How to Do Safari to Masai Mara on a Budget
Safari to Masai Mara was everything that it promised to be, without the crazy price tag. It was a surprisingly cheap affair. How? Well, we organised the whole process independently – renting the car, organising tents on a campsite, and feeding ourselves.
On top of this, we all managed to blag residents’ rate, despite two of us not holding this status. The whole trip was just over $100 per person; a bargain rate in order to witness one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on Earth.
What follows is a guide to spending a full day in one of the best safari spots in the world, on a budget!
The Ride to Masai Mara
The first step is to find a safari-suitable car. Any decent 4×4 will do, but if there’s a group of you and you want the authentic safari experience, then you can’t beat a safari Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof for improved animal-spotting potential. This is the quintessential safari vehicle and adds a lot to the experience, as well as proving to be a trusted choice for tough terrain.
I once went to Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya in a Toyota Corrola… In retrospect, I’m not sure what we were thinking. We almost spent the night in the park after getting stuck in a muddy pit. I was actually thrilled at the prospect, but my Kenyan friends were horrified and visibly relieved when the park rangers found us and dragged us out.
We found our awesome ride through Joep of Expat-to-Expat. It cost just over $100 per day and we ended up paying $120 for petrol, after travelling from Nairobi and back. That Land Cruiser was thirsty! There were 5 of us, but you could easily fit seven in the car, further reducing the price.
We set off from Nairobi super early, so that we could spend the afternoon and early evening in the park. The long seven-hour drive only added to our hysteria. If you love a good road trip, then this journey won’t disappoint!
The Cost of Masai Mara Budget Safari
About one hour from the Masai Mara is the town of Narok – the final place along the route that you’ll find a supermarket. We took advantage of this and piled bags and bags of food and drink into the car. We were heading to a self-catering camp and planned to make good use of the communal kitchen to minimise costs.
We spent about 6000 Kenyan Shillings ($60) on two lunches, dinner, snacks, alcohol and an overly cautious amount of water. That’s $12 per person for two days’ worth of food and drink.
We stayed at Mara Explorers, roughly 3km from the Masai Mara’s Sekenani gate. It’s much cheaper to stay outside of the Masai Mara Reserve, and a day pass into the Mara is valid for 24hrs, so you can hop in and out as you please.
It’s KES 1000 ($10) per person per night to rent a tent. There are slightly more glamorous options if you’re willing to pay extra, including en-suite tents and cottages. Everyone has access to a communal kitchen and bathroom/showers. There’s also a bar and pool table if you’re feeling sociable.
Masai Mara Entrance Fees
Undoubtedly one of the largest costs if you’re not a resident or citizen of East Africa:
- Non-resident adult staying outside the park – $80
- East African resident staying outside the park – $12
- Vehicle 5 seats or less – Ksh. 400
- Vehicle 6 seats but less than 12 – Ksh. 1,000
The above costs are for 24hrs in the park.
The Masai Mara Safari Experience
After lunch at the camp, we drove our safari-style Land Cruiser to the park gate with The Lion King soundtrack for company. I spent most of the time poking my head out of the roof window, amazed at the inconceivable amount of animals that were grazing on the endless plains.
We soon realised that we were at a disadvantage. The guides and drivers that frequent the park not only know the 580 square mile Reserve patch by patch, but they are equipped with radio communication allowing them to better locate the animals that the safari goers most want to see.
We adopted a strategy of stopping the passing vehicles so that they could point us in the direction of anything interesting. This plan took us directly to a two leopards relaxing in a tree. We had succeeded in finding one of the most elusive of the ‘Big 5’, but so had everyone else in the Reserve.
There were 8 cars crowded around the tree at one point (as a rule, the maximum is 5 cars) and so we swiftly moved on, leaving one exasperated driver as he tried to move closer to the tree to satisfy his demanding customer who was adamant, in a very loud voice, that she needed the perfect shot.
After a while, we found the lack of a radio exhilarating. If we came across any animals then it was purely by chance; a thrilling surprise. This was adventure.
After an afternoon game drive and a mountain of pasta cooked in the bush kitchen, we went to sleep to the not-so-soothing whooping of hyenas and the knowledge that all that was separating us from them was a flimsy tent and a Masai guard who appeared to be about 70 years old.
