masai mara safari
Most of the year | $11950pp | Kenya
RIDE WILD on this offbeat safari
Overview
Step into the legendary Masai Mara (known locally as the Mara) — Kenya’s iconic game reserve and the stage for the breath taking Great Migration. Here, the wild unfolds all around you, from prowling lions and graceful leopards to herds of elephant, giraffe and zebra.
On fit, calm and responsive horses, you’ll meet these magnificent creatures up close with each day bringing a new view and encounter.
Guided by experts who know the land and its wildlife intimately and with a mobile tented camp that travels with your journey, you’ll move through the Mara in true safari style — staying in four exclusive locations and covering 250 km of untamed beauty.
This is not just a ride, it’s a journey through one of the world’s most extraordinary landscapes, a wild escape designed for those who seek both adventure and refinement.
What you need to know
$11950 USD pp with a shared tent (you can have a single tent for a surplus charge)
All meals, accommodation, activities, transfers, laundry & more included
Runs all year on select dates apart from April, May & November due to rain
7 nights
Encounters with giraffe, elephant, zebra, cheetah, leopard, lion & more
4-7 hours riding everyday
Shared, mobile tent accommodation
Fast riding
Land rover game drives
Generous and friendly hosts
No wifi and cell reception
Dates: Select dates all year apart from April, May & November. Please contact us for exact dates or have a look at the dates listed on the booking form here.
The Great Migration happens across the Mara river in July - September. Be aware that viewing this and riding amongst the herds cannot be guaranteed.
Price: $11,950 USD per person
Location: Kenya
Riding level: Advanced and experienced. Able to control horse in a group up to a gallop and get out of trouble calmly.
Time in the saddle: 4-7 hours a day
Horses: Thoroughbred and thoroughbred cross
Weight limit: 95kg
Currency: Kenyan shilling but USD is also widely accepted
Saddle type: English general purpose Wintec & leather general purpose
Need to know
OVERVIEW
Accommodation during the trip
All activities inc riding, game drives
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks & beverages
All conservation fees
Internal return domestic flights from Nairobi to the safari
Transfers associated with the safari
Dayroom in Nairobi on the last day if required
Laundry service during the trip (it’s asked that underwear is washed yourself due to cultural reasons)
All linens and towels & torches
Soap, shampoo and conditioner
What’s included:
Flights into and out of Kenya
Accommodation outside of the trip
Tips / gratuities. The recommended amount for safari staff is about $20 USD a day which you can leave in a tip box at the end of your stay. Tips for your guides are at your own discretion and should be handed directly to them. You aren’t required to tip your drivers in Nairobi.
Travel & medical insurance (this is mandatory)
Visas: every visitor to Kenya will need to apply for an ETA online before travelling.
Any vaccinations etc (please check with your doctor to see if you will require any)
What’s excluded:
Food: Meals consist of a full english breakfast, fruits, cereals, yogurts, bread etc for breakfast. Lunch is a smaller meal such as cold meats, quiche etc. Dinner tends to be meat such as fish & chips, BBQ beef fillet, spaghetti etc with dessert after if you can manage it :) Dietary requirements / preferences can be accommodated.
Accommodation:
Day 1: Mara river Hippo camp
Day 2: Mara river Hippo camp
Day 3: Escarpment soit Olololo camp
Day 4: Olare Orok camp
Day 5: Olare Orok camp
Day 6: Olare Lamun camp
Day 7: Olare Lamun camp
Accommodation is a mobile safari with a mess tent for meals and spacious 9ft x 10ft sleep tents. There is a long drop loo for every tent and hot bucket showers are always available
For those wanting more luxurious accommodation, rather than a tented safari camp, tailor made safaris from lodge to lodge can be organised.
Accommodation and food
Offbeats horses are based at Deloraine House, and are trucked to each safari destination ahead of guests.
All their horses are thoroughbred and thoroughbred cross and have excellent stamina as a result. They are well schooled and some also play polo and event.
They are therefore responsive, tough and fit, you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Horses
Riding hat, gloves and comfortable riding boots
Light and loose layers of clothing - neutral colours are best such as green, brown, navy, beige etc. It’s recommended to avoid colours such as white and cream.
