Masai Mara Riding Safari

Duration
8 Days
Price from
£8,910 pp.
Location
Masai Mara, Kenya
Offbeat safaris riding

Trip Highlights

  • Exhilarating horseback safaris
  • Guided game drives
  • Close wildlife encounters

What's Included

  • Guided horseback rides
  • Game drives
  • 7 nights accommodation

The Ultimate Riding Safari

This is Kenya at its most exhilarating. An unforgettable mobile safari on horseback, designed for experienced riders seeking a deeper, more immersive connection with the wild.

With the wind in your hair and the sun on your back, you'll ride across the legendary plains of the Masai Mara, surrounded by wildlife, free from the constraints of a vehicle.

Run by one of Africa's top riding outfitters, this is a true frontier-style journey. Days are spent riding alongside giraffe, buffalo, and zebra, with the chance to approach elephant and even big cats. It's the closest you can come to being part of the landscape. The experience of galloping alongside wildebeest or quietly tracking a herd through the grass is nothing short of extraordinary.

Our Kenya specialist, Otti, says:

"If you're a confident rider, this is one of the most extraordinary ways to experience Africa. The horses are superbly trained, and the team behind this safari are the best in the business. Having been brought up riding, this trip is a dream holiday for me. You’ll cover huge ground, explore remote corners of the Mara, and end each day around the campfire. It’s a proper old-school safari, with all the thrill and none of the crowds."

Over the course of a week, you’ll ride from one side of the Masai Mara to the other, covering over 250km. The pace is varied, with plenty of long canters and time to pause and take in the views. Some terrain requires dismounting and walking, and lunch is usually a long, shaded affair under the trees before continuing on in the cooler hours of the afternoon.

Each night is spent in a traditional mobile camp that moves with the group, fully supported by a team travelling ahead by vehicle. The set-up is simple but extremely comfortable, with hot bucket showers, hearty meals, and a front-row seat to the African night. You’ll wake to the sounds of the bush, ready for another day in the saddle.

Whether you ride during the migration season from July to October or choose the quieter dry months between December and March, the wildlife is always spectacular, and the sense of freedom incomparable.

Who this trip is for: Experienced riders with a sense of adventure and a love of nature. You need to be confident at all paces and comfortable riding for 4–7 hours a day over varied terrain.


Trip Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival

Offbeat Day 1 166

This morning you will either be collected from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or, if you have arrived earlier, from your Nairobi hotel and transferred to Wilson Airport for your one-hour flight departing at 10 am to Mara Naibosho. It is a beautiful flight passing over the fertile Kikuyu highlands before reaching the Great Rift Valley.

Flying across the volcano-studded floor of the Rift you will reach the Loita Hills and Naibosho airstrip by 11 am. Your guide will meet you and there will be an hour’s drive to camp. Our Olare Lamun camp is set in a grove of acacia trees near a small stream on the southern edge of the Loita plains. Olare Lamun translates to rhino salt lick in Maa. You will have time for lunch and a camp tour before your first evening ride.

Day 2 Olare Lamun Camp

Offbeat, cheetah, mara, kenya

After an early morning ride we will come back to camp for a light breakfast and then set out for a game drive and walk up the nearby hill, known as Oloiburmut. We will return to camp for lunch. There will be time for a siesta and at around 4 pm, we will head out to visit the local Masai village.

Day 3 The Big Ride

Day 4 Olare Orok

Day 5 Up the escarpment

Day 6 To Mara River Camp

Mara river, Riding, Kenya

This is our last moving day as we descend the escarpment and ride through the Triangle once more to the same wildebeest crossing on the river. We head in a northwesterly direction and after lunch, we find our final campsite set up on the banks of the Mara River. Close by, there are some hippo pools, and their grunting at night is a special feature of this camp.

Day 7 Enjoy Mara North

Day 8 End of the adventure

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When to go to Kenya

Find out the best time to visit Kenya with our month by month guide.

  • Best
  • Good
  • Mixed
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec

January

January is a great time for wildlife viewing. The landscapes are lush and green after the 'short rains' and newborn animals can been seen. It is hot, but brief afternoon or evening showers cool things down, without compromising your safari. Over on the coast the sea is clear, making it ideal for diving and snorkelling, and the days are warm and bright.

