What should I pack for a safari in Masai Mara National Reserve?

Masai Mara Nature Reserve is the top most visited safari destination in Kenya famous for the wildebeest migration that takes place annually with a million wildebeests, zebras and antelopes crossing the Grumeti River from Tanzania and Mara River into Masai Mara following a pattern of weather changes (searching for food and water) and thereafter crossing back to Serengeti. This is a non-stop cycle that is worth seeing on your visit to Kenya. One of the things that make it enjoyable is to pack right for the occasion, and this goes around through all the seasons, which are the dry and wet seasons. When planning to pack for a safari to Masai Mara, some things need to be put into consideration, like the weight of the bag and noting what is illegal and legal to bring to Kenya on your safari.  As a tour company, we have experience in organizing trips to Masai Mara National Reserve and below is a list of essential items that we came up with to help tourists properly plan for the Masai Mara safari.

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Things to consider when packing for a Masai Mara National Reserve safari

When planning your safari to Kenya, there are a few factors that you need to take into consideration, and these will help you pack the right items for the safari. These factors are not mandatory but they help with properly planning and packing for the safari and these include:

Season of travel: There are two seasons of travel to Masai Mara and these are the dry (June to October and December to February) and wet season (March to May and October to November). Each season has its characteristics. The dry season is mainly characterized by the sun and heat, which means that you will have to bring some lightweight clothes, and the wet season is characterized by mainly heavy rains, especially in April, and you need to bring some heavy clothes for the cold.

Packing list creation: After getting to know the weather experienced in Masai Mara, the next step is to create a packing list with the help of your tour operator. Your operator is in a position to help you with a list of essential items that you might need for the Masai Mara safari where you can choose from what you can bring. Do not be afraid to ask necessary questions about what to bring and what not to bring so that you do not make mistakes and pack unnecessary items.

After getting the right packing list, start packing them early so that you do not forget any at home and while packing, ensure that you consider the weight limit.

Weight limit packing for Masai Mara: The weight limit for luggage to Masai Mara is about 15kgs and anything above that will not be allowed. Small luggage is encouraged because it is easier to put on top of the safari vehicles when traveling, unlike luggage that weighs more. Some of the factors that you need to consider to reduce the weight limit include reducing the number of toiletries to bring on your safari, bringing two pairs of safari clothes instead of the large amounts that you won’t even have time to put on, make sure that you don’t pack dual-use items and choose the right luggage bag to use (a duffel bag is the best since it is going to be tossed and is durable). Put into consideration what you need for the safari and this is exactly what you should carry and nothing else.

What to avoid: You need to know what not to bring on your Masai Mara National Reserve safari. Kenya has banned a lot of things, especially plastics in a bid to protect the environment besides plastics, there are other things that we believe are not necessary and these include:

• Plastic bags: these have been officially banned by the government and anything connected to it will be confiscated along the border or at the airport. Grocery bags, plastic bottles, Styrofoam takeaway containers, zip-lock bags and plastic cutlery have all been banned.
• Drones are also not allowed and this is because it has been researched and found that drones distract and disturb the wildlife. There are times when drones have accidents injuring the animals, and that is why they are banned, and any found will be confiscated.

• Snacks: there are several companies that tell tourists to bring snacks, but this is unnecessary because three meals are provided every day throughout the safari, packed lunches are available with prior information, and locally made snacks are also available to tourists at a friendly cost.
• Hair dryers and this is because some lodges provide hair dryers, whereas there are those that use solar energy and cannot facilitate hair dryers.

For more information about illegal things to bring to Kenya and Masai Mara safari, contact us and visit our website.

Packing list for a safari to Masai Mara

Below is a list of essential things that you need to pack for the Masai Mara safari all year round. The list is just a guide and not final, tourists can as well follow the list or pack what they think they will need on their safari.

The travel documents

Travelling to Kenya and Masai Mara National Reserve is an easy piece of work especially if you have the right documentation. There are several documents that you will need to be able to access the country and some of these include a valid passport, National ID for East African citizens and visas among others. These documents are your ticket to Kenya and in case you do not have them in the right order, it is going to be hard for you to visit Masai Mara National Reserve.

• A passport in Kenya is extremely important, especially for foreign non-residents and African citizens. The passport should be valid for at least six months before expiry, and this has to be shared with the tour operators before coming for the safari.
• A valid National ID for all East African citizens (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and South Sudan).
• A visa can be applied for either online or when you get to the country. Kenya offers three types of visas which are multiple visa entry, which is valid for 3 to 6 months; the single entry visa, valid for 3 months; and the East African visa, valid for 90 days. This grants tourists access to three countries, including Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
• Contact details in case of emergencies.
• Accommodation contact details
• Health certificates. The vaccines needed to enter Kenya can be found on our website.
• Travel Insurance
• Guide books
• A return air ticket.

