Masai Mara Luxury Safari Tours

4.6/5 – 400 Masai Mara Reviews

You can't go wrong with a Masai Mara luxury safari. The Mara is one of the best places on the planet to see wildlife. This is wild Africa at its most expansive, the place that documentary filmmakers go to for guaranteed action. It’s also the scene of the annual wildebeest migration, one of the natural world’s most extraordinary spectacles. More than a million wildebeest (with zebras and predators in tow) stage a mass movement on a scale that has to be seen to be believed. For those looking for luxury, there’s an added bonus. The collection of luxury lodges and tented camps, spread across the Masai Mara National Reserve and the surrounding community-run conservancies, is almost as impressive as the migration.

1-20 of 181 luxury tours, packages and holidays to Masai Mara National Reserve

8 Questions About Masai Mara Luxury Safaris

Expert

Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony is a writer and photographer who co-writes Lonely Planet’s guide to Kenya, writes on the country for magazines and newspapers around the world, and has been exploring the country for more than a decade.

› More about Anthony

Why should I choose the Masai Mara?

“The answer is simple: this is one place where world-class wildlife viewing and world-class luxury come together in one unforgettable holiday. If you’ve seen the BBC’s Big Cat Diary, you’ll need no introduction to the Mara with its big horizons, big wildlife herds, and, yes, big cats. The rolling grasslands are classic East African savannah, and they’re simply too big to be contained within the boundaries of the Masai Mara National Reserve. So they spill over into the private or community concessions and conservancies that surround the reserve. These concessions are the high points of the Masai Mara luxury safari experience. They have some of the densest concentrations of big cats in Africa There is also a policy of only allowing overnight guests at one of the luxury lodges or tented camps within the conservancies. Their mix of quiet exclusivity, wildlife-rich terrain and proximity to the reserve and its many charms is difficult to beat anywhere in Africa. ”

What is included in a luxury safari in the Masai Mara?

“For most travelers on a luxury safari to the Masai Mara, everything you need should be quoted in what is called an all-inclusive rate. All meals and accommodation are included, as are other essentials for a memorable safari trip. Most game drives, walks, village visits and Maasai encounters, as well as fees to the national reserve, are routinely covered. However, you’ll need to pay extra if you want a guide and vehicle all to yourself. There are some extras, although they tend to be the icing on the cake for a perfect holiday, rather than safari essentials. These include sunrise balloon trips over the Masai Mara followed by a champagne breakfast, and spa treatments and massages where available. Tips (gratuities) to safari, lodge or camp staff are additional to the quoted price. Also extra may be conservancy or conservation fees that go towards local community and environmental projects.”

How long do I need in the Masai Mara?

“As long as you can possibly manage. Three days would be a minimum here if the Masai Mara is just one leg on a larger pan-Kenyan, or pan-East-African safari. But remember that so little time will only allow you to get a taste that will leave you longing for more. A week would be much better. A Masai Mara luxury safari is the sort of experience that people look back upon as the holiday of a lifetime, and the Masai Mara deserves as much time as you can give it. A longer stay can work, too, if you move from one area of the Mara to another, from one tented camp to the next, working your way around the conservancies. The Mara is one place that’s large enough to warrant a much longer stay than most people can manage.”

What is the difference between a drive-in or fly-in safari in the park?

“Most luxury safaris to the Masai Mara will be of the fly-in, not drive-in variety. With a fly-in Masai Mara safari, you generally fly from Nairobi to a remote airstrip. The airstrip will be close to your lodge or tented camp in the Masai Mara National Reserve, or in one of the neighboring conservancies. During your stay, you’ll be driven around in a lodge or camp safari vehicle. When it’s time to leave, you’ll fly to your next lodge or camp, and so on. It’s a more expensive way to travel, but it does make the most of your precious time and you’ll get to see a lot of the country by air along the way. With a drive-in safari, you drive the same route but, obviously, take more time (and pay less) to do so. You will see more of the country and have far more opportunities to meet the locals as you go. A greater proportion of your trip will be taken up with getting from A to B though.”

What is the difference between a game reserve and a conservancy in Masai Mara?

“If you’re on a luxury safari, you could end up in either the main game reserve or on a private concession, but the latter is generally a more exclusive overall experience. A game reserve, such as the Masai Mara National Reserve, is a protected area run by a government body. A certain proportion of its revenue goes to the government. As with Kenya’s national parks, there are strict rules about what you can and can’t do inside the reserve. Driving within the park after sunset is prohibited, and off-road driving is prohibited at any time of the day. In contrast, a private conservancy is under the control of the local Maasai community. They grant leases for lodges and tented camps to set up within each conservancy, and collect fees that go back into maintaining the conservancies with profits going to each community member. The community runs conservation and sustainable projects within the conservancy. In most of the conservancies that surround the Masai Mara National Reserve, night drives are permitted, as is off-trail driving. The concessions or conservancies also have far fewer visitors, allowing you to enjoy the wildlife without the crowds.”

How does a typical day on a luxury safari in the Masai Mara unfold?

“At various points of your day while on a luxury safari, you’ll be treated like royalty. You will feel as though everything from your morning wake-up call to the food and wildlife viewing is tailor-made to your wishes. You’ll be woken before sunrise by an attendant. After a hot drink and carefully prepared breakfast snack, you’ll be sent on your way in a safari vehicle to see the wildlife. By mid-morning, you’ll be back in camp for the main breakfast. Alternatively, you may be out in the wild in a beautiful spot for a luxury bush breakfast where nothing is too much trouble for the waiters. You then have until mid-afternoon in camp to relax, swim in the pool, have a massage, and otherwise enjoy camp life. Wherever you choose to relax will be a good choice. The public areas are invariably magnificent, and your private lodgings likewise. Lunch will be your only scheduled distraction, and the quality and presentation of the food will have you eating whether you’re hungry or not. Around 3:30 PM, it’s afternoon tea, then out on another game drive or walk. This will meander towards sunset and that great rite of safari life: the sundowner (nursing the drink of your choice while watching the sunset from a lovely vantage point). If your accommodation is in a private conservancy, a night drive is possible before (or after) dinner, the main meal of the day and a chance for the chef to show off their talents. To finish you will spend time around the campfire before bedtime.”

