We had just arrived at our Masai Mara Safari camp and immediately jumped into the Jeep, setting out on an adventure of our dreams. We were on a safari! Right away, we spotted a pride of lions, elephants roaming the fields, and a cheetah on the prowl. Were we actually in a dream? It was almost unbelievable.
Whether it be Gorilla trekking in Rwanda, spotting rhinos in South Africa or exploring the Masai Mara in Kenya, it can often feel like that’s all it can be, a dream. Surely it would be way too expensive or too difficult to get to, right? While you certainly will want to save up for a trip like this, it’s more than doable and we promise it will be the trip of a lifetime. But. just how much will a safari cost? What should you pack? And, what the heck is a game drive?
When we first started planning for our safari, the choices were a bit overwhelming. There can be so much pressure on a trip like this that you want to get it just right. Here’s some helpful info on what our trip to Kenya looked like and what we learned along the way.
How Do You Get to The Masai Mara? (Flight costs)
Let’s start from the beginning, first, you’ll need to apply for a Kenya tourist visa. Depending on where you’re from, you can apply for a Kenya e-Visa, which will cost you $51 USD per person. Next, you need to get yourself to Africa. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 to $800 USD per person round trip from the US to Kenya (economy).
If the Masai Mara is your destination, you will likely be flying through Nairobi where you will have the option of driving (~5 hours) or flying (~30 min.) out to the reserve. We opted to fly from Wilson Airport on AirKenya. We paid about $300 each for round trip flights to and from the reserve. Check out our Safari Tips below for more on that.
Where to Stay in The Masai Mara? (Best Safari Camps and Costs)
Once you have arrived, you will need a place to stay. We stayed at the Mara Intrepids Tent Camp and could not have had a better time. We highly recommend this camp! The tents are absolutely beautiful and the staff were wonderful. Our safari guide, Simon, did an excellent job making sure we saw all the coolest animals – we even got to see a leopard in a tree eating it’s kill. Wild!
For three nights (two adults), with all meals and game drives included, we paid $1,100 USD, or $370/Night. Camps vary greatly in terms of luxury and amenities but expect to pay $75 – $150 per night for a basic camp and upwards of $500+ per night for the most luxurious accommodations, with some exceeding $1,000 – but we don’t roll like that. You will also need to budget $70 USD per person, per day you stay in the reserve. This is essentially your admission fee. The prices for teens/kids is about $45 and under three is free.
Beyond that, any spending will be at your discretion for booze, spa add-ons, private dinners in the bush, a hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara, or souvenirs! Just be sure your souvenir doesn’t come from the reserve, “Leave No Trace” as they say.
Tired of reading? Watch our Kenya Safari travel vlogs on YouTube! Be sure to like and subscribe if you enjoyed our video. 😊
Okay, your flight is booked and you’ve picked the perfect camp. What in the world should you expect on a safari? Again, this may vary based on your chosen Level of Luxe ™ but generally here are some helpful hints on what to expect on a safari.
What to Expect On an Kenyan Safari? And What to Pack?!
Once you’ve arrived in Nairobi, you will need to get over to Wilson Airport for your flight on one of those charming prop planes! This can take a breezy 20 minutes, or in traffic, it can be up to an hour. We experienced the latter, but no worries – it was all worth it in the end!
On your flight to the reserve expect to make stops along the way. There are a number of airstrips all over the Masai Mara and your plane will likely be dropping off passengers at several of them. We were the third stop and the whole flight took less than 45 minutes. You’ll feel like you’re in a film scene landing on a dirt strip in the middle of the Mara, it’s incredible.
It’s time to see the animals! You will likely be picked up by your camp and get checked in! If you’re lucky, as we were, you will go on your first game drive that day! Game drives are what you think of when you think “safari”. For us, we went on 2-3 each day. You load up in a huge Jeep, which you may share with other guests and head out into the wild. The drives are a roller coaster of driving and waiting and then spotting some of the most impressive wildlife your eyes have seen! No joke, I cried when we spotted lions for the first time because I just couldn’t believe my life had led me to that moment – it was joy.
Early birds get all the worms, err lions, at a safari camp. Be ready to get up before 5:00AM if you want to get out in time to see the lions hunt and all the animals at their most active. The best day of our trip – and of my life? maybe? – was when our wake up call at camp came with cookies and coffee at 4:30 AM and we went straight out to sunrise breakfast on the Masai Mara. FREAKING AMAZING! I’m honestly underselling it.
Eventually your time will come to an end and you’ll fly on to the next place, or back home again, but man will you have some of the best memories travel can offer. Now that you are a bit more prepared, let’s wrap up this guide so you can get out and see some giraffes for Pete’s sake. I will leave you with a few helpful hints for a safari…
Tips for The Best Safari in Kenya
- Bring the best camera lens you can afford – borrow one if you have to! You can even rent camera equipment from places like BorrowLenses.com or LensRentals.com. You will want to be able to zoom as much as possible for those epic shots. We survived with a very basic DSLR but man, a better lens would have been clutch.
- Get a good pair of binoculars for your safari – There will be many occasions where the animals will be hiding in the bush or in areas where you’re not allowed to drive. It happens quite often and it can be difficult to really observe the animals during those times. So, you’ll want to make sure you buy a good pair of binoculars to really feel like the animals are in your face! Shop these binoculars on Amazon.com.
- Dress for the occasion – be sure to check out our packing list, but essentially if you’ve got comfortable shoes, long sleeves, long trousers, and tall socks, you’ll be fine. The mornings can be quite cold so bring a sweater. But make sure you…
- Don’t forget the bug spray! (and the sunscreen!) We pretreated one whole outfit with permethrin before our trip and wore that on every game drive. We never once got bitten. We also wore neck gators and tall socks and were good to go!
- Pack light! There are restrictions on luggage for the flights out to the camps. You will likely have to pack in a soft-sided bag (like a duffle) that weighs under 15kg. If your flight is not full they will likely let this slide, as was the case for us. Most operators have storage facilities at Wilson airport where you could leave your larger suitcase if needed.
- If you are prone to motion sickness, you will need dramamine! I had to make use of the air sickness bag on our flight coming in – and I still had a great time, can you believe? On the way back out, I took some Dramamine and slept the entire flight.
- Should you take the malaria pills? That is a personal choice and we are not doctors so please don’t sue us. In seriousness, we opted not to take the anti-malarial medication. In my research it seems that most people do take them. For us, we took into account that the area we were in was lower risk and we would be covered in bug repellent and sleeping with a net. We felt the risk was manageable and made our choice accordingly. You need to make that choice for yourself. You can find more information from the CDC here. You may be required to get a Yellow Fever vaccination though, which we opted to do. (that sucker will make your arm sore all day!)
- Treat the locals with respect. You are visiting their home, you are not doing them a favor by being there. Do not photograph them without permission, especially the kids. Do not make assumptions about their culture or them as individuals. Get to know those around you, ask questions and listen. Africa is not the ‘sh*thole’ some would have you believe. It’s a magnificent, thriving continent with as much diversity and vibrancy as any other place on Earth, maybe more!
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