3 Day Masai Mara Safari Tour

Travel to Kenya and explore the world famous Masai Mara Reserve with a knowledgeable local guide. Enjoy classic game drives and discover a land famed for its breathtaking vistas and rich wildlife. Here, you will have a chance to spot African Big 5 in their natural habitat, as they feed, graze, or hunt, just as they have for millions of years. 

Visit with the Masai people and experience their ancient culture. This 3 Day safari to Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya is a perfect short break for those with limited time or budget, looking for a real African safari experience.

Tour Highlights:

  • 3 action-filled days for wildlife sighting
  • Unlimited game drives – in your own comfortable Safari pop-up top vehicle
  • The Big 5 – elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo & leopard… Plus zebra, cheetah and much more
  • Experience the Masai Mara, home to an ancient culture
  • Your choice of accommodations – from budget to luxury – stay in lodges or tented camps
  • Optional Masai village visit -arrange with your safari driver/ guide
  • Optional hot air balloon ride
  • Private dedicated English / other language speaking driver / guide
3 Day Masai Mara Safari

Itinerary Summary

Day 1: Nairobi – Masai Mara (Appx. 265kms- 5 hrs.)

Day 2: Full Day Safari in Masai Mara

Day 3: Masai Mara – Nairobi (265 km – 5 hrs.)

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi – Masai Mara (Appx. 265kms- 5 hrs.)

Jambo! Welcome to Kenya. At 7:30 am, we will pick you up from your Nairobi hotel, residence, or the Nairobi airport. Then, in a comfortable private 4×4 safari vehicle, we’ll embark on a scenic journey to the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve.

The landscape will become more striking as we approach the Great Rift Valley escarpment. We’ll stop at various points to rest and admire the stunning views of the escarpment. Continuing our journey, we’ll descend to the valley floor, traveling through the picturesque Masai country, where we might catch sight of the colorful Maasai herdsmen as we near the reserve.

We will reach the Masai Mara around lunchtime, where we’ll enjoy a meal at our selected accommodation. Afterward, prepare to be amazed by the vastness of the reserve and its incredible wildlife populations. As one of the world’s most remarkable ecosystems, the park is unmatched in its diversity of species. The rolling hills and expansive savannahs are home to both predators and grazers, large and small. Your first game drive will offer a preview of the abundant wildlife you’ll encounter throughout your three days in the park.

Accommodation Options

Budget: Elangata Olerai Camp/Jambo Mara Safari Lodge/ Mara Chui Camp

Midrange: Mara Leisure Camp/ Mara Sopa Lodge/ Mara River Lodge

Luxury: Mara Serena Safari Lodge/ Mara Maisha Camp/ Mara River Camp

High end: Saruni Mara Camp/Porini Mara Camp/ Entim Mara Camp

Meal plan: Lunch, Dinner.

Day 2: Full Day Safari in Masai Mara

We’ll start early to explore the park’s rich wildlife, said to the densest of any park in the region. The day will be filled with unlimited game drives across the golden plains, passing by the iconic acacia trees that dot the landscape.

Keep an eye out for Africa’s Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. The park is also home to a rich variety of bird species, and if you visit during the Great Migration season (July – October), get ready to witness the planet’s largest animal movement. Mainly made up of wildebeest and zebra, the migrating animals cross into the park by the thousands at the Mara River, also the site of hippos and waiting crocodiles. The potential drama here is inescapable as the migrating herds enter these lands for fresh grasses as the predators lie in wait.

To enhance your 3 Day Masai Mara safari adventure, you can opt to visit a local Maasai village, where you’ll have the chance to experience their way of life firsthand.

Another optional activity is an early morning hot air balloon ride over the reserve. You’ll be picked up before dawn and driven to the launch site for a safety briefing with your pilot. As the sun rises, you’ll gently float through the sky, sometimes floating at tree level, offering incredible photo opportunities. At other times, you’ll soar higher, taking in expansive views of the plains and the early morning movements of the wildlife below. After landing, savor a bush breakfast before heading back to the lodge or camp to unwind. It’s a truly unforgettable experience – simply ask your driver/guide to arrange either or both activities for you.

Accommodation Options

Budget: Elangata Olerai Camp/Jambo Mara Safari Lodge/ Mara Chui Camp

Midrange: Mara Leisure Camp/ Mara Sopa Lodge/ Mara River Lodge

Luxury: Mara Serena Safari Lodge/ Mara Maisha Camp/ Mara River Camp

High end: Saruni Mara Camp/Porini Mara Camp/ Entim Mara Camp

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 3: Masai Mara – Nairobi (265 km – 5 hrs.)

After a relaxed breakfast at your lodge or camp, your dedicated driver-guide will assist with checkout and then take you back to Nairobi, Kenya’s vibrant capital. 

Along the way, your guide will point out the extinct Longonot Volcano, a strato volcano located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley. Believed to have last erupted in the 1860s, its name comes from the Maasai word “Oloonong’ot,” meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges.”

You can choose to drive via Naivasha for lunch and excursions or head directly to Nairobi, passing by Kiambethu Farm for a tea farm tour with a three-course buffet lunch (at an additional cost). Alternatively, you can continue straight to Nairobi and, later, be transferred to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your flight home.

If you need post-trip accommodation in Nairobi, please let us know the time of booking. If you are staying on, why not head out to explore the National Museum of Kenya, the Karen Blixen Museum (author of Out of Africa), or Bomas of Kenya where traditional homesteads of several Kenyan tribes are displayed in an outdoor village.

Accommodation: Not Included

Meal plan: Breakfast.

End of the 3 Day Masai Mara Safari Tour

Tour Inclusions

  • Pick up / Drop off at Nairobi Airport
  • Pick up / Drop off at Nairobi Hotel or Residence
  • Tour in our Standard Customized Pop-top 4WD Toyota Land cruiser Jeep.
  • Services of an experienced English / other language speaking safari tour guide/driver
  • Stay in Comfort, Luxury & Superior Luxury safari lodges / tented camps ( please choose )
  • Game viewing drives
  • Masai Mara game reserve entrance fees
  • Meals on safari
  • Bottled drinking water in safari vehicle
  • Government taxes and local levies

Tour Exclusions

  • International flights
  • Your Kenya Visa
  • Bottled & Soft Drinks
  • Items and services of a personal nature
  • Tips & Gratuities.