Lodges and conservancies organise morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, the core activity on any Masai Mara safari. Timing your visit for the June to October migration season adds a real chance of seeing river crossings.
Game drives run in the early morning and late afternoon, when animals are most active and the light is best for photography, with full-day drives also common during migration season. Night drives are not permitted inside the Masai Mara National Reserve itself, but several of the private conservancies bordering it, such as Mara North and Naboisho, do offer them along with a more exclusive, less crowded experience overall.