Shishi Footsteps
Plan your trip

Kenya

6-Day Group Balloon & Mara Plains Safari

Small-group Mara stay with a shared balloon morning and classic savannah game drives.

Kenya 6 days

Overview

Small-group Mara stay with a shared balloon morning and classic savannah game drives.

Travel style: Group Travel. Balloon subject to weather.

This is a starting point. We refine lodges, flying days and pacing around who is travelling, the season and how you like to spend a safari afternoon.

The Great Wildebeest Migration

The Mara forms part of the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem where more than a million wildebeest and thousands of zebra move with the rains. River crossings — when they happen — are unpredictable and unforgettable.

We time camp choice and game-drive rhythm to the season rather than promising a single spectacle on a fixed date.

Private conservancies

Conservancy land beside the reserve often allows fewer vehicles, guided walks and night drives that the main reserve cannot offer.

That flexibility changes the feel of a Mara journey — especially for photographers and repeat visitors.

Regions on this safari

This route focuses on Maasai Mara. We adjust lodge choice, flight legs and the number of nights in each area to match your season and travel style.

Planning notes

Travel style: Group Travel. Balloon subject to weather.

Experiences on this safari

  • Game drives at dawn and dusk
  • Visit a Maasai cultural village
  • Hot air balloon safari
  • Bush breakfast, lunch or dinner
  • Night game drives in private conservancies

Explore all Shishi activities

Practical information

How to get there

Most journeys begin in Nairobi. Road transfers to the Maasai Mara take around five to six hours; scheduled flights reach many parks in under an hour. We choose road or air based on your time, comfort and the rhythm of the route.

Climate

Kenya has a cooler season from June to November with daytime averages around 20°C. Nights can feel crisp on the plateau. Mid-October to November brings short rains; December to April is warmer, often reaching 30°C by day. Long rains typically fall in April and May, often as afternoon showers after sunny mornings.

Best time to visit

We often shape Kenya journeys around mid-July to mid-October for migration viewing in the Mara, or June to October and December to March for strong general game viewing across multiple parks.

Information & facts

  • Big Five — elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo
  • Wildebeest, zebra and gazelle during migration season
  • Cheetah, serval and hyena
  • Hippo and crocodile along river systems
  • Reticulated giraffe and Grevy's zebra in the north
  • Home to iconic savannah and Rift Valley landscapes
  • Private conservancies allow flexible game viewing
  • Coast extensions pair well with inland safari time

Included

  • Accommodation as outlined
  • Guiding on scheduled activity days
  • Meals as specified in your final itinerary

Not included

  • International flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Items of a personal nature

Personalise this safari

This itinerary is a starting framework. Tell us who is travelling, when you hope to go and what matters most, and we will shape lodges, transfers and pacing around you.

Plan this safari
Turn this itinerary into your safari

Turn this itinerary into your safari

Share your preferences and our specialists will refine every detail to match your style, budget and travel dates.

Start planning this route