Clothes

There are several activities that are carried out in Masai Mara, and you need to be dressed properly for each of these activities, including bird watching, game drives, hot air balloon rides, guided nature walks, watching the wildebeest migration and cultural tour,s, among others. Safari clothes are the best, but the clothes have to match the jungle and the weather. They should come in neutral colors like brown, green and khaki. There are color clothes that should be avoided, and these are blue as it is associated with attracting tsetse flies, camouflage is associated with the army, and bright colors attract the attention of the wild animals, which in most cases is not a good thing. You do not need to carry a lot of clothes depending on the duration of the safari (two pairs of each is enough) so as not to exceed the weight limit. Below is a list of clothes that you should pack for your safari to Masai Mara National Reserve.

• Lightweight, long-sleeved shirts. The extra material helps keep you warm during the cold mornings and evenings and, at the same time, keeps the bugs away and prevents tree/branch scratches.
• Trousers/loose long pants that are not heavy and well fitting. If possible, get some cargo pants, but you should also avoid jeans, especially if you are going to hike, as they get heavy when wet and can easily slow you down.
• A waterproof rain jacket that will keep you dry and warm throughout the rainy season.
• Undershirts also come in handy when it gets too hot and two pairs can be enough for a three day safari in Masai Mara.
• Warm sweaters are also necessary to keep you warm. Ponchos can also come in handy.
• Thick socks to keep you warm during the cold weather.
• Waterproof hike boots.
• Wide brimmed hat.
•  Pyjamas
• Sunglasses
• A day backpack to carry all your essentials.

Gadgets/Equipment

Your safari to Masai Mara will be incomplete without tech equipment like cameras and binoculars. These help you keep your memories alive and it’s one of the best ways to watch the wildlife behind the lens. There are several gadgets that are essential for a Masai Mara Safari and these include:

• Camera and camera equipment: A camera is extremely essential during a safari keeping your safari memories alive. You are going to the wilderness, and you will need equipment to come with it, including extra lenses, batteries, memory cards, a waterproof camera bag and an adapter if possible. The type of camera to bring depends on your budget but the best is point and shoot camera. Storage is important because you don’t know how many photos you are going to take. Lenses should be 200mm to take better wilderness photos.
• Cellphones for communication with people back home. These, however, have to be turned off during a game drive so that you do not distract the animals.
• Binoculars for better viewing of the wildlife.
• A headlamp for use when it gets dark
• Adapter plugs are specific to use in Kenya. Kenya uses 50 HZ frequency and Type G with a voltage of 240V.
• Chargers for the electronics carried.

Toiletries

Most of the accommodation facilities within Masai Mara National Reserve offer toiletries to their guests but it is advisable that you also come with personal items that you are used to. You are going to be spending a lot of time outdoors and less indoors and you will need all the toiletries you can carry some of which include the following:

• Deodorant and perfumes to stay fresh
• Lip balm for perched lips during the dry season
• Lotions
• Hair conditioners
• Insect repellent to keep all the bug bites away throughout your safari. The rainy season is when Masai Mara is most infested and you need to keep safe even with the anti-malarial pills.
• Sunscreen and this should be carried in your day to day backpack in case you need to reapply during the safari.
• Biodegradable toilet paper
• Moisturizer
• Hand sanitizers also need to be carried out throughout your safari.
• Soap
• Wet wipes
• Sanitary towels for the ladies
• Shampoo
• Electrolytes are to be used for rehydration.
• Toothpaste and toothbrushes.

In case you are not able to pack all the above, there are shops in Kenya that have them but note that the purchases have to be done before you leave Nairobi for Masai Mara National Reserve.

Note that safari vehicles are equipped with first aid kits to be used in case of emergencies.

Other items that are essential for your Masai Mara National Reserve include a reusable foldable water bottle, extra batteries and a flashlight, a travel pillow, ear plugs, and extra cash for use during the safari. Even though the safari is fully paid for, you will need extra cash for the purchase of souvenirs and paying for extra safari activities that are not part of the safari cost, like hot air balloon rides and tipping. You, however, need to be extremely careful with cash as there are a lot of thieves and conmen.

A first aid kit is also important and this should always be fully packed and equipment for use during emergencies. Items that shouldn’t miss out in a first aid kit and these include Antacid, painkillers like Ibuprofen and paracetamol, anti-malarial pills, Iodine and spirit, cotton, band aids, laxatives and any drugs prescribed by a physician.

Contact us for more information about the Masai Mara packing list, and let us help you plan the safari for you.