Masai Mara Safari: 3-Day Private Tour with Game Drives

Summary

Private safari adventure from Nairobi to Masai Mara with wildlife, Maasai encounters and lodge nights

You’ll cross Kenya’s Great Rift Valley on your way to Masai Mara for three days of wildlife game drives with an experienced guide. Watch lions hunt at dusk, meet Maasai locals near their village and share stories over dinner at your lodge each night. The feeling of those open plains stays with you long after—maybe that’s what makes this safari special.

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the road out of Nairobi to feel so endless — or to laugh so much before we even saw an animal. Our driver-guide, Daniel, kept pointing out things I’d have missed: kids herding goats in bright shukas, the way the Rift Valley just drops away beneath you. At the viewpoint stop, everyone spilled out for photos but I just stood there for a minute, wind in my face, trying to take it in. The escarpment almost glows in that early light. We stopped in Narok for coffee and bathrooms (and a weirdly good mandazi), then bumped along until suddenly we were rolling into the Masai Mara National Reserve right around lunchtime — dusty and kind of giddy.

The first game drive was honestly overwhelming. I thought spotting a lion would be rare but Daniel had this sixth sense — he’d pull over and say “look there” and sure enough, there’d be a tail flicking in the grass. We saw elephants too, close enough that you could hear them pulling at branches. There’s this smell — not bad exactly, just wild and earthy — that hangs in the air when you’re out on those plains. Lunch was back at Mara Simba Lodge (I still crave their chapati) and then more driving until sunset painted everything gold. I slept like a rock that night.

The second day was all about the long game drive — packed lunch boxes, lots of dust, windows down half the time because it felt wrong not to let that air in. We watched buffalo move through mud pools and once had to stop because zebras just wouldn’t move off the track (Daniel joked they were unionized). At one point we met some Maasai men near the edge of the reserve; they showed us how they make fire from sticks — I tried it and failed spectacularly but they laughed with me anyway. By late afternoon I was sunburned and tired but couldn’t stop grinning.

Leaving was quiet. Breakfast at the lodge felt slower than before, maybe because nobody wanted to go back yet. On our way out we passed by a Maasai market — colors everywhere, beadwork laid out on blankets. I bought a bracelet from a woman named Naserian who told me it meant “peace” (I hope she wasn’t just being polite). Back in Nairobi by late afternoon, everything felt louder somehow. Still thinking about those wide open skies.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Travel Nairobi to Masai Mara

• Pick up at 7:00 AM
• Drive through Great Rift Valley
• Stop at Great Rift Valley viewpoint
• Bathroom stop in Narok town
• Arrive Masai Mara for lunch
• Afternoon game drive for lions
• Dinner and overnight at Mara Simba Lodge

Day 2 — Full day game drive in Masai Mara

• Breakfast at lodge
• Full-day game drive with packed lunch
• Spot Big Five and other wildlife
• Dinner and overnight at Mara Simba Lodge

Day 3 — Return from Masai Mara to Nairobi

• Breakfast at lodge
• Drive back to Nairobi
• Drop off at hotel or airport

Top questions

How long is the drive from Nairobi to Masai Mara?

It takes most of the morning—usually around 5-6 hours including stops for views and bathrooms.

Are all park entrance fees included in this safari?

Yes, all entrance fees for Masai Mara National Reserve are covered in your booking.

Is hotel pickup provided in Nairobi?

Yes, pickup from your Nairobi hotel is included at 7:00 AM on day one.

What kind of vehicle is used for game drives?

A private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof is used throughout the safari.

Where do we stay during the tour?

You stay both nights at Mara Simba Lodge inside or near Masai Mara Reserve.

Are meals included during the trip?

Lunches and dinners are included at the lodge; breakfast is also provided each day.

Is bottled water provided during game drives?

You get one liter per person per day of bottled water during your safari activities.

Can children or people with limited mobility join?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels and is wheelchair accessible; infant seats are available if needed.

What’s included

Your trip includes hotel pickup in Nairobi, all transportation by private 4x4 Land Cruiser with an experienced driver-guide who really knows where to look for wildlife, entry fees for every park visit along with bottled water each day—and breakfasts, lunches and dinners at Mara Simba Lodge before returning back to Nairobi late afternoon on day three.