This three-day Masai Mara safari holiday departs from Nairobi and leads you to Masai Mara National Reserve—one of Kenya’s most celebrated safari in Kenya locations, often cited among global natural highlights. Each year from July through October, roughly 1.5 million blue wildebeest plus thousands of Grant’s gazelle and plains zebra make their way across the Mara River into Tanzania’s Serengeti on the Great Migration.
Reserve Overview
The Masai Mara National Reserve tour begins and ends in Nairobi. Covering about 1 500 km² on Kenya’s southern border with Tanzania, the reserve forms the northernmost section of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Named for the local Maasai people, its rivers—including the Mara, Sand and Talek—sustain broad savanna plains and riverine woods, making it one of East Africa’s prime vacation spots for wildlife viewing.
Flora & Fauna
Resident Mammals:
- Black rhino
- Giraffe
- Hippopotamus
- Waterbuck
- Eland
- Topi
- Warthog
- Reedbuck
- Roan antelope
- Baboon
- Monkey
- Zebra
- Gazelle
- Nile crocodile
Predators: Lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, jackals and mongooses roam these plains.
Masai Mara also hosts over 470 bird species, perfect for birding on Kenya tours.
Cultural Option
Opt to visit a Maasai village to learn about traditional homestead life, crafts and local customs—an enriching addition to your safari in Kenya.
Package Highlights
- Four-wheel-drive transfer from Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve
- Day-break hot-air balloon flight above the plains with picnic brunch
- Morning and afternoon game drives in search of big cats, herds and river crossings
- Optional Maasai village visit
What’s Included
- Hotel or airport pickup and drop-off in Nairobi
- Private, multi-lingual safari guide
- Round-trip 4×4 transport with pop-up roof
- Accommodation (economy, comfort, superior or luxury lodge/tented camp)
- Meals as per itinerary (half- or full-board)
- Masai Mara National Reserve fees
- Bottled water during drives
- All game drives and balloon ride
What’s Excluded
- Passport/visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses (laundry, bar bills, etc.)
- Tips and gratuities
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi → Masai Mara
After early breakfast, your guide will collect you from your Nairobi hotel or the airport. The road transfer (around six hours) follows the Nairobi–Nakuru highway. On arrival, check in at your lodge and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, set out on a game drive to observe lions, buffalo, elephants, wildebeest, zebras, antelopes and more scattered across the grasslands. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Mara Sopa Lodge, Sentrim Mara Lodge or AA Lodge
Day 2: Balloon Flight & Game Drive
Rise before dawn for a 2–3-hour hot-air balloon flight over Masai Mara’s rolling plains and river channels, with wildlife views from above. After touching down, enjoy a bush picnic brunch. Spend the afternoon in your 4×4 vehicle, seeking sightings of leopards, black rhinos, hartebeest, gazelles and other species. Return for dinner and your second overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Final Drive & Return to Nairobi
Enjoy an early-morning game drive focused on riverine herds near the Mara River. Next, depart the reserve and stop in Narok for lunch. Continue to Nairobi for drop-off at your hotel or the airport, concluding your three-day Masai Mara tours and safaris.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
