Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya is simply iconic and a must for any safari lover even if you have just 4 days to spare. One of the popular wildlife conservation areas in Africa, it hosts the Big 5 including Leopards, Rhinos, Lion, Elephants, Rhinos and Buffalos.
It’s also the only wildlife reserve to inhabit with an indigenous black rhino population and the area offers a stunning display of wild landscapes, welcoming people and an exciting array of creatures. World famous for hosting the epic Great Migration, the Mara welcomes 1.5 million wildebeests onto its sprawling savannahs each year.
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The best 4 day Masai Mara Tours
Cost of a 4 day Masai Mara safari?
4 day Masai Mara safari range in price from budget tours costing between USD $420 to USD $900 per person, mid-range tours range between US$850 to US$1,500 per person and luxury tours starting at about US$1,000 per person.
The biggest factor determining the price of a safari is the level of accommodation. This will ultimately categorize tours as being budget, mid-range or luxury. Shared tours are usually cheaper than private tours.
This is especially the case for single travelers. On a 4 day trip you might want to consider a fly-in safari, but these are considerably more expensive than road safaris. Check out the seasons too; low-season prices can be favorable and while you’ll probably get some rain at this time, it’s when the scenery is at its best.
Breakdown of a typical 4 day Masai Mara tour
Safari tour highlights
- See the Big Five including the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo in an iconic world-famous game park
- Private tour guide in English and other languages
- All-inclusive tours including lodging, entrance fees, meals, and transport
- Game drives in comfortable, open top safari vehicles
- Unforgettable savannah vistas
- Experience the Maasai people and culture
- Unique accommodation including safari lodges and tented camps
- Optional activity add-ons including hot air balloon safaris
Tour inclusions
The following details typical tour inclusions and exclusions on the best 4 day Masai Mara safari packages:
| Tour inclusions | Tour exclusions |
|---|---|
| Game drives per the itinerary as well as pick-up and drop-off | Visa fees, laundry services, drinks including mineral water at the hotels |
| Experienced english-speaking guide and driver | International/domestic flights |
| Transport and park entrance fees, government taxes | Cultural visits to Maasai villages (15 USD p/p) |
| Accommodation (full-board safaris) | Tips to the driver guides, waiters and porters |
| Park fees | |
| Breakfast, lunch, dinner and bottled water |
Itinerary example for a 4 day Masai Mara tour
The typical itinerary that safari visitors can expect on a 4 day Masai Mara tour includes:
Day 1 – Start your safari from Nairobi
Meal plan: Lunch, Dinner
A tour driver guide reports to your hotel for the start of the safari, with a 8am – 8.30am departure for a scenic drive down into the Rift Valley, to Masai Mara. You will be in your own private safari vehicle and stop briefly en route at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint for stunning views of what is the world’s largest valley.
Arrive at Masai Mara for lunch. The afternoon game drive at 3.30pm allows for spotting some of the most incredible wildlife in the park. Return to your camp by 6.30pm. Dinner and overnight at Basecamp which could be Keekorok Lodge, Mara Sopa Lodge or similar, depending on availability.
Day 02 – Enjoy a full day in Masai Mara
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On day 2, you can look forward to enjoying two game drives, one in the morning at 6.15am, before breakfast and the other in the late afternoon after lunch.
As your safari is private, your game drive timings will be flexible, useful if you are traveling with children, or are on a honeymoon. You may also choose to have a full day game drive with a packed picnic lunch at no extra cost. Return to your camp by evening.
Dinner and overnight at Basecamp which could be Keekorok Lodge, Mara Sopa Lodge or similar, depending on availability.
Day 3 – Enjoy another full day in Masai Mara
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy another full day at Masai Mara with morning and afternoon game drives. You may want to add a Maasai Village visit or a Hot air Balloon ride into your safari, which are optional activities that can be booked at an additional cost. Return to your camp by evening.
Wherever you go in the vast Masai Mara, you will see an abundance of wildlife such as Masai giraffe, baboons, warthogs, bat eared foxes, gray jackals, spotted hyena, topis, impala, hartebeests, wildebeest. Elephants, buffaloes, zebras and hippos are also found in great numbers.
Dinner and overnight at Basecamp which could be Keekorok Lodge, Mara Sopa Lodge or similar, depending on availability.
