Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Kenya: a short Masai Mara safari from Nairobi
4 days from Nairobi: fly to the Masai Mara for three nights in a conservancy tented camp, with a full day in the reserve, a Maasai village visit and a sundowner, then fly back.
4 days · Round trip from Nairobi · up to 12 guests
A lioness in the long grass of the Masai Mara Photo: harish tikadia harish1977, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Masai_Mara_Game_Reserve,_Kenya_(Unsplash_aqKgV2jVKVM).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 4 days, 3 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Nairobi
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Easy
Very little walking: an optional bush walk of about 1.5 hours at a slow pace on uneven ground, and a short walk round a Maasai homestead. The effort is early starts and long hours seated in an open vehicle on rough, dusty tracks, including one full day of about 10 hours out in the reserve with a picnic lunch. Starts before 8 am are only for wildlife: the reserve day and the dawn drives. The Mara lies at about 1,500 to 1,700 m, so dawns are cool. You can sit out any drive or the walk and rest at camp.
- Meals included
- 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,100 (estimated price)
- Season
- January to March and June to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Fly to the Mara and back in light aircraft instead of five to six hours on the road each way
- Three nights in one tented camp in a conservancy bordering the reserve, with no packing between nights
- A full day in the Masai Mara National Reserve out to the Mara River, with the reserve fee included
- A window for everyone: at most 6 guests in each open-sided vehicle
- A visit to a Maasai family homestead, arranged with the community
- A bush walk with Maasai guides and a sundowner on the plains
- An add-on that starts and ends in Nairobi, so it fits before or after another Africa trip
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,100 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Fly from Nairobi to the Masai Mara
Your Nairobi hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Wilson Airport, then a light aircraft to a Mara airstrip and the camp
- Lunch and welcome dinner at camp
- Stay in Masai Mara
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
A driver collects you in the morning from your Nairobi hotel, or from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) if you land early, and takes you to Wilson Airport, Nairobi's airport for small planes; allow up to an hour in traffic. Your See Sight Tours guide meets the group there. The scheduled flight to the Mara takes about 45 minutes to an hour and a quarter, sometimes with a stop at another airstrip, and the Rift Valley passes below. Our driver-guides meet the plane, and the drive to camp is the first game drive.
Afternoon
Lunch is at camp, then a rest in the heat of the day. At about 4 pm we go out on the first full drive in open-sided vehicles, at most 6 guests in each, so everyone sits on the outside.
Evening
We stop to watch the sun go down and are back at camp after dark for a briefing on the days ahead and a welcome dinner.
Included
- Pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO)
- Scheduled light-aircraft flight from Wilson Airport to the Masai Mara
- Game drive from the airstrip to camp
- Late-afternoon game drive in the conservancy
- Welcome briefing and dinner
Easier option: Rest at camp instead of the late-afternoon drive.
Free time: Early afternoon free at camp
Activity: Flight times are set by the airline and confirmed with your final itinerary.
A full day in the Masai Mara National Reserve
From the conservancy into the Masai Mara National Reserve and out to the Mara River
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Masai Mara
Morning
We leave camp at about 6:30 am with breakfast packed and drive into the Masai Mara National Reserve for the whole day, with the reserve fee included. Early light is when lions and hyenas are most often still on the move, so we enter at the nearest gate and work west across open grassland towards the Mara River, stopping wherever something is worth waiting for. Breakfast is eaten in the vehicle or under a tree. The river holds hippos and large Nile crocodiles all year. From about July to October in most years the great herds of wildebeest and zebra arrive from Tanzania's Serengeti, and some groups cross the river; when and where they cross changes daily and from year to year, so a crossing is a chance, not a promise. Outside those months the reserve still has its resident lions, elephants, buffalo, cheetahs and plains game.
Evening
Lunch is a picnic in the shade, and we are back at camp around sunset for dinner.
Included
- Full-day game drive in the Masai Mara National Reserve, reserve fee included
- The Mara River and its hippo pools
- Picnic lunch in the reserve
- Dinner at camp
Easier option: Return to camp at lunchtime in one vehicle, when enough guests prefer a half day.
