Kenya · Safari destination
Masai Mara
Safaris built around Masai Mara.
One of the world's greatest safari destinations, where vast savannah plains host the Great Migration and year-round Big Five sightings.
Masai Mara
Big cat capital of Africa
The Masai Mara is Africa’s most celebrated safari destination, renowned for its extraordinary density of big cats and the annual Great Migration. The reserve shares an unfenced border with Tanzania’s Serengeti, forming a continuous ecosystem of around 25,000 square kilometres (9,650 square miles). Lion prides, leopards and cheetah are seen in exceptional numbers, while large herds of elephant, buffalo and more than 450 bird species inhabit the open grasslands year-round.
Beyond the national reserve, a network of private conservancies, including Olare Motorogi, Naboisho and Mara North, offer exclusive traversing rights with strict vehicle limits. Staying in a conservancy means guided walks, night drives and off-road game viewing that are not permitted inside the reserve itself.
- When are the wildebeest river crossings and can they be guaranteed?
- The herds typically cross the Mara River between July and October, though exact timing depends on rainfall and grazing patterns. No crossing can be guaranteed on a specific day, but camps positioned near known crossing points give you the best odds. A stay of at least three nights during this window dramatically improves your chances.
- Should I stay inside the reserve or in a private conservancy?
- The national reserve offers the classic Mara landscape and large herds, but vehicle numbers are unrestricted. Private conservancies such as Olare Motorogi and Naboisho limit guest numbers, allow off-road driving, walking safaris and night drives, and typically deliver a more exclusive experience. Many of our itineraries combine both.
- What does a Masai Mara safari cost?
- Lodge rates start from around $270 per person per night at properties such as Sopa Lodge and rise to $2,750 or more at Angama Mara. Our tailor-made packages, which include flights, transfers, accommodation, meals and game drives, start from approximately $3,160 per person.
- How do I get to the Masai Mara from Nairobi?
- Daily scheduled flights from Wilson Airport take about 45 minutes. The road journey is roughly five to six hours, though the final stretch is on unpaved tracks. Most guests fly in, and camps arrange airstrip transfers.
- Is the Masai Mara suitable for children?
- Several camps welcome families, including andBeyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp. Some conservancy camps set a minimum age of 12 for walking safaris. Your safari specialist will recommend child-friendly options based on the ages of your children.
- What is the best time of year to visit the Masai Mara?
- July to October for the migration and river crossings. January to March for green-season value and excellent predator action. The Mara delivers strong game viewing year-round, so there is no truly bad time.
Most requested · 4 days · Kenya
4 Day Fly-in Masai Mara Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights at &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp in the Masai Mara
- Dawn and dusk game drives tracking lion, cheetah, elephant and buffalo
- Hot-air balloon safari at sunrise with champagne breakfast on the plains
- Guided nature walks led by Maasai trackers
From
$4,140
per person, complete package
≈ $8,285 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 10 days · Kenya · Tanzania
10-Day Best of East Africa Migration Safari
Most meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Karen Blixen Cottages with visits to David Sheldrick Trust and Giraffe Centre
- 2 nights at Kichwa Tembo in the Masai Mara for Big Five game drives
- 2 nights at Simbavati Grumeti Camp in the Serengeti with private guide
- Full-day game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater, staying at Melia Ngorongoro
From
$13,085
per person, complete package
≈ $26,170 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 12 days · Kenya
12-Day Bush to Beach Luxury Safari through Kenya
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Sasaab in Samburu, tracking the Samburu Special Five
- 2 nights at Solio Lodge for black and white rhino viewing
- 3 nights at Sala's Camp in the Masai Mara with bush lunches
- 3 nights at Kinondo Kwetu on Diani Beach with kite surfing and diving
Special offer available
From
$16,335 normally $20,370
per person, complete package
≈ $32,670 for two · international flights excluded
3 days · Kenya
3-Day Masai Mara Fly-in Safari with Governors Camp
All meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Governors' Camp on the banks of the Mara River
- 45-minute scenic flight from Wilson Airport over the Great Rift Valley
