Travel Budget for Masai Mara Visit Masai Mara on a Budget or Travel in Style

Masai Mara, Rift Valley Province, Kenya

How much does it cost to travel to Masai Mara?

You should plan to spend around $98 (KES14,089) per day on your vacation in Masai Mara. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

  • $30 (KES4,272) on meals
  • $43 (KES6,143) on local transportation
  • $67 (KES9,585) on hotels

A one week trip to Masai Mara for two people costs, on average, $1,369 (KES197,245). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    $98
    KES14,089
  • One Week Per person
    $685
    KES98,623
  • 2 Weeks Per person
    $1,369
    KES197,245
  • One Month Per person
    $2,935
    KES422,668
  • One Week For a couple
    $1,369
    KES197,245
  • 2 Weeks For a couple
    $2,739
    KES394,490
  • One Month For a couple
    $5,869
    KES845,336
This data comes from the travel budgets of real travelers - How it works. Put these numbers on your website.


How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to Masai Mara cost?

A one week trip to Masai Mara usually costs around $685 (KES98,623) for one person and $1,369 (KES197,245) for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to Masai Mara on average costs around $1,369 (KES197,245) for one person and $2,739 (KES394,490) for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Masai Mara will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to Masai Mara on average costs around $2,935 (KES422,668) for one person and $5,869 (KES845,336) for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.




Independent Travel

Traveling Independently to Masai Mara has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.

All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.

Is Masai Mara expensive to visit?

Prices in Masai Mara are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.

Within Africa, Masai Mara is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Kruger National Park or Antsiranana.

For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Masai Mara Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Masai Mara?

The average Masai Mara trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Masai Mara travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.


Category Cost
Accommodation 1 (Double Occupancy) KES9,585 ($67)
Local Transportation 1 KES6,143 ($43)
Food 2 KES4,272 ($30)
Entertainment 1 KES7,814 ($54)
Alcohol 2 KES1,707 - 5,122 ($12 - 36)
Accommodation Budget in Masai Mara
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Masai Mara is $33 (KES4,792). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Masai Mara is $67 (KES9,585). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.


  • Accommodation1 Hotel or hostel for one person
    $33
    KES4,792
  • Accommodation1 Typical double-occupancy room
    $67
    KES9,585

Hotel Prices in Masai Mara

Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

 

Actual Hotel Prices
The average hotel room price in Masai Mara based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $535. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.


Recommended Properties


Transportation Budget in Masai Mara
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The cost of a taxi ride in Masai Mara is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $43 (KES6,143) per person, per day, on local transportation in Masai Mara.


  • Transportation1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    $43
    KES6,143


Flights to Masai Mara
How much does it cost to go to Masai Mara? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.

Rental Cars in Masai Mara
The price of renting a car in Masai Mara will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.



Food Budget in Masai Mara
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • While meal prices in Masai Mara can vary, the average cost of food in Masai Mara is $30 (KES4,272) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Masai Mara should cost around $12 (KES1,709) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Masai Mara is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.


  • Food2 Meals for one day
    $30
    KES4,272


Entertainment Budget in Masai Mara
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • Entertainment and activities in Masai Mara typically cost an average of $54 (KES7,814) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.


  • Entertainment1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    $54
    KES7,814


Alcohol Budget in Masai Mara
Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The average person spends about $24 (KES3,414) on alcoholic beverages in Masai Mara per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.


  • Alcohol2 Drinks for one day
    $24
    KES3,414


Masai Mara On a Budget
Masai Mara A Cheetah in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Masai Mara National Reserve is a beautiful, scenic, nature reserve in southwest Kenya, just west of the capital city, Nairobi. The reserve belongs to the Masai people and was created in order to protect the land and the people and animals living on it. Masai Mara is considered to be one of the best reserves in all of Africa, offering the quintessential African safari experience.

Masai Mara experiences the warmest weather in December and January, with temperatures averaging 85° Fahrenheit. June and July tend to be the coolest time of year, with temperatures in the 60's. The best times to visit are between July and October, when temperatures are fairly mild and it stays fairly dry.
Sights
As a natural reserve, Masai Mara's number one sight is wildlife viewing, also commonly referred to as "going on safari". Masai Mara is home to a wide variety of animals, including hippos, crocodiles, zebras, lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, and many more. To get the best chance at seeing all of these animals, plan multiple trips over a few days that go out in the morning, afternoon, and night.

There are three parks in total, each one with their own entrance fee which lasts for just 24 hours at a time. It is well worth looking for a lodge or camp site within in the reserve boundary as they will often include the daily park fee a daily tour fees in the accommodation price. Some tour companies also offer the park fee included in the price, but be sure to confirm this before heading out for the day. Otherwise, it is common to be provided accommodations in a "luxury camp" near one of the entrance gates for a very affordable price.
Conservancies
The Masai Mara Reserve is divided into multiple different conservancies, with accommodation options located in each one. Landscapes differ across the conservancies, allowing you to see a wide variety of animals throughout the reserve. The primary conservancies are:

The Mara Triangle makes up the north west part of the reserve, and while it is a little more off the beaten path, it offers incredible game viewing. That's because Mara limits the number of vehicles allowed in the area, meaning you get a more authentic experience on your game drive.

The North Conservancy is on the western part of the reserve and best known for offering some of the best night tours and occasional walking tours.

Lemek Conservancy is a more private conservancy settled in a scenic valley full of wildlife.

Olderikesi Wildlife Conservancy is in an interesting area as it borders the Serengeti, which results in incredible views and a wider range of ecosystems to explore.

Naboisho Conservancy which is a beautiful area on the eastern part of the reserve known for their lovely Acacia trees.

Activities
Although the main activity is game viewing, it doesn't mean you have to do it from the ground. Instead, take a hot air balloon ride at dawn to watch the stunning sun rise and see the animals from above.

While at the reserve, you can visit a Masai village near the Oloolaimutiek gate. The Masai people are very welcoming and happy to greet visitors. A visit to this village, or one of the other similar villages, is usually included in package Safari tours. The Masai people are known for their great hunting skills, their distinctive red Scottish plaid cloth, and their ability to jump quite high in the air.
Food and Dining
There is one restaurant in the reserve, called Isokon Restaurant, which is known for their plentiful options that are usually western inspired. Other food options are based on your accommodation; most camps and lodges offer a wide range of food options from western inspired to local flavors.

Transportation
You can take a flight from Nairobi or Mombasa to the Masai Mara Airport, a small airport located outside of the reserve. From the airport, you take a car ride to your accommodation. You can also take a 5-6 hour drive from Nairobi to the reserve and get in through one of the five entrance gates. Packaged tours will usually arrange all of your transportation for you, naturally.

Getting around is done only by vehicle, or hot air balloon for those not afraid of heights! It is actually forbidden to walk around outside of accommodation grounds due to the animals in the reserve. It is best to book your transport before arriving, which can be done through your accommodation or a travel agent.

Many small and local travel agencies in Nairobi can book you on a multi-day Safari trip for a very affordable price with only a few days notice. Sometimes it is possible to leave the same day if you book early in the morning and if a spot is available.

If you're looking for onward transportation down into Tanzania from Kenya, you have several options. Private tour buses are available, or you can take public transportation on smaller minibuses and shared taxis. For more information on this, read this great guide to crossing the Isebania border from Kenya to Tanzania.
Related
Looking for a hostel in Marrakesh, Cape Town, Nairobi, or Zanzibar?

We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.



1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.