Day 4 – Return to Nairobi
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch
At the break of dawn you embark on your concluding game drive in the Mara followed by a relaxed breakfast and onward departure for Nairobi. Arrive into Nairobi by early afternoon, typically at approximately 2.30pm.
Drop off at your hotel, or free onward transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Safari essentials and information
Is a 4 day safari in Masai Mara sufficient?
4 days is plenty to see, hear and experience the incredible wildlife and sights of Masai Mara. The number of days needed to properly do a Masai Mara safari can range from 1-2 days to 1-2 weeks, depending on how much time and budget a visitor has.
A longer period of time would be better, however each day consists of an early morning game drive and a late afternoon game drive, certainly sufficient time to view the big 5 and incredible scenery. On a 4 day trip you can break up the drive to or from the Masai Mara with an overnight stay in Lake Nakuru National Park or Lake Naivasha, with the option to visit nearby Hell’s Gate National Park.
Alternatively you can spend all 3 nights in the Masai Mara. With full days in the reserve, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to explore this iconic safari destination including a full-day dusk-to-dawn game drive that will include lunch at one of the picnic spots.
Morning and evening game drives are rewarding as well, but on a full day you can get further into the reserve, away from the more-crowded areas. Overall, 4 days is a good amount of time for a safari in the Masai Mara if it is part of a larger Kenya tour, but if not, allocating a few more days to your safari would be ideal if possible.
Accommodation offered on a 4 day Masai Mara safari?
After a long day surveying the incredible wildlife on offer, guests can look forward to the very best safari accommodation Kenya has to offer. The accommodation here is excellent with numerous options from tented camps, luxury lodges to camping grounds.
From camping in the bush with amenities and food provisions provided to mid-range and luxury lodges, located inside the reserve, there’s something for everyone. Some very luxurious accommodation is rustic and offers very few mod cons. The trend leans towards a minimal carbon footprint with eco-friendly building materials and constructions that can be dismantled without leaving any traces.
Styles vary but chalets and old-school tented camps are popular options for the smaller, more intimate camps. The level of luxury is more in the details; the exclusivity, service, food and guiding offered is superb.
In contrast with these boutique lodges are the bigger hotels. While they might lack character, they offer a more conventional level of luxury in regular rooms that have air-conditioning and, in some cases, even TV.
Best time to go on a 4 day Masai Mara safari?
To avoid crowds, the low-season months of April to May and November to December see fewer visitors than the rest of the year. While this isn’t the best time for wildlife viewing, there are always animals around. April and May are the wettest months, but you’ll be rewarded with spectacular scenery and an abundance of baby animals.
Midsummer can get busy though, so come at the beginning or end of that period with its full on wildlife without crazy crowds. Even during the high season, some areas of the Mara are busier than others, but for a really exclusive safari experience you can book into one of the private conservancies bordering the Masai Mara.
Best to fly or drive to Masai Mara?
On a 4 day safari, flying and driving to the Masai Mara are both viable options, with flying bringing obvious time savings (50 minutes from Nairobi) and incredible views of the wildlife and landscape. Flying also comes with a higher price tag.
The drive to the Mara takes almost 6 hours, with the last 100km/62mi of the road quite poor. Fly-in safaris usually include top-end accommodation and all your activities.
On a 4 day tour of the Mara, you can easily break up the drive with a stopover. Lake Nakuru NP is the most popular option. This Rift Valley lake teems with birdlife, and this is the best place in Kenya to see rhinos, which are very difficult to spot in the Masai Mara, as well as the hustle and bustle of African countryside life.
Another great option is to spend a night at Hell’s Gate NP. The dramatic scenery is the main attraction and, as there are few dangerous animals, cycling and hiking are permitted in the park.
FAQs
How much spending money do I need for a 4 day Masai Mara safari?
Visitors should budget for approximately $300 for a Masai Mara safari per person per day, including food and accommodation. Masai Mara safaris can be more expensive than their continental counterparts due to the higher costs of accommodation and food.
What animals will I see on a 4 day Masai Mara safari tour?
Visitors on a 4 day Masai Mara safari will see the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo), hyenas, wildebeest, giraffes, cheetah, zebras, endangered black rhinos, hippos, crocodiles and much more.
What is the best part of Masai Mara?
The best part of Masai Mara is the renowned and remote western section of the reserve, known as the Mara Triangle. It is managed as a non-profit conservancy run by the local Maasai and is considered one of the best areas for game-viewing in the area.