Masai Mara safari from Nairobi: 2, 3 or 4 days, prices and what is included
A Masai Mara safari is the most booked multi-day excursion from Nairobi. Packages range from shared minibuses with simple tents to stays in luxury camps, by road (5 to 6 hours each way, 240 to 270 km) or by air (about 45 minutes). This page helps you choose the length, the budget and what must appear on the quote. A night in Nairobi before departure and some margin on arrival are prudent: domestic flights and roads are subject to delays.
Highlights
Safaris of 2 to 4 days
Two days (one night) are enough to see the big animals but leave little time on site because of the road; three days is the right compromise; four days or more allow several drives on each side of the river and a possible balloon flight.
The game drives
Two drives a day (early morning and late afternoon) in a 4x4 or pop-top minibus with a driver-guide; in a private conservancy there are fewer vehicles and walking or night safaris are sometimes possible.
Prices
According to a safari comparison published in 2026, a 3-day road safari starts around US$750-1,050 per person at budget level and US$1,050-1,800 mid-range, and a 3-day safari with flights from about US$1,850; luxury is far above those amounts. These are orders of magnitude from a commercial source: ask for a quote.
What is included
Generally: transport, nights, full board, game drives, water and the park ticket in reputable offers. Often extra: balloon flight, tips, drinks, insurance, visa.
Practical info
Tips
- Ask in writing whether the park ticket is included (it is higher from July to December: see the Masai Mara reserve), how many people per vehicle (aim for 6 at most, a window seat each), where you sleep (inside the reserve, at the gate or an hour's drive away) and whether the price includes transfers from your Nairobi hotel. The cheapest budgets sleep far from the reserve, which costs hours on the road. Compare several registered agencies and read recent reviews; avoid paying cash to an intermediary met in the street (see scams and safety in Kenya). For the migration, plan at least 3 nights (the great wildebeest migration). A balloon flight is booked on top (hot-air balloon over the Masai Mara). Itinerary: a 3-day safari in Kenya; another destination: Masai Mara or Amboseli.
How to get there
Departure from your Nairobi hotel, or a flight from Nairobi's Wilson Airport to a Mara airstrip, then a 4x4 transfer to the camp. For arriving in Nairobi, see Nairobi airport to the city centre.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
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