Masai Mara Game Reserve 3 Days 2 Nights Road Safari

Our 3 Day Masai Mara Game Reserve safari is a very short and affordable Kenya wildlife holiday that starts in Nairobi, the economic heart of Kenya. 

Get ready to explore the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of Africa’s best safari destinations, on thrilling Big 5 game drives with a professional guide! 

The first day of our Masai Mara safari begins with a departure from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, and we drive down the escarpment along the floor of the scenic Great Rift Valley. We arrive at our tented camp/lodge in the Masai Mara in time for lunch.

Then we take our first thrilling game drive in the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of Africa’s top safari destinations. The Masai Mara incorporates 1510 km² of incredible, wide-open landscapes and fertile riverine woodland following the looping meanders of the Mara and Talek rivers in Kenya. One glimpse is enough to explain its appeal.

It is a quintessential African savannah country with abundant wildlife. Returning from the first game-viewing adventure of our Masai Mara Safari in Kenya, we have dinner at camp/ lodge and relax under the stars, falling asleep to the sounds of the bush.

Day two: Masai Mara National Reserve: The entire day is spent game viewing in Kenya’s finest wildlife park, the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Our morning and afternoon game drives take us in search of Africa’s Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo) and the plethora of other wildlife inhabiting this vast Kenyan game reserve. On clear days, the Masai Mara offers fantastic orange-tinged sunsets well worth capturing on camera.

Wherever you go in the vast Masai Mara, you will see an abundance of wildlife such as Masai giraffes, baboons, warthogs, bat-eared foxes, grey jackals, spotted hyenas, topis, impalas, hartebeests, and wildebeests.

Elephants, buffalo, zebras, and hippos are also found in great numbers. It is also common to see lions either basking after a heavy meal or surveying the plains for their next meal. Cheetahs and leopards are harder to spot but reasonably common.

The ultimate action here is, without doubt, the annual wildebeest exodus, the Great Migration, in July and August, when millions of these grass eaters move north from Tanzania’s Serengeti in search of greener grass before turning south again in October.

Hot-air balloon trips are an outstanding way to see the savannah plains teeming with wildlife. These Masai Mara balloon trips can be arranged at extra cost. Cultural tours can also be arranged at extra cost for those who want to experience some local Maasai culture.

Day 3 Masai Mara National Reserve to Nairobi: The third day of our Masai Mara Safari in Kenya begins with breakfast at our luxury tented camp in the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Then it is time to say goodbye to the African bush and make our way back to Nairobi.

We drive back to bustling Nairobi, arriving at about 1600 Hours in the afternoon. This unforgettable 3-Day Masai Mara Kenya Safari ends upon arrival back in Nairobi.

3 Day Masai Mara Game Reserve Safari Highlights

✓ Game Drives: Early morning and late afternoon drives are the best times to see active predators
✓ The Big Five: The reserve is a premier destination for spotting the “Big Five”: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and the rarer black rhino
✓ Cultural Maasai Village Visits: Meet the Maasai people, a semi-nomadic warrior tribe known for their vibrant red shukas and traditional dances
✓ Big Cat Sightings: The Mara has one of the world’s highest densities of lions, cheetahs, and leopards, often making them easier to spot than in other parks
✓ Hot Air Balloon Safaris: Drift over the golden plains at sunrise for a unique aerial perspective on wildlife, usually followed by a champagne bush breakfast.
✓ Walking Safaris: Offered primarily in private conservancies like Mara North or Olare Motorogi, these allow you to explore the bush on foot with professional guides
✓ The Great Migration: Between July and October, over 1.5 million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles migrate from the Serengeti to the Mara. The Mara River crossings are a dramatic highlight where animals face crocodiles and steep banks

3 Days/ 2 Nights Masai Mara safari by road from Nairobi Itinerary 

0600 Hours – 0730 Hours: Pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or airport. Leaving early is critical to clearing the Mai Mahiu escarpment before heavy truck traffic builds up.
0830 Hours – 0900 Hours: Brief stop at the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint for photos and scenery
1030 Hours: Optional quick break in Narok Town for a bathroom stop
1300 Hours – 1400 Hours: Arrival at your lodge/camp in time for a hot lunch and check-in
1530 hours – 1830 Hours: Afternoon Game Drive until sunset, focusing on big cats and elephants
19000 Hours onwards: Dinner and overnight at the lodge

Day 2: Full Day in Masai Mara

0600 Hours: Early Morning Game Drive (best time for predator sightings) 
0830 Hours: Bush breakfast or return to the lodge for breakfast
1000 Hours – 1600 Hours: Full-Day Game Drive with a packed picnic lunch near the Mara River (ideal during the Great Migration from July–October) 
Alternative: Split game drives (early morning and late afternoon) with relaxation at the lodge during the midday heat
1600 Hours – 1800 Hours: Optional visit to a Maasai Village for cultural interaction

