1 Day Masai Mara National Reserve Safari

1 Day Masai Mara National Reserve Safari is perfect for budget travelers and families who want a Big Five safari adventure. It’s a short and easy Kenya safari, with the Masai Mara lying a 4.5-hour drive from Nairobi. This is an action-packed day safari in the Masai Mara National Reserve, starting and ending in Nairobi.

On safari in the Masai Mara, you can expect to see the Big 5: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and more. There are thousands of antelope, from tiny dik-diks to gazelles and eland, intermingle with zebra, wildebeest, and other large herbivores like giraffes, buffalo, and elephants.

For bird watchers, the Masai Mara is home to around 450 resident species, including large species like ostriches and kori bustards, almost 60 species of raptors, including the impressive bateleur, long-crested eagle, and vultures, as well as a plethora of smaller, colorful, and diverse species like lilac-breasted rollers and violet-backed starlings.

Please sit back and relax while your experienced guide takes you on exciting game drives in search of the Big Five and more, sharing their knowledge as you explore. A  lunch stop is also included in your Full-day Masai Mara Safari. 

1 Day Masai Mara National Reserve Safari Itinerary (By Road)

0430 Hours – 0500 Hours: Pickup from your hotel or residence in Nairobi.
0500 Hours– 0900 Hours: Scenic 4-5 hour drive through the Great Rift Valley
0900 Hours – 1300 Hours: Morning game drive entering through Sekenani Gate
1300 Hours – 1400 Hours: Picnic lunch at a designated site or an optional buffet at Keekorok Lodge
1400 Hours – 1600 Hours: Afternoon game drive or an optional visit to a traditional Maasai Village
1600 Hours – 2100 Hours: Return drive to Nairobi for drop-off

Essential Travel Tips

✓ Distance: 10–12 hours of total driving time if choosing the road option
✓ Seasonality: July to October is peak season for the Great Migration, but it is also the most expensive time due to increased park fees and demand
✓ Road Conditions: A 4×4 Land Cruiser is highly recommended during the rainy season. A Safari tour van is a highly cost-effective, popular, and reliable choice for Kenyan safaris, often serving as the primary budget-friendly alternative to 4×4 Land Cruisers

1 Day Maasai Mara National Reserve Safari is a wildlife adventure for those pressed for time and spontaneous. The Maasai Mara is one of the best wildlife safari destinations in Kenya for a day trip. It has been said that even an hour in paradise is a rewarding experience, and this is true of Africa’s most excellent wildlife park, the Maasai Mara.

An hour is rewarding, but a whole day is a life-changing experience. Game viewing from open safari vehicles in the Maasai Mara is one of the ultimate safari experiences in Africa, and doing it in a day is ideal for those with limited time. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a 5-hour drive from Nairobi.

Please note: our 1 Day Maasai Mara National Reserve Safari includes 6 hours of game-viewing in the park, a lunch break at a scenic spot, and round-trip road transportation from Nairobi (each way takes about 5 hours).

1-Day Masai Mara National Reserve Safari Prices Include:

✓ Park entrance fees
✓ All Relevant Government Taxes
✓ Drinking bottled water in the safari vehicle
✓ Services of our English-speaking safari driver/ guide
✓ Picnic Lunch box (choices of protein, vegetable, fruit, etc)  
✓ Round-trip transportation from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara and back to Nairobi
✓6 Hours game-drive in the Masai Mara Game Reserve (+ visit to the Mara River) & Safari departs at 0500 Hours and returns at 2000 hours)

Notes

* Additional information confirmation will be received at the time of booking
* You will have an opportunity to visit an authentic Masai village (at an extra cost of 20 US Dollars per person payable to the chief in the village)
* You could also opt for our flying-in 1-Day Maasai Mara Flying Safari Package from Nairobi: at 0915 Hours, Depart Nairobi in the morning by air to the Maasai Mara. Meet your driver-guide and enjoy a 6-hour game drive, including a picnic lunch. Later, at 1615 Hours, board the evening flight for Nairobi, arriving at 1745 Hours. Click Here for Full Details

1-Day Masai Mara National Reserve Safari Prices Exclude:

* Visa Fees
* International flight
* Personal Insurance
* Expenses of a personal nature, such as drinks, tips, laundry, telephone, cigarettes, accommodation & meals not indicated in the itinerary, and optional activities

A 1-day safari in the Masai Mara National Reserve is indeed short, but it can be done, and you will see the Big 5. If you’re coming from Nairobi, taking a direct internal flight to the Masai Mara would be ideal, as it takes just 50 minutes if your budget allows.

