Experience the magic of the Masai Mara National Reserve — home to the Big Five and one of Africa's greatest wildlife spectacles. This 3-day package combines a scenic drive from Nairobi with afternoon and full-day game drives through the breathtaking reserve, staying at the beautiful Mara Sopa Lodge overlooking the sweeping plains.
From July to October, the Masai Mara hosts the world's most famous wildlife event — the Great Wildebeest Migration, where over 1.5 million wildebeest cross the crocodile-infested Mara River from Tanzania's Serengeti. This is Africa at its most raw and spectacular.
Package Highlights: Big Five game drives · Mara River (during migration) · Mara Sopa Lodge full board · Professional licensed guide · All park fees included · Bottled water throughout
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Nairobi → Masai Mara National Reserve
Picked up from the airport or Nairobi hotel at 7:00 AM. Begin the scenic drive towards the Masai Mara, with a stopover at the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint (escarpment) for panoramic photos of the valley floor stretching into the distance.
Continue through the rolling hills of the Mau Escarpment, passing through Narok town — gateway to the Masai Mara. Arrive at Mara Sopa Lodge in time for lunch. After freshening up, depart on your afternoon game drive (4:00 PM – 6:30 PM) through the reserve.
Your guide will take you in search of the Big Five: rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo, and elephant, as well as the countless other species that call the Mara home — cheetahs, giraffes, zebra, wildebeest herds, and more. Return to the lodge for dinner as the sun sets over the savannah.
Dinner & overnight: Mara Sopa Lodge (full board)
Full-Day Safari at Masai Mara
Early breakfast at 6:30 AM. Depart with a packed picnic lunch at 7:00 AM for a full day of game viewing. This is your prime opportunity to explore the reserve's most remote corners — areas not accessible in a shorter afternoon drive.
Explore the diverse ecosystems of the Mara: open savannah grasslands, riverine forests along the Mara and Talek rivers, and the rolling hills of the Oloololo Escarpment. With over 450 bird species and all Africa's major mammals, every direction offers something extraordinary.
During migration season (July–October), your guide will position you at the Mara River to watch for potential wildebeest crossings — one of nature's greatest spectacles. Picnic lunch served on the riverbank.
Return to lodge for dinner and an optional Maasai cultural evening.
Dinner & overnight: Mara Sopa Lodge (full board)
Masai Mara → Nairobi
Wake up at 6:00 AM for a final sunrise game drive. Dawn in the Mara is magical — golden light, cool air, and predators still active from their nocturnal hunts. This is often when the most dramatic sightings occur.
Return to the lodge at 9:00 AM for a full cooked breakfast and check-out. Depart for Nairobi, enjoying lunch at a roadside restaurant en route. Arrive in Nairobi in the late afternoon.
Drop-off at your airport or Nairobi city hotel. Your safari ends here with memories to last a lifetime.
Safari ends in Nairobi (~4:00–5:00 PM)
Included
- All park entry fees
- Full board meals (all meals)
- Professional licensed tour driver/guide
- Safari Van (4WD pop-top)
- Government Taxes / VAT
- Mineral drinking water throughout
- Nairobi hotel / airport pickup & drop-off
- Picnic lunch on Day 2
Not Included
- International flights
- Pre/post-safari accommodation in Nairobi
- Tips & gratuities (guide + lodge staff)
- Personal items, alcohol, laundry
- Travel insurance
- Government-imposed fee increases
Hot air balloon ride over the Mara at dawn: $480 / person — highly recommended during migration season
Maasai Village visit: $50 / person — a fascinating cultural experience