Masai Mara Fly-In Classic
Small plane from Nairobi straight to the Mara, staying near Talek Gate, with four game drives over two nights plus a hot air balloon ride.
Skip the five to six hours of bumpy road travel: take a small plane from Nairobi Wilson Airport to a runway inside the reserve, then spend two nights around Talek Gate to focus on the big cat areas, the Talek River and the central grasslands. A hot air balloon ride can be booked for the early morning of the second day. The drawback is that private conservancy night drives are not included. Often chosen by first-time visitors to East Africa with limited time.
The Great Migration passes through the Mara from July to October, so book camps and flights several months in advance.
Day by day
Day 1 · Fly to the Mara and Afternoon Game Drive
Maasai Mara（Keekorok、Talek River）
Fly from Nairobi Wilson Airport in the morning for about 45–60 minutes to Keekorok. A camp vehicle will meet you. Afternoon game drive for about 3 hours.
Wilson Airport is not Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Luggage is limited to soft bags of about 15 kg.
Stay: Talek Gate
Day 2 · Hot Air Balloon and Full Day in the Reserve
Maasai Mara（Maasai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari、Maasai Mara National Reserve、Mara River Crossing）
Pick-up before dawn to the hot air balloon launch site. After landing on the grassland, have breakfast, then spend the full day on game drives with a picnic lunch.
Hot air balloon flights must be booked in advance. Departure is around 5 a.m.
Stay: Talek Gate
Day 3 · Maasai Villages and Return
Maasai Mara（Maasai Village (Manyatta)）
Early in the morning, take a short game drive or visit a Maasai village. In the morning, return to the airstrip and fly back to Nairobi, arriving around midday.
Village visit fees are usually paid on site to the community.