3 Days Masai Mara Budget Camping Safari - Itinerary, Guide, and Quote
If you are looking for an affordable safari in Maasai Mara, look no further! Our 3 days Masai Mara budget camping safari is perfect for those on a tight budget. Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most fascinating safari destinations in the world. And our 2 nights Masai Mara safari to this attraction is guaranteed to provide you with value for your money.
The reserve is located southwest of Kenya, about 280km from Nairobi. It is accessible by road, which takes about 6 hours. From JKIA, the Masai Mara is a short 45-minute flight away.
Among the biggest attractions in the Maasai Mara is the great wildebeest migration. This spectacle takes place between July and October every year, pulling in thousands of tourists from all over the wild.
During the migration, millions of wildebeest and zebras attempt to cross over to the Masai Mara from the Serengeti. That may sound simple enough, except that hundreds of hungry crocodiles lay in wait under the water.
To further complicate things, menacing predators like lions and hyenas await in Masai Mara. For the wildebeests, making this cross is a matter of life and death.
The reserve offers excellent animal viewing throughout the year, which you can experience with our 3 days Masai Mara camping safari. And you will find one of the most significant lion populations and hundreds of other animal species in the Masai Mara.
Besides game drives, you can indulge in activities such as balloon safaris, hiking, and visiting a Maasai village. Masai Mara also offers accommodations of all types, from luxurious tented camps to budget camping options.
How to Book Your 3 Days Masai Mara Budget Safari
Whichever accommodation you choose, a luxurious tented camp or a budget one, the AjKenyaSafaris.com team has designed safari packages for all budgets. Our goal is to ensure your budget Masai Mara safari is unforgettable.
You can be able to book your safari today by calling us by phone or on WhatsApp at +254-748-258-880. You may also send us an email at james@ajkenyasafaris.com or safarioffers@ajkenyasafaris.com to book your 3-day Masai Mara safari to see the best of the game reserve.
The Summarized, 3 Days Masai Mara Budget Camping Safari Itinerary
| Safari Details | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Pickup from JKIA, Transfer to Masai Mara, & Afternoon Game Drive Overnight at Various Camps/Lodges |
| Day 2 | Full-Day Game Viewing at Masai Mara with Packed Lunch Overnight at Various Lodges/Camps |
| Day 3 | Morning Game Drive, Maasai Village, & Transfer to Nairobi |
| Items Included | Pickups & Dropoffs, Game Drives, Full-Board Accommodation, 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser, Park Fees, Professional Safari Guide, Bottled Mineral Drinking Water, and More |
| Items Excluded | Cost of a Hot Air Balloon, Laundry Services, Money Transfer Fee, Tips & Gratuities, and Visas |
| Safari Price | Per Person Sharing Based on 2-Pax from USD 880 |
The Detailed, 3 Days, 2 Nights Masai Mara Safari Budget Tour Itinerary
If you are wondering exactly how a 3-day tour in the Masai Mara with us looks like, here it is. Kindly note that you can book a private tour as well as a shared safari in Kenya.
Day 1: Pickup from JKIA, Transfer to Masai Mara, & Afternoon Game Drive
The plan is to have you book a flight that arrives in Nairobi early in the morning. This is because we would like you to travel to the Maasai Mara on the same day you arrive in Nairobi.
Your designated tour guide will meet you at the airport. As is our tradition, your safari guide will have reached an hour earlier so that you can rest assured that someone will be waiting to welcome you.
Because this is a private budget safari, you will travel from Nairobi to the Masai Mara by road. Road trips to the game reserve allow you to see much of Kenya compared to the 45 minutes flight to Masai Mara. Your guide will make two stops- one at the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint and the second at Narok Town.
The Great Rift Valley Viewpoint is an exciting natural phenomenon and a great introduction to Kenya’s beauty. The ideal budget Masai Mara safari should include the Great Rift Valley stopover. And the next stop is Narok town, where, if you wish, stretch your legs and buy any last-minute items you might need throughout your stay in Kenya.
On leaving Narok town, the next stop is the Mara game reserve. You might arrive there at around noon. After checking in to your tented budget camp, you may relax for a few minutes and head out in the late afternoon for a game viewing.
An afternoon game viewing in a safari land cruiser is a great way to start your 3 Days Masai Mara Budget Camping Safari. All the animals will be out searching for dinner. If you are lucky, you might film a hunt.
