Location and weather
The most famous reserve in Kenya, Masai Mara national reserve, is located in Narok county, adjoining Serengeti national reserve of Tanzania. From Nairobi, it is about 5.5 hours away by road, and about 45 minutes by air.
Masai Mara is located very close to the equator at an average altitude of 5500-6000ft., covering an area of ~1500 sq. kms. The temperatures ranges between ~12 degrees and ~27 degrees Celsius through the year. Early mornings and late evenings can get a bit chilly.
Masai Mara, Kenya 
Mara river, Masai Mara, Kenya 
Masai Mara landscape, Kenya
When to visit Masai Mara
There are basically only two seasons – Dry and Wet. March to May is the wet season with April being the wettest month. There are rains in November to February as well but these are ‘short rains’. Navigating the reserve during wet months or when it is raining becomes difficult, as the vehicular tracks get slushy and slippery. Additionally, small rivulets spring up that may block certain vehicle crossings.
Masai Mara is an ‘anytime during the year’ destination. But it is advisable to avoid the peak rainy season during March to May. Many resorts also close down during the wet season. The dry season from June to October can be dusty while driving but is the best time to visit. The peak season, coinciding with river crossing is July to September and it gets very crowded and relatively more expensive. November to February is also a fair time as short rains reduce dust significantly, there is less crowd and it is very pleasant to drive around the reserve.
How many days in Masai Mara
At least 4 days- there are several trails to explore in Masai Mara. If you are going for the Mara river crossing by Wildebeest during the Great Migration, a week may be required though even that will not guarantee a sighting. I spent 4 days in October and I was still not tired of game drives!
Where to stay in Mara
There are more than 100 camps in Mara. A popular categorisation of such camps is budget, mid range and luxury with per person, per night rates ranging from USD 100 to over USD 1000! You can stay in the main reserve or in the surrounding private conservancies. Both areas provide good wildlife viewing experience. However, private conservancies allow night game drives and bush walks, both of which are not permitted in the main reserve. However, the camps inside the main reserve also will make arrangements for bush walks if requested for. Further, I was told private conservancies will be less crowded because of certain restrictions but overall, they are more expensive. The main reserve is open for 12 hours a day.
If you are visiting Masai Mara to view river crossing by wildebeests, it might be more convenient to stay closer to the Mara river. This is because if you are a bit away and the driving time to Mara river is say 1 hour, you may have no choice but to opt for full day game drive with packed lunch.
The driving time from Nairobi is over 5 hours and the actual time would depend on the area you are travelling to. The western part is the furthest and may make sense to travel by air if you are staying there. The camps normally offer pick up from the nearest airstrip, either free or at a cost.
Does size of the camp matter?
Some of the camps like Mara Serene and Sarova Mara are large and accommodate over 100 people at a time. Others are smaller and some have 10 tents or less. A smaller camp means more personalized attention but they can also be more expensive. The camps in private conservancies are normally small.
Tents vs. lodges
The accommodation can be tented or brick and mortar structure or even a combination of the two. Tented accommodation is equally comfortable and therefore, this should not be a decision point.
Fenced vs. unfenced
Some camps are fenced while some are not. The smaller camps are likely not to be fenced. You will need to exercise more caution walking around in unfenced camps than in fenced camps but you will generally be escorted to and from your room in unfenced camps. Even in fenced camps, there will normally be guards around during the night.
The good part is that upon enquiry, I was told there have been no incidents involving guests and wild animals in camps-fenced or unfenced!
If you are travelling with kids, look for family friendly camps.
Activities
Most camps will offer activities such as visit to a Mara village, camp fire, bush breakfast, bush walks and hot air ballooning. These are charged separately unless you have a package deal. Some camps also operate a spa.
Off roading permit
In the main reserve, the safari vehicles can only travel on marked tracks. Off roading is not allowed. In case you are a photographer or simply wish to drive away from the marked tracks, an off roading permit has to be obtained which I am told is quite expensive and only some of the private conservancies allow off roading.
In any case, you will be able to clearly view bulk of the wildlife from the vehicle itself near the marked tracks and the need to go off road will generally not arise.
Any special packing needs?
The following items would be useful:
—A light jacket/windcheater for early morning and late evening game drives
—Camera cover to protect against dust
—Binoculars
—Light colored clothes as I was told darker shades tend to attract mosquitos and insects
—Hat with a string
—Dark glasses to protect eyes against sunlight and also dust
—Torch. May be required in the night if electricity is shut off though your camp is likely to have one.
—Mosquito repellent is normally available in hotels/camps but if you wish, carry a spray.
I used a DSLR with standard 55-250mm lens. This was adequate for most of the shots as the wild animals were close to the vehicle tracks. But this was not good enough to click smaller birds and wild animals at a distance. I missed clicking rhinos on two separate occasions because of the distance. Similarly, I missed some of the colorful birds perched on trees.
What I did not particularly like
Just couple of things. First is the crowd. On one occasion, there were more than 20 vehicles surrounding a pride of lions. More vehicles means more people, more noise and more disturbance. I did not enjoy watching animals with so many people around me. I travelled in October and I am told the situation is much worse in the peak seasons of July to September, especially on the banks of river Mara.
Traffic jam at Masai Mara, Kenya
Second is the dust. With so many vehicles, and considering vehicle tracks of mud and gravel, it is natural a lot of dust is raised. I was lucky as it rained the day before I arrived and also on the day I arrived but by Day 4 it started getting worse.
You will see plenty of wildlife in Mara almost throughout the day except perhaps the afternoons when it is a bit warm. Many animals tend to rest in shade at that time. I was able to view all the Big 5 during the 4 days, with the highlight being ‘welcomed’ by a lion while driving to the camp on the day of arrival and being ‘seen off’ while driving to the airstrip on the day of departure!
Apart from the Big 5, I could view giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, impalas, gazelle, wildhogs, and hyenas. There was plenty of birdlife as well-Ostrich, guineafowls, storks, cranes, vultures and many other colourful birds.
I flew Air Kenya’s Dash -7 aircraft to Mara and back. Mara has several airstrips with short runways made of mud and gravel. Both onward and return journey was comfortable, despite the scare of a flat tyre at one of Mara’s airstrips.
