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How to Get to the Masai Mara for a Safari from Nairobi
How To Get To Masai Mara Safari comes down to two choices from Nairobi: a scheduled light-aircraft flight to a Mara airstrip, or the road trip in a safari vehicle. Mara Conservancy lists six airlines with daily scheduled flights to the Mara. Most road safaris on this site collect you from a Nairobi hotel between 7:00 and 8:30 and travel by 4x4 Land Cruiser. Compare Masai Mara safaris once you know which way you want to travel.
Quick answer Fly or drive from Nairobi to the Masai Mara
You reach the Masai Mara from Nairobi by road in a safari vehicle or by a scheduled flight to a Mara airstrip. Six airlines fly to the Mara daily, according to Mara Conservancy. Road is the budget route, and a 3-day group safari by Land Cruiser starts at $183 per person. Park fees of $100 to $200 per adult per day come on top on most road tours.
Key takeaways
- Compare every option on the Masai Mara safari homepage before you book.
- The 3-Day Group Joining Safari with a Land Cruiser is $183 per person, with an option that includes fees.
- Flying? Read how the flights work and where landing fees are paid.
- The Mara Triangle takes no cash, see paying park fees.
How do I get to Masai Mara, Kenya?
You reach the Masai Mara from Nairobi either by a short shuttle flight from Wilson Airport to a Mara airstrip or by road in a safari vehicle.
Every route to the Mara starts in Nairobi. International flights land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. From there you either connect to a light-aircraft flight from Wilson Airport or join a road safari. Here is the side-by-side decision.
Fly or drive at a glance
The table compares the three ways in by what the tour listings and Mara Conservancy state, not by guesswork about road times. Flying saves most of a travel day. Driving costs far less and is how every multi-day tour on this site operates.
Roads get rough, especially after rain, so choose the flight if you have limited time or hate rough roads.
| Option | Starts from | Cost picture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled flight | Wilson Airport, Nairobi | Airline fare plus a landing fee at some airstrips | Short trips and comfort |
| Road safari in a 4x4 | Nairobi hotel pickup, 7:00-8:30 on most tours | 3-Day Group Joining Safari with a Land Cruiser from $183 per person | Budget travellers and photographers |
| Self-drive | Your own route | Your own car and fuel, park fees extra | Experienced bush drivers only |
Source: Mara Triangle.
Safarilink Cessna 208 at Keekorok airstrip, Masai Mara. Photo: Wajahat Mahmood, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Which city is close to Masai Mara?
Nairobi is the closest major city and the starting point for every road safari and scheduled flight to the reserve.
The reserve lies in Narok County, southwest of Nairobi, and covers 1,510 km2. It was first established in 1961 and is governed by Narok County and Mara Conservancy Ltd.
Getting from the airport to your departure point
International travellers fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Flying safaris continue from Wilson Airport, across the city. Road safaris pick you up from your Nairobi hotel early in the morning, so sleep in the city the night before.
The 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with Private Tents collects from city centre or Westlands hotels between 7:00 and 8:00. The 2-Day Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep meets other guests at City Market on Muindi Mbingu Street by 7:30. See the departures on the Masai Mara safari homepage.
Tours That Fit
Road safaris from Nairobi that handle the whole journey for you.
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.
Check Availability
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 $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.
Check AvailabilityNairobi to Masai Mara flight: how does it work?
Scheduled light aircraft fly from Nairobi's Wilson Airport to the Mara airstrips every day, run by six airlines that Mara Conservancy names.
Flying is the fast route, and it skips the rough road. The plane lands you at a dirt airstrip, and your camp meets you there.
Steps for flying in
First, book a seat with one of the airlines Mara Conservancy lists with daily scheduled flights: Air Kenya, Safarilink, Fly540, Mombasa Air Services, Aeronav and Boskovic Air Charters. Book through the airline or inside a lodge package. Second, pick the airstrip nearest your camp. Third, expect a bush shuttle: some flights stop at one airstrip before another. Fourth, your camp meets you on landing and runs the game drives from there.
