For a family of four, two nights in the Masai Mara can hold a surprising amount of adventure.
There is the excitement of a first flight into the Mara, the anticipation of seeing wildlife, early morning game drives, meals beside the river, and plenty of time for the children to learn about the landscape around them. For this family, their two-night stay at Governors’ Camp brought all of this together, with a little help from their guide Mark, a very determined mission to find a cheetah, and plenty of moments that the whole family will remember.
The family arrived at Wilson Airport at 6.00 am, ready for their 7.00 am Governors’ Aviation flight to the Masai Mara.
Captain Willis made the 45-minute flight enjoyable, with beautiful views along the way. Before long, the family landed at Musiara Airstrip, where their guide was waiting with a warm welcome.
The guide helped with the luggage and guided the family to their open-sided safari Land Cruiser. Then came a special welcome for the children: Governors’ Cub Club caps, green-branded water bottles and colourful species checklists.
The checklists, designed and developed in-house using beautiful imagery by our Resident Photographers, were quickly put to good use.
With the children looking out for their first sightings and the parents taking in the landscape, the short drive from the airstrip to camp marked the real beginning of their Mara adventure.
At camp, Assistant Camp Manager Ian welcomed the family and took them to the bar area for a briefing. Warm towels and refreshing juices were offered as he introduced them to camp and explained the important guidelines for staying at an unfenced property.
Safety is a priority at Governors’ Camp, and guests are briefed on how to move around camp comfortably and safely, particularly when wildlife is nearby.
The family was then shown to a Family Tent. Governors’ Camp has five family tents, each designed with a double room and a twin room connected by a shared living area. Each room has an en-suite bathroom and its own verandah overlooking the open plains, where wildlife is often seen passing by. An extra bed can also be added for a third child.
For the family, it was their first opportunity to settle in, freshen up and look ahead to the adventure that awaited them. With game drives, sundowners and activities with the Governors’ Cub Club on the agenda, excitement was already building.
By late morning, the family had some time to relax at the sundowner deck. The parents enjoyed some wine and snacks, while the children had their own snacks and explored around camp with the friendly security guard, Jackson.
Then it was time for lunch.
At 12.20 pm, the family sat down to a beautifully arranged table overlooking the Mara River. Hippos began to bask along the riverbank as the day warmed up, and warthogs played around, providing an entertaining backdrop to the meal.
The menu included starters, mains and desserts, alongside refreshing drinks. For the children, the kid-friendly options were a welcome touch, and the warm, attentive staff were always close by to help.
After lunch, there was just enough time for a quick rest before the moment everyone had been waiting for.
The first game drive.
The children climbed into the vehicle with their species checklists, caps and water bottles ready. Their parents were equally prepared.
Guide Mark had a plan: find as much wildlife as possible and make sure the children enjoyed the experience while learning along the way.
He proved particularly good at this, finding creative ways to explain animal behaviour and answering the many questions that naturally came up during a first safari.
Lions quickly became a favourite.
The family came across Marsh Pride lionesses, Kaleo and Lola and her three young cubs. The lionesses had recently finished feeding on a buffalo and were resting under the afternoon sun.
For the children, seeing lion cubs in the wild was especially exciting. And there was something rather fitting about watching them discover the animals on their Governors’ Cub Club checklists, while seeing the real thing just metres away.
The afternoon brought plenty more sightings: herds of elephants, zebras, impalas and a wide variety of bird species.
As the sun began to set, Mark found a good spot for the family’s first Mara sundowner. Drinks and bites were brought out as everyone took a moment to talk about the day.
The children already had plenty to report. They had seen two of the Big Five, watched young lion cubs and witnessed a buffalo kill.
Back at camp, the family had some time to freshen up before dinner.
The dining tent had been beautifully prepared, with warm light from the chandeliers and table lanterns creating a welcoming setting. A delicious meal and attentive service brought the first day to a fitting close.
After a full day, it was time for bed.
