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Top 20 Best Masai Mara Safaris - Compare 2,137 Tours

4.6/5  –  539 Masai Mara Safari Reviews

The Masai Mara is among the elite of Africa’s safari destinations. Partly this is because the great migration passes through here for months every year. But it’s also about landscapes: savannah grasslands, tree-lined riverbanks and the distinctive ring of escarpments are icons of the East African safari. With the opportunity to choose between the Masai Mara National Reserve and the community-run conservancies that surround the main reserve, the Masai Mara promises to add incredible variety and depth to your safari experience. And the presence of the Maasai – as guides, and as a presence wherever you go – helps contribute to the most wonderful trip you can imagine.

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6 Questions About Best Masai Mara Safaris

1. Can I escape the crowds and still have the best Masai Mara safari experience?
2. Why should I choose to go to Masai Mara over other safari destinations?
3. When should I visit the Masai Mara if I want to see the great migration?
4. Are hot-air balloon safaris worth it in the Masai Mara?
5. Are some areas of the Masai Mara better than others when it comes to seeing animals on safari?
6. How much can I expect to pay for my Masai Mara safari?
 
 

6 Questions About Best Masai Mara Safaris

Answered by Anthony Ham

Can I escape the crowds and still have the best Masai Mara safari experience?

“Yes, it is certainly possible to find your very own corner of the Masai Mara, far from the crowds that increasingly visit this fantastic place. It’s true that huge numbers of travelers visit the Masai Mara during the great migration, but there are some things you can do to enjoy a quieter safari. One option is to visit when the migration is not in the Mara. The Masai Mara is brilliant at any time of the year, and picking the low season months (April, May or November) can mean you’ll share the reserve with far fewer other travelers. While rains are possible at this time, they’re rarely constant. Another possibility for a more peaceful safari in the Mara is to stay in one of the Maasai-run conservancies that surround the main reserve. These include Mara North, Mara Naboisho, Olare Motorogi and others. Although you can only visit these conservancies if you’re staying in one of their lodges or tented camps (almost all of which are expensive), the wildlife viewing is some of the best in Africa, and you’ll rarely share the fabulous sightings with more than a couple of other vehicles. Sometimes you might even have the animals all to yourself.”

1

Why should I choose to go to Masai Mara over other safari destinations?

“The Masai Mara is quite simply one of the best places to see wildlife in Africa. The great migration passes through here, and the spectacle of some 2 million wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle being stalked by big cats and other predators is the safari experience of a lifetime. But the migration is only a part of the Mara’s charm. The year-round wildlife is amazing. Expect the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo), big cats (cheetah, leopard and lion) and more than 500 different species of bird. The landscapes here are also everything you imagine a safari to be. Put those two together and the results are enchanting. The sight of a cheetah streaming across the savannah grasslands in pursuit of prey, or elephants clustered in family groups against an eternal horizon, will stay with you long after you leave. The Mara’s variety of experiences in the national reserve or conservancies is also a huge plus. And the opportunity to engage with Maasai communities is a real highlight.”

2

When should I visit the Masai Mara if I want to see the great migration?

“In most years, the great migration is in the Masai Mara from July or August to October. But because this is the natural world and animals follow their own instinctive path and timetable, you can never be sure exactly when the great migration will be here. Sometimes they arrive in late June, but in other years it’s not until August. And sometimes they return to Tanzania in September, but it could be November before they head south. Such unpredictability is one of the reasons why we all love going on safari – you never quite know what the animals will do next. But in this case, it can make it difficult to plan your holiday, especially when you may need to book tours months in advance.”

3

Are hot-air balloon safaris worth it in the Masai Mara?

“A hot-air balloon safari over the Masai Mara can be a wonderful thing to do, and one highlight among many on the safari trip of a lifetime. Yes, it’s expensive. But soaring over the great plains of East Africa at sunrise, looking down on the Mara River, on lion prides on the hunt or elephant families on the move, is a priceless experience. Apart from the sheer beauty of the trip, it adds a different dimension to your understanding of the Mara: the way the rivers snake through the landscape, the vast sweeps of open country, and so on. Going up in a hot-air balloon here means getting up a couple of hours before sunrise. And weather conditions (such as high winds) can mean there are sometimes cancellations. But most often, it really is unforgettable for all the right reasons.”