If you travel by road, you’ll have a long drive; however, you will arrive in time for two game drives and still have time for lunch and more. In summary, it is possible and indeed worth it, however, if you can commit more time, two or three days would be even better.

With one full day in the Masai Mara, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to explore this iconic safari destination with a dusk-to-dawn game drive that will include lunch at one of the incredible picnic spots overlooking a wildlife watering hole.

Animals on a Masai Mara safari?

The reserve is home to the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and African buffalo) and has the highest concentration of Big Cats not just in East Africa but worldwide, making the location a perfect research center for hyenas and Big Cats. 

World famous for hosting the epic Great Migration, the Masai Mara welcomes 1.5 million wildebeests onto its sprawling savannahs each July through October. Other wildlife visitors can expect to find elephants, buffalo, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, and zebras, as well as other migratory animals. 

With over 450 animal species, visitors can also have a clear view of animals catching them in action when on a hot-air balloon African safari early in the morning. Leopards are frequently encountered; endangered black rhinos hide in dense thickets; and large rafts of hippos and enormous crocodiles are found at the Mara River crossings. 

Best time to go on a Masai Mara safari?

To avoid crowds, the low-season months of April to May and November to December see fewer visitors than the rest of the year. While this isn’t the best time for wildlife viewing, there are always animals around. April and May are the wettest months, but you’ll be rewarded with spectacular scenery and an abundance of baby animals. 

Midsummer can get busy, though, so come at the beginning or end of that period with its full-on wildlife without crazy crowds. Even during the high season, some areas of the Mara are busier than others, but for a really exclusive safari experience, you can book into one of the private conservancies bordering the Masai Mara.

Fly or drive to the Masai Mara?

On a day trip safari, flying and driving to the Masai Mara are both viable options, with flying bringing obvious time savings (50 minutes from Nairobi) and incredible views of the wildlife and landscape. Flying also comes with a higher price tag. The drive to the Mara takes almost 6 hours, with the last 100km/62 miles of the road quite poor. Fly-in safaris usually include top-end accommodation and all your activities.

On a day trip tour of the Mara, you can easily break up the drive with a stopover. Lake Nakuru NP is the most popular option. This Rift Valley lake teems with birdlife, and this is the best place in Kenya to see rhinos, which are very difficult to spot in the Masai Mara, as well as the hustle and bustle of African countryside life.

Another great option is to spend a night at Hell’s Gate NP. The dramatic scenery is the main attraction, and because there are few dangerous animals, cycling and hiking are permitted in the park.

Will I get to meet the Maasai people?

Yes, meeting the wonderful Maasai people and learning about their lives is a highlight of any visit here. Many lodges and safari companies employ Maasai as guides and drivers, and also as employees in their lodges and tented camps. 

Most can also arrange visits to local Maasai communities if this is possible before booking your Kenya safari. It can be difficult to interact meaningfully with the Maasai on such occasions, although you can learn a great deal if you take the time to talk with those guiding you, serving your food, or cleaning your rooms. 

1. What is the best part of the Masai Mara?

The best part of the Masai Mara is the renowned and remote western section of the reserve, known as the Mara Triangle. It is managed as a non-profit conservancy run by the local Maasai and is considered one of the best areas for game viewing.

2. What animals will I see on a day trip to the Masai Mara?

Visitors on a 1-day Masai Mara safari will see the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and African buffalo), hyenas, wildebeest, giraffes, cheetah, zebras, endangered black rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, and much more.

3. How much spending money do I need for a 1-day Masai Mara safari?

Visitors should budget approximately $300 per person per day for a Kenya safari, including food and accommodation. Kenyan safaris can be more expensive than their continental counterparts due to higher accommodation and food costs.

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