Guide's-Eye View: 10 Tips from Charity Lemein, Our Silver-Level Maasai Safari Guide

There's no substitute for local knowledge. So we sat down with Charity Lemein - one of our Silver-level Maasai safari guides at Cottar's Safaris - to share her insider tips and the advice she gives every guest. Here's what made the list.

1. The best vantage point 

The best vantage point from Charity’s perspective is at Mlima Ya Chai, tucked inside the private Olderkesi Conservancy where Cottar's Safaris is based. We stop here for bush breakfasts at sunrise and return for sundowners as the light softens. Sweeping views of the Sand River, the open plains and the rolling hills beyond - it never gets old.

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2. Where to find stillness in the Maasai Mara

The Olderkesi Conservancy, in the southeastern corner of the greater Maasai Mara ecosystem, is private - which means extraordinary wildlife with almost no other vehicles around. Guests get the wildlife entirely to themselves. That stillness is rare in the Maasai Mara, and it completely changes the safari experience.

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3. Walking safaris are the activity to prioritise

Guided bush walks are permitted in the Olderkesi Conservancy - something you can't do inside the national reserve. There's something about being on foot in the bush: reading tracks, hearing everything, feeling the ground beneath you. If you do one thing here, make it this.

4. May is the secret-season pick

The Great Migration gets the headlines, but Charity's favourite month is May, just after the long rains. Everything is lush and green. With fewer herbivores around, predators have to work harder and go after bigger prey. She once watched a pride of lions take down a buffalo in this season - unforgettable.

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5. There's a bend in the Sand River worth watching

A particular bend along the Sand River, close to the border, where predators lie in wait to ambush prey crossing the water. A recent sighting there: lions taking down a zebra. Ask your guide to take you to this beautiful river where there are annual migration crossings but no crowds.

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6. The Maasai Warrior School is a hit with kids

Cottar's Safaris offers exclusive vehicles for families and activities designed to work for both adults and children. The highlight for younger guests is almost always our Maasai Warrior School, where they spend time with local Maasai warriors, learn traditional skills and connect with the culture. Joyful to watch.

7. Visit a Maasai village - properly

The Maasai people are warm, welcoming and full of laughter. Spend an afternoon in a village and you'll leave feeling like family. It's not a performance - it's a genuine connection to the people whose land this is.

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8. Mlima Ya Chai is also the best place to photograph

It earns its second mention. The elevation and open aspect give photographers a view that's hard to beat at sunrise and sunset, and the wide savannah below is perfect for capturing wildlife in action with all that space around them.

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9. Pack for the sun - seriously

Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are non-negotiable. The equatorial sun is fiercer than most visitors expect. Add mosquito repellent and a good camera and you're set.

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10. Top tip for a first-time safari goer?

Keep the noise down. Excitement in the vehicle is completely understandable - but making too much noise can disturb the animals and cost you the sighting entirely. Keep this in mind and you'll get the most from every drive.