Tour Length
Rates in USD $ – Change Currency
Per person, excl. international flightsOperator Rating
Other Tour Features
Filter by Operator
Filter by Accommodation
Masai Mara Safari - Compare 1,817 Tours
If Africa had a Big Five for safari parks, the Masai Mara safari would easily make the final cut. It’s a classic safari destination and one of the best places to see lions, leopards and cheetahs, as well as being home to iconic savannah country that long ago came to define the East African safari. It also has the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), a good mix of public areas and private conservancies, and extraordinarily rich accommodation offerings.
-
Best Seller
6-Day Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha & Masai Mara NR Luxury
$1,810 to $2,801 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Leisure Escapes Safaris
5.0/5 – 26 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
6-Day Amboseli, Lake Naivasha and Mara - Luxury
$2,170 to $3,110 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Spirit of Kenya
5.0/5 – 456 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
8-Day Kenya Safari & Beach Holiday
$6,181 to $7,666 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Diani Beach, Nairobi (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.9/5 – 137 Reviews
-
3-Day Masai Mara Shared Budget Safari Tour 2023 -2024
$305 to $515 pp (USD)
Kenya: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Bienvenido Kenya Tours and Safaris
4.2/5 – 62 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
3-Day Masai Mara Budget Group Joining Safari
$300 to $572 pp (USD)
Kenya: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Karibu Safaris In Kenya
4.8/5 – 1246 Reviews
-
4-Day And Beyond Masai Mara Luxury Safari
$2,057 to $3,350 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxury+Tented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Ongeri Expeditions
5.0/5 – 69 Reviews
-
4-Day Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru High End Safari
$1,540 to $2,365 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Amazing Memories Safaris
4.9/5 – 167 Reviews
-
5-Day Masai Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha Private Budget Safari
$1,238 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara NR, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Nairobi (End)
Ways Of Africa Travel
5.0/5 – 21 Reviews
-
5-Day Kenya Beautiful Road Trip
$660 to $715 pp (USD)
Kenya: Shared tour (max 7 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp & Hotel
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Nairobi (End)
Simba Paka Safaris
4.9/5 – 28 Reviews
-
14-Day Kenya Masai Mara /Amboseli/Samburu/Aberdare/Tsavo
$3,223 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Nairobi (Start), Tsavo East NP, Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Aberdare NP, Samburu NR, Nairobi (End)
Paradise in Africa Safaris
4.8/5 – 91 Reviews
-
7-Day Amboseli Naivasha Nakuru Masai Mara Luxury Safari
$2,294 to $3,449 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Resort
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Ramja Safaris
5.0/5 – 54 Reviews
-
6-Day Kenyan Premier Safari
$1,375 to $1,485 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Lake Nakuru NP, Amboseli NP, Nairobi (End)
Beacon Safaris
4.9/5 – 256 Reviews
-
Best Seller
6-Day Amazing Kenya 4x4 Private Mid-Range Safari
$1,408 to $1,793 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Nairobi (Start), Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Moran Discoveries & Tours
4.9/5 – 19 Reviews
-
Top Rated Operator
4-Day 3 Nights Masai Mara Only
$495 pp (USD)
Kenya: Shared tour (max 7 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Jocky Tours and Safaris
4.9/5 – 1057 Reviews
-
3-Day Best of Masai Mara Joining Group
$330 to $352 pp (USD)
Kenya: Shared tour (max 7 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Axis Africa Expedition & Safaris
4.9/5 – 934 Reviews
-
7-Day The Land of Lava, Africa's Big 5 & Magical Sunsets
$1,968 to $2,566 pp (USD)
Kenya: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Mombasa (Start), Tsavo West NP, Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Extra Miles Unique Adventures
5.0/5 – 67 Reviews
-
3-Day Masai Mara Daily Join Group Budget Safari
$314 to $660 pp (USD)
Kenya: Shared tour (max 7 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Okoa Africa Tours
4.2/5 – 83 Reviews
-
4-Day Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara Safari - Mid Range
$1,146 to $1,603 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Nairobi (Start), Lake Nakuru NP, Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Mamu Travels and Safaris Kenya
5.0/5 – 9 Reviews
-
3-Day Taste of Mara Safari
$616 to $858 pp (USD)
Kenya: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)LuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Nairobi (Start), Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Starluck Travel
4.7/5 – 18 Reviews
-
8-Day Amboseli, Naivasha, Hells Gate, Nakuru, Masai Mara
$1,925 to $2,640 pp (USD)
Kenya: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Nairobi (Start), Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha (Naivasha), Hell’s Gate NP, Masai Mara NR, Nairobi (End)
Meektrails Safaris
5.0/5 – 85 Reviews
8 Questions About Masai Mara Safaris

