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2-Day Masai Mara Safaris from Nairobi
For a cheap 2 day Masai Mara safari from Nairobi, the price on this page is $210 or $230 per person for a group trip from Nairobi with 1 night near the reserve and an evening game drive. The reserve fee is paid on top at $100 or $200 per non-resident adult a day, depending on the season.
Quick answer Price, fees and what 2 days gets you
A 2-day Masai Mara safari from Nairobi costs $210 or $230 per person on the group trips below, and the park fee is not included on either. The Mara Conservancy charges non-resident adults $100 a day from 1 January to 30 June and $200 from 1 July to 31 December. Both trips allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Key takeaways
- Lowest price and the higher rating: the Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara at $210, rated 4.8.
- Jeep with an open roof and set pickup zones: the 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep at $230.
- Compare road and air routes in how to get to the Masai Mara.
- Pick your month in the best time for a Masai Mara safari.
2-Day Masai Mara Safaris You Can Book
Both trips leave Nairobi, spend 1 night at a budget camp near the reserve and return on day 2, with full board meals and park fees paid on top. They differ in vehicle, group size, pickup terms and how many game drives the listing promises.
from $230
2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep
The short option: reaches the Maasai Mara and back from Nairobi in two days with an evening game drive, while longer tours need three.
Check Availability
from $210
Lowest price
Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara
The budget group option: 2 days from the Masai Mara with park fees excluded at 100 to 200 USD per day, so total cost depends on travel month.
Check AvailabilityHow Do the 2-Day Masai Mara Safaris Compare?
The Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara is cheaper at $210 and rated higher, while the 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep at $230 uses a 4WD jeep and publishes its pickup zones.
The table puts the two trips side by side on the facts that change the experience.
Side by Side
Prices are per person as each listing shows them. Ratings and review counts come from each booking platform. Both listings leave the reserve fee to be paid separately.
| Feature | 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep | Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $230 | $210 |
| Rating | 4.3 from 26 reviews | 4.8 from 17 reviews |
| Vehicle | 4WD jeep with an open roof | Van with a pop-up roof |
| Group | Group safari, private option sold | Group joining, up to 15 |
| Bed | Self-contained budget room with bathroom and hot water | Budget camp: Rhino, Lenchada or Enchoro |
| Game drives | 1, on the evening of day 1 | Drives over the 2 days, no times published |
| Reserve now, pay later | Yes | No |
What the Ratings Tell You
Both review counts are small, so read the scores with care. The Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara holds 4.8 from 17 reviews and the 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep holds 4.3 from 26 reviews. A few reviews more or less can move either score.
The Winny Safaris Africa listing offers WhatsApp follow-up after booking, which helps if you want to confirm the pickup time the night before.
Source: Mara Triangle.
A cheetah in Masai Mara National Park. Photo: Byrdyak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What Does a 2-Day Masai Mara Trip Look Like Day by Day?
Day 1 is the drive from Nairobi with a Great Rift Valley viewpoint stop, lunch, check-in and an evening game drive, and day 2 is breakfast, checkout and the drive back.
The Winny Safaris Africa listing publishes the clearest schedule, so the table follows it.
Day by Day
The stops below come from the published itinerary of the 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep. The Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara lists game drives and the Mara River but no clock times, so ask for the schedule when you book.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day 1 morning | Pickup in Nairobi. Travellers outside the free zone meet at City Market, Muindi Mbingu street, by 7:30 AM |
| Day 1 midday | Scenic stop at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, then check-in and lunch near the reserve |
| Day 1 evening | Game drive in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, then dinner and overnight |
| Day 2 | Breakfast, checkout and the return to Nairobi with drop-off in the CBD or Westlands |
How Much Wildlife Time You Get
On the 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep, the evening of day 1 is the only game drive. Day 2 is the road home. The same listing sells a 3 days 2 nights option that adds a full-day game drive on day 2 from 7 AM to 4 PM.
If seeing the reserve in daylight matters to you, that option changes the trip far more than its extra night suggests. The Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara promises drives over the 2 days looking for big cats and herds, and lists the Mara River among its stops.
Source: Mara Triangle.
How Much Does It Cost from Nairobi to Masai Mara?
The two 2-day tours here cost $210 and $230 per person, and the reserve fee is paid on top at $100 per non-resident adult per day from 1 January to 30 June and $200 from 1 July to 31 December.
Keep the tour price and the reserve fee apart. Only the tour price is paid at booking.
The Reserve Fee
The Mara Conservancy, which manages the Mara Triangle, publishes the non-resident rates below. The fee is per person per day. Children aged 9 to 17 pay $50 a day and children aged 0 to 8 enter free.
Show a passport, National ID or birth certificate for any resident rate, since a driving licence is not accepted.
| Visitor | 1 January to 30 June | 1 July to 31 December |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident adult | $100 per day | $200 per day |
| Non-resident child, 9 to 17 | $50 per day | $50 per day |
| Child, 0 to 8 | Free | Free |
How Each Tour Quotes the Fee
The 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep quotes the park fee for the whole 2-day safari: $100 January to June and $200 July to December, payable separately at government rates. The Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara quotes $100 per person per day January to June and $200 July to December, paid on top of the tour price. Ask either operator how many fee days your departure needs before you travel.
Other extras: tips on both, alcoholic drinks on the Overnight Safari, drinks at the lodge, the Maasai village and the balloon on the Winny trip. Airport pickup and drop-off cost extra on the Winny trip.
