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This is the bucket-list safari that everyone talks about - the Great Wildebeest Migration. And you will enjoy it from a tented lodge on the banks of the Mara River INSIDE Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Sentinel Mara Camp is perched on the high banks of the Mara River in a cool riverine forest filled with birdsong and colourful butterflies while hippos honk, crocodiles wait and all manner of wildlife drink below you.
A short game drive away lies Musiara Marsh and Paradise Plains – terrific game viewing grounds made famous by BBC’s popular Big Cat Diaries and Disney’s African Cats series.
Front-row seats for the greatest show on Earth - the Great Wildebeest Migration in Kenya's Maasai Mara
Overview
Length: 7 days / 6 nights
Group Size: Flexible – you tell us how many in your party
Location: Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Departure Dates: Mid July to October - dates to suit you
Highlights: the drama of the Mara River crossings, easy access to all major river crossing sites, excellent big cat sightings, twice-daily or all-day game drives with a Maasai silver medal guide, accommodation in a tented lodge in a forest on the banks of the Mara River, Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Prices and dates
2024 Migration Season 15 Jul – 15 Oct | |
Per person sharing | US$ 5,720 |
Single participant | US$ 7,425 |
One child under 12 (sharing with adult) | US$ 3,315 |
Per child under 12 (sharing with another child) | US$ 3,470 |
Please enquire about our FAMILY-FRIENDLY AND GROUP SAFARIS:
No minimum age, family rooms available, camp can be booked exclusively if 8 rooms are confirmed
Price includes:
Meet and greet at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, road transfer to Tamarind Tree Hotel, bed and breakfast accommodation at Tamarind Tree Hotel with gym access, road transfer to Wilson airport, return flight from Wilson to Maasai Mara, airstrip transfers, full board accommodation at Sentinel Mara Camp including snacks, teas and coffees, quality wines, spirits, beers and soft drinks, Wi-Fi, laundry and shared game drives and guided walks, park entrance fees, all taxes and 24/7 office support.
Price excludes:
International flights, excess baggage charges, visas, airport departure taxes, personal items, telephone calls, travel and medical insurance, lunch, dinner and beverages at Tamarind Tree Hotel, French champagne, any additional activities not specified in the itinerary.
2025 Migration Season 15 Jul – 15 Oct | |
Per person sharing | US$ 6,340 |
Single participant | US$ 8,205 |
One child under 12 (sharing with adult) | US$ 3,400 |
Per child under 12 (sharing with another child) | US$ 3,455 |
Please enquire about our FAMILY-FRIENDLY AND GROUP SAFARIS:
No minimum age, family rooms available, camp can be booked exclusively if 8 rooms are confirmed
Price includes:
Meet and greet at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, road transfer to Tamarind Tree Hotel, bed and breakfast accommodation at Tamarind Tree Hotel with gym access, road transfer to Wilson airport, return flight from Wilson to Maasai Mara, airstrip transfers, full board accommodation at Sentinel Mara Camp including snacks, teas and coffees, quality wines, spirits, beers and soft drinks, Wi-Fi, laundry and shared game drives and guided walks, park entrance fees, all taxes and 24/7 office support.
Price excludes:
International flights, excess baggage charges, visas, airport departure taxes, personal items, telephone calls, travel and medical insurance, lunch, dinner and beverages at Tamarind Tree Hotel, French champagne, any additional activities not specified in the itinerary.
The main attraction during the Maasai Mara portion of the ongoing Great Migration - during mid July to October - is when the wildebeest and zebra herds cross the Mara River repeatedly in search of nutritious grass. To better understand the migration read this informative story: The Great Migration Explained.
This epic safari is based inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve at Sentinel Mara Camp. The lodge is ideally placed for easy access to all of the major wildebeest crossing sites on the Mara and Talek rivers.
This area is renowned for its excellent cat sightings, with abundant leopards, cheetahs and lions. Other exciting creatures to keep an eye out for include spotted hyena, serval, aardwolf, side-striped and golden jackal. Elephants, buffaloes, and giraffes are frequently seen, while the lucky guest might even see a black rhino.
The elegant and comfortable Sentinel Mara Camp is a tented eco-camp in a secluded and idyllic location on the Mara River. There is a tented lounge, dining and bar area and seven large tents along the river. Each tent is furnished with twin or queen bed, a writing desk and chair, bedside tables, canvas wardrobe, laundry basket, luggage rack, large wooden chest, canvas chairs and butlers tray on the covered verandah. There are en-suite facilities with hot showers and porcelain flushing toilets, as well as solar lighting in all tents, with the opportunity to charge phones and cameras in the lounge tent and vehicles.
This package includes a night at Tamarind Tree Hotel in Nairobi
Itinerary
On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport you will be met by an Africa Geographic representative and transferred to Tamarind Tree Hotel in Nairobi. Should you wish to explore any of Nairobi’s popular attractions or dining venues, contact us and we will gladly arrange a programme that is tailored to your needs.
Overnight at Tamarind Tree Hotel.
Shortly after breakfast, you will be transferred to Wilson Domestic Airport (10-minute drive) for your one-hour flight to the Maasai Mara Musiara Airstrip, which is within the game reserve and only a stone’s throw away from Sentinel Mara Camp.
The thrill of spotting your first elephant, wildebeest or zebra as you come into land is a befitting hors d'oeuvres for what you are about to see and experience in the Mara.
Enjoy a light lunch at Sentinel before heading out onto the Maasai Mara plains for your first game drive, searching for the herds, famous Marsh Pride of lions, local cheetah coalition and elusive leopards that reign in this area. Many iconic species such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, Grant’s and Thompson’s gazelle, plains zebra, topi, warthog and buffalo are also common first sightings.
Your driver, a Maasai silver medal level guide, will constantly be reading the tracks while your guide will share with you his knowledge and passion for the Mara.
Overnight at Sentinel Mara Camp on full board.
After a hot steamy mug of fresh Kenyan coffee at first light you will head out into the plains of the Mara in search of species that may be returning from their nocturnal forays, or waking up and getting ready for the day.
Breakfast is normally packed into a basket and served during your morning game-viewing safari.
During the height of the wildebeest migration (mid July to October), your day will be filled with large herds of elephants, incomprehensible numbers of dazzling zebras and brindled gnus and the epic dramas of the regular river crossings. As you approach each key Mara River crossing spots, the sight of huge herds of wildebeest will meet you. The rivers poses a major obstacle in their way, and the herds’ momentum drives the show that ensues. You will soon realise why the migration is referred to as “the greatest show on earth”.
During the migration, a full day out can be arranged. Your guide will always orchestrate the best approach to any sighting to ensure the best views without interfering with the wildlife. The vehicles have full open sides and a canvas roof to protect you from the hot sun and rain.
Patience is key because river crossings don’t happen on cue - so be prepared for hours of waiting and make use of that time watching other animals and birds and simply relishing the magnificent safari experience.
Overnight at Sentinel Mara Camp on full board.
Leaving camp after a late breakfast, you will be transferred back to Musiara Airstrip for your flight back to Nairobi. On arrival at Wilson Airport, an Africa Geographic representative will transfer you to JKIA airport where you will check in for your return flight home.
Free safari planning
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Maasai Mara migration season safari
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Or, check out our other Maasai Mara safaris
Why choose us to craft your safari?
Handcrafted experiential safaris since 1991.
Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
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