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3-Day Masai Mara Safaris from Nairobi
The 3 day Masai Mara safari price on this page runs from $183 to $570 per person for a group trip from Nairobi with 2 nights in the reserve, an afternoon game drive on arrival and a full day on the plains. Park fees decide the real budget, so check each listing's fee status before you book.
Quick answer Prices, fees and how to choose
A 3-day Masai Mara safari from Nairobi costs $183 to $570 per person on the group tours below, and park fees are not in any base price. The Mara Conservancy charges non-resident adults $100 a day from 1 January to 30 June and $200 a day from 1 July to 31 December. Every tour here uses a pop-up roof Land Cruiser and offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Key takeaways
- Lowest price: the 3 days group joining safari to Maasai Mara with a Land Cruiser Jeep at $183, with a fees-included option.
- Best camp value with guaranteed daily departures: the 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep at $199.
- Lodge beds instead of tents: the 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari- Jambo Mara Lodge at $570, fees paid in cash on departure day.
- Pick your month with the best time for a Masai Mara safari guide, then pack with what to wear on safari.
3-Day Masai Mara Safaris You Can Book
All five leave from Nairobi, run 3 days with 2 nights in or near the reserve, and drive in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof. They differ in where you sleep, how big the group gets, whether park fees can be added at booking and what the Maasai village stop costs.
from $199
Editor's pick
3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep
Budget 3-day Mara group safari with guaranteed daily departures, a full-day game drive, Mara River visit and optional Maasai village stop, but park fees are a separate option.
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from $183
Most reviewed
3 days group joining safari to Maasai Mara with a Land Cruiser Jeep
The rare group joining Maasai Mara safari that uses a Land Cruiser 4x4 jeep instead of a minivan, from $183 per person with a 4.9 rating.
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from $228
3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser
Shared 3-day safari in a pop-up roof Land Cruiser of up to 8, private tents with hot showers, evening and full-day game drives. Park fees are extra.
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from $238
Budget camp
3-Days Maasai Mara Group Safari by 4WD
Budget 3-day group safari in a pop-up roof 4x4 with sunset plus full-day game drives, but park fees of $100-200 per day are paid separately.
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from $570
Lodge stay
3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari- Jambo Mara Lodge
Small-group 3-day safari with two nights at Jambo Mara Lodge on full board. Park fees are extra and collected in cash on the departure day.
Check AvailabilityHow Do These 3-Day Masai Mara Safaris Compare?
The cheapest base price belongs to the Perfect Safaris group joining trip at $183, the only lodge-only trip is the Jambo Mara Lodge safari at $570, and only two tours let you add park fees at booking.
The table sets the five side by side on the facts that change your trip: price, bed, group and fee handling.
Side by Side
Prices are per person as each listing shows them. The fee column shows whether the Masai Mara entry fee can be bought with the tour or is paid on top. Ratings and review counts come from each booking platform.
| Tour | Price | Where you sleep | Group | Park fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days group joining safari to Maasai Mara with a Land Cruiser Jeep | $183 | Rhino Tourist Camp or a midrange lodge option such as Jambo Mara Lodge | Group joining, up to 60 on the departure | Option with fees at booking |
| 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep | $199 | Rhino Tourist Camp or similar, self-contained tent | Small group of 7 to 8 | Option with fees at booking |
| 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser | $228 | Private tent with bathroom and hot shower, lodge option | Up to 8 per vehicle | Paid on top |
| 3-Days Maasai Mara Group Safari by 4WD | $238 | Rhino Tourist Camp or similar, budget tented camp | Group, size not stated | Paid on top, cash or card |
| 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari- Jambo Mara Lodge | $570 | Jambo Mara Lodge or similar, full board | Small group | Paid on top, cash on departure day |
Ratings and Reviews
The two most reviewed trips also score highest among the camp options. The 3 days group joining safari to Maasai Mara with a Land Cruiser Jeep holds 4.9 from 771 reviews and the 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep holds 4.6 from 656 reviews. The 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser has 4.7 from 126 reviews and the 3-Days Maasai Mara Group Safari by 4WD has 4.5 from 249 reviews.
The 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari- Jambo Mara Lodge also scores 4.9, but from 18 reviews, so the score rests on a small sample.
Source: Mara Triangle.
A family of lions in the Masai Mara. Photo: Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What Does a 3-Day Masai Mara Itinerary Look Like?
Day 1 is the drive from Nairobi with an afternoon game drive, day 2 is a full day in the reserve with a picnic lunch, and day 3 is the road back with an optional Maasai village stop.
The listings follow the same shape. Only the clock times and the extras change from tour to tour.