Answered by
Anthony Ham
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Kenya.
8 Questions About Masai Mara Safaris

When is the best time to see the Great Migration?
“A word of warning: no one knows the exact moment when the herds of wildebeest and zebra, more than 2 million strong, will cross the border from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park into Kenya and the Masai Mara. And nor can anyone predict with certainty the precise weeks when the wildebeest will funnel down the banks of and across the crocodile-infested Mara River. But there are some reasonably reliable parameters to help when choosing the time to visit in order to maximize your chances of witnessing one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on the planet. In most years, the herds arrive in the Mara around mid-July and into August. This stage is when the massed crossings of the Mara River usually occur. In September and October, the herds usually remain in the Mara, a moving mass of wildlife that is quite extraordinary to see. By late October and almost certainly by November the herds leave Kenya and return to Tanzania.”
› More about the best time to visit the Masai Mara 1What opportunities are there to meet local Maasai people?
“The Maasai are indeed the most soulful human presence in Masai Mara safaris and meeting them and getting to know something about their lives is a highlight of any visit here. Many lodges and safari companies employ Maasai as guides and drivers, and also as employees in their lodges and tented camps. Most can also arrange visits to local Maasai communities – ask your safari operator if this is possible before booking your Kenya safari. It can be difficult to interact meaningfully with the Maasai on such occasions, although you can learn a great deal if you take the time to talk with those guiding you, serving your food or cleaning your rooms. If you want to organize something yourself, there are a number of simple accommodation and Maasai homestay places just outside the Masai Mara’s Sekenani Gate, where you can spend time with a local family and gain an unfettered insight into their lives.”
2How can I avoid the crowds on a Masai Mara safari?
“The easiest way to avoid the crowds is to plan your Masai Mara safari to avoid the period when the migration is in full swing. If that’s not an option, it is almost impossible to shake off the convoys of safari vehicles that surround the Mara River crossings – you might just have to grin and bear it if that’s why you’re here. That said, while all of those vehicles line up along the riverbank, much of the rest of the reserve can be surprisingly quiet. Another option is to stay outside the reserve on one of the private or community conservancies that surround the Masai Mara National Reserve to the north and east. Some of these – Mara North, Naboisho, Olare Orok and Olderikesi, in particular – have some of Africa’s highest population densities for Big Cats and, though expensive, are only accessible for those staying in one of the conservancy’s small lodges or tented camps. And if you’re staying here, you can always enter the reserve to see the migration, and then return to the relative quiet of the conservancy when you’ve had enough.”
3What animals can I expect to see on safari in the Masai Mara?
“Big Cats are the highlights of Masai Mara tours – there’s a reason the BBC filmed 'Big Cat Diary' here. Sightings are by no means guaranteed, but healthy lion populations mean you’d be very unlucky not to see a pride or two. Further, the long sightlines of the endless grasslands are ideal for spotting cheetah, while the tree-lined rivers that snake through the reserve are perfect leopard habitat. There’s also elephant, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest, hippo, crocodile, jackal, all manner of gazelle, spotted hyena… It all adds up to something of a safari smorgasbord, with the very real possibility that you could, on a good day, see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) on a safari drive before breakfast. It’s why you’d need a very good reason not to pencil in the Masai Mara on your itinerary when planning your Kenya tour.”
› More about the Wildlife of the Masai Mara 4How long is the drive to the park?
“Some safari companies, lodges and tented camps will try to tell you that you can drive from Nairobi to the Masai Mara in just three hours, but I’ve never managed it in much less than five. The last stretch of road from Narok to the gates of the Masai Mara is unpaved and, despite constant promises that things will improve, access remains slow. Remember also that your lodge may lie deep within the reserve, adding extra driving time to the journey. It is also possible to drive via Nakuru, visiting Lake Nakuru National Park on the way, but the journey will generally take longer to get to the reserve proper, although it is a shorter journey if you’re traveling to the Mara North Conservancy. It is, of course, possible to fly into one of the Masai Mara’s airstrips from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport and avoid the road journey altogether.”
5What condition are the roads in within the Masai Mara?
“Considering the traffic of 4WD vehicles and safari minivans that crisscross the Masai Mara every year, the Mara’s safari tracks are usually in remarkably good condition. A 4WD is preferable, but if you stick to the tracks, which you really should, then you can easily get around without too much trouble except after rains. The short rains occur in October and November and rarely cause more than a few puddles that are easy to avoid. Rainfall and muddy roads are more of an issue in March, April and, to a lesser extent, May. All of that said, I visited once in April and enjoyed fine weather, quiet trails and excellent track surfaces. It all depends on the year.”
6What are the best vehicles to have on a Masai Mara safari?
“A 4WD vehicle is always best, and it should usually be one with a reasonably high clearance. It’s even better if it has open sides (which most mid-range and top-end lodges and safari operators use) or a pop-up roof. Even so, the workhorse of many a Kenyan safari is the white minivan that has a pop-up roof – you stand on the seats and can see in all directions, which is ideal for taking photos. Most of these minivans are 2WD vehicles and most have little difficulty in negotiating all but the more rugged Masai Mara trails; however, if you’re the one driving, remember that local drivers are experienced in these conditions and you’ll need to be cautious if driving a 2WD vehicle here, especially in the beginning.”
7What lodges or camps would you recommend?
“There are too many to choose from! When selecting where to stay on Masai Mara tours, remember that the Masai Mara is vast and, if time permits, it may well be worth planning to sleep in a couple of locations in the reserve itself to enable you to enjoy different sectors of the park, plus a couple of the private conservancies. The latter are especially good if you’d like to experience all that Masai Mara safari packages have to offer – stirring scenery, abundant wildlife, Maasai culture – without the crowds. In Mara North, I enjoyed Saruni Mara, while over in Naboisho Conservancy I loved Asilia Naboisho Camp and Kicheche Valley Camp. And in Olderikesi Conservancy, Cottar’s 1920s Camp is a Mara classic.”
8Masai Mara Safari Reviews