Activity: About 10 hours out in the vehicle on rough tracks, with stops to stretch at sightings and at lunch.
Conservancy day: on foot, a Maasai village and a sundowner
A full day in the Mara conservancy
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Masai Mara
Morning
Coffee comes before dawn, and we are out on the first drive as the light comes up. Conservancies are private land leased from Maasai families and set aside for wildlife, with a cap on vehicles at each sighting and rules that let guides leave the track to follow an animal, which the main reserve does not allow. Back at camp for a late breakfast, you can walk out with Maasai guides for about an hour and a half to read tracks and learn which plants herders use as medicine, or stay in camp.
Afternoon
Lunch, then the hottest hours are yours. In the mid-afternoon we visit a Maasai family homestead nearby, arranged through the conservancy with the community's agreement; our fee goes to the community, and we ask before taking photos.
Evening
The late drive ends on a rise with a sundowner as the sun drops, then dinner at camp.
Included
- Dawn game drive in the conservancy
- Guided bush walk with Maasai guides
- Visit to a Maasai family homestead
- Late-afternoon game drive with a sundowner
- All meals at camp
Optional experiences
- Hot-air balloon flight at sunrise with a bush breakfast (price confirmed at booking)
- Night drive with a spotlight, where the conservancy allows it (price confirmed at booking)
Easier option: Skip the dawn drive and the walk, sleep in and join the group for the village visit and the sundowner.
More active option: Take the balloon flight at sunrise, then the bush walk.
Free time: Early afternoon free at camp
Activity: The bush walk is about 1.5 hours at a slow pace on uneven ground; conservancies often set a minimum age for walks.
A last drive and the flight back to Nairobi
Mara airstrip to Wilson Airport by light aircraft, then Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or your Nairobi hotel
- Breakfast
- Drive about 1 h
Afternoon
One last drive at first light, when the cats are often still active and the plains are cool, then breakfast at camp and a short drive to the airstrip for the scheduled light-aircraft flight back to Wilson Airport in Nairobi, landing around midday; the exact time is set by the airline. From the air you get a last look at the plains and the Rift Valley escarpment. Your guide sees you through Wilson, and our driver takes you on to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, about 45 minutes to an hour away in traffic, or to a Nairobi hotel if you are staying on or joining another trip. Lunch is on your own; there are cafés at Wilson and at the international airport. If you have time before a late flight, the Giraffe Centre in Langata is close to Wilson Airport and can be added. Book an international flight leaving after about 5 pm.
Included
- Short game drive at first light
- Scheduled light-aircraft flight from the Masai Mara to Wilson Airport, Nairobi
- Drop-off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) or a Nairobi hotel
Optional experiences
- Giraffe Centre, Langata, on the way from Wilson Airport (entry paid locally)
Easier option: Skip the first-light drive and have a slow breakfast at camp.
Activity: Book a flight home leaving after about 5 pm.
