3D2N Masai Mara Safari From Nairobi Review
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3D2N Masai Marai Safari from Nairobi review to show you what it looks like for the safari adventure. Whether you are having a short stay in Kenya or on a wider safari adventure like me, you would like to know what to expect from the Masai Mara in advance.
The Masai Mara National Reserve is the most famous safari in Kenya. It is not only the safari that you will be seeing the Big 5, other wildlife, and the landscapes. It is also the place where you can take a picture of being on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. Most importantly, this is also the place where the climax of the great migration (thousands of wildbeasts crossing the Mara River) happens.
Despite the popularity, I found it very hard to plan the journey with abundant but contradicting information online. In particular, you will find an endless number of safari options with different durations, package options, and a lot of filtered photos online.
That’s why I am writing this blog post to show you what it’s like in the Masai Mara, the journey from Nairobi to the Masai Mara, the accommodation, cost, and other topics like tipping. I will also include a lot of unfiltered photos.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
The Once In Life Experience
The Masai Mara National Park is the most famous safari park in Kenya. All it takes is just 3 days, 2 nights in Kenya and you can have a taste of this one in life experience.
Let’s Kick Off With The Beautiful Photos & Videos
Before I deep dive into the 3 days 2 nights in the Masai Mara. Let’s take a look at the photos and videos I took!
3 Days 2 Nights Masai Mara In A Nutshell
The most optimal duration of stay for the Masai Mara is 3 days and 2 nights. That way, you could tick this bucket list, even if you are only having a short stay in Kenya. Or if you are having a longer vacation like I did, you could visit other safaris in Kenya, like Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and Amboseli, or even the safaris in Tanzania.
During my 11-day safari journey in Kenya and Tanzania, the 3-day 2-night stay in the Masai Mara was my first stop, and it was amazing.
For the 3 days, typically the first day is for departure from Nairobi to the Masai Mara with an evening game drive. The second day would be a full-day game drive, including a walking tour at the Mara River and a visit to the border between Kenya and Tanzania. On the last day, it will return from the Masai Mara to Nairobi or to the next safari.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
Great For Short Stay In Kenya
If you are staying in Kenya for less than a week, then the 3-day 2-night Masai Mara tour is the best option for you to have a taste of a real African safari.
Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara
The adventure kicked off early, around 7 am, from Nairobi, either from the airport or a hotel in the city center, via a jeep. During my last visit, as I was taking an 11-day safari tour, I chose to stay in Nairobi for a day first, for a city center visit by taking Uber from the airport. Then the next day, I departed from the hotel.
The whole transportation is around 6 hours with around 2 toilet breaks, and at the Great Rift Valley. You will check in at the campsite around 2 pm for a lunch buffet, then head for an evening game drive at the Masai Mara National Reserve.
From the internet, I was very confused about “campsite”. I thought it would be somewhere in an area with a tent and basic facilities. Yet, to my surprise, the campsites in Kenya are very decent. It is more like a private room in a large tent with buffets ( or a packed lunch for a full-day game drive) every day.
For most tours, the campsite you stay at varies based on availability. For example, I stayed at Manyatta Camp (a budget campsite) during my time. The facility and food were just beyond my imagination.
For the evening game drive, it would be around 2 hours. For most of the tours, the evening game drive is optional, noting that you will need to pay the entrance fee of 100 USD for 1st Jan – 30th June or 200 USD for 31st July – 31st December, regardless of how long you stay there. I chose not to join the evening game drive during my visit last time, as I was on an 11-day safari tour.
The first day will end with another buffet dinner at the campsite.
Day 2: Full Day in the Masai Mara
Day 2 is the best part of the whole journey. After the morning buffet at around 6 am, you will be staying full day in the Masai Mara Reserve. From there, you will be staying in the jeep most of the time and exploring the safari.
Remember to bring your charger for your phone. Usually, all the safari jeeps would have a charging plug for each passenger. If you are lucky enough, you will be able to find all of Africa’s Big Five – Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, and Rhino. Leopard and rhino are usually the hardest to spot.
During my last visit, I only got lion, elephant, and buffalo. However, I spotted a tribe of lions eating a buffalo, which amazed me and was one of the best memories during my 11-day safari trip.
Other than the Big 5, there is also a great variety of wildlife, including hyena, warthog, hippo, crocodile and etc. If you love birds like me, there is also a great variety of birdlife there.
Throughout the day, you will be in the jeep most of the time except for several toilet breaks. You will be having lunch (packed by the campsite in the morning) on the safari. Other than that, you will also have a walking tour near the famous Mara River and some photo time near the borderline between Kenya and Tanzania.
Noting that if you visit in late June, July, or early August, you may be able to see the river-crossing part of the great migration at the Mara River.
As the road is very bumpy and toilet time varies, you’d better not drink too much coffee in the morning. The full day game drive usually ends around 6 pm (the park closure time), then, similar to yesterday, you will have a dinner buffet.
Day 3: Departure From the Masai Mara
Depending on your tour option, for most of the 3-day 2-night Masai Mara tour. You will be returning to Nairobi after breakfast on day 3. Some of the other tours would also add one stop at Lake Naivasha, which is 2 2-hour drive away from Nairobi.
If you are taking the tour with Lake Naivasha, you will have a boat ride to the Crescent Island after lunch and then back to Nairobi around 6 pm.