Day by Day
The table follows the published itineraries. Where a tour prints its clock times, they appear in the last column. The Perfect Safaris group joining trip does not publish a schedule, so ask for it when you book.
| Day | What happens | Published times |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Hotel pickup in Nairobi, photo stop at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, lunch and check-in, then the first game drive | Perfect Wilderness: pickup 8:00 a.m., sunset drive 4:00 to 6:00 PM. Joyina: pickup between 7 and 8, drive 4pm to 6:30pm |
| Day 2 | Full-day game drive with a picnic lunch in the reserve and a visit to the Mara River | Joyina: 7am to 4pm |
| Day 3 | Breakfast, optional Maasai village stop, drive back with lunch at a traveler's motel on some tours, hotel drop-off | Joyina: back in Nairobi by 3:30 PM. Excellent Gamespotting: around 3 to 4 pm |
How Much Time You Spend Watching Wildlife
Two of the three days are mostly road. Your wildlife time sits in the arrival-day drive and the full day that follows. The Joyina listing prints the longest published window: a 4pm to 6:30pm drive, then 7am to 4pm on day 2.
If you want an extra morning drive, ask the operator before booking. None of the five lists a dawn drive on day 3.
Source: Mara Triangle.
How Much Does a 3-Day Masai Mara Safari from Nairobi Cost?
The tours on this page cost $183 to $570 per person, and the reserve fee is charged on top at $100 per non-resident adult per day from 1 January to 30 June and $200 from 1 July to 31 December.
Two numbers make up the budget: the tour price and the daily reserve fee. Keep them apart when you compare.
The Daily Reserve Fee
The Mara Conservancy, which manages the Mara Triangle, publishes the non-resident rates below. Fees are charged per person per day, and your operator tells you how many days your route spends inside. Children aged 9 to 17 pay $50 a day and children aged 0 to 8 enter free.
A driving licence is not accepted as ID for resident rates, so carry your passport.
| 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 Handles the Fee
The 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep and the 3 days group joining safari to Maasai Mara with a Land Cruiser Jeep sell a version with park fees included, so pick that option at checkout if you want one payment. The 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser and the 3-Days Maasai Mara Group Safari by 4WD leave the fee to be paid separately. The 3-Days Maasai Mara Group Safari by 4WD accepts cash or card, and card payment carries a charge. The 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari- Jambo Mara Lodge collects the fee in cash on the departure day, so carry US dollars from Nairobi.
Other extras are small but real: drinks and tips on every tour, the Maasai village visit on most, and a balloon flight where offered. Airport drop-off on the Excellent Gamespotting trip costs extra.
Source: Mara Triangle.
What Is the 12 Hour Rule for Masai Mara?
The Mara Conservancy sells a 12-hour entry ticket that runs from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm whatever time you enter, and it does not carry over to the next day.
This rule explains why fees are counted per day and why game drives end before dark.
What It Means on a 3-Day Trip
A ticket bought at 4:00 PM on arrival day still ends at 6:00 pm. The next morning needs a new day's fee. That is why tour listings quote park fees per day or for a set number of nights, as the Perfect Wilderness trip does with fees for 2 nights.
In the Mara Triangle, fees are paid by where you stay. If you sleep in the Triangle and drive in through Sekenani Gate, you pay only at Purungat Bridge. 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 does not accept cash, only M-Pesa and card, so a cash-only plan works only where your operator pays for you.
Source: Mara Triangle.
When to Avoid Masai Mara?
Avoid 1 July to 31 December if budget matters most, because the non-resident adult fee doubles from $100 to $200 a day, and avoid July to October if you dislike crowds.
No month is a bad month for game, but the calendar changes your cost and your company at sightings.
Fees, Crowds and the Migration
The fee step on 1 July lines up with the Great Migration. The Excellent Gamespotting listing places the migration from Serengeti around June to November and says fees are higher July to October. The Joyina listing points to July and August. Those are the months most travellers want, and the reserve is at its busiest.
Busy sightings come with rules. When more than five vehicles wait at a Mara Triangle sighting, each gets 10 minutes and the rest wait back. If you travel 1 January to 30 June, you pay the $100 rate and share sightings with fewer vehicles. Read the best time for a Masai Mara safari guide for the month-by-month picture.
Source: Mara Triangle.
Should You Pick a Camp or a Lodge for 3 Days?
Pick a camp tour if price comes first and a tent with a private bathroom is fine, and pick the Jambo Mara Lodge trip if you want lodge rooms on full board.
Every tent here has its own toilet and shower. The real differences are power, upgrades and price.
