Having been born and raised in Iowa, the largest predators I ever saw were bobcats and coyotes. Therefore, when the idea of going on a 3-day Maasai Mara safari struck, I couldn’t wait to take the trip.

From what I could gather, the wilds of Maasai Mara Game Reserve are teeming with copious amounts of wild game. From the tiny to mammoth beasts each with its unique characteristics.

Of particular interest to me were Africa’s big cats (lion, leopard, and cheetah). Fueled by this insatiable wanderlust, my partner and I began planning for the safari.

Unlike me, Alex had been to Kenya before albeit on business and had an inkling of what the country looked like.

Having decided that our maiden wildlife safari will be confined to 3 days in Maasai Mara, our first order of business was to retain a tour agent for the excursion.

Travel agency

In this regard, we needed a homegrown Kenya travel agents who knew the area well. We figured that such an agent would not only advise us on the best time to visit but also comprehensively let us know what we can hope to find.

Although we had done some research on the animals of the Mara, nothing could beat the accuracy offered by someone on the ground.

Besides, we also needed a partner who could help us out with local transportation and other logistics.

Ultimately, we consulted AjKenyasafaris limited, as they were the ones we felt were most promising as far as our requirements were concerned.

They engaged us in a free skype call and advised us on various aspects of the safari. We also learnt that if we were keen on witnessing the annual wildebeest migration, the best time to visit would be between July- October.

3 day Maasai Mara itinerary

More importantly, the agency helped us devise a 3 day Maasai Mara itinerary that best reflected all the fun things we would enjoy while in the Mara.

Since the trip from Iowa to Kenya would take us 17 hours, we gave ourselves a one day grace period to allow us get over jet lag and acclimatize ourselves.

On the first day, we would therefore arrive at the airport and head to a hotel within the city for some rest.

Our Maasai Mara Safari 3 day tour would then commence on our second day in the country.

Given that our safari would not begin on the first day, it came as a welcome surprise to find a driver awaiting us at the airport, courtesy of our travel agency.

Upon introductions, he took us to the hotel we had reservations at and promised to pick us at 7 O’clock the following day for our trip to the Mara.

Our 3 day Maasai Mara itinerary would mainly comprise of game viewing excursions and we wanted to be well rested for it.

Our 3 days in Maasai Mara

We opted for a road trip to the Mara due to the numerous attractions we were bound to see along the way.

Or those in a hurry, there are chartered flights from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara as well.

True to his word, our safari driver was at the hotel by 6.45am and we departed for the reserve promptly at 7am.

We were travelling aboard a customized safari Land Cruiser that had large detachable windows and a raised body for optimal viewing.

However, our guide mentioned that for people looking for budget cars, cheaper options such as safari vans are available. For self-drive tours, 4×4 vehicle such as the toyota land cruiser prado, Jeep Wranger, and Toyota Sequioa are used.

The trip to the Mara would take us approximately five hours and we planned on making two stops along the way.

The first stop was at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, which offered scenic views of one of the world’s most spectacular geological formations- the Rift Valley.

It is a massive depression into the earth’s crust so large it is visible from outer space! At its deepest, the valley is 3 miles deep and on the whole, stretches 4,350 miles.

Standing atop this massive valley gave me the feeling of being on the edge of the earth.

Our next stop was at Narok town, where we bought a few last minute personal items and enjoyed a delicious Kenyan meal.

The nyama choma (roasted meat), kachumbari (tomato salad) and ugali (maize meal) were to die for.

On arrival to the Maasai Mara, we checked in at the Mara Serena safari lodge and soon thereafter, proceeded on our first game drive.

With the late afternoon, the heat had gone down a bit and most of the animals were out and about.

We got to see all the big five (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard) on our first day. Our game drive went on into the early evening, which allowed us to encounter nocturnal animals such as the African owl and the leopard.

Early the next morning, our tour guide fetched us at dawn for a hot air balloon ride across the Mara.

I must admit to have been less enthused about it given that I had to wake up at the crack of dawn.

However, my grumpiness instantly vanished the moment the balloon went adrift in the early morning air.

The timing could not be more perfect, as the sun was just peeping through the horizon, casting a gorgeous orange light as the myriad animals gently drifted past just below our feet.

It was beautiful.

An hour later, we came down for breakfast and later went on a full day game drive where we got to witness the actual wildebeest migration.

It was an indescribable experience with dozens of wildebeests, zebras, impala, gazelles, and lots of other animals crossing the crocodile rich Mara River.

On the third and last day, we visited a Maasai village and interacted with some of the most interesting ethnic people I have ever met.

We then took a flight back to Nairobi for our onward journey back home.

Our Maasai Mara Safari 3 day tour was hardly enough to get my fill of the Maasai Mara. I still feel there is a lot I am yet to discover about that phenomenal reserve.