4

Are some areas of the Masai Mara better than others when it comes to seeing animals on safari?

“All of the Masai Mara is wonderful, but some parts can be better for certain experiences. If you want to see black rhinos, for example, the only place where that is possible (and usually only in the early morning and late afternoon) is in the Mara Triangle, immediately north of the main reserve. During the great migration, all guides in the Mara know where the best crossings of the Mara River are. And if you want to escape the crowds and enjoy a quieter safari with some of the best big cat and other wildlife possibilities, pick any of the conservancies around the main reserve.”

5

How much can I expect to pay for my Masai Mara safari?

“Masai Mara safaris start at around US$150 per person per day for the most basic camping safari, and can go sky-high: luxury safaris begin at around US$500 per person per day, but can cost four times that price. A lot depends on your accommodations: you’ll obviously pay a lot more for a luxurious tented camp or an upmarket lodge than you would for sleeping in a ground tent while camping. It’s also much more expensive to travel during high season (June to October, which usually corresponds with the great migration, and December to March) than it does at other times. The season also determines how much you pay to enter the national reserve, ranging from US$100 to US$200 per person per day. And, of course, choosing a private safari (where you’ll have the guide, vehicle, driver and game drives to yourself) will always cost more than a group or self-drive safari. Other factors also include whether you visit Masai Mara National Reserve or one of the neighboring Maasai-run conservancies. The amount you pay should include transfers, accommodations, reserve or conservancy fees, game drives, guide, driver, vehicle and most meals. Activities like hot-air balloon rides usually cost extra.”

6

Masai Mara Safari Reviews

4.6/5 539 Reviews
Expert
Mike Unwin  –  
United Kingdom UK

Mike is an award-winning wildlife writer, former editor of Travel Zambia magazine and author of the Bradt Guide to Southern African Wildlife.

Safari Central
5/5

This famous park – a northern extension of Tanzania’s Serengeti – is responsible for perhaps more images of African animals than any other. And with good reason: it is chock-full of wildlife, and blessed with open terrain that makes...

Full Review

Expert
Emma Gregg  –  
United Kingdom UK

Emma is an award-winning travel writer for Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller, Travel Africa magazine and The Independent.

Quintessential Kenyan Safari Destination, Whatever the Season
5/5

Grasslands dotted with graceful acacias, hundreds of big cats and enough natural drama to keep wildlife documentary filmmakers busy year after year – the Masai Mara has it all. It also has some highly alluring and charismatic places to...

Full Review

Brian  –  
United States US
Reviewed: Jul 30, 2026
5/5

Best place to see the big cats, prides of Lions, Leopard and Cheetah. Largest of the Safari parks we visited with the most diverse assortment of wildlife, and the only place where you can see a big herd of Hippos (submerged in the Mara...

Full Review

Flaminia  –  
Italy IT
Reviewed: Jun 5, 2026
Best safari
5/5

We experienced our very first safari in the region where safaris originally became famous. We had completely different expectations, imagining a desert-like landscape straight out of a movie. Instead, we were welcomed by green hills, lush...

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Raj Baiju  –  
India IN
Reviewed: Jun 3, 2026
5/5

Masai Mara was honestly one of the most beautiful and surreal places I’ve ever experienced. Visiting during the off season made it even more special. There were very few vehicles around, which meant every game drive felt peaceful,...

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Margaret  –  
United States US
Reviewed: May 8, 2026
5/5

Masai Mara was amazing!!!! from the moment we drove in until we drove out we were seeing animals! We saw lions 3 times!!! More animals than I can mention! I would go back to this park in a heartbeat!

Full Review

All 539 Masai Mara Safari Reviews