3-Day Maasai Mara
The classic short Mara — two nights and a full day in the reserve, the single most popular Kenya safari.
3 days · 2 nights · Best Jul – Oct & Jan – Mar
About this experience
If you do one safari in Kenya, this is the one most people book. Two nights in the Maasai Mara gives you an arrival drive, a full day to explore the reserve deeply, and a final morning before the drive back — enough time for your guide to track leopard in the riverine forest, find the lion prides, and (July–October) position you at the Mara River for the wildebeest crossings. Comfortable mid-range camps, a private 4x4, and Kenya's finest wildlife.
Best for
- First-time safari
- Big-cat lovers
- Migration (Jul–Oct)
Trip features
- Private vehicleYour own 4x4 and driver-guide
- Starts any dayPick your own date, 7+ days ahead
- Can be tailoredChange lodges, add days or parks
- Children welcomeAges 3–12 at half price
- Pickup in NairobiAirport or your hotel
- English · SwahiliGuide languages
Signature experiences
Optional extras we can add to this trip. Prices are per person and confirmed when you book.
Lift off at dawn over the plains, drift silently above the herds, and land to a champagne bush breakfast. The definitive Mara morning.
Spend an hour in a working manyatta — the jumping dance, fire-making, and a look at daily Maasai life, hosted by the community itself.
A lantern-lit table set out under the stars, your own chef and a crackling fire — the safari dinner people remember for years.
After dark on a private conservancy, a spotlight picks out leopard, aardvark, bushbaby and the animals you never see by day.
Day by day
What each day looks like, from pickup in Nairobi to drop-off.
Morning departure through the Great Rift Valley escarpment to the Mara, arriving for lunch. Afternoon game drive to settle in — the plains game, and often the first lions. Dinner and overnight at your camp.
Mara Sopa Lodge · Full-board
Dawn to dusk in the reserve with a picnic lunch out in the bush. This is the day your guide goes deep — the Mara Triangle, the river, the marsh prides — for cheetah on the mounds, leopard, and in season the great migration herds.
Mara Sopa Lodge · Full-board
A last morning game drive, breakfast, then the road back to Nairobi, arriving mid-to-late afternoon.
Where you'll stay
Lodges we book on this trip. If one is full on your dates, we'll offer a comparable property before you pay anything.
What's included
Included
- Full-board accommodation in comfortable lodges & tented camps
- All park & reserve entry fees
- Private 4x4 · experienced English-speaking driver-guide
- All game drives as per itinerary
- Bottled water in the vehicle
- 24/7 WhatsApp support
Not included
- International flights
- Kenya eTA (USD 30 government fee — we help you apply)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Optional experiences (see below)
- Drinks, tips & personal expenses
Route & pickup
Where the trip goes, and where we meet you. Pickup is confirmed the day before you set off.
Drag to pan · pinch or buttons to zoom
- 01 NairobiDay 1 · City
- 02 Maasai MaraDay 1 · National park & reserve
- 03 NairobiDay 3 · City
Good to know
Bookara started running trips in 2026, so there are no guest reviews on this trip yet. Ask us anything on WhatsApp before you book; you'll talk to one of the two founders.
A 30% deposit holds your dates, and the balance is due 45 days before you travel (book closer than that and you pay in full). Cancel 90+ days before departure for a full refund, 60–89 days before for 50% back. Full terms.
Common questions
Road or fly?+
This package is by road — scenic and included. You can add a Mara-leg flight to save about four hours each way; just ask and we'll quote it.
Will I see the migration?+
If you travel July to October, the wildebeest are in the Mara and river crossings are likely — never guaranteed (they move on their own schedule), but this itinerary's full day maximises your chances.
Which camp?+
Comfortable mid-range camps just outside or inside the reserve. Upgrade to Premium for the nicer properties.
Book on WhatsApp
Your chat opens with the trip pre-filled — no payment needed now. Our team replies between 7am–10pm EAT.
Request saved
WhatsApp is opening with your details pre-filled — just hit send.
- 1 Send the pre-filled messageYour trip details are already written for you.
- 2 Confirm in chat — or pay the deposit onlineSame reference either way. Our team replies 7am–10pm EAT.
- 3 Instant confirmationWhatsApp message + email receipt the moment your deposit lands.
Your request ref becomes your booking reference once the deposit is paid.
Book direct with the operator
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Licensed & certified
Kenya-registered operator in Nairobi with experienced driver-guides.
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Run from Nairobi
We plan and run your trip ourselves, with driver-guides we know, and stay reachable on WhatsApp throughout.
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Secure payment
Card or Apple Pay through Paystack (USD). Taxes and park fees are in the price you see.
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Flexible cancellation
Full refund up to 90 days before departure; a 30% deposit holds your dates.
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