What type of accommodation can I expect?

“A Masai Mara luxury safari usually centers around luxury lodges and tented camps. The former are hotels out on the savannah of the Masai Mara. Tented camps are a safari mainstay, with between six and (rarely more than) 12 tents in a quiet corner of the wilderness. The tents are large and lovely, with one or two beds, a writing desk, large wooden trunks and elegant rugs, and a shower and toilet out the back. Some combination between lodge solidity and a tented camp’s oneness with nature are quite common. You’ll generally be allowed to wander alone around the camp during daylight. But an escort is required after dark to ensure you don’t surprise a wild creature wandering along the path.”

How much will this safari cost?

“The per-person per-day cost rarely goes above US$490, though packages and prices vary greatly. If you’re traveling alone, as opposed to a twin-share basis, the price of a single supplement is customarily around 75% of the price for two people traveling together. It is, of course, possible to pay less per person per day. However, the less you pay, the less lavish your accommodation will be. The essential elements of a luxury safari (the game drives and three meals a day) are unlikely to change though.”

Masai Mara Reviews

4.6/5 400 Reviews

Expert

Brian Jackman –

Brian is an award winning travel writer, author of safari books and regular contributor to magazines such as BBC Wildlife and Travel Africa.

Big Cat Heaven

5/5

No wonder Disney chose to film ‘African Cats’ in the Mara. This is Kenya’s finest big game reserve, 5,000ft above sea level and home to all kinds of animals, from 6-tonne elephants to tiny dik-diks. Cheetahs patrol its open grasslands...

Full Review

Expert

Emma Gregg –

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 film-makers busy year after year – the Masai Mara has it all. It also has some highly alluring and charismatic places to...

Full Review

Sean W Ryan –

Reviewed: Mar 25, 2023

4/5

Beautiful scenery, especially at sunrise, but we were mobbed by peddlers at the gate. This, however, was quickly forgotten when we saw the amazing variety of animals there! It definitely exceeded my expectations!

Full Review

Venkat Ramani –

Reviewed: Mar 23, 2023

5/5

Undoubtedly the best and must-visit place to be to see all types of wildlife at close quarters. Visiting Masai Village is a must. The price paid to visit the village is utilized for the village itself.

Full Review

Lori Carlisle –

Reviewed: Feb 16, 2023

5/5

We had some great sightings in Masai Mara - 12 lion, cheetah, leopard as well as lots of birds. We visited in February and were glad that there were not hoards of tourists. Highly recommend a visit.

Full Review

James Neils –

Reviewed: Feb 9, 2023

5/5

We saw the famed Big Six of Africa, but also, a family of ducks, a hippo alone in a water hole, a leopard trotting across grassland, the famed Mara River with its crocs and hippos and the landscape takes your breath away. We didn't expect...

Full Review

All 400 Masai Mara Reviews

Cookie Settings

Manage Cookie Settings

Functional cookies

Analytical cookies (anonymous)

Advertising and social media cookies

Your Safari

Tour Length

Rates in USD $ – Change Currency

Starting From

Comfort Level

Private or Shared Tour

Safari Type

Operator Rating

Specialized Tours

Other Tour Features

Filter by Operator

Filter by Accommodation

Operators From

Masai Mara Luxury Safari Tours

9-Day Luxury Kenya Safari Tour

5-Day Awesome Kenya - High End

7-Day Best of Sarova Luxury Camps & Lodges Safari

4-Day Luxury Lake Nakuru / Masai Mara Safari

7-Day Amboseli Naivasha Nakuru Masai Mara Luxury Safari

5-Day Mara-Nakuru-Naivasha Luxury Safari

3-Day Best of Masai Mara Fly-in Safari

7-Day Nakuru, Naivasha & Mara in Luxury Camps and Lodges

4-Day Luxury Magic Kenya All Year Round

8-Day Summer Special

5-Day Unforgeable Kenya Safari Tour Adventure

4-Day Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Sarova Safari

8-Day Samburu Reserve/Sweetwaters/Nakuru/Naivasha/Mara

3-Day Masai Mara Comfort Safari

4-Day Nakuru & Masai Mara Safari Luxury Lodges

3-Day Luxury Tour in Masai Mara

3-Day Mara Safari Holiday 2023 Price Using Sarova Camp

4-Day Lake Nakuru NP and Maasai Mara Luxury Tour

5-Day Luxury Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Naivasha Safari

3-Day Vintage of Masai Mara Fly-in & out from Nairobi

Related Searches

8 Questions About Masai Mara Luxury Safaris

Answered by

Anthony Ham

8 Questions About Masai Mara Luxury Safaris

Why should I choose the Masai Mara?

What is included in a luxury safari in the Masai Mara?

How long do I need in the Masai Mara?

What is the difference between a drive-in or fly-in safari in the park?

What is the difference between a game reserve and a conservancy in Masai Mara?

How does a typical day on a luxury safari in the Masai Mara unfold?

What type of accommodation can I expect?

How much will this safari cost?

Masai Mara Reviews

Big Cat Heaven

Quintessential Kenyan safari destination, whatever the season