For 5 5-day or 11-day safari tour, Lake Naivasha and Nakuru National Park are usually the next stop.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
You May See The Great Migration
All the African Big 5 are available in the Masai Mara. Also, you would be able to see the Great Migration if the season is right (late Jun – mid Aug). Of course, it also depends on luck but if you have to choose one Safari. The Masai Mara is the best option.
Best Time To Visit Masai Mara
The Masai Mara National Reserve is open throughout the year. Most people would go there during the dry season from June to October, when wildlife congregates around water sources and visibility is high. The Masai Mara’s best weather aligns with this, with cooler days and minimal rain. For the Great Migration, where the millions of wildebeest cross rivers, it varies each year. For example, during my visit, it was the 2nd week of July, but it was the end of June the year before.
July – December each year is usually the peak season when the entrance price doubles. January – June is the non-peak season, where it is usually less crowded.
I went Masai Mara in late June, which I suppose is the best time. Because this is the moment when the price tends to be still cheap, but you may still be able to see the Great Migration.
Budget For Masai Mara Or African Safari
The budget for the Masai Mara from Nairobi varies. You can get mixed answers from the internet, and it is indeed forever changing according to the seasons and multiple factors.
Based on my experience, for the overall safari in both Kenya and Tanzania,
“It is not cheap but far more affordable with high quality than most of the others suggest !”
During my research before my vacation, I saw an information breakdown on park fee, accommodations, food & beverage, tips and etc.
But after my vacation, I realized that it is not that complicated. Because most of the time, the package you enrol already includes the accommodation, transportation, food, and beverage fee. Some even include the park entrance fee. You may find some of the prices below as a reference.
3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
The cost is around 200 USD for both GetYourGuide and Viator. This is the best for those with a short stay in Kenya. The itinerary is more or less for different providers. That package does not include the park entrance fee (USD 100 during Jan – Jun; USD 200 for Jul to Dec) per drive.
7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
The cost is around 1,500 USD (GetYouGuide) & 1,430 USD (Viator). This is the best for those having a week or a bit more in Kenya. Both packages also include park fees.
11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
The cost is around 2,400 USD from Viator. This is the best for those having a 2 weeks or less for the whole vacation. This is the one I took during my 2 weeks in Kenya and Tanzania. With that, you could have a great safari experience, while not missing key icons in Nairobi, like the Giraffe Center and different museums, or the icons in Arusha.
There are also other packages online (GetYourGuide / Viator). For Kenya, I would prioritize the Masai Mara over Amboseli and then Nakuru / Naivasha. For Tanzania, of course, the Serengeti is the most famous.
If you are looking to further lower the cost, you could contact the local vendors directly. Most of them are good with great accountability. For example, I did my 11-day safari adventure for less than 2,000 USD in late July & early August during my last visit.
As for tipping, unlike what is being told online, it is totally optional. If your driver (also the guide) did a good job, then an average of ~ 10 – 20 USD per game drive per person would make sense. If not, it is totally fine not to give any.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
It Fits All Itinerary
No matter you are staying in Kenya just for a day, a week or 2 weeks, or even a month. There are multiple safari options online that could fit your itinerary. So be sure to pick one during your stay.
Things I Didn’t Know Before The Safari Journey
There are several things I did not know before my safari journey, but they should be useful for you.
1. There is a charger on each seat on the jeep, so no need to bring excessive external chargers.
2. You can step on the seat and take a photo from the half-opened roof, but of course, you need to take off your shoes.
3. There is sufficient water being provided in the jeep, so again, no need to prepare excessively
4. Even the budget accommodation is very luxurious. For example, the tent is more like a big tent room with 4 double beds and a private bathroom just for 2 people.
5. You have more than enough food, given that every meal at the campsite is buffet. Even the packed lunch is very fulfilling.
6. Full-day game drive can sometimes be boring. So you may want to bring some snacks
7. Tipping is optional, and you will not be requested to tip like in Egypt. I tend to be fair on this point. If the driver (or the guide) delivers.
A Once In A Lifetime Experience
Exploring the African safari is a bucket list item for most people. In particular, the Masai Mara in Kenya or the Serengeti in Tanzania is a must-visit location. I had a very inspiring journey during my stay in the Masai Mara, and it is beyond description. It is more affordable and easier to plan than I expected.
I highly recommend you take the 3-day 2-night trip in the Masai Mara. If you have two weeks, you could explore most of the important safaris not only in Kenya but also in Tanzania.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
It Is Just Amazing
The African Safari is just amazing. No word can describe how inspiring it is. It impressed me so much that even I have already travelled to more than 70 Countries. The Masai Mara is the best in Kenya and your first step!
Frequently Asked Questions About 3 Days 2 Nights Masai Mara Safari
What is the Masai Mara, Kenya safari cost for 3 days, 2 nights?
Budgets start at around 400 USD (including entrance fee at non-peak season). The luxury option can be more than 1,000 USD per person.
How many days for the Masai Mara safari?
3 days are the best
Is June a good time to visit the Masai Mara?
Yes, it is the best-valued time to visit. You can enjoy non-peak season prices while having a chance to see the great migration.
What are the Masai Mara safari accommodation options?
From budget tents to luxury lodges in the reserves. I don’t recommend the luxury lodge, given that most of the time you will be on safari instead of using the facility.
Best season for Masai Mara balloons?
Dry season, July-Oct, the cost is around 400 USD.
Flights from Maasai Mara National Reserve to Nairobi?
Daily, about $200-450 round-trip.
Masai Mara safari 1 day possible? Y
Yes, but you could only do the evening dive and back.