Source: Mara Triangle.
What Is the 12 Hour Rule for Masai Mara?
The Mara Conservancy sells a 12-hour entry ticket valid from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm whatever time you enter, and it does not carry over to the next day.
On a 1-night trip this rule decides how far your fee goes.
What It Means for a 2-Day Trip
An evening game drive on day 1 uses a ticket that ends at 6:00 pm. A morning drive on day 2 would need a new day's ticket. That is why operators quote fees per day or for the whole safari, and why the length of your stay inside the reserve matters more than the number of nights.
In the Mara Triangle, tickets are sold online from KAPS with a VISA card in Nairobi, or on arrival at Purungat Bridge, Oloololo Gate or Serena Airstrip. The Triangle takes no cash, only M-Pesa and card. Your driver normally handles the gate, so confirm with the operator whether you pay them or the gate.
Source: Mara Triangle.
Is 2 Days in the Masai Mara Enough?
Two days is enough for a first taste with one evening game drive, but a 3 days 2 nights version adds a full day in the reserve and suits anyone who came mainly for the wildlife.
The honest trade is road time against reserve time.
What You Get and What You Miss
A 2-day trip gives you the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, 1 night near the reserve and an evening drive when animals are active. What you miss is the full-day drive with a picnic lunch, the usual route to the Mara River on longer trips. The 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep can be booked as a 3 days 2 nights option with a 7 AM to 4 PM drive on day 2. That keeps the same operator and vehicle while adding the day that makes the drive out worthwhile.
If your diary truly allows only 2 days, book the Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara, which promises drives across both days rather than one.
Source: Mara Triangle.
Is It Possible to Take a Day Trip from Nairobi to the Masai Mara?
Yes, shared full-day trips from Nairobi with an English-speaking guide exist, but the round trip leaves little time in the reserve, and flying in is the faster way to do it in a day.
A day trip is the fallback when you cannot spare a night.
By Road or by Air
By road, a single day means the full drive out and back with a short game drive between. A 2-day trip turns that into an evening drive and a night near the reserve, at $210 on the cheapest tour here. By air, the Mara Conservancy lists Air Kenya, Safarilink, Fly540, Mombasa Air Services, Aeronav and Boskovic Air Charters with daily scheduled flights to the Mara.
Landing fees are paid at the KAPS office in Nairobi or at the Serena airstrip. Compare both in how to get to the Masai Mara, or start from the Masai Mara safari homepage for every trip length.
Sources: Mara Triangle, Mara Triangle.
Who Should Book a 2-Day Safari and Who Should Skip It?
Book it if you have one spare night in Nairobi and want an evening game drive, and skip it if long road days wear you out or you want a full day of game viewing.
Both listings print who the trip suits, which saves surprises on the day.
Good Fits
Children aged 0 to 8 enter the reserve free under the Mara Conservancy rates, which keeps a short family trip affordable.
- Travellers in central Nairobi or Westlands, where the Winny Safaris Africa trip picks up free.
- Families with small children: the Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara lists infant seats and allows prams, with a child rate from age 3.
- Wheelchair users: the Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara lists wheelchair access across its areas and transport.
- Vegetarian and halal diets: the Winny trip serves both on full board.
Think Twice If
You need a moderate level of fitness for the Overnight Safari, by its own listing. Power at the Winny budget room is switched off around 10:00 to 11:00 PM and comes back around 4:00 AM, so charge cameras early. Travellers prone to motion sickness should pack medicine for the road.
If you can add a night, a 3 days 2 nights trip gives a better return on the drive. Read what to wear on a Masai Mara safari before you go.
Source: Mara Triangle.
When Is the Best Season for a 2-Day Masai Mara Trip?
From 1 January to 30 June the adult fee is $100 a day, and from 1 July to 31 December it is $200, so a short budget trip goes furthest in the first half of the year.
Both tours run all year, so the calendar mostly changes your fee and the crowd.
Fees Against the Migration
The Great Migration brings the herds and the crowds in the second half of the year, when the fee is at its $200 rate. The Winny listing runs all year with guaranteed daily departures and notes that park fees rise July to December. On a 1-night trip with one evening drive, the fee step weighs heavily on the total.
Travel from 1 January to 30 June if price comes first, or pay the higher rate for the migration months. The best time for a Masai Mara safari guide covers each month.
Source: Mara Triangle.
Typical Maasai Mara scenery. Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2-Day Masai Mara Safari FAQ
How much does a 3-day Masai Mara safari from Nairobi cost?
A 3-day trip costs more in tour price and adds one more reserve day at $100 or $200 per non-resident adult. Winny Safaris Africa sells a 3 days 2 nights option of the 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep.
Is the park fee included in a 2-day Masai Mara safari?
No. Both trips leave it to be paid separately, including the Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara.
Where does the 2-day safari pick me up?
The 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep picks up free in the Nairobi CBD or Westlands. Others meet at City Market by 7:30 AM.
Can I cancel a 2-day Masai Mara safari?
Yes. Both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and the 2 Days Maasai Mara Group Safari in 4WD Jeep also lets you reserve now and pay later.
Is the Maasai village visit included?
No. It is extra on both trips. The Overnight Safari To Maasai Mara lists it as an optional visit.
Do I need to fly to fit the Masai Mara into 2 days?
No. Both tours go by road from Nairobi. Flying is an option if you want more reserve time, see how to get to the Masai Mara.
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