3-Day Maasai Mara Safari from Nairobi: Game Drives & Camping

Three days hunting the Big Five across the Mara with your own 4x4 and guide

A 3-day Maasai Mara safari from Nairobi combines multiple game drives across the reserve with camping accommodation, meals, and transport in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with an English-speaking driver-guide. Pickup from your Nairobi hotel starts at 8:30 a.m. on day one. You stop at the Rift Valley viewpoint en route, lunch in Narok, and reach the reserve by 3 p.m. for an evening drive. Day two is a full day in the Mara searching for wildlife. Day three returns you to Nairobi by mid-afternoon. Park entrance fees are included in one option. A Maasai village visit is available separately for an additional fee.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara

• Pick up from Nairobi hotel
• Drive to Maasai Mara
• Stop at Rift Valley viewpoint
• Lunch in Narok town
• Arrive at Maasai Mara
• Evening game drive
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 2: Full day game drive in Mara

• Breakfast at camp
• Full day game drive
• Picnic lunch in reserve
• Optional Maasai village visit
• Dinner and overnight at camp

Day 3: Masai Mara to Nairobi

• Breakfast at camp
• Depart Maasai Mara
• Optional Maasai village visit
• Lunch at Mai-Mahiu
• Arrive Nairobi afternoon

The experience

Your driver-guide picks you up from your Nairobi hotel at 8:30 a.m. and heads straight for the Maasai Mara. The route crosses the Rift Valley, where you stop at 10 a.m. to see the escarpments and the flat lands that stretch below: a geological formation that runs the length of Africa. Lunch happens in Narok town at noon, and you arrive at the reserve by 3 p.m. with time for a two-hour evening game drive before dark. The Lenchada Tourist Camp, where you sleep all three nights, sits on the banks of the Mara River and offers a tent with a bed, hot running water, toilet and shower. Meals are served in the restaurant, and a generator charges phones and cameras after sunset.

Day two is devoted entirely to game drives in search of the Big Five. You move through the reserve at the pace the wildlife dictates, with picnic lunches served inside the park. The Mara is where the great migration unfolds (the most spectacular event in the natural world, the description says), and the reserve holds native populations of antelopes, gazelles and giraffes year-round. Your guide knows where to find them and how to read the landscape. An optional Maasai village visit in the evening costs USD 20 per person and lets you interact with the local community. A balloon safari at USD 450 per person can be arranged for early morning on this day if you book it in advance.

On day three, breakfast comes first, then the drive back to Nairobi. You stop for lunch at Mai-Mahiu on the way and arrive in the city between 3 and 4 p.m. The tour runs as a small group, and children from age 3 are welcome. Infants sit on an adult's lap. All transport, meals, accommodation and a professional English-speaking guide are included in the price.

What’s included

• Pickup from your Nairobi hotel at 8:30 a.m.
• transport in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with open roof and professional driver-guide.
• three nights camping accommodation at Lenchada Tourist Camp with bed, hot water and shower.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
• multiple game drives across Maasai Mara National Reserve on days two and three, plus an evening drive on arrival.

Options for this experience

3 options

Guided 3-day safari to Maasai Mara from NairobiGuide in English · 08:00Park entrance fees not included. Pickup is included.

Additional 1 night in Masai MaraGuide in English · 08:00Additional night in Masai Mara, extending to a 4-day safari. Park fees are not included; park fees for the 3 nights are excluded. Pickup is included.

Park entrance fees are includedGuide in English · 08:00Park fees included: 3-day Masai Mara camping safari in a 4x4 Land Cruiser. Two park entrance fees are included, along with accommodation and 3 meals per day. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (11 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Gracepatt Ecotours Kenya

Is this one for you?The fixed three-day schedule fits a first-time safari into a long weekend or a break between other plans in Kenya, with all logistics (transport, meals, accommodation and guiding) handled in one booking. If you want to stay longer in the Mara or add a night at a Maasai village, an extra night option is available at checkout.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What does a typical day of game driving in the Mara actually involve?

You spend the full day moving through the reserve in the 4x4, stopping when wildlife appears or when your guide spots tracks and signs. Picnic lunches are served inside the park so you do not lose time returning to camp. The pace depends on what animals are active and where they are found on any given day.

What is the Rift Valley viewpoint and why do you stop there?

The Rift Valley is a massive geographical formation that runs from the top to bottom of Africa, created millions of years ago. The viewpoint on the route to the Mara lets you see the escarpments and the flat lands below. It is a stop at 10 a.m. on the first morning to break up the drive and show you the landscape you are crossing.

Where do you sleep, and what are the facilities like?

The Lenchada Tourist Camp is your base all three nights. Each tent has a bed, hot running water, a toilet and a shower. Meals are served in the camp restaurant, and a generator provides power to charge phones and cameras after dark.

Can I add a visit to a Maasai village, and what does it cost?

A Maasai village visit is optional and costs USD 20 per person. It happens in the evening and lets you learn about the Maasai community and interact with local people. An overnight stay at the village can be arranged on request if you want to extend your time there.

Are park entrance fees included in the price?

Park entrance fees are included in one of the three purchase options available at checkout. The other options do not include them unless you select the option that does.

What time does the tour start, and how do you get to the Mara?

Your driver-guide picks you up from your Nairobi hotel at 8:30 a.m. on day one. Transport is in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with an open roof and a professional English-speaking guide. The drive to the reserve takes most of the day, with stops at the Rift Valley viewpoint and lunch in Narok town.