How do I get to Masai Mara for a safari?

Masai Mara Game Reserve is located in the southern part of Kenya and is one of the top tourist attractions in the country. There are numerous activities that you can engage in while in Masai Mara, and these include watching the wildebeest migration, birding at the different spots in the Reserve, and taking guided walks with the Masai Mara and balloon rides, among others.

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Getting to the Game Reserve is not so hard, but all international visitors first have to fly into the country, and the recommended airport is the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. There are several international flights you can use to get to Kenya, and from there, you will be picked up by an experienced tour guide, or you can hire a vehicle for those who want to do a self-drive.

Getting to Masai Mara using road transport

This is the most commonly used transport by tourists. The route that leads to Masai Mara Game Reserve goes through the Lake Nakuru National Park and the Amboseli National Park where you can make a stopover if it is on your itinerary. There are two ways that you can get to Masai Mara by road and this is by either self-drives or getting a local tour operator with a tour vehicle to get you there.

Self-drive to Masai Mara

In case you are interested in self-drives to Masai Mara, you will need a 4x4 wheel tour vehicle and these can be hired from Nairobi at different costs depending on where you’ve hired it from. Self-drives are not usually recommended even though the roads leading to the Reserve are accessible because then you will have to drive yourself to an unknown destination and might miss out on the spots that are worth checking out if you do not have an experienced tour guide with you.

Masai Mara Drive with a tour company

This is the better option because, by the time you get to the airport, you will find that everything has been catered for already for as long as you have booked in advance and finalized with the pay. Book with us.

Vehicles used for travelling to Masai Mara game Reserve

Two types of safari vehicles are normally used when traveling to Masai Mara, and these are the tour vans and the 4x4 land cruisers. These 4x4 land cruisers are commonly used because they have cooler boxes and top pop-up hatches, which enable good viewing and UHF Radio calls and are extremely comfortable. They carry a maximum of 6 to 8 passengers but have a restriction on the luggage to be carried.

The tour vans carry more passengers and are the best option for all tourists who are traveling on a budget. The only time they are not comfortable is when they are on the bumpy, pothole, dusty end of the road leading to the Masai Mara.

Masai Mara by road from Nairobi

As you head out of Nairobi city, you will use the A204 highway and join the B3, which is found just right before the Limuru Junction. When you get to Narok town, take the C12 road, and this will lead you to the different gates of the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

The roads leading to the Masai Mara from Nairobi are in good condition and tarred. It is only the last part of the road that is bumpy, dusty and filled with potholes. The road has highways A104 and B3, and then the last part is C12. As you drive to the Masai Mara Game Reserve, you get to see the beautiful scenery of the surrounding areas and a few wild animals as you get closer to the Game Reserve.

Self-drives in Masai Mara: self-driving to Masai Mara Nature Reserve is not recommended and all tourists are advised to plan accordingly through a trusted tour operator for proper transportation to Masai Mara Nature Reserve. For better planning, inquire about the vehicles that are used and choose the best option that fits your budget. But if you insist on a self-drive, numerous agencies hire 4x4 safari vehicles because normal cars will not work for you due to the terrain in the national reserve. Masai Mara does not have any signposts, and it might be hard for you to navigate the area if you are not familiar with the area. It is advisable that if you are planning on a self-drive to take game drives with your lodge so that you don’t get lost and get to enjoy your safari,

You can also hire a local Masai guide to take you around the park for the different safari activities, but this means that you need to load up on supplies, and this can only be done either in Nairobi or Narok, which is the last town between Nairobi, and Masai Mara.

Public transport to Masai Mara: If you are feeling more adventurous, there is an option of getting to Masai Mara using public means, and this can be done by either taking a Matatu, a local shared taxi or a bus. You need to get to the CBD Nairobi at Nyama Kima to get local transport but you need to be cautious because of the thieves and pickpockets and you need to be there as early as 8:00 am because there are so many delays on Kenya routes and you don’t want to travel at night to a place you’ve not been to. You can also connect with your accommodation to pick you up at the Sekenani after the bus drop-off especially if you are travelling on a budget.

Getting to Masai Mara by air transport

The most favored airport when jetting into Kenya for the Masai Mara safari is the Nairobi Wilson Airport which is closest to the Game Reserve. A flight from the Nairobi Wilson airport takes between 50 minutes to an hour to get to the Masai Mara Game Reserve and although it is fast and comfortable, you should note that it is an expensive mode of transport. Several airstrips are found near the Masai Mara Reserve and all you need to do is to choose one that is closest to your accommodation. The airstrips include the Ol Kiombo, Keekorok airstrip, Musiara airstrip, Mara North airstrip, Kichwa Tembo, Cottars, Ngerende and Serena airstrips.

