Location: Mara North Conservancy
Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
Accommodation: Mobile tented camp
Dates: Set dates
Riding Level: Intermediate+
Group Size: 10 riders
Accompanying non-riders welcome!

The Masai Mara is the epitome of East Africa - a landscape of rolling savannah and acacia woodland, crisscrossed by the Mara and Olare Orok rivers. Considered to be Kenya’s top wildlife sanctuary, and by extension, one of the best in the world, animals can still be seen in the kind of vast herds in which they once wandered throughout Africa. The flora, fauna, and fowl are phenomenal, with great numbers of big cats drawn to the density of the high plain and the annual migration of up to one million wildebeest, considered to be one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in the world.  Between the great wildebeest migration from July to October, or the warm, dry months of December to March, the game viewing is always spectacular. Furthermore, the Mara is home to the Masai people who are synonymous with the region. 

Safaris can be arranged for private groups (min: 4 riders, max: 12 riders) any time of year except April, May, and November for any duration from 5 to 10 nights. 

Tailor-Made Mobile Safari Rates

1 Rider: $4,400 per person per night

2 Riders: $3,300 per person per night

3 - 4 Riders: $2,200 per person per night

5 - 6 Riders: $1,750 per person per night

7 - 8 Riders: $1,500 per person per night

9 + Riders: $1,350 per person per night

Single Supplement: $100 per person per night

Lodge-based and lodge-to-lodge safaris can also be arranged. Contact us for details, pricing, and booking.

The horses are a mixture of breeds suitable for the tough terrain, ridden English-style in general-purpose saddles. They are used to living in close quarters with wild animals and are familiar with being amongst big game. Each horse is schooled for the sole purpose of carrying guests safely through the African wilderness.  

Advanced

All riders must be confident riding in a group and at all paces, of intermediate or better fitness and advanced riding ability, and have with them a sense of adventure.

English tack (general purpose saddles) or French cavalry saddles.

Terrain consists of open, grassy plains, hills, rocky outcrops, rivers, and mountains. Enjoy exploring the differing topography of the area: open bush, wooded riverine areas, wetlands, and strange rock formations home to large baobabs.

Tented Camp Mobile Safari

Riders will ride from camp to camp across the landscape, spending 1-2 nights in each place. Camps feature canvas tents and are furnished in a traditional safari style, with two single or one double bed. Specific details of each camp vary by itinerary.

Meals are provided by the camp chef, cooked over an open fire. Enjoy alfresco, candlelit dining to the sounds of the savannah, picnic lunches while on safari, and full-Monty breakfasts before each day’s ride. 

You will 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 (about 2 hours).

We begin the day with an early morning ride, crossing the Mara River for the first time, 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. We will return in time for lunch and a siesta before setting off on an afternoon ride. We will be back 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.

We leave camp after breakfast at about 9am, heading south towards the park boundary where we meet the river again at one of the famous wildebeest crossings. We cross the river and head southwest across the Mara Triangle, meeting the car with our picnic lunch at around 12:30. After lunch and a siesta we set off at about 16:00 and ascend the Soit Olololol Escarpment. We reach our camp at about 17:30 on the edge of the escarpment and spend the night overlooking the whole Mara ecosystem.

We descend the escarpment after breakfast at about 9am and ride across to the same wildebeest crossing on the river. We head in a westerly direction and descend into the enchanting Olare Orok Valley with a picnic lunch and siesta from about 12:30-15:30 on the way. Reaching our camp in time at about 17:00 in time for tea, there should also be time to do an evening game drive and sundowners, before supper under the stars.

Here we will have a full day of exploring this 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.

Our third moving day and we break camp in good time as it is the longest ride of the trip covering nearly 50kms. Setting off at 7.00am, we have a picnic breakfast stopping from about 10-11am. We continue on until 13:30 where we break again for lunch and a siesta after reaching Ol Kinyei Conservancy. At 16:00 we head to our last camp, arriving at Olare Lamun (the rhino salt lick) nestled in a grove of acacia trees by a small stream at the southern edge of the Loita Plains.

After an early wake up we will set off for a morning ride before returning to camp for a light breakfast. We will then set out for a game drive and beautiful walk up the nearby hill called Oloiburmut, returning to camp for a lunch and a siesta. At around 4pm we will drive or ride to visit the local Masai Village.

Our last morning ride before saying goodbye to our horses. After a final breakfast you will drive to the airstrip and fly back to Nairobi around 11am, landing into Wilson at 12noon. We will organise for a taxi to pick you up and either take you around Nairobi to do some shopping/visits, or to a Hotel day room (included), before taking you on to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in time for your evening flight home, or your onward destination.