scenery, lots of wildlife (big 5) spotted, excellent camps and truly a place to return to.

In Masai Mara the animals could not be counted they were so numerous, the grass lands were so vast. The number of Wild beasts ad Zebras was astounding. The sighting of lions, Cheetahs and Leopards at this place all in close proximity to each other was unique. Lions mating was seen in the wild by us. Even cubs playing freely in the bushes was very interesting.

The cherry on top! We saved the best for the last and the 3 nights in Masai were the best 3 nights. When we were there (mid July), the migration of the animals was full on and there were thousands of animals out in the savanna. The wildebeests and zebras crossing the Mara river was a treat to watch. We were also lucky to see a lion kill and to top it all off, 18 lions in one day.

Beauty beyond belief

My experience with Adventure Backpackers Tanzania was extraordinaire. Not sure why they call themselves "Adventure Backpackers" because there were backpacks insight? They used vans with open roofs for great access (360 degree view) of the vast Savannah. Nelson, the senior coordinator, was well organized, fair and dedicated to making sure our group's travel experience was fun and enjoyable. Celestine Mueni, sales assistant, was helpful and friendly. Debbie, travel consultant, was knowledgeable about lodging and resorts, she was very helpful. Cyrus, the safari driver, was knowledgeable and made sure we saw plenty of wildlife and explained many things about the animals living in their natural habitat. I loved my experience and plan to go on more safaris to other parts of Kenya and Tanzania--booked by Adventure Backpackers.