As Governors’ Camp is unfenced, a security guard accompanied the family back to their tent, ensuring they could move around camp safely after dark.
The second morning started early.
At 6.00 am, the family gathered at reception, ready to leave for their 6.30 am game drive. A selection of fruits, cakes and takeaway coffee was waiting for them before they headed out for breakfast in the bush later that morning.
They had barely left camp when the sightings began. Giraffes, baboons, zebras, impalas and numerous bird species appeared along the way, with the early morning light adding to the experience.
But Mark had another goal for the morning.
Find a cheetah. And so the search began.
The family drove through the Mara, passing wildebeest and zebra herds, ostriches, hyenas, buffalo, topi and plenty of other wildlife along the way. About an hour and a half into the drive, the mission was successful.
A lone cheetah was resting under the shade of a tree.
The children had another species to tick off.
After the successful sighting, Mark found a suitable spot to set up breakfast.
There was coffee, milk, juices, sandwiches, mini burgers, fruit, cereal and plenty of other options. With the excitement of the morning’s sightings still fresh, breakfast quickly turned into a lively family conversation filled with laughter and stories from the drive.
Then it was back to camp to rest.
Lunch followed, but the afternoon held something different for the children.
The Governors’ Cub Club is designed to give younger guests opportunities to learn about the environment around them in ways that go beyond simply seeing wildlife from a safari vehicle.
For this family, Mark and Jackson led the afternoon activities.
The children learnt how traditional tools were used, including practising archery with a safe wooden spear, and explored traditional knowledge of plants and their household and cultural medicinal uses. They also tried their hand at “rungu” throwing and targeting, learnt about how traditional spears were forged, and listened to stories about the Mara River, wildlife and the surrounding environment.
It was an afternoon of learning, trying new things and, of course, plenty of fun. By the end, the children were ready for a rest, but there was still one more sundowner to be enjoyed.
For their final evening in the Mara, the family headed out on another game drive before stopping beside the Mara River for their sundowner.
Dozens of hippos could be seen in the water, alongside crocodiles, while Mark filled the evening with more stories about the wildlife and the surrounding environment.
It was a fitting end to their final full day.
On the drive back to camp, the family talked about everything they had experienced so far. In just two days, they had seen lions and their cubs, elephants, a cheetah, zebras, giraffes, buffalo, ostriches, hyenas and countless other species.
And the children had learnt about much more than wildlife.
The family was lucky enough to see more lions before returning to camp for their final breakfast. This time, breakfast was set out beneath the trees, with views across the plains.
Wildlife around camp is part of the experience too. Families of warthogs and other resident animals are regular visitors, often providing their own entertainment as they move around the camp.
After breakfast, the family took part in a tree-planting activity in the camp’s designated reforestation area. Together, they planted three acacia seedlings.
It was a simple but meaningful way to end their stay: leaving something behind that will continue to grow long after they have returned home.
The rest of the day was spent enjoying the camp at a slower pace, with time for games and drinks at the sundowner deck, watching the hippos by the river before lunch.
Then it was time to head back to the airstrip for the afternoon flight to Nairobi.
Two nights may sound short, but this family managed to fit a lot into their time at Governors’ Camp.
There were the early morning drives, the excitement of finding a cheetah, the sight of Lola and her young cubs, breakfast in the bush, evenings beside the Mara River and plenty of new wildlife to add to the children’s checklists.
There was also time to learn: about the Mara’s wildlife and environment, traditional knowledge and the importance of conservation.
And perhaps that is what made the safari particularly memorable for the children. They didn’t simply see the Mara. They had the opportunity to engage with it, ask questions, learn from their guide and take part in activities that made the experience their own.
By the time the family boarded their flight back to Nairobi, the checklists were full, the camera rolls were longer, and there were already plenty of stories to tell.
A short safari, but one that the family will remember for a very long time.
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By Ann Mbaabu for www.governorscamp.com and imagery by Charlie Gould