February

February is an ideal time to visit Kenya, and great for game viewing. The landscapes are green and thriving thanks to the short rains, and newborn animals will be hopping around the plains. There maybe a few afternoon showers which are welcome in the heat, and don't impact on wildlife viewing. Water clarify is excellent at the moment, which is good news for watersports enthusiasts. And if you want to spot a whale shark, now is the time to try.

March

Still a good option for wildlife viewing and diving, although with the 'long rains' just around the corner, expect wetter and hotter weather.

April

April brings the start of the 'long rains' which means game reserves and national parks become muddy and harder to drive around. Over on the coast it's hot and wet, so it isn't the best time of year to travel. Some camps and lodges close during this period.

May

The 'long rains' continue into May, making park tracks difficult to navigate in the mud, and the coast very warm and wet. There will be less accommodation choice at this time as several lodges and camps during this period.

June

June is a beautiful time of year to visit Kenya, with the rains receding to just light showers, and the long dry season not far ahead. The high grasses can sometimes make it more of a challenge to spot game, but the landscapes are lush and some animals may begin arriving early for the migration. At altitude nights can be cool, but elsewhere the temperature is pleasant.

July

July marks the beginning of the great migration into the Masai Mara, and with warm and generally dry weather, this is a great time of year to visit. Days are sunny, skies are blue and there isn't too much dust around, so it's a great time for photography.

August

The migration is now in full swing in the Masai Mara, with lots of river crossing action, so if you want to see those massive herds of wildebeest and zebra, now is the time to come. Game viewing in general is excellent and it's one of the most popular times of year to visit, so some of the main parks do become crowded. Temperatures are warm and dry.

September

Game viewing continues to be excellent, and the weather is generally dry so this is another ideal month to visit Kenya's parks. The bush is less dense and as animals gather around waterholes and rivers it makes wildlife spotting much easier.

October

October is a great time if you want to avoid the crowds and don't mind the temperature slowly starting to rise. There may be a few short showers, but game viewing remains excellent with the end of the migration, and it's a good time to holiday anywhere in Kenya.

November

November heralds the start of the 'short rains' and with hotter temperatures some camps are closed. The Mara however is still open, and despite sometimes stormy skies, game viewing is still good. Fewer crowds and lower prices make this an attractive month to visit. Over on the coast water clarify is good for snorkelling and diving.

December

The 'short rains' are bringing the landscapes back to life, and as the plains start to become green again, wildlife viewing remains good, and it's a great time for birding. Some camps are closed (mainly in the north of Kenya) but many others remain open. The showers tend to fall in the afternoons and don't impact greatly on a safari. Take advantage of reduced visitor numbers and lower prices.

Shirley Newman

What can I say….my son and myself had the most wonderful time in Kenya thanks to the first-class itinerary that Ben and Louise put together for us. We spoke with Ben many times to ensure he ‘got it right’. This was our 2nd visit to Kenya, and it certainly lived up to our expectations and memories. We stayed in four locations, firstly at the wonderful El Karama Lodge, Laikipia Wildlife Conservancy, where we even had a visit from Ruth from Far and Wild! Then, for a return visit, to Saruni Samburu, which is absolutely stunning and still one of our favourite places in the world. Next came Basecamp Mara Camp, where we saw our first Cheetah, the only animal we didn’t see on our first visit. After that, onto the wonderful Leopards Hill in the Naiboisho Conservancy, what a way to spend the last four days of this trip. Here we finally spent many hours with a beautiful leopard. Throughout our time in Kenya, we saw many lions, giraffes, elephants, ostriches, hyenas, cheetahs, and leopards, to name just a few. Nothing was too much trouble for all the staff; we cannot have been looked after any better. Since our return again Ben phoned to see how it went in addition to emails. I would highly recommend Far and Wild; they are so knowledgeable and have personally visited the lodges and areas. We are already planning another visit, and we cannot wait.

