Destination: Maasai Mara National Reserve
Three days of guided game drives across Kenya's most celebrated savannah.
The journey
Spend three memorable days in the Maasai Mara, with guided game drives, wide-open savannah landscapes and time to experience the atmosphere of Kenya's famous safari country.
In more detail
The Maasai Mara is the landscape most people picture when they imagine a safari: long grass rolling to the horizon, flat-topped acacias, and herds moving across open plains beneath an enormous sky. This three-day, two-night journey is designed for travellers who want to experience that scenery and the rhythm of life in the reserve without committing to a long itinerary. At its centre are guided game drives led by a driver-guide, with relaxed time around camp when the light is at its softest.
Because the road from Nairobi is long, the first and last days include a good deal of travel, and the middle day is the heart of the safari. The trip suits a single traveller, a couple, a family or a group of friends, and a private safari can be requested on enquiry.
The reserve is home to elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, hippos and many species of antelope, and it is well known for its lions, leopards and cheetahs. Birdlife is rich, from secretary birds striding through the grass to rollers and bee-eaters perched in the acacias. Large herds of wildebeest and zebra move through the wider Mara ecosystem in some months of the year, yet the timing and scale of those movements change from season to season and cannot be predicted in advance. Wildlife is wild: sightings are never guaranteed, and a good safari is built on patience, local knowledge and a willingness to enjoy what each drive offers. For seasonal guidance, read our guide on when to visit Kenya or explore the Maasai Mara destination page.
Day one is mostly travel. Journey times depend on road conditions, planned stops and the departure point, so allow for a long day on the road; if the final package includes it and conditions permit, a first game drive follows your arrival. Day two is the full safari experience, normally built around an early drive when the air is cool and animals are active, a longer break at midday and further wildlife viewing later on. On the final morning there is a last drive where it is included and operationally feasible, followed by breakfast, check-out and the journey back to the agreed drop-off point.
Accommodation is in a tented camp or lodge in or near the reserve, selected to suit your group and the confirmed quotation. Properties vary widely in setting, size and style, from small tented camps with a handful of rooms to larger lodges, and that choice has the greatest effect on the final price. Nothing is reserved until a written quotation has been accepted. Our guide to safari accommodation explains the differences, and the Maasai Mara planning guide covers timing and logistics in more detail.
The starting price on this page is illustrative and is not a confirmed offer. The final cost depends on:
Everything is set out in a written quotation, and nothing is booked until you have reviewed and confirmed it. If you are still deciding between options, tell us about your plans or get in touch, and read our cancellation policy before you commit.
At a glance
Day by day
Depart Nairobi from the agreed pickup point once the itinerary and transport arrangements have been confirmed. The journey toward the reserve includes planned stops where appropriate, for refreshments, views across the Rift Valley and comfort breaks. On arrival you check in at your tented camp or lodge, with lunch where included according to the confirmed schedule. If the final package includes it and conditions permit, an afternoon game drive follows, before dinner and an overnight stay at the accommodation.
Begin with an early game drive when it is included in your itinerary, setting out while the air is cool and the plains are quiet. Return for breakfast, or continue with the agreed game-drive arrangement if your package is set up that way. Enjoy further wildlife viewing and a lunch arrangement appropriate to the selected package, with time to rest at camp in the heat of the day. An optional visit to a local community may be offered, but only where it is properly arranged and clearly priced. Return to the accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.
Enjoy a final game drive where it is included and operationally feasible, with one more chance to enjoy the reserve in the soft morning light. Return for breakfast, check out and begin the journey back toward Nairobi. Travel times depend on road conditions, stops and the selected departure point, so please keep onward plans flexible on the day. You arrive at the agreed drop-off location according to the confirmed transport arrangement.
The details
Before you go
Two nights in a tented camp or lodge in or near the Maasai Mara, chosen to suit your group and the quotation. Room types, bedding and facilities vary by property and are confirmed in writing. No property is reserved until a quotation has been accepted.
Road transfer from Nairobi and game drives in a safari vehicle with a driver-guide, as set out in the confirmed quotation. Journey times depend on road conditions, stops and the pickup point. Other arrangements, such as a flight into the Mara, can be explored on request.
Pickup is arranged from an agreed location in Nairobi, such as a hotel or other address, once the itinerary and transport are confirmed. The time and place are written into your quotation and reconfirmed shortly before departure.
This is a sample itinerary and the price shown is an illustrative starting price per person, not a confirmed offer. Prices, inclusions, accommodation and dates are confirmed in a written quotation before anything is booked. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed and game-drive timings follow reserve rules and conditions. Travel times depend on road conditions. Children are welcome, though some camps set minimum ages, so we confirm this when preparing your quotation.
Pricing and booking terms
Starting price Illustrative
KES 45,000 per person
Illustrative starting price per person, confirmed before booking. The final price depends on group size, season, accommodation and supplier costs.
Check what is and is not included before comparing prices.
Read our cancellation policy for how changes and cancellations are handled.
Questions
Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed on any safari. The Maasai Mara is home to lions, elephants, buffalo and leopards, and rhinos live there in small numbers, but what you encounter depends on the season, the animals' movements and a measure of luck. Your driver-guide's local knowledge helps, and a patient, unhurried approach to each drive usually makes for the most rewarding day.
Expect a long day on the road at the start and end of the safari rather than a short transfer. Travel time depends on road conditions, traffic leaving Nairobi, planned stops and the point at which you enter the reserve. Your confirmed itinerary sets out the timings, and we suggest avoiding tight onward connections on the day you return.
The price shown is an illustrative starting price per person, not a confirmed offer. What it covers for your trip, including transport, accommodation, meals, game drives and any reserve fees, is listed line by line in a written quotation, and that quotation confirms the final price before anything is booked. Group size, season and accommodation all influence it.
Children are generally welcome on safari, but suitability depends on their age, the camp or lodge and the length of the road journey. Some properties set minimum ages or limit certain activities. Tell us the ages of the children in your group when you enquire and we will confirm what each property allows before preparing your quotation.
Optional activities, including a visit to a local community, can be quoted where they are properly arranged and priced separately. They depend on availability, timing and the arrangements at your camp. Ask when you enquire and we will confirm what is possible, and what it adds to the cost, in your written quotation.
Something else on your mind? Ask us about this tour.
Keep exploring
Other itineraries that share a destination, category or travel style with this one.
Combine the open landscapes of Amboseli with the varied wilderness of Tsavo on a multi-day safari through two distinctive Kenyan safari regions.
Combine a Kenyan wildlife experience with a coastal stay for a varied holiday that balances safari adventure with time beside the Indian Ocean.
Experience the landscapes of the Rift Valley with a nature-focused escape combining Lake Naivasha and the outdoor scenery of Hell's Gate.
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