Landing fees for Mara Triangle airstrips can be paid at the KAPS office in Nairobi or at the Serena airstrip.
What a fly-in package costs
A fly-in trip costs the airline fare plus your lodge, and the reserve fee is the same as by road: $100 per non-resident adult per day from January to June and $200 from July to December. If you fly in, you can still add the Maasai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari and Champagne Breakfast at $495, which collects guests from lodges and camps inside the reserve.
Sources: Mara Triangle, Mara Triangle.
Nairobi to Masai Mara by road: what should I expect?
Road safaris leave Nairobi in the morning, stop at a Great Rift Valley viewpoint and reach the reserve for an afternoon game drive.
Nearly all the tours here go by road. You leave Nairobi early, stop at a Great Rift Valley viewpoint and arrive in time for an afternoon game drive.
The journey step by step
Your tour picks you up at your Nairobi hotel in the morning, and the vehicle is a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof on most listings. The 3-Day Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep leaves at 8:00 and runs its first game drive from 4:00 to 6:00 PM on day 1. On the way back, the 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with Private Tents arrives in Nairobi by 3:30 PM on day 3.
The road roughens on the last stretch and can be muddy after rain, so build in patience. Inside the Mara Triangle the speed limit is 50 km/h on graded roads and 30 km/h on other tracks.
Road safari prices
Road safaris are the budget way in. The 3-day options on this site all leave from Nairobi by 4x4, and the reserve fee comes on top of most of them. Each has free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
| Tour | Price | Park fees |
|---|---|---|
| 3-Day Group Joining Safari with a Land Cruiser | $183 | Extra, or book the option with fees |
| 3-Day Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep | $199 | Extra, or book the option with fees |
| 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with Private Tents | $228 | $200 January to June, $400 July to December |
| 3-Day Maasai Mara Budget Camping Safari | $238 | $100 per day January to June, $200 per day July to December |
Source: Mara Triangle.
Can I drive myself to the Masai Mara?
You can drive yourself, but you pay the same reserve fee, the Mara Triangle takes no cash, and park rules on speed and off-road driving apply.
A rental 4x4 gets you there, but the fees and park rules need planning before you set off.
Self-drive rules and gates
The Mara Triangle sets a speed limit of 50 km/h on graded roads and 30 km/h on other tracks, with speed cameras on some roads. Off-road driving is prohibited in a High-Use Zone. In a Low-Use Zone you may approach cats to within 25 metres.
A vehicle passing through the Triangle to somewhere else gets two hours of transit before fees apply. Vehicle fees are Ksh 1,000 per day under 6 seats and Ksh 1,500 for 6 to 12 seats, valid for 12 hours with unlimited exits and re-entries.
Paying park fees at the Mara Triangle
The Mara Triangle does not accept cash for park fees, only M-Pesa and credit card. Tickets can be bought online from KAPS with a VISA card in Nairobi, or on arrival from a KAPS employee at Purungat Bridge, Oloololo Gate or Serena Airstrip. Bring a passport, National ID or birth certificate to get a resident or citizen rate, otherwise you pay the non-resident rate, and a driving licence is not accepted.
If you stay in the Triangle and drive in through Sekenani Gate, you pay only when you reach Purungat Bridge.
Sources: Mara Triangle, Mara Triangle.
How much does a safari to the Masai Mara in Kenya typically cost?
A 3-day road safari on this site costs from $183 per person, and the reserve fee of $100 to $200 per non-resident adult per day comes on top on most tours.
Transport is only part of the bill. Park fees are a mandatory extra on most budget tours and are paid separately.
What the Tours Cost and What the Fees Add
Tour prices run from the Maasai Mara Day Trip with Maasai Village at $190 per person for 13 hours to the 3-Day Small Group Safari at Jambo Mara Lodge at $570 per person. Park fees are charged on top unless you book an option that includes them. The 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with Private Tents lists park fees of $200 per person from January to June and $400 from July to December.