The view of the Masai Mara for the first time can be overwhelming; take it all in, and don’t forget to take photos. It will soon be dark, and your guide will drive you back to your camp for dinner and, hopefully, a good night’s sleep.
Relax, rejuvenate, and prepare for the next day that packs in a lot of adventure.
Day 2: Full-Dsay Game Drive in the Masai Mara National Reserve with Packed Lunch
On the second day of your budget Masai Mara safari, you will have a full-day game drive in a safari vehicle. This means you will only return at sunset (after enjoying all the views of the game reserve) when you leave your Masai Mara safari budget-tented camps in the morning after a delicious breakfast.
Don’t worry about your meals; we will have carried lots of refreshments and packed lunch prepared by the camp. Our tour guides are overly experienced in the ways of the Mara; they know where to find all the action.
Your safari director will also contact other guides via a radio call. They will know the minute something exciting happens at another part of the park and quickly drive you over there.
The morning drive starts slowly, giving you time to absorb the wonders in front of your eyes. There will be lions, elephants, gazelles, zebras, hyenas, and countless other animals roaming the open plains.
Feel free to ask your guide to stop for you to take better photos or a video of something interesting. If you are a bird watcher, the Masai Mara has over 400 species of birds. Be sure to carry your binoculars for this.
After crisscrossing the Masai Mara all morning and taking all the action, your safari guide will take you to the perfect spot for a picnic lunch. One of the most exciting parts of the safari is having a picnic lunch in the middle of the savannah.
It also makes for some very Instagram-worthy photos, so take every chance you can to immortalize your 2 nights Masai Mara safari budget camping tour. After lunch, you will embark on the second part of your safari.
Your tour leader will take you to a different part of the vast park, giving you a chance to experience everything that the Masai Mara has to offer. You will drive slowly in the direction of your camp in the evening. Enjoy the fullness of the park as the animals come out again to graze for dinner.
On arrival at your Masai Mara safari budget-tented camp, you will be met with a refreshing beverage, after which you may go to your tent to freshen up.
Dinner is yet another time to make new friends or reminisce on a great day you just had. After dinner, you will sip your drinks around a massive bonfire as you take in some entertainment from Masai dancers.
Day 3: Morning Game Drive, Visit Maasai Village, & Transfer to Nairobi
It is said that every good thing must come to an end, and that is true with a 3 Days Masai Mara lodge safari. On this last day, you will have breakfast, after which you will return to your room to pack.
Your tour vehicle will be waiting at the front, and the driver will assist you in loading your bags. You will have one more last game drive around the Masai Mara on your way out of the park.
It is a great chance to make up for any animals you did not see yesterday. This morning’s game viewing is about two hours long, after which you will leave the park and head back to Nairobi from the Masai Mara.
You will have lunch along the way (a great chance to try some typical Kenyan cuisine) and stop at a Maasai village. On arrival in Nairobi in the early evening, you will be driven straight to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to catch your flight back to India.
Although the safari will have been short, we hope you have enjoyed yourself and fallen in love with our beautiful Masai Mara. We look forward to hosting you and your family another time!
Items Included In the 3 Days Masai Mara Safari Budget Camping Tour Price
- Airport pick-ups and drop-offs
- A private, well-versed tour guide, Kenyan and multilingual
- Round-trip transport to all attractions and destinations as per the itinerary (4×4 Jeep)
- Masai Mara game reserve entrance fees
- Bottled drinking water in the safari vehicle
- Afternoon game drive at Masai Mara on day 1
- Full-day game viewing at Maasai Mara on day 2
- Morning game drive at Masai Mara on day 3
- A visit of a Maasai village on day 3
- Lunch at Narok town on day 3
Items Excluded from the 3 Days Masai Mara Safari Budget Tour
- Pre-travel expenses (e.g., Passports and visas)
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses such as baggage fees, laundry charges, and luxury drinks such as champagne, etc.