16 Aug 2025
Elizabeth Spells

I have just returned from the most amazing trip to Tanzania, booked with Far & Wild. Everything went so smoothly from the first time I spoke with them. The planning was great, the itinerary was perfect for us, and the lodges were amazing. We spent 10 nights with an amazing guide, travelling through Northern Tanzania and even got to see the migration, which was a lifetime ambition of mine. This wasn't our first safari, so we were nervous as to how it would compare, but it was spot on. We're particularly grateful that she suggested a private 'bush lunch' in the Ngorongoro Crater as the public picnic spot was very busy! I will certainly be using them again to book our next trip....we're thinking of a relaxing beach stay next time to get over the excitement of safari!

17 Sept 2025
Orla Rhodes

Just back from another amazing F&W organised trip to Namibia with the family (8 adults). Having been there before, Alistair tailored our trip to include our favourite locations and added a new one for us, Okonjima Plains camp, which we loved.The quality of accommodation and guiding, activities, food and drinks was exceptional throughout. Although not inexpensive I felt it was good value for the level of luxury we had. Kwessi Dunes, Shipwreck lodge, Ongava, Okonjima with pit stops Windhoek (city tour recommended ), Swakopmund (Sandwich Harbour and Walvis Bay tour) and Grootberg lodge (best sundowner drive )

31 Jul 2024
Arnhild Schia

We had a wonderful trip to São Tomé and Príncipe - a small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea with paradise (almost empty) beaches and jungle forest. It was all well organised by Far and Wild and we stayed at Omali lodge at Sao Tome, then on Roca Sundy, and Sunday Praia at Principe - a great combination of different types of resorts/hotels. Omali is close to Sao Tome town with its colonial buildings, markets, hustle and bustle. Roca Sunday gives an old plantation experience and Sundy Praia a luxury beach experience. Very friendly (from time to time a bit slow) service, great fresh food, specifically if you like fish/seafood, vegetables and fruits (almost all sourced locally). Nice temperature between 23 and 30 degrees Celsius, nice swimming conditions. We really recommend this for those who want to experience a pristine destination with few other tourists and friendly and welcoming people. The islands also feel (and I believe are) very safe. At Principe, there are no dangerous animals, snakes or whatever, and it was great to be able to hike in the jungle without being very conscious of where to put your hands and feet. Go before everyone else does!

3 Jul 2024
Henri Papenfus

Back home again, basking in the joys of a superb safari. Every aspect you arranged for us, including linking up with Mack Air and Wild Horizons locally to transport us. The choice of camps, Camp Hwange in Zimbabwe and Muchenenje Safari Lodge in Botswana, was spot on and exactly what we had hoped for - ideally situated, comfortable, in good surroundings, and with excellent wildlife on the doorstep and throughout the wider country. The service staff in each looked after us very well, catering was excellent, and the game guides were professional, knowledgeable and helpful. The weather was, as usual for that part of the world, also good at the time of our visit. Blue skies and stunning sunsets. Warm but not too hot during the day, although quite cold at sunrise when viewing game. The viewing started. You made us happy, and we recommend you to similar safari enthusiasts with confidence.

28 Jun 2024
AC

Far and Wild went above and beyond to make sure my trip to Zambia was special. I would definitely recommend them and their services to anyone wanting to travel to Africa.

5 Jun 2024
Tiny

Lovely holiday at the amazing Almanara on Galu beach, a beach like no other. Far and Wild excelled themselves from beginning to end of our holiday in beautiful Kenya.... What a country!,

5 Jun 2024
Stodge

Wow! These guys are amazing. Can’t recommend them highly enough. Friendly AND efficient! Sorted out our trip (last minute and lots of different family member needs, sorry!) in record time and everything worked like clockwork. Trip of a lifetime to the Masai Mara. Will be back (and use F&W again!)!

5 Jun 2024
Fiona C

It was a dreamy holiday on the Kenyan Coast - Far and Wild, their efficiency and professionalism allowed us to relax and be the happiest family alive !! We cannot fault them, their care and understanding of what we wanted from a holiday ensured we had the most memorable trip. We will be booking with them again for sure!

5 Jun 2024

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