A light rain jacket (depending on time of year you go)
Sunglasses & snood (for the dust)
Sun hat
Sun cream
Mosquito repellent
A water bottle (narrow sized 1L to fit in saddle bag, they will provide one otherwise)
Bum bag
Warm clothes for sleeping
A power pack for charging your phone
A charging adapter (for UK plug in the mess test, USB charging ports available on game drive vehicles)
A book for entertainment
Toiletries (remember lip balm, hand cream and moisturiser), towel, jodphurs etc
Swim suit & rafting shoes / flip flops
Camera gear & head torch
Binoculars
See our what to pack guide here for a full packing list.
A soft sided bag is preferred to a hard suitcase due to a charter flight with a strict 15kg weight limit inc hand luggage.
What to pack:
Itinerary
Day 1:
This morning you will either be collected from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or if you have arrived earlier, from your Nairobi hotel, and transferred to Wilson Airport for your 10am flight to Mara North in the Masai Mara. Your guides will meet you and drive you to your first camp, set up on the banks of the Mara River adjacent to a teeming hippo pool. Lunch will be served and you will have a little time to relax before meeting your horses and setting off on your first gentle evening ride. Approx 2 hours riding.
Day 2:
You will begin the day with an early morning ride, crossing the Mara River for the first time and returning to camp for a light breakfast. After breakfast, a game drive will be on offer. Driving provides better photographic opportunities than from a horse and exploring more of this northern part of the Mara has much to offer. You will return in time for lunch and a siesta before setting off on an afternoon ride. You’ll get back to camp in good time to shower and maybe set off in the vehicles once more for a sun downer and a short night game drive before supper.
Day 3:
You will leave camp after breakfast at about 9am, heading south towards the park boundary where you’ll meet the river again at one of the famous wildebeest crossings. You will cross the river and head southwest across the Mara Triangle, meeting the car with your picnic lunch at around 12:30. After lunch and a siesta, you’ll set off at about 4pm and ascend the Soit Olololol Escarpment. You’ll reach camp at about 5.30pm on the edge of the escarpment and spend the night overlooking the whole Mara ecosystem. Approx 5 hours riding.
Day 4:
You’ll descend the escarpment after breakfast at about 9am and ride across to the same wildebeest crossing on the river. You’ll head in a westerly direction and descend into the enchanting Olare Orok Valley with a picnic lunch and siesta between 12:30 - 3.30pm. Reaching your camp that afternoon, you’ll arrive just in time for tea. There should also be time to do an evening game drive and sundowners, before supper under the stars. Approx 5 hours riding.
Day 5:
Today you’ll have a full day of exploring the glorious area on horseback, car and possibly on foot. You will have excellent photo opportunities, getting close to buffalo, elephant, lion and maybe cheetah or leopard.
Day 6:
Your third moving day and you’ll break camp in good time as it the longest ride of the trip covering nearly 50kms. Setting off at 7am, you’ll ride through the morning, stopping for a picnic breakfast along the way. You’ll continue to cover ground with long canters before you break again for lunch and a siesta after reaching the Ol Kinyei Conservancy. That afternoon, you’ll reach your final camp at Ol Seki. Approx 7 hours riding.
Day 7:
After an early wake up, you will set off for a morning ride before returning to camp for breakfast. You will then set out for a game drive and beautiful walk up the nearby hill called Oloiburmut, returning to the camp for lunch and a siesta. At around 4pm, you’ll drive or ride to visit the local Masai village.
Day 8:
You’ll wake up in time to pack and enjoy a full English breakfast in camp before you game drive to the airstrip and fly back to Nairobi at approximately 11am. You will arrive back into Nairobi at midday, allowing plenty of time to reach your onward destination.
your guides
The team at Offbeat safaris will be your guides and hosts during your trip and have a stellar reputation for providing unrivalled mobile safaris on horseback amongst big game.
They’ve been operating since 1990 and are currently owned by a small group of people passionate about horses, Kenya and its wildlife.
Your guides will likely be Simon or Daisy and would not be complete without Netty, a Maasai spotter and guide with an uncanny perception for danger. They are all incredibly knowledgeable and passionate will no doubt have some interesting stories to tell.
The horses are just as much a part of the team as the guides & support staff are. All of the Offbeat horses are Thoroughbred or Thoroughbred cross and have excellent stamina as a result. They are well schooled and some even play polo and event.
They’ve all be chosen for their responsive and tough nature meaning you are well within good hands.
