This is the quickest way we offer to get from Nairobi into the Masai Mara and back again. You leave early on day one, arrive in time for lunch, and spend the afternoon on your first game drive. The next morning you head out again at first light, then return to camp for breakfast before the drive back to Nairobi.
Two game drives in under 36 hours is a short trip, and we would rather say that plainly. It works well if you have a free weekend in Nairobi, are tacking a safari onto a work trip, or simply want a first look at the Mara before deciding on a longer visit. The budget comes from where you sleep - a simple camp near the reserve with shared facilities - not from cutting time in the park. The vehicle, the driver-guide and the park access are the same as on our longer Mara trips.
If you can spare one more night, the 3 Days 2 Nights Masai Mara Budget Safari adds a full day in the reserve for a modest extra cost, and that full day is usually when the best sightings happen.
Journey at-a-glance:Customize This Journey. Request More Information »
MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
An afternoon game drive on arrival and a dawn game drive on the second morning
The Great Rift Valley viewpoint on the drive out of Nairobi
Low-cost camping near the reserve, with the same 4x4 and driver-guide as our longer Mara trips
Optional Maasai village visit if time allows (fee paid locally)
We collect you from your Nairobi hotel early in the morning and head west. The first stop is the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, where the escarpment drops away to the valley floor - a good place to stretch and take photos. The road then continues through Narok, the last sizeable town before the reserve.
You reach camp in time for lunch. After a short rest, your guide drives you into the reserve for the afternoon game drive, which runs until the park's closing time in the early evening. Dinner is at camp.
Up before sunrise for a second game drive. The first hours of daylight are when predators are most often on the move and the light is softest, so this drive tends to be the more productive of the two. You return to camp for a late breakfast, pack up and start the drive back to Nairobi, arriving in the afternoon. We drop you at your hotel or another agreed point in the city.
Planning tip: see our guide on Best Time to Visit the Masai Mara: A Month-by-Month Guide.
Accommodation: One night at a budget camp close to the reserve. Expect a twin-share tent with proper bedding, shared or basic washing facilities and meals served in a communal mess area. It is comfortable enough for a short stay but not a lodge - if en-suite bathrooms matter to you, ask us to price a tented-camp upgrade.
Vehicle: 4x4 safari Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
The Mara has wildlife all year, so the best month depends on what you want.
Full Masai Mara National Reserve destination guide »
Park entry fees for the Masai Mara are included in the price
Meals at camp are full board for the night you stay
Bring cash for tips and the optional village visit fee
It is enough for a genuine first impression - two separate game drives with an experienced guide - but not enough to explore different parts of the reserve. If you can add one night, the 3-day version gives you a full day inside the Mara.
The accommodation. You stay at a simple camp rather than a lodge or tented camp with en-suite facilities. The vehicle, guide, park fees and game-drive time are the same as on our other Mara trips.
Allow around 5-6 hours each way, depending on traffic leaving Nairobi, road conditions and where your camp is. We stop at the Rift Valley viewpoint and in Narok to break it up.
No. Game drives are done from the vehicle. The camp is basic, so a torch for moving around after dark and a warm layer for cold mornings are worth packing.
Send us your travel dates and group size and we'll confirm availability and pricing.