- Morning, afternoon and sunrise game drives across the Masai Mara Reserve
- Big Five viewing with chance of the Great Migration (July-October)
From
$3,160
per person, complete package
≈ $6,320 for two · international flights excluded
7 days · Zanzibar · Kenya · Tanzania
7-Day All-Inclusive Masai Mara to Zanzibar Safari
All meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 3 nights at Governors' Camp on the Masai Mara, then 3 at Nungwi Dreams in Zanzibar
- Twice-daily game drives and guided bush walks in the Masai Mara
- Big cat and plains game viewing from open Landcruisers
- Swim with green turtles at a community conservation lagoon in Nungwi
From
$4,060
per person, complete package
≈ $8,125 for two · international flights excluded
9 days · Kenya · Tanzania
9 Day Masai Mara, Serengeti & Manyara Safari
Most meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 1 night at Hemingways Nairobi on arrival
- 2 nights at andBeyond Bateleur Camp in the Masai Mara tracking the Big Five
- 2 nights at Serengeti under Canvas, a mobile camp following the Great Migration
- 3 nights at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge searching for tree-climbing lions
Special offer available
From
$10,250 normally $11,455
per person, complete package
≈ $20,505 for two · international flights excluded
10 days · Kenya · Tanzania
10 Day Luxury Fly-in Kenya & Tanzania Tour
Most meals · Most activities · All transfers
- 1 night at Gran Meliá Arusha, then 2 nights at Meliá Ngorongoro Lodge
- Guided game drive on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater
- 3 nights at Nimali Serengeti in the heart of the migration corridor
- 3 nights at Entim Mara Camp with twice-daily drives in the Masai Mara
From
$11,885
per person, complete package
≈ $23,775 for two · international flights excluded
7 days · Kenya
7 Day Classic Kenyan Safari
Most meals · All activities · Most transfers
- 1 night at Severin Safari Camp in Tsavo West, exploring Mzima Springs
- 2 nights at Ol Tukai Lodge in Amboseli with elephant herds beneath Kilimanjaro
- 1 night at Naivasha Sopa Lodge with an optional boat trip on Lake Naivasha
- 2 nights at Tipilikwani Mara Camp on the banks of the Talek River
From
$4,300
per person, complete package
≈ $8,600 for two · international flights excluded
8 days · Kenya
8 Day Amboseli, Mount Kenya & Masai Mara Flying Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 1 night at Nairobi Tented Camp inside Nairobi National Park
- 2 nights at Porini Amboseli Camp with Kilimanjaro views and night game drives
- 2 nights at Porini Rhino Camp in Ol Pejeta, visiting the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Baraka the Black Rhino
- 2 nights at Porini Lion Camp in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy bordering the Masai Mara
From
$5,900
per person, complete package
≈ $11,800 for two · international flights excluded
8 days · Kenya
8-Day All-Inclusive Fly-In Samburu to Masai Mara Safari
All meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 4 nights at Soroi Larsens Camp in Samburu, then 3 at Soroi Luxury Migration Camp in the Mara
- Twice-daily shared game drives in custom 4x4 vehicles
- Track the Samburu Special 5: Grevy's zebra, gerenuk, Beisa oryx, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe
- Sundowner on a raised viewing platform above the Koitogo Hills
Special offer available
From
$6,765 normally $7,405
per person, complete package
≈ $13,535 for two · international flights excluded
9 days · Kenya · Rwanda
9-Day Kenya & Rwanda Safari: Big Five, Maasai Mara & Gorilla Trekking Tour
Most meals · All activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Mara Sopa Lodge with game drives in the Maasai Mara
- Boat safari on Lake Naivasha and walking tour on Crescent Island
- 2 nights at Amboseli Sopa Lodge with elephants and Kilimanjaro views
- Kigali city tour including the Genocide Memorial
From
$7,940
per person, complete package
≈ $15,885 for two · international flights excluded
No itineraries match those filters. Try clearing one to see more.
Brochure
East Africa Guide
East Africa in signature pairings, like elephants beneath Mount Kenya: the Serengeti and Masai Mara, gorilla trekking and Zanzibar.
Where to stay
Lodges in Masai Mara.
17 lodges
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Affordable Live availabilityAndBeyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp
This luxury safari camp is set at the edge of riverine forest, overlooking the sweeping plains of the Maasai Mara, and it lies within the path of the incredible annual Great Migration. At Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp, you can expect an authentic African safari experience with legendary Kenyan hospitality.
