Safari from Mara Hilltop
We sit a five-minute drive from the main Sekenani Gate of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Most guests do at least one game drive per day from camp.
Game drives
Morning drives leave at 06:00 to catch the predators. Afternoon drives leave at 16:00 and run through golden hour. Full-day drives include a packed lunch and cover more of the reserve, including the Mara River during migration season.
Hot-air balloon
A dawn balloon flight over the plains, ending with a champagne bush breakfast. Pre-bookable; runs subject to weather.
Walking safari
On-foot exploration with an armed Maasai guide outside the reserve boundary. Focused on tracks, birds, and the smaller story you miss from a vehicle.
Maasai village visit
A cultural visit to the neighbouring manyatta. Respectful, paid directly to the village, and arranged through camp.
When to come
Year-round wildlife. The Great Migration peaks in the Mara from August to October. Calving in the Mara ecosystem runs January to February. Green-season rates April to June.
What you'll see
Named for the entities that matter: lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest (especially July–October during the migration), hippo, crocodile in the Mara River, hyena, jackal, bat-eared fox, eland, topi, Thomson's and Grant's gazelles. The Big Five are all resident inside the reserve.
Game-drive logistics
Morning drives leave at sunrise (5:30–6:00 AM, returning around 10 AM for breakfast). Afternoon drives leave around 3:30 PM, returning by 7 PM. Full-day drives carry a packed lunch and cover more of the reserve, including the Mara River. Drives are in our own 4×4 Land Cruisers; typical ratio is four guests per vehicle, six maximum. Guides are local Maasai born on this land. Game-drive prices are per-vehicle, so groups get a better rate.
Balloon safari — the practical bit
Sunrise lift-off from a partner operator about a 30-minute drive from the lodge, one-hour flight over the plains, then a champagne breakfast in the bush. Pre-booking is essential — especially July–October during the migration. Budget around USD 450–500 per person depending on operator and season; we'll quote the current rate at the time of your booking.
Migration timing
July through October are the peak migration months as the wildebeest cross the Mara River from the Serengeti. Book four to six months ahead for these months. November to June is quieter, greener, cheaper, and still has all the resident wildlife — the big cats don't migrate.
Loita Hills overnight
Multi-day add-on for travellers who want to leave the reserve circuit. Ride or drive into the Loita forest, sleep in a Maasai homestead, walk with elders, and come back changed. Two to four nights depending on the route you want and the weather window. By request — we coordinate the route, the guides, the homestead host, and the return-to-camp window so you're not improvising at altitude.
Tell us how many days and what kind of safari and we'll plan it with you.