Governors’ Camp relaunched its children’s programme in the Masai Mara this year, and parents keep asking the same question: what do kids actually do all day? Not the brochure version. The real one.
Touring Insights dug into what Governors’ Cub Club covers and who it suits. Below you will find the activities, the ages it targets, and the real distances and costs of getting your family to Musiara.
What Is Governors’ Cub Club, Really?
Governors’ Cub Club is a structured kids programme run out of the Governors’ Camp Collection properties in the Masai Mara. It replaces ad hoc babysitting or “just bring them on game drives” with a scheduled set of activities built for younger children.
The programme sits alongside normal family game drives rather than instead of them. Kids join morning or afternoon drives with parents. Then they rotate into Cub Club sessions midday, when wildlife activity slows and the heat peaks anyway.
Where Governors’ Camp Sits in the Mara
Governors’ Camp Collection operates several properties clustered around Musiara Marsh, on the Mara River, in the northern section of the Masai Mara ecosystem. Little Governors’ Camp sits across the river and guests reach it by a short boat crossing.
The table below covers the real logistics families need before booking.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Location | Musiara area, northern Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok County |
| Nearest airstrip | Musiara Airstrip (a few minutes’ walk from camp) |
| Flight time from Nairobi (Wilson Airport) | approx. 45-55 minutes |
| Drive time from Nairobi | approx. 5-6 hours, roughly 270-290 km via Narok town |
| Masai Mara National Reserve size | approx. 1,510 km2 |
| Reserve conservation fee (non-resident adult) | indicative $80-100 per person per day, confirm current rate with camp |
| Reserve conservation fee (non-resident child) | indicative $40-50 per day for children, age bands vary by county |
Confirm fees directly with the camp before you travel. Rates change and vary between the Narok County side of the reserve and the neighboring Mara Triangle.
What Kids Actually Do Day to Day
Cub Club activities rotate through a weekly schedule rather than repeating the same session daily. Children work through a mix of outdoor learning and hands-on craft, guided by camp staff trained to work with younger guests.
The core activities include tree planting, animal-track identification walks, and stargazing after dinner. Kids also try pizza-making, a supervised bow-and-arrow session, and a visit to a local Maasai school near the reserve boundary.
Each session runs as a standalone block, usually one to two hours. Parents can drop kids into a session and head to their own activity, or join in themselves.
Tree Planting and Track ID: The Conservation Side
Tree planting sessions give kids a small plot in the camp grounds and a sapling to plant themselves, usually an indigenous species suited to the riverine habitat around Musiara. Staff explain why native trees matter for the ecosystem, not just as a photo moment.
Animal-track identification pairs children with a guide who walks a short, safe stretch near camp. Kids learn to tell a hyena print from a leopard print, and spot which tracks are fresh. It teaches observation skills that carry over directly into game drives, since kids start noticing signs adults usually miss.
Stargazing, Pizza-Making, and the Bow-and-Arrow Session
Stargazing works well in the Mara because camp lighting stays low and skies run clear most nights outside the rainy season. A guide points out visible constellations and talks through how Maasai communities traditionally used the stars for direction and timing.
Pizza-making sessions happen in camp kitchens, with kids rolling dough and choosing toppings before a chef bakes it. It is a simple, low-pressure activity that gives tired kids a break from structured learning.
The bow-and-arrow session runs under direct supervision, using blunt practice equipment and a fixed target area. It connects to traditional Maasai hunting skills, though staff are clear that the session teaches technique, not an endorsement of hunting wildlife.
Meeting a Maasai School: What This Visit Involves
The school visit takes children to a Maasai primary school near the reserve boundary, where they meet local students roughly their own age. Visits typically include time in a classroom and an exchange of simple games or songs between the groups.
Parents should treat this as a cultural exchange, not a spectacle. Ask your camp in advance how the visit is structured and whether the school receives any direct support from camp guest visits, since practices vary between properties.
Cub Club vs a Standard Family Game-Drive Safari
Families choosing between a straight game-drive itinerary and one built around Cub Club should know what each actually delivers day to day.
| Feature | Governors’ Cub Club programme | Standard family game-drive-only safari |
|---|---|---|
| Daily structure | Game drives plus scheduled kids sessions midday | Game drives only, kids fill gaps unsupervised |
| Best age fit | Roughly 5-12 years old | Works for any age, but nothing built for younger kids |
| Learning component | Structured (tracks, conservation, culture) | Whatever the guide covers informally on drives |
| Parent free time | Built in during Cub Club sessions | Minimal, since kids stay with parents throughout |
| Added cost | Usually included in family rate, confirm with camp | None, since there is no extra programme to pay for |
Older teens may find Cub Club too young for them. It targets a specific age band, and parents traveling with a mixed-age group should ask camp staff how sessions flex for a 13-year-old alongside a 6-year-old.
Age Ranges, Timing, and What Parents Should Book Around
Cub Club suits children roughly 5 to 12 years old best. Teenagers usually prefer joining adult game drives full time rather than rotating through craft sessions built for younger kids.
Book activities around your game drive schedule, not the other way around. Morning drives typically run before breakfast, leaving Cub Club sessions to fill the late morning and early afternoon before the second drive. Check with Governors’ Camp directly on which specific activities run on which days, since the weekly rotation is not identical every week.
Explorer Notes
Pack a headlamp for the stargazing session. Camp paths stay dark between the mess tent and guest tents, and kids handle the walk back better with their own light instead of relying on staff torches.
Ask specifically whether your camp uses Little Governors’ Camp for any Cub Club sessions. That property sits across the river and reaching it means a boat crossing, which some parents with very young children want advance warning about.
Bring a light long-sleeve layer for the school visit. Classrooms are simple structures without air conditioning, and mornings in the Mara run cooler than midday game drive heat suggests.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age does Governors’ Cub Club accept? The programme targets roughly 5 to 12 year olds. Confirm exact age policies with Governors’ Camp directly, since minimum ages for game drives and specific activities can differ.
Is Cub Club included in the room rate or an extra cost? Most Cub Club activities run as part of the standard family rate at Governors’ Camp properties. Confirm current inclusions with the camp before booking, since packages change.
How do we get to Governors’ Camp with young kids? Fly from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport to Musiara Airstrip, a flight of roughly 45 to 55 minutes. The drive option takes 5 to 6 hours over rough road, which most parents with young children skip in favor of flying.
Can teenagers join Cub Club sessions too? Teens can join some sessions, but the programme is built around younger children. Most teens prefer full adult game drives instead of the craft-focused Cub Club rotation.
Does the Maasai school visit involve any cost or donation? Policies vary by camp and by season. Ask Governors’ Camp directly how the visit works and whether guests are invited to contribute directly to the school.
Ready to build a Mara itinerary around Cub Club sessions? Check our Tour Packages page for family-focused routes, or ask a partner operator to confirm current Cub Club scheduling before you lock in dates.
What to Read Next
- Planning the full trip with kids in tow? See our family safari camp life Kenya guide.
- Weighing which Mara camp fits your family best? Read our Masai Mara family camps comparison.
- Curious what else conservancies near the Mara offer families? Our Mara North Conservancy guide covers nearby options.