From $1,075 per person · night · normally $1,265
Special offer available
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LuxAngama Mara
Inspired by the Swahili word meaning "suspended in mid-air," Angama Mara is a remarkable safari lodge perched high above the floor of Africa’s Great Rift Valley. Overlooking the breathtaking Maasai Mara—often regarded as one of Africa’s most beautiful game reserves—this luxurious lodge blends contemporary design with classic safari elegance, offering unforgettable wildlife encounters and world-class hospitality.
From $2,750 per person · night
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Lux Live availabilityAndBeyond Bateleur Camp
Bateleur Camp is located in the lush forests of the world-renowned Masai Mara in Kenya where you can experience elegance amidst the diverse wildlife of Narok County. Bateleur Camp provides a truly memorable Masai Mara experience through its luxurious facilities, attentive service, and lush surroundings.
From $2,210 per person · night · normally $2,595
Special offer available
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Affordable Live availabilityElewana Sand River Masai Mara
Imagine staying in a picturesque African safari vacation camp, surrounded by lush flora and diverse wildlife. You wake up to an amazing sunrise, and fill your day with adventure and exploration.
From $1,275 per person · night
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Affordable Live availabilityGovernor's Camp
Experience luxury befitting Kenya’s colonial governors when you stay at Governors’ Camp. Established in 1972 as a place for local leaders, it is still the accommodations’ standards that all others are measured by.
From $995 per person · night
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Premium Live availabilityNaboisho Camp
It is unheard of to experience a private safari in the Masai Mara or Serengeti reserves but Naboisho Camp is the exception. Set in the two hundred and ten square kilometer Mara Naboisho Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara, Naboisha Camp offers an exclusive safari experience.
From $2,250 per person · night
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Affordable Live availabilitySoroi Luxury Migration Camp
Soroi Luxury Migration Camp offers a genuine safari experience, discreetly nestled in a riverine forest along the seasonal Olare Orok River, near Ol Kiombo airstrip in the heart of Maasai Mara game reserve.
From $1,100 per person · night
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AffordableSpeke's Camp
Speke’s Camp is situated on the boundary of the famous Maasai Mara Reserve, surrounded by fabulous indigenous trees overhanging the Olare Orok River. The camp setup is designed to be eco-friendly and reduce waste.
From $640 per person · night
Rates per person sharing, per night.
Masai Mara
Your guide to Masai Mara.
Masai Mara or Serengeti?
The two reserves share the same ecosystem, so both deliver outstanding game viewing. The Mara is smaller and more concentrated, making it the stronger choice for first-time visitors who want big-cat sightings and shorter transfer times. The wildebeest river crossings happen on the Kenyan side between July and October, when herds funnel towards the Mara River. The Serengeti covers a far larger area, with the calving season on its southern plains from January to March and a wilder, less-visited feel in its northern reaches. Many guests combine both on a 9- or 10-day itinerary, crossing overland at the Sand River.
When
The Great Migration reaches the Masai Mara from roughly July to October, when enormous herds cross the Mara River in search of fresh grazing. This is peak season and the most dramatic time to visit.
January to March is the green season, with lower rates and excellent predator sightings as resident wildlife stays put. The short rains fall in November and December, bringing lush landscapes and newborn animals.
Where
Daily scheduled flights from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport reach the Mara’s airstrips in about 45 minutes. Most camps arrange a shared or private airstrip transfer. The overland drive from Nairobi takes roughly five to six hours.
Lodges and camps range from the accessible Masai Mara Sopa Lodge (from around $270 per person per night) to exclusive properties such as Angama Mara ($2,750) and Cottar’s 1920s Camp ($2,000). Our safari specialists can match you to the right camp and conservancy based on your priorities.
Photos from our guests
A traveller's view.
Every photo below was taken by a guest of ours on a recent trip to Masai Mara. No stock imagery, no marketing shots. What they saw, on their cameras.
Imagery
Masai Mara, in pictures.
Recent travellers
Word from people who have just been to Masai Mara.
Quotes pulled directly from Trustpilot. Where we have specific reviews mentioning Masai Mara, those come up first. Otherwise these are recent five-star notes from across the trips we have planned.
"I booked with Lindi Weeks and found her expertise and information really helpful when booking a camp in Masai Mara. Prompt, helpful, friendly. Highly recommended."
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