Maasai Mara Day Trip From Nairobi: Safari & Rift Valley

Five in the morning, and your driver is already waiting downstairs

You leave your hotel at 5am, stop at the Great Rift Valley for photos and snacks, then spend the middle of the day on game drives through the Maasai Mara searching for lions, elephants, leopards and cheetahs. Lunch is on your own at a park lodge. Your guide, water, fruit and all transport back to Nairobi by 7pm are included. It's a full day in one vehicle with one guide, no overnight stay required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Maasai Mara Day Trip from Nairobi

• Pack breakfast and coffee
• Hotel pickup at 5am
• Driver introduction to safari
• Drive 4 hours to Great Rift Valley
• Stop for photos and snack shopping
• Arrive Maasai Mara at 9am
• Start game drive
• Spot lions, elephants, leopards, cheetahs, birds
• Enjoy lunch at wilderness hotel (own expense)
• Finish game drive
• Drive back to Nairobi

The experience

"You're going to see things today you won't forget," your guide says as the car pulls out of Nairobi while the city is still dark. The Maasai Mara day trip from Nairobi starts before sunrise for a reason. The animals are most active in the early hours, and you've got a four-hour drive ahead before you even reach the park gates. Your driver gives you the rundown during those first minutes: what to look for, how to spot a leopard in the acacia trees, why the light matters. You've got breakfast and coffee packed, which is good, because the road north is long and the landscape keeps changing.

Around two hours in, you'll stop at the Great Rift Valley. The escarpment drops away in front of you, and the valley floor spreads out in layers of green and brown that stretch toward the horizon. People stop here to photograph it, to buy snacks from the vendors, to stand there and actually feel how far you've come from the city. Then it's back in the car for the rest of the drive. By 9am, you're rolling into the Maasai Mara National Park, and the game drive begins immediately: no waiting, no briefing, just the open savanna and the work of finding what's out there. Lions, elephants, leopards, cheetahs, the birds that most people don't even notice until the guide points them out. The landscape is rough and open, nothing between you and the animals except distance and luck.

Midday, you'll break for lunch at a lodge inside the park. That's at your own expense, so you choose where to eat and what to spend. After that, there's more game drive time before the long return journey back to Nairobi, arriving around 7pm. Your professional English-speaking guide stays with you the whole time, and the inclusions cover your hotel pickup and drop-off, a bottle of water, fresh fruit, and all the game drive time itself. The day is long, the drive is real, and you see the Maasai Mara without needing to stay overnight or arrange your own transport.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup at 5am and drop-off at 7pm.
• professional English-speaking guide for the full day.
• all game drives within the Maasai Mara National Park.
• stop at the Great Rift Valley.
• breakfast and coffee.
• a bottle of water.
• fresh fruit.
• transport to and from Nairobi.

Options for this experience

2 options

Day trip to the Maasai Mara from NairobiGuide in English · 04:00Pickup is included

Mara visit with park feeGuide in English · 04:00Includes park fee

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 04:00

Book up to5h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by African Mo Dream Safaris

Is this one for you?Right for travelers based in Nairobi who want to see the Maasai Mara without staying overnight or arranging their own vehicle and guide: the early start and fixed return time mean you fit a full safari day into your schedule without the logistics.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

How long is the drive from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara?

About four hours each way. You leave at 5am and arrive at the park around 9am, then depart the park in the late afternoon to return to Nairobi by 7pm.

What animals might I see on the game drive?

Lions, elephants, leopards, cheetahs, and diverse bird life. The Maasai Mara is also known for its annual wildebeest migration, depending on the season.

Is lunch included?

No. You'll have a lunch break at a lodge inside the park, but it's at your own expense. You choose where and what to eat.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, all game drives, a professional English-speaking guide, a bottle of water, and fresh fruit.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the park?

No. The tour includes hotel pickup at 5am and drop-off at 7pm, plus all transport to and from the Maasai Mara and within the park during game drives.

How many hours is the full day?

Fourteen hours total, from 5am pickup to 7pm drop-off.

Is there a stop on the way to the park?

Yes. You'll stop at the Great Rift Valley, where you can take photos and buy snacks before continuing to the park.

What should I bring?

The tour includes breakfast and coffee packed for you. Bring sunscreen, a hat, binoculars if you have them, and cash for lunch and any snacks at the Rift Valley stop.