Kenya
3-Day Masai Mara Classic
A short, rewarding safari to Kenya’s most famous reserve — ideal as a first taste of Africa or an add-on to a beach holiday.
Price on request
Narok County, south-west Kenya
Masai Mara
Big cats, endless grass and the great river crossings
- Country
- Kenya
- Region
- Narok County, south-west Kenya
- Type
- Kenya Safari
- Best months to visit
- Jan–Feb, Jul–Oct
Overview
The Masai Mara is Kenya’s most celebrated reserve: rolling golden grassland dotted with lone acacias, cut by the Mara and Talek rivers, and home to one of the highest densities of predators in Africa. It forms the northern end of the Serengeti ecosystem, so wildlife moves freely across the border with Tanzania.
Around the reserve, Maasai-owned conservancies offer quieter game drives, walking and night drives with a strict limit on vehicles at each sighting — a very different experience from the busier main reserve.
- Big cats on almost every drive
- Sunrise hot-air balloon flights
- Mara River migration crossings
- Maasai-run conservancies
What you'll see
Lions are seen on almost every drive, and the Mara is one of the best places in Africa for cheetah and leopard. Between roughly July and October, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra arrive from the Serengeti, and the herds’ crossings of the Mara River are among the most dramatic sights in nature.
Wildlife you may see
- Lion (Big Five)
- Leopard (Big Five)
- Cheetah
- Elephant (Big Five)
- Cape buffalo (Big Five)
- Wildebeest
- Plains zebra
- Hippo
- Nile crocodile
- Masai giraffe
- Spotted hyena
Things to do
- 01
Game drives
Early morning and late afternoon drives when animals are most active.
- 02
Hot-air balloon safari
Float over the plains at dawn, followed by a bush breakfast.
- 03
Guided bush walks
Walk with Maasai guides in the conservancies to learn tracks, plants and stories.
- 04
Maasai village visit
Meet a Maasai community and learn about daily life and traditions.
Best time
- Jan: Great time
- Feb: Great time
- Mar: Possible
- Apr: Possible
- May: Possible
- Jun: Possible
- Jul: Great time
- Aug: Great time
- Sep: Great time
- Oct: Great time
- Nov: Possible
- Dec: Possible
The dry season from July to October is best for the Great Migration and river crossings, though timing varies each year. January and February are also dry and quieter. Long rains fall in April and May, when some camps close but prices are lower.
Getting there
Daily scheduled flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport take about 45 minutes to several Mara airstrips. By road, the drive from Nairobi takes around 5–6 hours, with a stop at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint.
Where to stay
Luxury
Intimate tented camps in private conservancies with exclusive game drives, walking and night drives.
We'll suggest camps and lodges that fit your dates and budget.
Comfort
Well-run permanent tented camps near the reserve gates, ideal for most first safaris.
We'll suggest camps and lodges that fit your dates and budget.
Budget
Simple, clean tented camps just outside the reserve with shared vehicles and good guiding.
We'll suggest camps and lodges that fit your dates and budget.
Gallery
Journeys that visit Masai Mara
- 3 days
- 7 days
Kenya
7-Day Kenya Highlights
Elephants under Kilimanjaro, Rift Valley lakes and the big cats of the Masai Mara — Kenya’s classic circuit in one week.
Price on request
- 10 days
Kenya · Tanzania
10-Day Great Migration: Kenya & Tanzania
Follow the herds across the border from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti, then descend into the Ngorongoro Crater and finish among Tarangire’s baobabs.
Price on request
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