- Nairobistart
- Masai Mara3 nights
- Nairobiend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: June to October is the long dry season: cool mornings, short grass and animals gathered near water, and in most years the wildebeest and zebra herds are in the Mara from about July to October. January to March is warm and dry, with resident game, young animals and fewer vehicles. April and May bring the long rains, when many camps close, so we do not run then. Open vehicles are cold at dawn in any month.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers already in Nairobi for work or another trip who want the Masai Mara in a few days
- A safari before or after a beach stay, a gorilla trek or a Tanzania trip
- Anyone who would rather fly than spend two long days on the road
- Solo travellers who want company on safari without a crowd
Not for you if you want
- Anyone who must see a river crossing: it happens only in some months and is never certain
- Travellers who want the Rift Valley lakes too: the 8-day Kenya safari covers them
- People who dislike small planes or early starts
- Families with young children: conservancy camps often set minimum ages for walks and open-vehicle drives
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
3 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Masai Mara3 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 3 nights at a permanent tented camp with en-suite tents in a Masai Mara conservancy
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up from a Nairobi hotel or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) on day 1
- Drop-off at NBO or a Nairobi hotel on day 4
- Scheduled light-aircraft flights from Wilson Airport to the Masai Mara and back
- Open-sided game-drive vehicles with licensed Kenyan driver-guides, at most 6 guests each
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, with the camp's Kenyan driver-guides and Maasai guides for the walk and the village visit
Activities
- Conservancy fees for three nights
- Game drives at dawn and late afternoon in the conservancy, and on the way to and from the airstrip
- Full day in the Masai Mara National Reserve, reserve fee included
- Guided bush walk with Maasai guides
- Visit to a Maasai family homestead
- Sundowner on the plains
Meals
- 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners
- Welcome dinner at camp
- Full board at camp, with a picnic lunch in the reserve
- Drinking water in the vehicles
Not included
- International flights to and from Nairobi
- Nairobi hotel nights before or after the trip
- Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA)
- Travel insurance, which should include medical evacuation
- Vaccinations and malaria tablets
- Lunch on day 4
- Drinks, except water in the vehicles and the sundowner
- Tips for driver-guides, camp staff and Maasai guides
- Optional activities: hot-air balloon flight, night drive, Giraffe Centre
- Laundry and personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,100 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Three nights at a tented camp in a Masai Mara conservancy, 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners, both light-aircraft flights between Nairobi and the Mara, transfers in Nairobi, game drives in open vehicles, your See Sight Tours guide, the conservancy and reserve fees, a bush walk, a Maasai village visit and a sundowner.
How many people are in the group, and will I get a window seat?
Yes, every guest gets a seat on the outside. The small group runs with 7 to 12 guests, and we put at most 6 in each open-sided vehicle, so a full group uses two vehicles and nobody is squeezed into a middle seat.
Who leads the safari?
A See Sight Tours guide meets the group at Wilson Airport, flies in with you and stays until the flight back. Licensed Kenyan driver-guides from the camp drive the vehicles, and Maasai guides lead the bush walk and the village visit.
Do I need a night in Nairobi before the trip?
Only if you land late. We collect you on day 1 from your Nairobi hotel, or from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport if you arrive early that morning in time for the flight. Most long-haul arrivals land in the evening or overnight, so we can book you a Nairobi night before the trip.
When is the wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara?
In most years the herds are in the Mara from about July to October, but the timing shifts with the rains and river crossings are never certain, even in August. From January to March and in June you see the resident lions, elephants, cheetahs and plains game, with fewer vehicles. We tell you what your month usually brings before you book.
How fit do I need to be?
Not very. Walking is limited to an optional bush walk of about an hour and a half and a short visit to a Maasai homestead. The effort is early starts on game-drive days and long hours seated in an open vehicle on bumpy, dusty tracks. You can skip any drive and rest at camp.
I am travelling solo. What does a tent of my own cost?
A tent of your own is from CAD 1,100 more than the shared price, shown before you book with no surprise later. Solo travellers are seated, fed and guided exactly like everyone else, and the outside-seat rule applies to you too.
When is the best time to go?
June to October is the long dry season, with cool mornings, short grass and, from about July, the migration herds. January to March is warm and dry with resident wildlife and fewer vehicles. We do not run in April and May, the long rains, when many Mara camps close.
How does booking work?
Send your preferred dates as an enquiry. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 6,635 per person sharing, taxes included. Prices are indicative until we confirm your dates.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The trip also runs as a private safari for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 11,945 per person sharing. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same camp and flights.
How is this different from your 8-day Kenya safari?
This is the short version. It flies straight to the Mara for three nights and back, with no Nairobi nights or Rift Valley lakes. The 8-day Kenya safari adds Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru, more time in Nairobi and the same conservancy and reserve days. Choose this one if you are already in Kenya or short of time.
Do I need a visa for Kenya, and how much luggage can I bring?
Most visitors, including Canadians, need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), applied for online before you fly. The small planes take a soft bag of about 15 kg per person, so larger bags stay in Nairobi; we tell you where when we confirm. Ask a travel clinic about malaria and yellow fever advice.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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