3-day Maasai Mara safari from Nairobi: Big Five game drives
Two full days hunting the Big Five across the Mara's endless grasslands
A 3-day safari tour from Nairobi to Maasai Mara National Reserve with game drives, lodge accommodation and meals included. You drive the reserve on the morning of arrival and spend the next full day crossing the plains in search of the Big Five and resident herds of wildebeest, zebra, giraffe and gazelle. An optional visit to a Maasai village on the final morning lets you see how the local tribes have preserved their culture over centuries. Otherwise the return to Nairobi leaves at 9am.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Nairobi to Maasai Mara Safari
- Breakfast in Nairobi
- Drive to Maasai Mara via Great Rift Valley
- Arrive and have lunch at camp
- Relax at camp
- Afternoon game drive in Maasai Mara
Day 2: Full Day Maasai Mara Game Drive
- Breakfast at camp
- Full day game drive in Maasai Mara
- Picnic lunch in the reserve
- Continue game drive
- Dinner and overnight at camp
Day 3: Maasai Mara to Nairobi Return
- Breakfast at camp
- Optional visit to Maasai village
- Drive back to Nairobi
- Drop off in Nairobi
What’s included
- Pickup from Nairobi.
- accommodation at Manyatta Camp or a similar lodge in the reserve for two nights.
- all meals during the tour.
- two game drives (afternoon on day one, full day on day two).
- English-speaking guide throughout.
- optional Maasai village visit on the final morning.
Times
- Every day 07:00
Before you book
Operated by Epic Views Tours & Travel Limited
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
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The experience
The drive from Nairobi takes you through the Great Rift Valley and past Narok before you reach the reserve in time for lunch at your lodge. An afternoon game drive at 4:30pm gets you onto the plains while the light is still strong. The Maasai Mara sits within the vast Serengeti Plains and holds the highest concentration of wild animals in the region. The landscape itself is enormous, which is what makes spotting predators and the herds they hunt a genuine search rather than a parade.
Day two is an unlimited game drive. You spend the full day crossing the reserve in search of the Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino) and the other plains game that graze in enormous herds: Maasai giraffe, eland, topi, Thomson's and Grant's gazelles, and the elusive cheetah and leopards that hide in the acacia trees. A picnic lunch is served at the reserve so you stay out during the hours when predators are most active.
On the morning of day three, you can choose to visit a Maasai village and meet the tribespeople who have lived in this area for more than a century and kept 80 percent of their traditional culture intact. If you skip the village, the drive back to Nairobi begins at 9am. Either way, the return journey retraces the route through the Rift Valley.
Is this one for you?The 3-day length gives you two full days of game driving instead of one, which is what makes finding the Big Five and watching predator behavior a real possibility rather than a quick pass through. If you have only one day free, a shorter safari won't give you the same depth of wildlife viewing. If you have five days, a longer itinerary reaches deeper into the reserve.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (4 to 13 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What animals am I most likely to see on a Maasai Mara game drive?
The Maasai Mara holds the highest concentration of wild animals in the region, so you have strong chances of spotting the Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino) along with enormous herds of wildebeest, zebra, Maasai giraffe, eland, topi and gazelles. Cheetah and leopards are harder to find but do live in the reserve.
How much time do I spend actually driving and looking for wildlife?
You have an afternoon game drive on arrival day starting at 4:30pm, then a full day of driving on day two with a picnic lunch served in the reserve. That full day is when you spend the most time searching for predators and the herds they hunt.
Is there time to visit a Maasai village, or is the schedule fixed?
On the final morning, you can choose to visit a Maasai village to see how the local tribes have preserved their culture, or skip it and depart for Nairobi at 9am. The choice is yours depending on your interest.
What's included in the tour price?
The tour includes pickup from Nairobi, accommodation at a lodge in the Maasai Mara, all meals, and the game drives themselves. You do not arrange transport to the reserve or book the lodge separately.
Do I need any experience with safari or wildlife to join?
The tour suits all physical fitness levels. Children are welcome from age one (infants sit on an adult's lap). The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries due to the vehicle movement across uneven terrain.
Who guides the game drives?
A live guide who speaks English leads the game drives and stays with your group throughout the three days.
3-day Maasai Mara safari from Nairobi: Big Five game drives
3d · EN
from US$ 950 per person
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