- Tips and gratuities
- Cost of a hot air balloon safari at USD 450
- Easter, Christmas, and New Year Supplements of USD 50 Per Person Per Day
- Money transfer fee
Price Per Person Sharing for the 3 Days Masai Mara Budget Safari
| Lodge/Camp | Low Season | High Season | Migration Season | Festive Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Months | April, May, June 2023 | Jan, Feb, March, Nov, Dec (15th) 2023 | July, Aug, Sep, Oct 2023 | Dec 16th 2023 – 1st Jan 2024 |
| Enkorok Camp | USD 880 | USD 980 | USD 1165 | USD 1165 |
| Sentrim Mara | USD 920 | USD 1000 | USD 1125 | USD 1125 |
| Basecamp Masai Mara | USD 950 | USD 1110 | USD 1275 | USD 1275 |
| Zebra Plain Mara | USD 930 | USD 1140 | USD 1305 | USD 1275 |
| Sekenani Camp | USD 930 | USD 1050 | USD 1325 | USD 1265 |
| Mara Simba Lodge | USD 960 | USD 1082 | USD 1335 | USD 1247 |
| Mara Big 5 Camp | USD 1000 | USD 1130 | USD 1355 | USD 1405 |
| Keekorok Lodge | USD 926 | USD 1084 | USD 1389 | USD 1479 |
| Mara Kimana Camp | USD 1160 | USD 1340 | USD 1435 | USD 1435 |
| Ashnil Mara Camp | USD 1008 | USD 1118 | USD 1493 | USD 1275 |
| Mara Serena Safari Lodge | USD 981 | USD 1142 | USD 1497 | USD 1567 |
| Sarova Mara Game Lodge | USD 982 | USD 1174 | USD 1499 | USD 1436 |
| Mara Maisha Camp | USD 1010 | USD 1170 | USD 1535 | USD 1535 |
| Ilkeliani Camp | USD 1130 | USD 1210 | USD 1535 | USD 1535 |
| Mara Crossing Camp | USD 1200 | USD 1470 | USD 1565 | USD 1565 |
| Mara Legend Camp | USD 1080 | USD 1360 | USD 1575 | USD 1625 |
| Entim Mara | USD 1310 | USD 1390 | USD 1705 | USD 1705 |
| Sand River Mara | USD 1435 | USD 1749 | USD 1996 | USD 1996 |
| Governors Camp | USD 1366 | USD 1734 | USD 2221 | USD 2221 |
3 Day Masai Mara Budget Camping Safari – FAQs & Answers
Are you wondering anything about your safari to Masai Mara National Reserve? Kindly see the answers to the most asked questions that we get from our clients.
1. How Far is Mara from Nairobi?
It is located in Narok County, about 280km from Nairobi in a savannah grassland. If you want, you may go by road or by air. Going by road in a safari vehicle takes about 5-6 hours, while flying takes about 45 minutes.
2. How Much is a Budget Masai Mara Package?
We have different packages for the Maasai Mara. Our budget package starts at 10,600 INR per person. We also have mid-level packages starting from 20,600 INR per person.
Our safari experts will be happy to give you a comprehensive quote
3. When is the Best Time to Visit the Mara on a Budget?
If you are on a budget, we recommend visiting the Masai Mara between April and June. Because this is a rainy season, there are fewer visitors to the Masai Mara, and most hotels lower their rates.
During this low season, it will likely rain most afternoons, but you will still be able to have great game drives in the mornings.
4. What Kind of Accommodation is Available at Masai Mara?
Masai Mara National Reserve has varied types of accommodations. There are super luxurious tented camps that can quickly go for 70,000INR per person and mid-level accommodations for half.
There are also tented budget camps within a range of 10,000INR as well. You can choose your preferred type of accommodation depending on how much you want to spend.
5. Which is the Best Time to visit Masai Mara?
This is one of the most common questions about the Maasai Mara. Strictly speaking, the best time to visit the Masai Mara is between July and October, when the wildebeest migration is ongoing.
That said, the Masai Mara has a high density of wild animals, and this is barely affected by any outside forces. As a result, you can visit the reserve at any time of the year and still have a fantastic safari.
6. How Do You Get to Maasai Mara from India?
Kenya Airways flies daily to Mumbai and several other major Indian cities. This would be the fastest way to get to Nairobi, from where you would connect to the Masai Mara.
Air India also codeshares with Ethiopian Airlines to fly between Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and several Indian cities such as New Delhi.
7. Can I Get Vegetarian Food at Masai Mara?
Yes. Given the sizeable Indian population in Kenya, many camps and lodges in the Masai Mara factor in vegetarian options when preparing meals. At AJ Kenya Safaris, we always ask for your meal preferences as we book your hotels to get you the ideal place.
