Catalogue package 003
3-Day Masai Mara Safari from Nairobi
Journey overview
A three-day Masai Mara safari gives you significantly more time in Kenya’s best-known safari landscape than the two-day option while remaining compact enough for a short holiday. Travel from Nairobi to the Mara, enjoy an afternoon game drive on arrival, spend a full day exploring the reserve and surrounding ecosystem, then return to Nairobi on the final day.
This itinerary is a strong choice for first-time safari travellers, couples, friends and small groups who want classic savannah scenery and broad wildlife diversity without adding other parks to the route.
Safari Highlights
- Three-day Masai Mara safari from Nairobi
- Afternoon game drive plus a full day of safari activities
- Excellent habitat for big cats and plains wildlife
- Seasonal Great Migration context without guaranteed crossings
- Budget/camp and lodge/mid-range price options
The route
01
Nairobi
02
Masai Mara
03
Nairobi
Day-by-day itinerary
Route: Nairobi → Masai Mara → Nairobi
Day 1
Nairobi to Masai Mara
The morning starts in Nairobi, from where you continue overland to Masai Mara, descending the wall of the Great Rift Valley and passing through Narok and Maasai farming country. Lunch and check-in come first, then an afternoon drive through open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem. Wildlife commonly associated with this area includes lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game. The reserve is best known for its big cat densities, and between roughly July and October the wildebeest migration commonly moves through the ecosystem. Transport and game drives are shared with other travellers on this joining departure. The evening is spent at your Masai Mara accommodation, with dinner and overnight there.
Day 2
Full-Day Masai Mara Safari
An unhurried full day in Masai Mara gives your guide room to follow whatever the morning turns up. The drives cover open savanna grassland, acacia stands and the rolling country of the greater Mara ecosystem, moving between habitats as conditions change. Keep watch for lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and large herds of plains game as you move between the different habitats. A full day allows morning and late-afternoon drives when animals are most active, with the option of a picnic lunch out in the reserve. The reserve is best known for its big cat densities, and between roughly July and October the wildebeest migration commonly moves through the ecosystem. Transport and game drives are shared with other travellers on this joining departure. You return to your camp or lodge for dinner and a second night at Masai Mara.
Day 3
Masai Mara to Nairobi
The day opens in Masai Mara with a morning departure for Nairobi, returning through the highland approaches to the city. Once you reach Nairobi there is time to check in before heading out among Kenya's highland capital and the usual start and end point for road safaris. Nairobi is the arrival and departure hub for most Kenyan safari itineraries. The day ends with a drop-off in Nairobi at your hotel or the airport.
Package Inclusions
- Transport in a safari vehicle with a pop-up roof for game viewing
- Services of a professional English-speaking driver-guide
- All park and reserve entrance fees as per the itinerary
- Accommodation as specified in the itinerary
- Meals as specified in the itinerary
- All game drives as detailed in the itinerary
- Drinking water in the safari vehicle
- Applicable government taxes
Package Exclusions
- International and domestic flights
- Visa fees and travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities for guides and lodge staff
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Items of a personal nature such as laundry and telephone
- Optional activities not listed as included
Optional Activities
These are not included in the safari price unless the itinerary says otherwise. Availability depends on operating conditions, and any of them can be arranged when you plan your trip.
- Maasai Village VisitUSD 10 per person
A guided visit to a nearby Maasai community, arranged locally on request.
- Hot-Air Balloon SafariUSD 450 per person
A dawn balloon flight over the reserve, subject to availability and weather.
Safari FAQs
Is a three-day Masai Mara safari enough?
Three days is one of the most popular short safari lengths because it normally gives you an arrival game drive, one full safari day and a final morning.
When is the Great Migration in the Masai Mara?
Large herds are commonly associated with the Mara during the dry-season migration period, often between roughly July and October, but exact timing changes from year to year with rainfall and grazing conditions.
Are river crossings guaranteed?
No. Mara River crossings are natural events and can happen without warning. No responsible operator can guarantee a crossing on a specific day.
Can this safari be private?
The final transport and sharing arrangement should be confirmed in your quotation. Land Rail Safaris can structure products around different travel styles where available.
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