10 things to do at Mara Plains Camp in the Maasai Mara

​By Roxanne Reid
Lions, leopards and cheetahs. The wildebeest migration. Hippos and crocs in the rivers. Open plains dotted with trees and termite mounds. It’s everyone’s dream to experience a safari in Kenya’s Maasai Mara at least once in a lifetime. Here are 10 things to do at Mara Plains Camp in the Maasai Mara.

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1.Go on a game drive

You can’t come to the Maasai Mara, home of the classic safari, and not go on a game drive to search for zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, elephants and big cats. In two days at Mara Plains Camp we had five or six different lion sightings, two of leopards and countless hours with a wonderful cheetah mom and her cub.

​Enjoy early morning drives, afternoons with sundowners, all-day safaris and/or night drives for your best chance to see nocturnal species. The open safari vehicles are perfect for good viewing of the wildlife, but don't forget to look around to appreciate the landscapes too. 

2. Saddle up

Photo: Great Plains Conservation

[Update: horse riding was discontinued at Great Plains Conservation's Maasai Mara camps at the end of January 2019. You can still experience the thrill of it as described below at Old Donyo Camp in the Chyulu Hills.]
​Imagine the freedom of cantering across the plains on horseback, just another four-legged animal among the zebras, topis and Thompson’s gazelles. Pass a curious giraffe or timid eland, watch a warthog rootling in the dirt for food. Cross a ravine and listen to the birds, feel the adrenalin rush as you spot an elephant, buffalo or lion. The horses are well trained and your guides are experienced in dealing with wildlife. Intermediate and experience riders can enjoy a two-hour morning or afternoon outride; you will be assessed before going out onto the plains. Beginners can do a more gentle ride. If you’re a really keen rider, you can pre-arrange a multi-day horseback safari.

3. Visit a Maasai village

How much do you know about the culture and traditions of the Maasai people of Kenya? Visit a Maasai village to find out more about them and their ways. Discover how important their cows are, almost like members of their family, and that women make beautiful multi-coloured beadwork. You can buy some of this beadwork at the small shop at Mara Plains Camp, and in this way help to support the community.

4. Fly in a hot air balloon

Take to the skies in a hot air balloon at first light, to float over the winding Mara River, forest and tree-spotted plains. It’s a safari with a different perspective, where you might see antelope, spotted hyena and giraffe, or even a few of the Big Five. You’ll climb to 300m for an eagle’s eye view of the reserve and the Oloololo Escarpment, where you’ll later enjoy a slap-up champagne breakfast before being driven back to Mara Plains Camp.

5. Go birding

Whether out on the Mara plains or in camp, you’ll have a plenty chances to spot some of the 300 bird species of the area. If you didn’t bring binoculars, there’s a pair of Swarovski binos in your tent for you to use. Expect to see a host of birds, including African fish-eagle, long-crested eagle, ground hornbill, secretary bird and grey crowned crane and the smaller rosy-breasted longclaw, sooty chat, silverbird (pale flycatcher), superb starling and Temminck’s courser.

​6. Soak in a copper bath

Your luxurious tent at Mara Plains includes a bathroom with a view, the perfect place to to ease the muscles and soak away the dust after a long game drive in the Mara. The high-backed copper bath is fit for a queen, allowing you to watch the stars come out or listen to the calls of the wild from the surrounding plains.​

​7. Eat like a king

I can promise you won’t go hungry. Mara Plains Camp head chef Benjamin Maritim and his team think life’s too short for run-of-the-mill meals. For lunch you might have red snapper fish pockets with wasabi mayo or mushroom ragout with poached quail eggs. A three-course dinner might include pan-seared salmon with sesame dressing, grilled beef or pork fillet or duck breast, with inventive vegetarian options. Desserts are a high point, with flavours of pistachio, raspberry and rhubarb, or something satisfyingly chocolaty. 

8. Have a picnic on the plains

After an early morning game drive, which might show off bat-eared foxes, lions and cheetahs in just an hour or two, you’ll look forward to finding a signature East African tree somewhere on the open plains for a picnic among the gazelles, topis and wildebeest. And, of course, seeing what your guide unpacks from the back of the vehicle for your breakfast or lunch – always with Great Plains Conservation flair and class. A perfect safari memory.

9. Indulge a passion for photography

Great Plains Conservation’s Beverly and Dereck Joubert are keen photographers so all their Mara vehicles are equipped with adjustable camera rests, bean bags and charging points. Don’t worry if you haven’t brought your camera; there’s a Canon 5D with 100-400mm lens for you and your travelling companion to use. At the end of your stay, you’ll get a thumb drive with all the photos you took. And believe me, there will be lots, from lions and leopards and cheetahs to haunting landscapes and sunsets.​

10. Submit to the stillness

Given all the excitement around bucket-list sightings and other activities out on the Mara plains, it’s all too easy to forget to switch off and soak it up. Spend some hushed time on the wide deck of your tent, listen to the rustling of leaves or the call of a bird. Watch the sun rise or set, stare up at the moon and the stars and drink it all in so you can remember how it felt long after your safari is over.

​Note: I was a guest of Great Plains Conservation’s Mara Plains Camp for two nights, but I was given free rein to write what I chose. I paid for all travel costs.

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