2-Day Masai Mara Safari (Fly-In Express)
Three game drives in 48 hours - the shortest real Mara trip.
From $1,150
Kenya | 5 days | luxury, private
5-day Masai Mara safari
Reserve plus private conservancy - crowds and solitude compared.
Duration5 days
Styleluxury, private
StartsNairobi
EndsNairobi
Green season from$2,900 pp
Peak season from$3,550 pp
Mara-depth itinerary: minimum three nights in the reserve or conservancy, river time in season, full-day picnic drives for crossings. The classic length for one region - full days without filler. Route: Masai Mara over 5 days. Season logic: July-October Migration herds; January-March clear skies and Kilimanjaro views.
Highlights
- Private throughout - own vehicle and guide, departing on your dates, with no group to join.
- Parks covered - Masai Mara.
- Season-smart routing - camp zone set by your month, not by a fixed template.
- Honest pricing - park and concession fees line-itemed on every quote.
- Masai Mara - the July to October migration and year-round big-cat density.
- Done slowly - 3 nights in Masai Mara instead of a whistle-stop, so the reserve is seen properly.
- Nothing lost to the road - one destination means no transfer day is quietly eating the first afternoon.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Nairobi
Morning: Land at Nairobi; meet your private guide for a full safari briefing.
Midday: Lunch and gear check; rest after the flight.
Afternoon: Introductory game drive in Masai Mara where routing allows, else lodge pool and early rest.
Evening: Dinner and overnight near Nairobi. (Add a pre-night after long-haul arrivals.)
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel in Nairobi.
Day 2 - Masai Mara
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Masai Mara: Marsh Pride lions, river crossings in season and big-cat density at its peak.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Tented camp or lodge in the Masai Mara.
Day 3 - Masai Mara
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Marsh Pride lions, river crossings in season and big-cat density at its peak.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Tented camp or lodge in the Masai Mara.
Day 4 - Masai Mara
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Marsh Pride lions, river crossings in season and big-cat density at its peak.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Tented camp or lodge in the Masai Mara.
Day 5 - Depart
Morning: Final sunrise activity around Masai Mara with bush breakfast.
Midday: Brunch, then transfer to Nairobi for onward connections.
Afternoon: Day rooms available on late flights; souvenir stop if time allows.
Evening: End of safari services at Nairobi airport.
Meals: Breakfast and brunch.
Accommodation: Departure day - no overnight stay.
Why this 5-day Kenya safari itinerary
5 days on the Kenya circuit: Masai Mara. Every day below is a real day on the ground, not a transfer with a game drive attached.
Why Masai Mara comes first
It is the wildlife payoff of the Kenyan circuit, so the route builds toward it - and that is where the route opens.
Masai Mara gets 3 nights
Masai Mara holds 3 of the 5 days, and that is deliberate: the Mara rewards consecutive nights: prides shift, crossings are unpredictable and one afternoon is never the whole story.
What 5 days buys
5 days is the length where every stop gets a full day and nobody is unpacking at midnight. There is room for a long sighting without wrecking the following morning.
Getting around Kenya
Kenya is a road circuit from Nairobi: the Rift Valley lakes sit on the way south, and the Mara is the end of the line. Samburu runs north instead, so it belongs to a loop that comes back. Internal flights between the parks are the alternative when the driving days need to go.
Accommodation
Hand-picked lodges and tented camps matched to your tier - mid-range comfort or luxury suites, always positioned for short game-drive starts. Family rooms, honeymoon suites and triple options on request.
Safari vehicle and guide
Extended 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge, charging ports and window seats for all. Your English-speaking driver-guide averages a decade in these parks and is assigned by specialty - Migration positioning, photography, birding or family pacing.
Who this safari is best for
Travelers wanting fly-in ease, concessions and suite-level stays.
Pricing
| Season | Per person (2 travelers) |
|---|---|
| Green season | from $2,900 |
| Peak season | from $3,550 |
| Tier | What you get |
|---|---|
| Budget | Camping and simple camps, with departures in the green season to hold the rate down. The private vehicle, your guide and the park fees stay exactly the same - the cut is beds and season, never guiding or positioning. |
| Mid-range | Comfortable lodges and tented camps with full board, positioned for short game-drive starts. This is the standard the from-price on this page assumes. |
| Luxury | Top-end suites and private villas in the best position in camp, private guiding throughout and flexible meal times. The highest season surcharge applies. |
Best time to book
Kenya runs on two seasons. The one you pick changes what you see, what the camps cost and how far ahead you need to commit.
