Kenya
About My Trip to Kenya
My Kenyan adventure started with a fantastic flight from Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines. Once I landed in Nairobi, the real adventure began! I embarked on a three-day safari in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It was incredible!
The reserve itself was teeming with wildlife. I saw lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, hippos, zebras, and wildebeest everywhere I looked. There was even a moment when I saw a pride of lions stalking their prey! It was like something out of a documentary.
Getting to the reserve wasn’t the smoothest ride. Traffic around Nairobi is intense, and the last stretch on a dirt road was full of bumps and potholes. But let me tell you, seeing all those amazing animals made it absolutely worth it!
The trip wasn’t just about wildlife, though. I also had the opportunity to visit a Maasai village. It was an eye-opening experience to learn about their culture and way of life. They even invited me to participate in a ceremonial dance!
This trip to Kenya was an unforgettable blend of wildlife encounters, cultural immersion, and a touch of adventure. It definitely ranks high on my travel list!
Kenya Destinations By Map
Kenya
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I flew on Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to Nairobi with a layover in Istanbul. This trip was exciting as I couldn’t wait to fly Turkish Airlines, one of the world’s top-rated airlines.
Istanbul International Airport is beautiful and modern. I did not need to check in for my flight because I already had my boarding pass from the first leg (Marrakech to Istanbul. The security line and passport control moved quickly. There are many places to eat at the airport, including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. The airport also has showers that are available for a fee.
My flight boarded one hour before departure from gate A1B, which was located in the basement of the airport. Boarding was chaotic because everyone needed to have their visa verified by a Turkish Airlines employee before boarding. We boarded the flight by taking a shuttle bus followed by stairs because there was no jet bridge.
The eight-hour flight was uneventful and I was excited to learn we would have two full meals. I had pasta for the first meal and chicken, rice, and beans for the second meal. Turkish Airlines offered entertainment screens with movies, TV shows, and a live map. They also offered WiFi that could be purchased by the megabyte.
I booked a three-day Maasai Mara safari with Bencia Africa Adventure after a quick, responsive WhatsApp chat with Alfred and ended up ranking it among my top five tours.
Our small group safari from Nairobi included a pop-top van, 90 minutes in the park on Day 1, and a full 12-hour game drive on Day 2, with George guiding responsibly and prioritizing ethical wildlife viewing. I split my stay between Enkorok Tented Camp (semi-luxury) and Miti Mingi Eco Camp (budget), which made for a helpful budget-vs-semi-luxury comparison.
Highlights included lions on the prowl within two hours, elephants and buffalo (three of the Big Five on this trip), a Mara River picnic with an optional ranger-guided walk, and a short cultural visit to a Maasai village.
If you’re weighing a pop-top safari van vs. a Land Cruiser, or choosing between Enkorok and Miti Mingi, this review covers the real differences and what to expect in December.
In December 2022, I finally checked a dream off my list: a safari in Maasai Mara National Reserve! The scenery was incredible, vast plains stretching forever under endless skies. But the real stars were the animals.
I knew I had a good chance of seeing the “Big Five”: elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, and rhinos. But there was so much more! Zebras with their black and white stripes, playful baboons, graceful giraffes, lumbering hippos, and wildebeests thundering across the plains.
Safety is important, of course. Visitors must stay in the vehicles, usually jeeps or vans with pop-up roofs. This keeps us safe from the animals and vice versa.
I spent three magical days in Maasai Mara, and this video captures just a few of the amazing creatures I encountered.
I went on a 3-day safari in Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya hoping to see the “Big 5”: lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and African buffalo. In addition, I also wanted to see zebras, giraffes, hippos, and wildebeest.
I was lucky enough to see a pride of lions stalking impalas, but they decided to take a nap instead of a hunt! I also saw a cheetah resting in the sun, looking majestic. There were elephants everywhere, and I watched one of them eating grass with its trunk. I saw two giraffes, one close and another one far away.
Hippos were another highlight – I saw them near the Mara River. We even went on a 30-minute hike with an armed ranger to get a good look at them. The ranger explained that hippos are very territorial, so it was good to have him there to keep us safe. It was an amazing experience!
The Maasai Mara was amazing, but the ride to get there wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. No fault of the tour guide, I’m sure everyone hits the same rough patches. Nairobi traffic is a beast – took nearly two hours just to crawl out of the city! Then right outside, there’s this crazy downhill stretch into the Great Rift Valley, and the traffic there was insane – the worst I’ve ever seen.
But the real shocker was the last two hours. Dirt road. All. The. Way. Bumps, potholes, enough mud to plaster a smile on a pig’s face. If you get car sick easily, this is not the time to forget your Dramamine!
On the last day of my Maasai Mara safari, we got this cool chance to visit a real Maasai village! It was an extra $16, but totally worth it. I learned a bunch about their way of life and even got to see them perform a ceremonial dance.
Here’s the funny part: at the end, they invited me to join in! Let’s just say I have two left feet, but hey, it was an experience! The whole thing only took about 30 minutes, and for that price, I was happy to support the Maasai community. The village was actually run by the same tribe that manages the Miti Mingi Eco Camp where I stayed, so it felt good to give back in a way.