ENCOUNTERSAFRICA
6-Day Masai Mara Safari

Kenya - Fly-in safari

6-Day Masai Mara Safari

Duration
6 days
Countries
Kenya
Suited to
2-8 guests
Pricing
From USD 7,080

The journey

The Masai Mara is the reserve most people picture when they think of Kenya, and it earns that. Roughly 1,510 square kilometres of open grassland at the northern end of the Serengeti ecosystem, it carries the highest density of big cats in East Africa and receives the wildebeest migration between July and October. This programme puts four of its five nights inside the national reserve rather than in the surrounding conservancies, because the reserve is where the river crossings happen. The order matters. You begin on the Musiara marsh at Little Governors', a camp reached by hand-pulled boat across the Mara River, with the hot-air balloon launch site immediately behind it. You then game drive south-east to Entim Mara at the Mara-Talek confluence, where twelve tents look onto the crossing points. Two camps, two distinct pieces of country, and no ground covered twice. A night at Hemingways Nairobi on arrival absorbs a delayed long-haul flight and puts you on the morning aircraft out of Wilson rested rather than ragged. Six days is the shortest stay that gives the Mara a fair hearing, and it is the trip most first-time Kenya travellers should take.

Your camps, day by day

Stay 1

Landing in Nairobi

You land at Jomo Kenyatta International and drive out to Hemingways Nairobi in Karen, forty-five minutes from the terminal and a world away from it. The rooms look towards the Ngong Hills and a butler unpacks for you. Sleep off the long-haul flight, eat an early dinner, and be ready for a short flight south in the morning.

Stay 2

Boat Across the Mara

A car takes you to Wilson Airport for the mid-morning service to Musiara, forty-five minutes over the Rift wall. Little Governors' is reached the way it has been for decades: a hand-pulled boat across the Mara River, then a short walk through riverine forest. Seventeen tents face a marsh where elephant and buffalo feed all afternoon. Your first game drive runs until sundown.

Stay 3

Balloon Over Musiara

The balloon launch pad sits directly behind camp, so you are not driving in the dark to reach it. You lift off as the sky goes grey over the Musiara marsh, drift low above the hippo pools, and land to a champagne breakfast in the grass. Afterwards you work the Marsh and Paradise plains, long the territory of the Mara's most watched lion prides.

Stay 4

South to the Confluence

Rather than transfer by air, you game drive south-east across the reserve to Entim Mara, roughly two hours with the roof open and no fixed schedule. Entim has twelve tents at the confluence of the Mara and Talek rivers, close to the crossing points the herds use in season. House wines, beers and selected spirits are included, which changes the shape of an evening.

Stay 5

Waiting at the Crossing

A full day in the reserve with breakfast packed aboard. Between July and October your guide will read the build-up on the north bank and wait; crossings happen on the animals' schedule, not yours. Outside those months the same country holds resident lion, cheetah hunting off the termite mounds and leopard in the Talek riverine trees. Dinner is served by the river.

Stay 6

Ol Kiombo and Home

One last drive on the way to Ol Kiombo airstrip, where the aircraft lands on a strip that lions use as a sunning spot. You are back at Wilson forty-five minutes later and transferred across the city to Jomo Kenyatta for your onward flight. Day rooms and a Nairobi or coast extension can be arranged if your departure is late.

Safari highlights

  • 45-minute flight from Nairobi Wilson into the Mara
  • Little Governors' Camp, reached by boat across the Mara River
  • Hot-air balloon over the Musiara marsh at first light
  • Entim Mara at the Mara-Talek river confluence
  • Big cat country: the Marsh and Paradise plains prides
  • A settling night at Hemingways Nairobi in Karen

What is included

Included

  • 5 nights accommodation, per person sharing
  • Return scheduled light aircraft: Nairobi Wilson to Musiara, and Ol Kiombo to Nairobi Wilson
  • Road transfers: Jomo Kenyatta International to Hemingways Nairobi, Hemingways to Wilson Airport, and Wilson to Jomo Kenyatta International on departure
  • Game-drive transfer inside the reserve from Musiara to Entim Mara, with airstrip transfers at both camps
  • Bed and breakfast plus dinner on the Nairobi night, and full board at both Mara camps
  • House wines, beers and selected spirits at Entim Mara
  • Masai Mara National Reserve entry fees for four days
  • Up to three shared game drives daily in open 4x4 vehicles with a professional guide
  • Hot-air balloon safari over the Musiara marsh with champagne breakfast, and AMREF Flying Doctors evacuation cover

Not included

  • International flights to and from Africa
  • Kenyan eTA and any other visa fees
  • Travel and medical insurance, which is compulsory on this programme
  • Champagne, premium wines and imported spirits
  • Gratuities for guides, pilots and camp staff
  • Items of a personal nature, including curios, spa treatments and Maasai village visits

Frequently asked questions

How much does a 6-day Masai Mara safari cost?

This programme starts at USD 7,080 per person sharing in shoulder season and runs to about USD 8,880 in peak migration months. That covers five nights, the return light aircraft between Nairobi Wilson and the Mara, all road transfers, four days of reserve entry fees, full board in the bush, up to three game drives a day and a hot-air balloon flight.

Are international flights included in the price?

No. International flights to and from Africa are excluded, so you book your own long-haul into Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International. Everything inside Kenya is included: the road transfers, the scheduled light aircraft between Nairobi Wilson and the Mara airstrips, and the game-drive transfer between camps. We are happy to advise on routings and timings when you enquire.

When is the best time to see the Great Migration in the Masai Mara?

The herds are generally in the Mara from July to October. River crossings are most likely from late July through September as wildebeest push north over the Mara and Talek rivers, with back-crossings in October. No crossing can be guaranteed on any given day. From November to June the migration is in Tanzania, but resident lion, cheetah and leopard remain year-round.

Should I fly into Wilson or JKIA for a Masai Mara safari?

Both. International flights land at Jomo Kenyatta International, while every scheduled light aircraft to the Mara leaves from Wilson Airport on the other side of Nairobi. The road transfer between them takes 40 to 90 minutes depending on traffic, so allow three hours. The overnight in Karen on this itinerary removes that connection risk entirely.

How long is the flight from Nairobi to the Masai Mara?

About 45 minutes from Wilson Airport to the Mara airstrips, flown by Safarilink and AirKenya in 12 to 19 seat aircraft. Departures run mid-morning and early afternoon. Baggage is limited to 15 kilogrammes per person in a soft bag. The alternative is a five to six hour drive on the Narok road, which we do not recommend for a six-day trip.

How much are Masai Mara park fees in 2026?

Narok County charges non-resident adults USD 100 per person per day from January to June and USD 200 per person per day from July to December. Children aged 9 to 17 pay USD 50 year-round. Four days of reserve fees are included in this itinerary, which is why peak-season departures cost meaningfully more than shoulder ones.

Is the Masai Mara malarial, and do I need a yellow fever certificate?

The Mara is a malaria area, so take prophylaxis and pack repellent; risk is lower in the dry months but never zero. A yellow fever certificate is required only if you are arriving from or transiting a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Talk to a travel clinic six weeks before departure. Emergency evacuation cover is included.