Masai Mara National Reserve
Masai Mara National Reserve is the northern extension into Kenya of the famous Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It is known for hosting the "Big Five" large mammals: the lion, African elephant, African buffalo, leopard, and black rhinoceros.
If you would like to go on safari while you are in Kenya, you may want to consider one of the three options listed below. Please note that only Option 1 is affiliated with and will be coordinated through Village Volunteers.
Option 1: From Namunyak Maasai Welfare
Emmanuel Tasur, the Namunyak Maasai Welfare Executive Officer, offers volunteers a personalized day-long trip to Masai Mara
for $200 USD per person. This cost includes transportation to and from Masai Mara, admission to the park, and lunch on the reserve.
Itinerary
Namunyak Maasai Welfare is located in Oronkai Village, approximately two hours away from Masai Mara. On the day of your safari,
you will depart early in the morning to allow the maximum time to explore the park and take pictures. For lunch you will dine
in a nearby resort.
How to Register
To sign up for this safari,
please email
volunteer@villagevolunteers.org, 6 weeks prior to your departure for Kenya, and request that Safari Option 1
be added to your Volunteer Program invoice. Your safari fee is paid through Village Volunteers in advance of your arrival in Kenya.
Option 2: From Nairobi (by car)
From Nairobi, the In-Country Coordinator can arrange a 2-day safari to Masai Mara for $200 USD per person. This cost includes
1 night full-board accommodation, 2 game drives, transportation to and from Masai Mara, and park entrance fees.
For an extra $30 USD, the safari driver can depart from the traditional route to include a visit to a Maasai village where you can visit with a Maasai family, tour the homestead, and take pictures.
While on game drives, you will ride either in a 4-wheel drive safari van or a 4-wheel drive truck. You will most likely
ride with other tourists from the US and Europe. (Usually other people staying at the same lodge as you.)
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart Nairobi early in the morning
(8:00 or 9:00 am) for the Masai Mara National Reserve. The drive
is about 4-hours long, and you will go through the beautiful
Rift Valley into the Maasai plains. Stops will be made at various
points to take pictures of the spectacular scenery, and there
will also be a stop for lunch at a cafe. (This lunch is included
in the package and is at no extra cost.)
Upon arrival at Masai Mara, you are taken to Mara Hippo or Mara Sopa
Lodge. Both lodges are set in the Oloolaimutia Valley and blend
in perfectly with the surrounding hillside landscape. The focus
here is on the Maasai people and the amazing wealth of wildlife,
birdlife, and natural flora to be found in the fabled Masai
Mara Game Reserve. In the afternoon, you will go on a game drive
in the rolling grassy hills where you will encounter elephants,
lion, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, vultures,
African birds of prey, wildebeest, and hyena. You will have
dinner and stay overnight at Mara Hippo or Mara Sopa Lodge.
Day 2: You will have an early morning game drive and will return to the lodge for breakfast. After breakfast,
you will check-out and return to Nairobi. Depending on the morning game drive and traffic on the highways, you could be back in Nairobi any time between 2:00 and 6:00.
How to Register
To sign-up for this safari, please directly contact Mark Gaya at rasrizla@yahoo.com or Wendya Gaya at wendy2gaya@yahoo.com.
This safari is not coordinated through Village Volunteers and each volunteer is responsible for making his or her own arrangements with Mark or Wendy.
Option 3: From Nairobi (by plane)
From Nairobi, the In-Country Coordinator can arrange a 2-day safari to Masai
Mara for $555 USD per person. This cost includes 1 night full-board
accommodation, 2 game drives, transportation to and from the
airport, airfare, and park entrance fees.
While on game drives, you will ride either in a 4-wheel drive safari van or a 4-wheel drive truck. You will most likely
ride with other tourists from the US and Europe. (Usually other people staying at the same lodge as you.)
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart Nairobi’s Wilson Airport in the
morning by scheduled flight into the Masai Mara National Reserve.
The flight is approximately 45-minutes long. On arrival at the
airstrip, you are met and taken to Mara Hippo or Mara Sopa Lodge.
Both lodges are set in the Oloolaimutia Valley and blend in
perfectly with the surrounding hillside landscape. The focus
here is on the Maasai people and the amazing wealth of wildlife,
birdlife, and natural flora to be found in the fabled Masai
Mara Game Reserve. After lunch, you will go on a game drive
in the rolling grassy hills where you will encounter elephants,
lion, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, vultures,
African birds of prey, wildebeest, and hyena. You will have
dinner and stay overnight at Mara Hippo or Mara Sopa Lodge.
Day 2: You will have an early morning game
drive and will return to the lodge for breakfast. After breakfast,
you will check-out and be taken to the airstrip for a scheduled
flight back to Nairobi.
How to Register
To sign-up for this safari, please directly contact Mark Gaya at rasrizla@yahoo.com or Wendya Gaya at wendy2gaya@yahoo.com.
This safari is not coordinated through Village Volunteers and each volunteer is responsible for making his or her own arrangements with Mark or Wendy.