All of the animals seemed decidedly frisky. Maybe it was the season for horniness. We saw both mating lions and mating leopards, but the incident which remains permanently etched into our brains involves an excited baboon. Let’s just say that he ‘released a lot of tension’ whilst intensely staring us all in the eyes. Far too much at 6:30am…
It seemed as though we were the only ones roaming around early that morning, until we came across three heavily armed rangers sauntering down the path. We offered them a lift to their HQ, next to the border with Tanzania. And so we sat, too many of us crammed into the back of the Land Cruiser laughing and joking with them.
Their rifles were casually slung over their shoulders, pointing threateningly at the heads of two of our crew who now regretted taking up prime position in the front seats.
One of the rangers offered us a short walking safari, which consisted of creeping around the riverbed to spot crocs and hippos. One mud flat looked more like an animal graveyard; the bones of the unlucky wannabe migrant wildebeest and zebras built up into an ominous tower of skulls and rib cages. At this point we became thankful for the rifle.
We saw 4 of the ‘Big 5’ in the Masai Mara – lions, leopards, elephants and buffalos – but it was the unexpected moments, such as the impromptu walk by the river bed with a ranger, that made the trip truly special. I think it’s much easier to have an authentic experience if you have the freedom of a self-drive, with the added benefit of lowering costs; it’s a win-win situation.
If still hesitating with your decision about budget safaris in East Africa also check the review of safari quality Kenya vs. Uganda
Written by: Hannah Rollings Hannah has been living in East Africa for over three years now, making the most of free time to travel in the region, and beyond. Currently based in Ethiopia, she works in the world of development and takes any opportunity she can to get out and explore the beautifully diverse country that she resides in. After travel, writing is her second love and she is a keen and regular blogger.
Beautiful tips for the Budget Masai Mara trips.But i want to ask can i alone with the locals visit the National Park without doing the safari.
Of course you can go visit with locals, but all have to pay entrance fee which is based on 24 h system. Besides enjoying the wildlife and nature, there is not much to do in Masai Mara. Safari experience is there, want it or not:)
This is fantastic! I’ve been a travel agent for 7 years and been selling MAsai Mara holiday packages to my clients and it is absolutely expensive (but worth it). I’m just not particularly sure if I’d brave doing it myself. The guides and rangers in an organized tour are all well-trained when handling emergency cases such as wild animals getting too close to you or worst, attacking you. So yeah, although this is such a great information to know that you can actually do your own safari – I don’t think I’ll be brave enough to do it. Lol.
The excited baboon at 6:30am must’ve been a treat! Lol.
Definitely DIY Masai Mara is cheaper but more demanding on planning and logistics.
When my wife and I went to S. Africa, she suggested that we go ourselves. Rent a car and take our time…the thing was I didn’t want to get lost and I told her we would lose out on the experience of being in a bus with a vantage point and finding the animals. Reading your article, now I wish I had listened to her and would have managed. Will definitely do it next time bc DIY is always more of an adventure and exciting. Misadventures are part of adventures, aren’t they?
OMG this was the best thing I’ve read all day!! Loved your description of the baboon!
I’ve never been on a safari so I didn’t know pop-up roofs like that existed but it makes total sense! Your photos and story telling gave me all the wanderlustful feels 🙂
Pop – up roofs are a must on safari. Usually it is not allowed to step out of the safari vehicle, too dangerous!
This is awesome! I am hoping to do a safari maybe next year and we will be for sure looking to do it on a budget! Pinning for later :).
This is a great and informative post! Good on you for snagging the resident rates…I remember paying a surprising amount of money just to do a safari in Nairobi. Saving this for later!
Yes, resident rates are slightly friendlier than non EA rates.
