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Masai Mara Safari From Nairobi - Compare 1,816 Tours

4.6/5  –  512 Masai Mara Safari Reviews

Nairobi is East Africa’s busiest international safari gateway and the Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the best safari destinations anywhere: they go very well together! Nairobi itself has a number of attractions that make it worth exploring in its own right. It even has its own national park, which is a deserving part of Kenya’s incredible wildlife portfolio. But the Masai Mara is another thing altogether. The scale, variety and sheer beauty of the Mara’s wildlife offering and rolling savannah grasslands make this one of the best places to see animals anywhere in Africa. Even if you visit nowhere else on safari, you simply can’t miss the Masai Mara, and getting here very often means passing through Nairobi.

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5 Questions About Masai Mara Safaris From Nairobi

1. How much time do I need for a Masai Mara safari from Nairobi?
2. Can I see all Big Five animals on a Masai Mara safari?
3. Is it recommended to drive or fly from Nairobi to the Masai Mara?
4. Should I stay in the Masai Mara or one of the bordering conservancies?
5. How much will a Masai Mara safari from Nairobi cost?
 
 

5 Questions About Masai Mara Safaris From Nairobi

Answered by Anthony Ham

How much time do I need for a Masai Mara safari from Nairobi?

“The more time you have for exploring the Masai Mara the better. If you drive here from Nairobi, it will take half a day to get to the Mara, and half a day to get back (unless you’re going on elsewhere instead of returning to Nairobi). If you fly from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport, then you can be in the Mara in just over an hour. Then it becomes a question of just how long you can spare to go looking for animals in one of the best wildlife destinations on the planet. With 1 or 2 full days in the Masai Mara, you could get to know one of the areas inside the reserve really well, or enjoy getting to know one of the conservancies that surround the Mara. With 3 or 4 days, you could explore two or more areas of the reserve or a couple of the conservancies, or a combination of the two. With 5 days to a week, you could really claim to know the Mara well.”

1

Can I see all Big Five animals on a Masai Mara safari?

“The Masai Mara is home to the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino). The first four of these are often seen in the reserve and the conservancies. There are rhinos in the Greater Mara ecosystem, but they can be elusive: your best chance of seeing one is in the Mara Triangle, just north of the official reserve. One option if you’re desperate to see the Big Five as part of your trip is to visit Nairobi National Park before or after traveling to the Mara. Nairobi National Park is one of the best places in Kenya to see white or black rhino. Even if you don’t see the Big Five, there will still be lots of wildlife highlights. The Big Five was actually labeled by hunters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to describe the animals that were most dangerous to hunt. In the Mara there are many other exciting animals to see, including cheetah, zebra, giraffe and so much more.”

2

Is it recommended to drive or fly from Nairobi to the Masai Mara?

“The two main considerations when deciding whether to drive or fly are time and money. On the one hand, flying to and from the Masai Mara is an excellent use of your time. It gets you from Nairobi to the Masai Mara three or four times quicker than it takes to drive the same distance. This is especially important if you only have a few days on safari and you want to maximize the time you spend looking for animals rather than traveling around. And best of all, the views you can enjoy on your air transfer (which doubles as a scenic flight) are simply wonderful. The main downside of flying is that it isn’t cheap, and it can be beyond the reach of those looking for a more affordable safari. If you do end up driving, remember that you’ll have more time to see Kenya up close and more opportunities to meet locals, if you travel by road.”

3

Should I stay in the Masai Mara or one of the bordering conservancies?

“Both the Masai Mara National Reserve and the many conservancies that surround the reserve are excellent, and I would recommend experiencing both. If you only have time to experience one on your Masai Mara safari from Nairobi, then each has its pros and cons. The national reserve can be really busy, and safari trails can become crowded, but it’s the best place for seeing the great migration when it passes through. The Masai Mara is also the most famous because of the incredible array and number of animals within the main reserve. The Mara conservancies are much more exclusive than the national reserve, which means quieter safari trails, and there’s a good chance that you’ll see many of the same animals as they’re all part of the same ecosystem. There will also be more opportunities for community engagement with the local Maasai in the conservancies. At the same time, there are very few budget accommodations in any of the conservancies, and some of them are quite a long way from the main herds during the great migration.”

4

How much will a Masai Mara safari from Nairobi cost?

“The cost of a Masai Mara safari from Nairobi will differ greatly across the many tours and packages on offer. As a starting point, expect to pay US$150 to US$200 per person per day for a budget camping safari. This can rise to around US$500 per person per day or even more for a luxury safari. Check whether your flights or road transfers to/from the Masai Mara, and the daily park fees of US$200/50 per adult/child per day, are included. Variables that can impact the cost of your safari include your accommodations – budget camping tents cost a lot less than the uber-luxurious safari tents of the luxury tented camps. Many of the latter have suite-sized tents with wooden floors, en suite bathrooms, a private terrace and luxury furnishings, and some even have their own swimming pool. Also important is the time of year when you travel. High season in the Masai Mara covers most of the year, running from June to October and from December to March. Outside of these months, your safari may be quite a bit cheaper. Remember also that private safaris are more expensive than group safaris.”

5

Masai Mara Safari Reviews

4.6/5 512 Reviews
Expert
Brian Jackman  –  
United Kingdom UK

Brian is an award winning travel writer, author of safari books and regular contributor to magazines such as BBC Wildlife and Travel Africa.

Big Cat Heaven
5/5

No wonder Disney chose to film ‘African Cats’ in the Mara. This is Kenya’s finest big game reserve, 5,000ft above sea level and home to all kinds of animals, from 6-tonne elephants to tiny dik-diks. Cheetahs patrol its open grasslands...

Full Review

Expert
Emma Gregg  –  
United Kingdom UK

Emma is an award-winning travel writer for Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller, Travel Africa magazine and The Independent.

Quintessential Kenyan Safari Destination, Whatever the Season
5/5

Grasslands dotted with graceful acacias, hundreds of big cats and enough natural drama to keep wildlife documentary filmmakers busy year after year – the Masai Mara has it all. It also has some highly alluring and charismatic places to...

Full Review

Alessandra e Simone  –  
Italy IT
Reviewed: Aug 16, 2025
5/5

Best park we visited without doubt. We encountered a lot of wildlife, all with incredible photo perspectives. The off-road allowed us to find some animals in really natural attitude (a cheetah eating a zebra just the first day) and the park...

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Ross A  –  
Australia AU
Reviewed: Jul 4, 2025
5/5

Fantastic contrast against the Serengeti and allowed us to gain a greater perspective of the migration route. We captured some amazing moments here with wildlife and would visit again without hesitation.

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Lin  –  
China CN
Reviewed: Jun 4, 2025
Too many unbelievable sceneries, still wanting more
5/5

The wonderful 6days 5nights. Moses took us to the best positions to look at the animals quickly. Cheetah hunting, elephants eating, giraffes walking. All of these shows the freedom of this magical land, Africa. I was sitting in the...

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Aine Charot  –  
Portugal PT
Reviewed: Apr 9, 2025
3 Days wildlife safari
5/5

Kenya is a breathtaking destination filled with stunning landscapes, abundant wildlife, and warm, welcoming people. From the Maasai Mara to the vibrant streets of Nairobi, every moment was unforgettable. Truly a dream come true for nature...

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All 512 Masai Mara Safari Reviews