9 things people get wrong about a Maasai Mara safari

Some common misconceptions about coming to the Maasai Mara, from the lodge I started and run here. A few of these came up when I had this discussion with someone on Reddit recently.

"The road to get there must be horrible"

It's a full tarmac road and you can easily drive yourself, at least till Sekenani where Mara Hilltop is located. If you are staying in Talek or some of the conservancies, then it is a bit bumpy dirt-road in the final hour or so.

For us, only the last ~800m up the hill to the lodge is a muddy road (a normal sedan is totally fine - we get plenty of self-drive guests in sedans without 4WD). I'd say leave Nairobi around 8-8:30am to reach the Mara around lunch time.

"Kenya can't be safe, DRC and Somalia are right there"

This is the Reddit one. Here's what I told them.

DRC is actually quite far away, and when it comes to safety and the overall law and order situation, they're incredibly different countries. It's like worrying about coming to the US because of issues in Guatemala. The maps don't do justice to how big Africa is, and there's Uganda in between DRC and Kenya. They're worlds apart imo.

Somalia does share a border with Kenya. The UK travel advice says don't travel to most of the areas along that border (Mandera, and parts of Wajir and Garissa) or to Lamu County outside Lamu and Manda islands, plus a few other remote spots in the north. The Mara is in Narok County, nowhere near any of it.

Kenya is very safe and the tourism infrastructure is very developed: good lodges, good roads, good guides and companies. Tourists usually land in Nairobi, do Maasai Mara, Naivasha, Amboseli and head to the coast for Diani or Watamu. Incredible places, all of them. And literally everyone speaks English here, it's one of the friendliest countries imo.

"It's going to be really hot"

Nairobi, Naivasha and Maasai Mara are at a height, it's actually really pleasant weather throughout the year. At night, it goes down to 14-16°C (57-61°F), colder in June-August, so you need good cozy duvets / blankets at night (and a fleece for early drives) - you do not need an AC at night at all.

"There will be mosquitoes everywhere"

There are actually very few mosquitoes here, a lot fewer than people expect. I don't know exactly why, but I think it's the height and the cold nights.

Malaria is still around though. The CDC recommends malaria tablets for Kenya below 2,500 m, game parks included, so ask your doctor and bring repellent. Our luxury tents have double mosquito mesh built in, and every room has a mosquito-repellent machine.

"In the bush, it's the lions you have to worry about"

Nope. It's the elephants, buffalos and the hippos you really gotta worry about.

A Kenya Wildlife Service study counted deaths from wild animals in Kenya over ten years, 2007 to 2016.

The numbers come from compensation claims by people who live next to wildlife across Kenya.

From my experience, in about two and a half years at the hilltop (counting the construction) I've only seen a couple of small snakes, which the security handled quickly in the grass. But again, this is the wild nature, so you never know, right? From what I understand, at least at the hilltop it's not really a problem. And because there's no rivers up here, there's no crocodiles around.

After dark we always have security that escorts people back and forth to their rooms, and they're Maasai security, so there's nothing to worry about. Before dark it's not even needed, but if you want an escort they're there. And this is honestly more for mental satisfaction. Even if the animals are in the vicinity, they don't specifically come looking for where the humans are to destroy things. They want to do their own thing and they want the humans to do their own thing, which is why it's not as much of an issue as people think. Sometimes there's elephants that do come close, in which case security helps navigate people around them, or we stay indoors until they've left.

I've heard some animals are more aggressive, like the tigers in India. Wild tigers don't exist on the African continent, so we have to be a bit thankful for that.

"The Maasai are from a different world"

They're traditionally super connected to nature and to their culture, and they often choose to live this way. Most of the ones I've met are really happy in their life. It's just fascinating that they're very one with nature. They really know their medicines and herbs, and they actually live quite long, even if their methods are not similar to city life.

Our guides are local Maasai (John, Ken, Tim and Jacob grew up here) who know the land and animal movements better than anyone else - they truly make a big difference.

"Lodges inside the park see more animals"

"Inside" vs "outside" the park mainly changes your park entry fees. The Mara isn't fenced, so animals roam freely everywhere, and you get the same wildlife around the lodges outside the gate. I once had a leopard walk out of the bush about fifteen meters from me on my motorcycle, on an errand run to Sekenani Gate.

"There's no internet in the bush"

There's amazing WiFi throughout the lodge, Starlink, very stable and fast (150+ Mbps). I'm a digital nomad myself and built this lodge for someone like me to be able to work out of the Mara.

"A safari is only for rich people"

It can be, but it doesn't have to be. If you're feeling a bit adventurous, take an EasyCoach bus from Nairobi to Narok (~3-4 hrs), then a shared taxi from Narok to Sekenani Gate (~1 hr). That's around $20-25 total, and we pick you up from Sekenani Gate for free. A lot of our dorm guests do this, and it's safe.

Park fees are the big fixed cost: $100 per adult per day from January to June and $200 from July to December for non-residents.

— NJ