Flights to the Masai Mara game Reserve from Nairobi

Several airlines offer flights from the Wilson Airstrip to the Masai Mara and these take a maximum of about an hour for the journey. The Airlines that offer these services to Masai Mara include the following:

• Fly540
• Air Kenya
• Silverstone Air
• Eastafrica.com
• SafariLink
• Silverstone Air.

The domestic flights that are used have a maximum of only 15 kilograms of check-in and carry-on luggage. Severalaircrafts are used to charter people from Nairobi to Masai Mara and these include the Cessna Caravans, propeller planes and the DE Havilland Dash. Note that all these have different capacity seating and you should find out which one suits you. Once you land in the Masai Mara, a tour vehicle will be waiting for you to take you to your accommodation facility.

Schedule for the flights from Nairobi to Masai Mara

Below is the schedule of the flights from Nairobi to the Masai Mara but you should note that it is liable to change and it is better to first inquire before planning the trip

Morning flight from Nairobi 10:00 am arrival in Masai Mara 11:00 am

Afternoon flight from Nairobi 3:00 pm arrival in Masai Mara 4:00 pm

The planes always make return journeys after tourists disembark. During the peak season, there are direct flights from Mombasa that you can use and you can also fly directly from the Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania to save on time.

Flights to the Masai Mara game Reserve from Mombasa

There are direct flights from Mombasa to the Kichwa airstrip, which is found in the Masai Mara, and you can also opt for a flight from Mombasa to Nairobi and then get another from Nairobi to Masai Mara. There are several packages that you can consider depending on your budget but if you have an unlimited budget, we would advise you to try out flying to the Masai Mara for a wonderful experience.

The Masai Mara gates

The Masai Mara Game Reserve has about 5 main gates and these lead to the different sections of accommodation facilities that are within the Game Reserve. The gates at the Masai Mara include the Oloololo and the Musiara, which are located about 30 to 40 minutes away from the rest, the Sand River gate, the Sekenani gate and the Talek gate. Note that all the gates at the Masai Mara Game Reserve open at 6:00 am and close at 6:00 pm as you drive from Nairobi to the Masai Mara Game Reserve, which is 5 to 6 hours away.

When you get to the Masai Mara, you are expected to pay entrance fees and these differ according to age and where you will be staying while on your safari. The entrance fee structure has been explained below.

• Visitors to the National Reserveo are not staying within Masai Mara and are above 12 years old and are supposed to pay $80 per person, and those below 12 years pay $45 per person, and the fee is only valid for one day.
• Visitors staying within the Masai Mara game Reserve and are 12 years and above pay $70 per person, and those below pay $40 per person, valid for only one day.
• Children 3 years and below are exempted from paying the park entry fees.

Time spent on the road to the different gates of Masai Mara

Once you have decided to drive to Masai Mara, know that you are going to spend while on the road and below is an approximation of the time you get to spend while on the road.

• Nairobi to Oloololo                    6 and half hours
• Nairobi to Musiara Gate           6 and half hours
• Nairobi to Sekenani Gate          5 to 6 hours
• Nairobi to Oloolaimutia Gate    6 hours
• Nairobi to Talek Gate                 5 to 6 hours

How to make your travel arrangements to the Masai Mara

Travel arrangements to the Masai Mara can easily be made through tour operators who are well conversant with Masai Mara. The transfer arrangements from the airport drive to the Masai Mara and then back to the airport after your trip can easily be arranged by a tour company, and what you need to do is book in advance. All in all, the best way to get to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in the southern part of Kenya depends on your traveling budget. ask all the questions that you have about getting on the Masai Mara tour operator so that they can choose for you the best and most comfortable way that fits into your budget. Contact us.

What to do in Masai Mara?

There are a number of activities that are carried out in Masai Mara Nature Reserve and these include watching the annual wildebeest migration which sees over one million wildebeests, zebras and gazelles crossing the crocodile-infested Mara River from Serengeti to Masai Mara, visit the Masai community where you will be able to learn about their culture, how to make fire using stones, join in the singing and dancing, jewelry beading, enjoy hot air balloon rides, game drives, horse riding and bird watching among others.

When is the best time to visit Masai Mara National Reserve for a safari?

The best time to travel to Masai Mara National Reserve for a safari is during the dry and cool months of June to October and December to February and this is because the grass has greatly thinned during this period making it easy to spot the wildlife and many of the animal species can be spotted gathering around the watering holes to cool off from the heat. June to October coincides with the wildebeest migration, and you need to be ready for the large crowds of tourists visiting during this period. note that this is a high and expensive time to travel to Masai Mara National Reserve.

Contact our team of experts to plan your safari to Masai Mara Reserve.