The day trip lists $100 per person from January to June and $200 from July to December. Compare all departures on the Masai Mara safari homepage.
Fly-in versus road safari cost
Flying adds an airline fare and replaces the road day with a short hop. The reserve fee does not change with how you arrive: $100 per non-resident adult per day from 1 January to 30 June and $200 from 1 July. Children aged 9 to 17 pay $50 and children up to 8 enter free.
The fee depends on your dates and where you stay, not on the plane or the jeep.
Source: Mara Triangle.
When should I travel to the Masai Mara?
June to October is the dry stretch between Kenya's two rainy seasons, and it is when the herds are in the reserve.
Timing changes both the wildlife and the road. The Kenya Meteorological Department reports the long rains from March to May and the short rains from October to December. Dry months mean dusty tracks instead of mud.
Migration timing
Mara Conservancy says the herds reach the Mara Triangle by the Sand River around June and move on to the Mara River within days. The 3-Day Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep lists the herds arriving in July and leaving in November. Park fees rise in the second half of the year: the 3-Day Maasai Mara Safari with Private Tents lists $200 per person from January to June and $400 from July to December.
See the best time to visit for the month table.
Sources: Kenya Meteorological Department, Mara Triangle.
Is there a train from Nairobi to the Masai Mara?
There is no railway line to the Masai Mara, so every visitor arrives by road or by air.
Kenya's railways reach other regions, not the Mara. The reserve has no station, so every visitor arrives by 4WD on the road or by light aircraft on an airstrip.
Your only two real options
Plan on a road safari from a Nairobi hotel or a scheduled flight from Wilson Airport. Everything else follows from that one choice. A road trip gives you the Great Rift Valley viewpoint and the first game drive on day 1.
A flight puts you at a camp airstrip, and the Maasai Mara Hot Air Balloon Safari and Champagne Breakfast collects from lodges and camps inside the reserve. If you only have one day, the Maasai Mara Day Trip with Maasai Village collects at 4:30 AM and drops off between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM.
Source: Mara Triangle.
A view across the Rift Valley in southern Kenya. Photo: Tony0991, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There FAQs
What is the 12 hour rule for Masai Mara?
The Mara Triangle 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 overnight. Vehicle fees are also valid for 12 hours. See paying park fees for where to buy tickets.
How far is the Masai Mara from Nairobi?
The reserve lies southwest of Nairobi in Narok County. Road tours leave Nairobi in the morning and reach the reserve for an afternoon game drive, as on the 3-Day Maasai Mara Group Safari in a 4WD Jeep, which leaves at 8:00 and drives from 4:00 to 6:00 PM on day 1.
How do I get to Masai Mara from the USA or India?
Fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, then connect like everyone else, by a scheduled flight from Wilson Airport or by road. Apply for the Kenya eTA before you fly, from $30. Compare Masai Mara safaris that collect from the airport.
Where do the flights to the Masai Mara leave from?
Scheduled flights leave from Nairobi's Wilson Airport. Mara Conservancy lists Air Kenya, Safarilink, Fly540, Mombasa Air Services, Aeronav and Boskovic Air Charters with daily flights. See how the flights work.
Is the road to the Masai Mara good?
It gets rough on the final stretch and muddy after rain, which is why some travellers fly. Inside the Mara Triangle the limit is 50 km/h on graded roads. Read what to expect by road.
Can I visit the Masai Mara in one day from Nairobi?
Yes. The Maasai Mara Day Trip with Maasai Village runs 13 hours for $190 per person, plus the reserve fee. Most travellers prefer at least one night in the reserve.
Where do I pay the Mara Triangle fee if I enter by another gate?
Fees depend on where you stay. If you stay in the Mara Triangle and drive in through Sekenani Gate, you pay only when you reach Purungat Bridge. See paying park fees.
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