Masai Mara

Within easy reach of Nairobi, and the Serengeti just over the border, the Mara has plenty to offer a Kenya family safari. The landscape typifies East African savannah: 1,100 square miles of endless plains under vaulted skies, thorn trees, winding rivers, dense forests, kopjes and undulations skirted by rivers, and the magnificent Oloololo Escarpment to the west.

There’s wildlife around every corner, up every tree and in every thicket: journeys of giraffe, crashes of rhino, dazzles of zebra, prides of lion, pods of hippo… and the ideal environment for cheetah in full sprint. Famous for the Great Migration and the Big Five, the very fortunate might glimpse roan antelope and bat-eared foxes too.

Staying within the reserve buys you quickest access to migration river crossings and beautiful ballooning — but the surrounding private conservancies boast far fewer vehicles and an enticing range of activities like walking, night game drives, horse riding… wherever you choose, you’re in for a bucket list family safari.

July to November is migration primetime, but the Mara is an excellent Kenya family safari destination year-round. We love the rains for dramatic skies and spectacular sunsets — a fabulous time for photography.

From visits to the local Maasai communities, to scenic flights and all-day game drives, adventure abounds in this family safari holiday wonderland.