Trip Info
-
Pop-up roof minivan
-
Suitable for solo travelers and groups
-
Pre and post tour accommodation can also be organized for an additional cost.
-
Can start any day
-
This tour starts and ends in Nairobi
-
Mid-range, private tour
-
All meals included
-
English
Overview
The Masai Mara is one of the biggest and popular national reserves in Kenya. So the park is named after the local inhabitants, the Maasai. It continues from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the north. Attractions in this area include wildlife viewing and nature drives, ballooning, and cultural tours to maasai villages for an entertainment.
Highlights
- Can start any day
- Private tour
- Mid-range tour
- Can be customized
- Suitable for solo travelers
- Suitable for all ages
Itinerary
Upon arrival, you will be met and picked by an EARTHWINGS TOURS GUIDE who will pick you up at 0700 hours from Nairobi. Proceed to the Great Rift Valley, along the way observing the spectacular overlook of the great escarpment. We will proceed to the Mara with a stop for lunch at the camp. Spend some time lazing around and in the afternoon take an afternoon game drive at around 1600hrs. Dinner and over night at the camp.
Main Destination:
Masai Mara National Reserve
Best time to visit is between June and October for general wildlife and August to October for the wildebeest migration.
High SeasonJune to October and December to March
Best WeatherJune to October (Sunny, but not too hot)
Wildlife in Masai Mara NR
Elephant, Giraffe, Lion, Cheetah, Zebra, Wildebeest, Buffalo, Hippo, Hyena, Leopard, Black Rhino, Wild Dog, White Rhino
Accommodation:
Zebra Plains Mara Camp
- Semi-luxury permanent camp situated in the Masai Mara National Reserve
Meals & Drinks:
- Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
At 7:00 am, you will be provided with breakfast before leaving for a full day’s game drive in the expansive and magnificent Masai Mara National Reserve where picnic lunch will be served from a basket in the wild. The Mara particularly boasts of diverse and highly concentrated wildlife; a census indicates that the park is home to more than 450 species of animals. You can easily locate lions, rhinoceros, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, buffalos, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, buffalos, leopards, different types of antelopes and elephants. It is in the Mara that perhaps one of the most spectacular show in the animal kingdom is displayed. This is the process where millions of wildebeests and zebras move from the Serengeti in Tanzania in search of water and pastures.
Next are the hunters of the savannas which include lion, cheetahs, wild dogs, jackals, hyenas and vultures.
Main Destination:
Masai Mara National Reserve
Accommodation:
Zebra Plains Mara Camp
- Semi-luxury permanent camp situated in the Masai Mara National Reserve
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
After the breakfast at 0800 hours, you will be picked up by your guide to head off to Nairobi for your flight.
At the end of your safari, you will be returned to your hotel or the airport in Nairobi.
Main Destination:
Nairobi (City)
Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
End of tour
- Pre-arrival accommodation arrangements: Transit accommodation is also available for an extra fee.
- You will be dropped at the airport.
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- • Park fees (For non-residents)
- • All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- • A professional driver/guide
- • All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All Taxes/VAT
- • Roundtrip airport transfer
- • Meals: (According to the day-by-day breakdown section)
- • Drinking water (On all days)
Cost Excludes
- • International flights (From/to home)
- • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- • Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- • Individual expenses (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, and others).
- • Government measures such as the raising of taxes or fees for park usage
- • Some meals: (as detailed in day-by-day part)
FAQs
Choosing the right time to go for the Maasai Mara 3 days and 2 night safari depends on what one wishes to accomplish. Most visitors arrive at the park during the peak season that is from July to October due to the great migration. This time millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles migrate from the Serengeti plains to Mara in search of water and fresh pasture offering wildebeest migration spectacle. However, Maasai Mara is a year-round destination, and visitors have the chances to meet the Big Five and other inhabitants of the savannah beyond this period. It is also ideal to visit during the dry season from December to February as more animals are attracted to water points.
When planning for a 3-day overland safari to the Maasai Mara, it is advisable to pack lightly but ensure that you have packed all that is necessary for the trip. Pack raw and light coloured clothing and personal effects for warm weather game drives, a warm jacket for the cool mornings and evenings. You would need good binoculars for your wildlife watching, and if you plan on taking photos, a nice photo camera could be handy as well. Of course, do not forget insect repellent, sunscreen, a hat with a broad-brimmed edge, and don’t forget your good walking shoes. Also, pack any required prescription medicines and other essentials, as shops here are scarce especially in the Maasai Mara.
There are various accommodations within the Maasai Mara that you can stay to fit of your budget as well as your taste and preference. Accommodation includes luxurious lodges and fashionable tented camps for affluent markets who expect gourmet meals and panoramic views of the reserve. Accommodation ranges from mid-range lodges and camps that are comfortable with good amenities for the budget conscious, the camps are more basic but present an opportunity to experience the African safari at an affordable price. Some of the camps are established within Maasai Mara National Reserve while others are in the adjacent conservancies whose advantages are that visitors get to enjoy exclusive game viewing free from hoards of other tourists. In whatever decision you make, it guarantees you will have an interaction with the wildlife and arresting sceneries of the Maasai Mara.
Generally, a 3-day tour in the Maasai Mara allows one to have the best view of the wildlife. The Big Five animals including lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, hippopotamus, crocodile and over ten species of antelopes are found in the reserve. Some of the predators that easily found and are common in Maasai Mara include lions, cheetah and hyenas. If you are privileged enough to visit during the great migration, you will watch thousands of wildebeest and zebras cross the Mara River and attempt to feed off the water banks that are often guarded by crocodiles patiently lying in ambush. The Maasai Mara is also known for unique and diverse birdlife where 450 bird species have been documented in Mara.
The suggested 3-day tour in the Maasai Mara is striking not only by the traditional means of observing the wildlife – car safaris, but also by including numerous interesting activities. There are wonderful options for the more adventurous such as a sunrise hot air balloon safaris that offer high-flying view over the Masai Mara plains and those who prefer, a champagne breakfast in the middle of the wild. Visits of cultural nature to a Maasai village offer an insight into the customs and patterns of the Maasai people and the production of various artifacts. The guided nature walks in private concessions enable guests to get closer to the plants and animals while the night game drives help guests to see animals when they are most active. For the photographers, the Maasai Mara offers the most incredible shots of the wild and free animals.
There are two ways of getting to the Maasai Mara and this is by road and air; the best option is by air since it will take you three days for the safari. On road transport, it takes about 5-6 hours depending on the road network from Nairobi. The trip includes beautiful views of the Great Rift Valley as well as other parts of Kenya. For those who wish to travel faster and in a more comfortable manner, fixed daily schedules from Wilson Airport in Nairobi provide flying options to several airstrips within the Maasai Mara which takes approximately 45 minutes. Once in the reserve, game viewing vehicles from the lodge, sand even those hired by different tour operators will take you around in a very enjoyable manner.