Day 3: Masai Mara – Drive to Nairobi

0615 Hours – 0830 Hours: Optional sunrise game drive, followed by a final breakfast
0900 Hours: Check-out and departure from the reserve
1000 Hours: Mandatory Exit Rule: To avoid paying for an extra day, vehicles must generally exit the park by 1000 Hours
1300 Hours: Lunch stop en route (often in Narok) 
1500 Hours – 1700 Hours: Arrival back in Nairobi, with drop-off at your hotel or the airport

No holiday to Kenya would be complete without a safari to the Masai Mara National Reserve. Our 3-day Masai Mara road safari from Nairobi takes you to the Masai Mara Game Reserve, located approximately 280km West of Nairobi.

The drive takes about 5 to 6 hours. The Masai Mara is the most famous and popular safari destination in Kenya, if not anywhere in Africa, and here are the reasons why;

* Experience a Hot-air Balloon Safari and meet the Maasai People and visit local villages for a fascinating glimpse of traditional Maasai culture, lifestyle, and traditions.

* The game viewing in the Masai Mara is excellent all year round, thanks to its varied landscapes, wide-open spaces, temperate climate, and diverse population of resident game, and sightings of the Big Five – leopard, lion, elephant, rhino, and buffalo – are pretty much a given, making it a perfect first-timer’s safari destination.

* The Mara is famous for its leopard, lion, and cheetah, but there’s plenty more game to see on the wide-open plains, from giraffe and eland to smaller predators such as bat-eared fox, spotted hyena, and black-backed jackal.

* The Masai Mara is home to the Wildebeest Migration (from about June to November, the annual movement of millions of wildebeest, gazelle, and zebra migrate between the neighboring Tanzania Serengeti park and the Masai Mara Game Reserve)

Our 3-day Masai Mara Safari begins and ends in Nairobi – pick up from a hotel or straight from the airport and includes road transport in a Mini-van or a 4×4 safari vehicle,a professional safari driver guide, 2 nights full board accommodation in a superb quality, well-located lodge/ camp, safari game drives, and park entrance fees.

0800 Hours: This morning, we depart the hotel after breakfast and drive through the dramatic Great Rift Valley to the Masai Mara Game Reserve.This enormous reserve is part of the vast Serengeti plains, famously known for its spectacular Great Wildebeest Migration, and is home to the Big Five: Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo, and Rhino.

1300 Hours: Lunch at our Lodge and relax before departing for the afternoon ‘Spice’ game drive.

1530 Hours: The Mara Game Reserve is one of the greatest wildernesses in the world. Large mammals are varied and easy to see.Residents among the Parks are Masai Giraffe, Buffalo, Eland, and thousands of plain game, including Impala, Zebra, Topi, both Thomson’s and Grant’s Gazelles.

1830 Hours: Return to the camp for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation Options:
Luxury Accommodation: Olare Mara Kempinski, Mahali Mzuri Safari Camp, Olonana Camp
Mid-Range Accommodation: Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Keekorok Lodge, Sentrim Mara Camp
Budget Accommodation: Rhino Tourist Tented Camp or Mara Acacia Camp, Mara Springs Camp

Meal Plan: {Lunch & Dinner}

Masai Mara Game Reserve 3 Days 2 Nights Road Safari Rates Include

✓ Safari Game drives
✓ All meals included while on safari
✓ All applicable Game Park entrance fees
✓ Guaranteed window seating with open top
✓ Safari vehicles carry cold drinks and mineral water
✓ 2 nights accommodation in Masai Mara Game Reserve
✓ Round-trip transport from Nairobi to the Masai Mara Game Reserve & a multi-lingual professional safari guide/ Driver

Notes:

* Departs daily and upon request

Masai Mara Game Reserve 3 Days 2 Nights Road Safari Rates Do Not Include

✘ International Airfare
✘ A visit to a Masai Village
✘ Accommodations in Nairobi
✘ Cost of obtaining a passport and visas
✘  Gratuity for your professional driver-guide
✘ Sundowner bush cocktails and bush dinner
✘ Gratuity for porters/ waiters at hotels, camps, and airports
✘  Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from the airport)
✘ Personal expenses such as traveling insurance, excess baggage fee, communication charges that include laundry, emails, faxes, and phone calls, beverages including luxury champagne, luxury spirits, beer, and wines during meals or meals not indicated in the itinerary

Mobile: + 254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com