Trip from the USA to Maasai Mara

For American travelers visiting Maasai Mara, the journey is not just a simple flight from the US to Kenya. The safari involves several stages, including an international flight to Kenya, immigration procedures, transfers to Wilson Airport, a domestic flight to an airstrip in Maasai Mara, and finally a transfer to the place of accommodation. Understanding this sequence is very important, especially for first-time travelers.

1. Begin with an International flight from the US to Nairobi.

Your safari begins at major US airports including New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, among others, depending on your choice of airline, schedules, connection time, luggage allowance, and your place of stay.

Kenya Airways is one of the most recommended international airline and operates between Nairobi and New York. Other major airlines include Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, and Ethiopian Airlines.

2. Arrivals at JKIA

Your international flight lands you at Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Here you will undergo the various Immigration procedures, collect your luggage and proceed to the International arrival areas. Ensure that all your Kenyan entry requirements are well organized before departure: an approved eTA and atleast six months valid passport.

3. Transfer from JKIA to Wilson Airport.

As stated earlier, your international flight will land you at JKIA but you need a road transfer to Wilson Airport from where you shall pick a domestic flight to Maasai Mara. However, it is advisable to spend your first night in Nairobi, especially if your flight lands in the afternoon, to give you sufficient time for traffic, luggage collection, and check-in requirements.

4. Departure from Wilson to Maasai Mara

At Wilson Airport, you shall pick a safari aircraft operated by either Safarilink or AirKenya Express. While the two airlines operate the Mara flights daily, you need to know their flight schedules and the closest airstrip to your camp/lodge.

5. Landing at an airstrip in Maasai Mara

The Maasai Mara does not have one common airstrip for the fly-in safaris, instead it has several small bush airstrips located in various parts of the Maasai Mara ecosystem.

Depending on your booked place of accommodation, you can land at Keekorok, Musiara, Ol Kiombo, Kichwa Tembo, Mara North, Mara Serena,Olare or Ol Seki, the reason why you should be very careful when choosing your flights not to land inan airstrip far from your camp/lodge.

6. Transfers from the Airstrip in Maasai Mara to the Camp/Lodge

At Maasai Mara you won’t find any conventional terminal after your landing. Instead, a professional tour operator will organize a camp vehicle or safari guide to pick you up and drop you at your place of accommodation. However, depending on your landing time, you can start with a brief game drive at the reserve/conservancy before checking in at the hotel.

7. The actual Safari

At this point, the actual wildlife experience begins. A practical safari itinerary will take you about seven days to encounter the scenic landscapes of the Maasai Mara ecosystem, the lions, leopards, elephants, hippos, among other animal species.

The demand for Maasai Mara can be very high during the wildebeest migration. If you are traveling specifically for this spectacular wonder of nature you need to do you bookings early to secure the best lodges/camps.