Dry season
June to October is the classic window: dry, comfortable and productive, and July to October is when the migration reaches the Mara. Wildlife concentrates around the remaining water, vegetation thins, and the parks are at their busiest in August.
Green season
The short rains arrive in November and the long rains in March to May. The landscape greens, rates drop and the crowds thin, and January and February are strong months for birding as the northern migrants arrive.
What actually drives the timing
The Mara has no single best month: migration from July to October, predator viewing year-round, and quieter, greener, cheaper parks from November to May. Lake Nakuru's flamingo numbers shift with the lake level rather than the calendar.
How far ahead to book
The migration months and July to August want six to twelve months of notice for the better camps. Green-season departures usually need two to four months, and the Christmas window compresses early.
What is included and excluded
Every price on this page is a full-cost quote. Park and concession fees are line-itemed, so the total you compare against another operator is the total you pay.
Included
- Transport and guiding - private extended 4x4 safari vehicle with a dedicated driver-guide for your group only.
- Park and conservation fees - entry to Masai Mara, paid on your behalf and shown as line items on the quote.
- Accommodation - 4 nights in lodges, tented camps or seasonal camps matched to your tier.
- Meals - most meals as listed day by day: breakfast at camp, a picnic or lodge lunch, and dinner, with bottled water in the vehicle throughout.
- Transfers - every road transfer in the day-by-day, including airport pick-up and drop-off.
- Game drives - morning and afternoon drives in your own vehicle, on no schedule but yours.
- Taxes - government taxes and VAT on everything quoted.
Not included
- International flights - into Jomo Kenyatta International, Nairobi (NBO); we route the connections but do not issue tickets.
- Visas - Kenya has issued only the eTA since 2024, US$32.50 online at least three days before departure. Six months of passport validity covers it.
- Travel insurance - required, and it must include medical evacuation.
- Premium drinks - premium wines, spirits and cocktails at lodges and camps.
- Tips - driver-guide and camp staff gratuities.
- Optional extras - balloon or scenic flights, extra nights, luxury camp tier, beach or trekking extensions.
Parks and guides
Back to hub | Style hub | Customize any itinerary
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FAQs
How fit do we need to be?
Game-drive safaris need no fitness. Trekking trips state their grade honestly - ask for the training notes.
What is NOT included that surprises first-timers?
International flights, visas, travel insurance (required), premium drinks, the balloon flight where offered, and tips. Our quotes line-item park fees and permits so the total you compare is the total you pay.
What happens if it rains?
Game drives run rain or shine - vehicles have roofs and ponchos, animals remain active, and green-season light is superb for photography. Only true downpours pause activity, and camps flex schedules around them.
What insurance do we need?
Comprehensive travel insurance is required, including medical evacuation (AMREF/Flying Doctors cover, about 30 dollars, is recommended for remote circuits). Bring policy details - camps and operators ask for them.
Can we customise the route?
Freely - add nights, upgrade camps, swap parks or append beach and trekking. Request a proposal and we re-quote line by line.
Do we need a visa?
Most visitors need one: Tanzania offers visas on arrival for many nationalities, Kenya uses an eTA applied for online before travel, Uganda an e-visa. We confirm the current rule for your passport before you fly.
One decision per country, and they differ. Tanzania sells visas on arrival for most passports - US$50, US$100 for United States citizens - or by eVisa in advance. Kenya has issued only the eTA since 2024, at US$32.50 online at least three days before departure. Uganda runs an e-visa printed before you fly, and the US$100 East African Tourist Visa folds Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda into a single stamp. Six months of passport validity covers all three. Send us passport details at proposal stage and we confirm every rule for your nationality before you commit to flights.
Traveling solo - how do single supplements work?
All itineraries run solo. Expect a 20 to 50 percent supplement where lodges charge per room; vehicles cost the same whether one or six ride. Ask for the honest supplement math per trip.
Is a balloon flight worth adding?
Once, yes: a dawn flight over the Serengeti or Mara with a bush breakfast runs 550 to 600 dollars and minimum ages apply. Book at proposal stage - seats sell out months ahead in season.
How far ahead should we book?
Peak Migration and gorilla-permit months need 6 to 12 months. Green season often works with 2 to 4 months notice.
Request this safari
Your dates, your camp tier - reply within 24 hours.