KENYA // CLASSIC SAFARI
3 Days Masai Mara Safari
Three days in Kenya’s most famous reserve: two nights in a tented camp, a full day on the plains and a driver guide who knows where the big cats are.
3 Days / 2 Nights
DURATION
From $550
PRICE PER PERSON
Masai Mara
DESTINATION
2 to 6
GROUP SIZE
ABOUT THIS SAFARI
About This 3 Day Masai Mara Safari
This 3 day Masai Mara safari is the quickest way to see Kenya’s most famous reserve from Nairobi. You spend two nights in a tented camp close to the reserve, with three game drives and a full day on the plains, which gives you a strong chance of seeing lion, elephant, buffalo, cheetah and, with luck, leopard.
The Masai Mara National Reserve covers about 1,500 square kilometres of open grassland in the south west of Kenya, on the border with the Serengeti in Tanzania. Its resident wildlife is excellent all year, and from July to October it hosts the great wildebeest migration, when more than a million animals move north to graze and cross the Mara River.
You travel in a private 4×4 with a pop-up roof and your own driver guide, with full board accommodation and all park fees included. It suits travellers short on time, families and anyone adding a safari to a business trip or a beach stay at Diani Beach. With two more days, the 5 Days Kenya Wildlife Circuit adds Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru on the way.
AT A GLANCE
Trip Summary
| Detail | This safari |
|---|---|
| Price from | USD 550 per person |
| Duration | 3 days / 2 nights |
| Safari style | Wildlife |
| Countries | Kenya |
| Parks visited | Masai Mara National Reserve |
| Starts | Nairobi |
| Ends | Nairobi |
| Group size | Private departure. Typically 2 to 6 guests per vehicle |
| Best time to go | Jul to Oct for the migration and Jan to Feb for dry season game viewing |
| Difficulty | Easy |
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Your Route, Day By Day
| Day | Route | Overnight | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nairobi to Masai Mara | Tented camp, Masai Mara | L, D |
| 2 | Full Day in the Mara | Tented camp, Masai Mara | B, L, D |
| 3 | Mara to Nairobi | Departure | B |
B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner. Accommodation is shown by type and area. We confirm the exact camp or lodge in writing with your quote.
DAY BY DAY
The Full Itinerary
Your driver guide collects you from your Nairobi hotel or the airport after an early breakfast. The road climbs to the edge of the Great Rift Valley for a stop at the escarpment viewpoint, then drops onto the valley floor and heads west through Narok, the last large town before the reserve. The drive takes five to six hours, mostly on tarmac with the final stretch on gravel, and you reach your tented camp in time for lunch.
After a rest, your first game drive in the Masai Mara begins in the late afternoon, when the heat fades and the animals start to move. The open grassland makes wildlife easy to see: lion prides resting in the shade, elephant and giraffe browsing the acacias and herds of topi, zebra and gazelle. You return to camp at sunset for dinner.
Activities: Rift Valley escarpment viewpoint, drive to the Masai Mara, afternoon game drive
Meals: Lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, Masai Mara
A full day in the reserve with a picnic lunch, so you can travel further without heading back to camp. Your guide plans the route around recent sightings, searching the plains for lion, cheetah and leopard and heading to the Mara River, home to large pods of hippo and Nile crocodile. Between July and October the wildebeest migration gathers here, and the river crossings are one of the great sights in nature.
For an extra cost you can start the day with a hot-air balloon flight over the plains at sunrise, followed by a champagne breakfast. In the late afternoon you can also visit a Maasai village near the reserve to learn about traditional homes, dances and beadwork. With all of the Big Five in the Mara, every drive brings something new.
Activities: Full day game drive with picnic lunch, Mara River, optional balloon flight and Maasai village visit
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, Masai Mara
Rise early for a final game drive in the cool of the morning, when lions and cheetahs are most active and the light is at its best. You return to camp for breakfast and check out.
The drive back to Nairobi takes five to six hours with a short break on the way, and you arrive in the middle of the afternoon. Your driver guide drops you at your hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. To save the drive, you can fly from a Mara airstrip to Wilson Airport in Nairobi in about 45 minutes for an extra cost.
Activities: Early morning game drive, drive back to Nairobi
Meals: Breakfast · Overnight: Departure day
THE ROUTE
Where This Safari Takes You
Nairobi → Great Rift Valley escarpment → Narok → Masai Mara National Reserve → Nairobi. Total road distance is approximately 540 km return.
How To Get There
This safari starts and ends in Nairobi. Fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) and we collect you from the airport or your Nairobi hotel on the morning of day 1. If you arrive the night before, we can book a hotel close to the airport.
The road route runs from Nairobi down the Rift Valley escarpment to Narok and on to the reserve, about 270 km and five to six hours each way. Plan an evening flight home on the last day, ideally after 7pm.
To spend less time on the road, scheduled flights from Wilson Airport in Nairobi reach airstrips across the Masai Mara in about 45 minutes. You can fly one way or both ways, so ask us to add flights to your free quote.
WHAT IS COVERED
Included and Not Included
Included
- All park and reserve entrance fees
- Professional English speaking driver guide
- 4×4 safari vehicle with pop up roof
- Full board accommodation as specified
- Bottled drinking water throughout
- Airport or hotel pick up and drop off
Not included
- International flights and visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Soft and alcoholic drinks
- Balloon safari and optional excursions
- Laundry and personal items
- Tips and gratuities
GOOD TO KNOW
3 Day Masai Mara Safari FAQs
Three days gives you three game drives and a full day in the reserve, which is enough to see most of the Mara’s big animals. If you can spare more time, a fourth night gives your guide more chances to find leopard and, in season, a river crossing.
The Mara is good all year. July to October is migration season and the busiest time, January and February are dry with excellent game viewing, and April and May are the green season with the lowest rates. Our Kenya safari cost calculator shows how the price changes by month.
Yes. You travel in a private 4×4 with a pop-up roof and your own driver guide, so you set the pace. Solo travellers can also ask about our group safaris in a shared vehicle to lower the cost.
Yes. Scheduled flights from Wilson Airport in Nairobi take about 45 minutes, and your camp or our team meets you at the airstrip for game drives. Flying costs more than the road trip but saves around ten hours of driving over the three days.
This safari starts from $550 per person. The final price depends on the season, your group size and the camp you choose. For a full breakdown, read how much a Kenya safari costs or request a free quote.
Pack light layers in neutral colours, a warm jacket for early morning drives, a sun hat, sunscreen and binoculars. Soft bags are easier to load into safari vehicles and light aircraft. Check our Kenya visa requirements page for entry rules before you travel.
NO OBLIGATION
Enquire About This Safari
Send us your dates and we will confirm availability and a firm price within 24 hours.
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TAILOR MADE SAFARI
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Create an unforgettable memory with a customised Kenya or Tanzania safari. Tell us how you like to travel and our safari experts will shape the route around you, with no obligation.
Phone: +254 736 992 608
Email: info@solasafaritravels.com
