Maasai Mara · Kenya · Private safaris
See the Mara with a guide who grew up on it.
Sylvester Mukenye is a Maasai safari guide and wildlife photographer. One Land Cruiser, one group, and days planned around you and the animals.
Maasai Guiding Safaris
Tracks in the mud, an alarm call in the grass, the way the herds are leaning. Sylvester reads the Mara the way his family taught him.
Your guide
Sylvester Mukenye
Sylvester is Maasai and grew up around the Mara. When you book, he is the one who picks you up, drives the Land Cruiser and finds the animals.
He is also a wildlife photographer, so he knows where to put the vehicle for the light and the angle. You hire him directly, which means the plan is yours. Stay out all day with a packed lunch, wait at a river crossing, or go back to that leopard tree one more time.
Maasai Mara safaris
Already in the Mara? Start here.
For guests staying at a Mara camp or flying in to an airstrip. Every trip is private: your group, your vehicle, your pace.
Maasai Mara · 1 day
Full-day game drive
Out at sunrise, back at sunset, with a packed lunch in the bush.
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Maasai Mara · 3 days
Mara classic
Three days of drives, with time at the river during migration season.
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Mara airstrips · Any day
Airstrip pick-up & drive
Meet your flight and go straight into the reserve.
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Mara community · Half day
Maasai culture walk
A walk and village visit, explained by someone from the community.
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Special journey · 7 days
The Giza Trail
In search of Laikipia's black leopard
Giza, Swahili for "darkness", is a melanistic leopard: her coat is almost completely black, and her rosettes only show when the light catches them. She lives in the rugged ranch country of Laikipia, beside Mpala and Loisaba, and has been raising cubs of her own. Sylvester has tracked and photographed her himself: every black leopard picture on this page is his.
This journey is built around the hours she is most active: dawn, dusk and after dark, using red-filtered spotlights that don't disturb her. Sylvester drives and guides you the whole way, in his own Land Cruiser. Between searches there are rhinos at Ol Pejeta, walks with trackers, wild dog country and a visit to Mpala, one of Africa's leading wildlife research stations.
Giza is a wild leopard and no sighting can be promised. We never bait or call leopards, and we keep her exact whereabouts off this site to protect her.
Every drive is planned around the animals, not the clock.Private safaris · Maasai Mara
Kenya circuits
Road safaris across Kenya, from Nairobi
Pick a circuit to see the route and the plan for each day. Sylvester can change the order, add nights or join two circuits together.
Park fees and lodges are priced for your dates and budget.
Route sketch. Places shown by map position; lines are not roads.
The vehicle
One Land Cruiser, one group: yours.
No sharing with strangers, and no rush to get back for another group. Stand up through the roof for the photograph, or sit back and watch.
- VehicleToyota Land Cruiser 4×4
- RoofPop-up roof for standing and photos
- Pick-up fromNairobi, Mara camps & airstrips
- GuideSylvester, every day of your trip
On the road
Moments from Sylvester's drives
Short clips filmed from the Land Cruiser. Scroll sideways to see more.
From Sylvester's drives
What a day out looks like
When to go
Kenya is good all year. Here's how the Mara changes.
Timing shifts each year with the rain. Amboseli, Tsavo and Samburu are best in the dry months: January to March and June to October. Ask Sylvester what the herds are doing right now before you book.
Field notes
Before you go
Practical advice from the Mara, written for first-time and returning guests.
Wildlife · Planning
When to see the Mara River crossings
When the herds arrive, why crossings are hard to predict, and how to give yourself the best chance.
Read →Planning
What to pack for a Maasai Mara safari
Layers for cold mornings, the right colours, and the small things guests always wish they had brought.
Read →Planning
Private safari or shared game drive?
What changes when the vehicle and the guide are yours for the whole day.
Read →Questions
Good to know
Can't find your answer? Ask Sylvester on WhatsApp. He usually replies the same day.
Is the safari private?
Yes. You travel only with your own group in Sylvester's Land Cruiser, and he guides you himself every day of the trip. No strangers join your vehicle.
How much does a safari cost?
It depends on the number of days, your group size, the season and where you stay. Send your dates and group size on WhatsApp and Sylvester will reply with a plan and a price.
Quotes include the vehicle, fuel and guide. Park fees and accommodation are priced for your dates and budget.
Are park fees included?
Park and conservancy fees are added to your quote at the current official rates. Maasai Mara fees are set by Narok County and are higher in peak season, so the exact amount depends on your dates.
Where can you pick us up?
From Nairobi, from your camp in the Mara, or from a Mara airstrip when you fly in. Tell Sylvester your flight or hotel and he will arrange the meeting point.
Can you book our camps and lodges?
Yes. Tell Sylvester your budget and style, from simple tented camps to luxury lodges, and he will suggest places and include them in your quote. If you have already booked a camp, he can drive you from there.
Can we change the itinerary?
Yes. The circuits on this site are starting points. Sylvester can change the order, add nights, join two circuits, or plan something new around what you want to see.
When is the best time to visit?
Kenya is good all year. The migration herds are usually in the Mara from about July to October, with river crossings most likely in August and September. See the season chart above.
Can we bring children?
Families are welcome. Tell Sylvester your children's ages when you enquire, as some camps and activities have minimum ages, and he will plan drive lengths that suit them.
Do I need a visa for Kenya?
Most visitors need a Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied for online at etakenya.go.ke before you fly. Some nationalities are exempt, so check the official site for your passport.
For vaccinations, see a travel clinic 6 to 8 weeks before you travel.
What should I pack?
Neutral-coloured layers, a warm top for early mornings, a hat, sunscreen and binoculars. See our full packing guide.
Plan your safari
Tell Sylvester your dates and group size.
He replies on WhatsApp, usually the same day, with a plan and a price.