No kidding – its a steal at $100 per person/ per day. I did Mara and other parks in Kenya 4 years ago with my parents. I couldn’t do tents of course with folks – they are both seniors so we stick to decent accommodation options while holidaying. When I go solo or with friends, I prefer to backpack. Our damages were close to $250 a day in the bush (per person) and we spent over 10 days in total in Kenya so it was quite a dent in our pockets. Thanks for these tips, it gives me hope of going back someday without going broke lol. 🙂
As i write this comment, I am in Zululand Rhino Reserve close to Durban in South Africa – waiting for the evening safari.
if you start saving early everything is possible:) Enjoy South Africa1
I devour all articles that mention safari and budget in the same sentence. I have wanted to go to Africa for a long time. What stood out for me is how well you managed your food budget! This gives me hope that it will be affordable for us when the right time comes.
I have been pining to go on a safari for YEARS! And while I’ve been paying attention to deals every week, there hasn’t been anything close to being affordable – I’ve mostly been looking at tour packages. I didn’t think it was this easy and cheap to do a safari trip. Your pictures proved it 🙂
So beautiful. I’ve always wanted to go on a safari. Thanks for the info. What’s the 5th of the “Big 5” that you didn’t see?
What a dream! I’ve been dying to go on a safari since forever. Beautiful photos!
Hi It’s good to hear that your encouraging travelers for cheap safari options. Do you consider the local Kenyans? Like employment for guides, Cooks, Drivers etc? This is their source of employment and if every tourist wants do do their own game driving what alternative do you have for this poor Kenyans? You know Kenya is a poor country and finding employment is very hard. Don’t forget that 3 quarters of the country is almost a desert and it has been in the news before for drought issues. I know it’s for your own interest but please consider Kenyans. It’s what they have preserved for years and it would be great to see them get good things out of it. Unless you want this guides and drivers to start hunting the wildlife for food and for sell. Think beyond the box.
Thank you.
Hi Justin,
Thanks for your comment. You are right, but travel has many comfort levels and it is a matter of choice which Hannah presented in her experience on safari on a low budget. I am sure this type of travel is and will stay in minority as it takes a lot of effort in organisation and logistics and majority ends up paying to company that employs the cooks and all the necessary staff to make unforgettable safari experience.
Maybe you shouldn’t charge outrageous rates to non-residents so they wouldn’t find a need to explore these other ways. Think beyond the box.
I have been to Africa 15 times! The Tanzania/Kenya area is, by far, the most animal-populated land. You may have heard of the Great Migration. The animals follow the long grasses in Dec thru March in Tanzania, and they make their way during this time to Kenya. The rains come to replenish the Savannah. Safaris start again, when the animals turn around from August until late October and find their way back to Tanzania. Those are the only times it makes sense to go.
Because of increased political problems in the larger towns bordering these vast Savannahs, I would never go alone. Besides, why would anyone want to. Half of my joy was sharing every single safari experience with friends, old and new. I HIGHLY suggest sleeping in tents for four days and then at a bed & breakfast or some small hotel every fifth night. There’s something about a real bathtub which you will experience very thankfully.
Every night out on safari, we had a campfire. We started with drinks, (wine, sodas, beer, liquor), had very plain but delicious dinners and some dessert which appeared magically. Remember a very important thing: You get what you pay for. You will have traveled two days by air to get there. Be kind to yourself, be SURE and carry Deet, and have your vaccination records ready to show at all times. Going on safari is the most magical thing I’ve ever done. Never scared, we obeyed all rules, loved the natives, and respected the land. Climbed Kilimanjaro, too! The animals are magnificent far beyond Anything you’ll ever see. DON’T GET OUT OF THE CAR OUT THERE! You’ll be lunch!!!
Hi Thank you for such interesting information & Idea. I am from India & planning to do during peak season this year around July- August. lowest cost which i received from few of the tour operators are 430-500 USD ( including camp stay + 3 meals + transportation from Nairobi to Nairobi + entrance fee and driver cum guide+ nakuru river & Naivasha) we are 2 members ( couple) will be sharing the tour with some unknown group. i like your idea of exploring the self way.
Can you please help me with the cost in details? anyway we can make it better without increasing the cost?
Thanks for reading, however I am not a tour agent and the prices you mention for peak season are already very good for group tour already. I would suggest on focusing on quality and ask tour operators questions. Its better to add maybe 50 or 100 dollars and have a memorable experience. Wish you nice stay in Kenya.