Stuart is a travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including 'Kenya', 'Rwanda' and 'Tanzania'.
East Africa at its Exotic Best
Nowhere else sums up the East African dream like the Masai Mara. Always the best place in Kenya to see huge herds of grazers and a seemingly endless procession of carnivores big and small the Masai Mara is the one place in East Africa I...

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.
Big Cat Diaries made flesh
The Masai Mara is where the BBC’s Big Cat Diaries were filmed, and unsurprisingly it ranks as one of the finest reserves anywhere in Africa for big cat sightings. Above all, I associate it with lions: I’ve often encountered four or five...

this is a park having unlimited possibilities and gave more feelings of freedom to go in the wild with on top the spot to see the migration, an unbelievable idea of the animals, in leadership and communication.
I drop scenic beauty by one star solely because of the litter in certain places. Horrible to see two beautiful lions lying amongst paper and human waste. Washing and toilet facilities MUST be provided otherwise tourists will not visit if...

We were in the middle of the great migration and we have never seen so many wildebeests and zebras. We also managed to see lions, lepards, cheetahs and many more in a relaxed way. As cars are limited at a sighting, this makes it even...

In February, the Masai Mara was a bit green, but the large herds were gone. But same thing with the hordes of tourists which was nice. As the grass was lower, the animals were easier to spot. The scenery on the savannah was wonderful.