Camp Tours
The 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep uses Rhino Tourist Camp or similar: a big self-contained tent with a bed, hot water and electricity in the evening for charging. The 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser has private tents with a bathroom, hot shower and wall sockets, plus a lodge upgrade that also adds the Maasai village visit. The 3-Days Maasai Mara Group Safari by 4WD uses a budget tented camp and can upgrade to mid-range on request, subject to availability.
Solo travellers there pay extra for a single tent.
Lodge Tours
The 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari- Jambo Mara Lodge books 2 nights at Jambo Mara Lodge or similar on full board. It is the choice for travellers who want walls rather than canvas. The 3 days group joining safari to Maasai Mara with a Land Cruiser Jeep also lists Jambo Mara Lodge as its midrange option, with Rhino Tourist Camp as the budget option.
Who Should Skip a 3-Day Road Safari
The Excellent Gamespotting trip says it is not suitable for pregnant women and asks for one soft-sided bag of at most 15kg because the vehicle is shared. Anyone who struggles with long road days should weigh flying in. The Mara Conservancy lists Air Kenya, Safarilink and other airlines with daily scheduled flights to the Mara, and landing fees are paid at the KAPS office in Nairobi or at Serena airstrip.
All five tours here go by road. See how to get to the Masai Mara for both routes.
Sources: Mara Triangle, Mara Triangle.
Which Tour Has the Easiest Pickup and the Smallest Group?
The Perfect Wilderness trip has the clearest pickup with an 8:00 a.m.
Pickup zones matter if you sleep outside central Nairobi. Group size matters for your window seat.
Pickup Zones
The 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep, the 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser and the 3-Days Maasai Mara Group Safari by 4WD pick up free from hotels in the Nairobi city center or Westlands. Outside those zones, Perfect Wilderness and Joyina meet you outside the City Market on Muindi Mbingu Street. The 3 days group joining safari to Maasai Mara with a Land Cruiser Jeep meets at the City Market and includes a free airport pickup.
Perfect Wilderness charges extra for a Naivasha hotel pickup.
Group Size and Language
A group joining safari can be large: the Perfect Safaris departure takes up to 60 travellers spread across vehicles. Perfect Wilderness runs a small group of 7 to 8 and Joyina puts at most 8 in a vehicle. Perfect Wilderness lists guiding in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.
Joyina lists English, Spanish, German and French. Both also sell a private group version. For a first look at all trip lengths, start from the Masai Mara safari homepage.
Source: Mara Triangle.
Who Is the Best Company to Book a Safari With?
The best company is the one whose listing states its schedule, fee handling and cancellation terms in writing, and on that test the Perfect Wilderness trip and the Joyina trip lead this group.
A cheap price means little if the fee terms or the schedule stay vague. Check these points before paying.
What to Check
Rating alone can mislead. The 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari- Jambo Mara Lodge has a 4.9 score from 18 reviews, while the 3 days group joining safari to Maasai Mara with a Land Cruiser Jeep earns 4.9 from 771. A large count tells you more about how a trip runs week after week.
Read the what to wear on a Masai Mara safari guide once you book.
- Guaranteed departures: Perfect Wilderness runs daily departures with its own cars and camp and says it does not resell to other transporters. Joyina also guarantees daily departures.
- Fee handling: an option with fees at booking, payment on the day, or cash collected by the operator.
- Published game drive times, so you know how much of the trip is wildlife.
- Cancellation: all five allow free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Reserve now, pay later is offered on every tour except the Perfect Safaris trip.
- Food needs: Joyina offers vegetarian and halal meals.
Source: Mara Triangle.
A giraffe on the Masai Mara savanna. Photo: HasselbladWhisperer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
3-Day Masai Mara Safari FAQ
Is 3 days a recommended length of time for a Masai Mara trip?
Three days is the shortest trip with a full day in the reserve. You get one afternoon drive and one full-day drive, as on the 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser.
Is it better to fly or go overland to the Masai Mara?
Road trips like these cost far less. Flying saves road time, and the Mara Conservancy lists airlines with daily scheduled flights. Compare both in how to get to the Masai Mara.
Which animals am I likely to see in 3 days?
Most of the big species, including big cats and the herds at the Mara River. Black rhino is rare. The full-day drive on the 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep includes a Mara River crossing visit.
Private or group safari for 3 days?
Group trips keep the price low. If you want your own vehicle, the 3 Days 2 Nights Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep and the 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser both sell a private group version.
Is the Maasai village visit included?
Usually not. It is optional and extra on most tours. The 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with 4WD Land Cruiser includes it only on the accommodation upgrade and lodge option.
Can I cancel a 3-day safari?
Yes. All five tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, including the 3 Days Maasai Mara Small Group Safari- Jambo Mara Lodge.
More Guides
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