Is Masai Mara safe for tourists?

Is Masai Mara safe for tourists? – How safe is Kenya’s Masai Mara?

Is Masai Mara safe for tourists? – When you are travelling to a new destination, the matter of safety is always on the top of your mind, as you travel to Kenya’s Masai Mara, the question of how safe you will be while on safari is what plagues your mind frequently. So if you are planning to visit Masai Mara, you should sit back and relax as in this blog post Great Adventure Safaris is going to discuss the areas of safety that you as a tourist you need to pay attention to when visiting Masai Mara on your Kenya Holiday.

The answer to your question is “yes” Masai Mara National Reserve is well protected by armed park rangers and is located far away from reported attack incident. In actual fact, most of Kenya’s tourists destinations are safe for tourists with the only safety aspect that you need to put into consideration, is your safety on the road due bad driving and other related road risks.

How safe is Kenya’s Masai Mara?

The Masai Mara is one of the safest game reserves in Kenya and we discussion the reasons as follows.

The reserve is situated very far away from the would be dangerous parts of the country, the North eastern part of Kenya that boarders Somalia, Masai Mara is the furthest you can be from the would be dangerous region, so this make the reserve so safe to visitors.

Secondly, the government has put in place a lot of measures to curb any kind of insecurity around Masai Mara through Kenya wildlife services as the park receives a big number of tourists per year making it the biggest income earner for the country and the Mara region.

The safety rules and regulations put in place by the Kenya wildlife services, protects you from any kind of harm from the animals in the reserve.One of the rules stretches that you should not leave your vehicle while outside in Mara plains for game drives.

Safari general travel safety precautions

Is Masai Mara safe for tourists? – African safaris are generally safe in our opinion. Especially if your visit is primarily an organized tour. Great Adventure safaris guide will ensure your safety at all times. But it is recommended to seek advice about the safety of the areas you intend to visit. Below are some general safety tips:

• Buy good travel and health insurance
• Check the passport and visa requirements for your destination
• Get all the required vaccinations, antimalarial medication and insect repellent (those containing DEET are most effective)
• Lock all your travel bags and keep all valuables in your hand luggage
• Make duplicates of important travel documents or keep copies online
• Bring appropriate clothing to protect against the sun, mosquitos and to stay warm on open vehicle game drives
• Check luggage restrictions on all your flights (including domestic flights)
• Don’t drive at night
• Put your valuables in the safety deposit box of the hotel
• Always be polite and respectful to police officers and military personnel. In the rare instance that you might get asked for a bribe (on a self-drive safari only), a light attitude and a joke might well get you off the hook.

The safest way to get to the Masai Mara

When you are getting to Masai Mara, the most secure way to travel for tourists is by air and there are about 5 flights to Mara every day. The reason why it is the most secure way is that the approximate 6 hours’ drive to Masai Mara from Nairobi is scenic but might expose you to danger than the 45minutes flight would.

The only challenge with flying to Mara is the cost as one way flight can cost above $200 which makes most of the budget and large group travellers to opt for the road. Great Adventure safaris have the best and professional drivers that took defensive driving lessons and they are used to that route. Our 4×4 land cruiser jeeps that are well suited for the road conditions will handle the basic security of travellers on their way to Masai Mara.

Safety when out on a game drives

Remember that Masai Mara habits wild animals, that can attack you once they feel offended or threatened, therefore avoid leaving the safety of your safari vehicle and safari guide when out for game drive.

Wildlife viewing is generally very safe in our opinion. A professional guide will ensure your safety on a guided safari, as long as you treat animals with respect and follow all park rules. It is extremely rare for incidents to occur. Below are some general safety guidelines and tips.

Always follow your guide’s instructions and guidelines

• Always keep your voice down when close to animals
• Stay in the car during game drives except at designated areas where you are allowed to get out
• Don’t stand up in the car, hang out of the window or sit on the roof
• Don’t drive too close to animals if you are on a self-drive safari and back off if the animals seem disturbed
• Don’t drive between elephants in a herd, especially females and their young
• Stay together as a group close to your guide on a walking safari and always walk in single file
• Never run or jog in a wildlife area as it entices predators to attack
• Never walk between a hippo and water; it may panic and charge because its safety route to the water is blocked
• Never leave food in your tent; it will attract wildlife
• Cover your arms and legs in the evening and use insect repellent to protect against mosquitoes
• Wear a hat, use sunscreen and drink plenty of water
• Don’t wear bright and colorful clothes or too much perfume – especially on walking safaris
• In tsetse-fly areas it is recommended not to wear dark-colored clothing – such as black or dark blue – since it attracts these stinging flies
• Bring warm clothes for morning game drives in open vehicles