Masai Mara Safari Packages from Nairobi

Nairobi Is the Gateway — Here's How to Use It

Whether you land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, arrive on the SGR train from the coast, or are already staying in the city, virtually every Maasai Mara itinerary funnels through Nairobi. The reserve sits roughly 250 km to the south-west, and there are only two sensible ways to cover that distance: drive it in 5–6 hours via the Great Rift Valley and Narok, or fly it in 45–60 minutes from Wilson Airport, the small domestic airfield on the city's south side.

That single choice — road or air — shapes everything else about your safari: the price, the departure time, the luggage rules, even which camps make sense. This page lays out the options honestly so you can route yourself to the right package rather than guessing.

JKIA handles international arrivals, while Wilson serves most scheduled Mara flights.

The two airports sit on different sides of the city and require a road transfer.

SGR passengers arrive at Nairobi Terminus near the airport corridor.

An overnight city stay is sensible when arrival times leave little connection margin.

How Departure Day Works

Road safaris pick up from Nairobi hotels between 7:00 and 8:00 am. The early start is deliberate: leaving before rush hour clears the city quickly and puts you at your Mara camp in time for lunch and a proper afternoon game drive. Your driver-guide confirms the pickup time the evening before, collects each traveller in turn, and the vehicle you board in Nairobi is the same one you'll use for every game drive.

Airport pickups work in both directions. If your international flight lands at Jomo Kenyatta by early morning, we can collect you airside-adjacent and fold you into a departing safari the same day. Flights landing mid-morning or later don't connect comfortably — in that case we strongly suggest arriving the night before, sleeping off the jet lag, and starting fresh. On the return leg, road safaris reach Nairobi between 4:00 and 6:00 pm, which connects to evening international departures.

Fly-in guests transfer to Wilson Airport (not Jomo Kenyatta — allow 45 minutes between the two by taxi) for morning departures to the Mara's airstrips. A camp vehicle meets the aircraft, and your first game drive is effectively the transfer to camp.

Westlands, Kilimani, Upper Hill and central hotels commonly fall within collection routes.

Properties near JKIA may need earlier pickup or a separate feeder transfer.

Keep your phone available because traffic can shift the driver's arrival time.

Confirmed flight numbers help the team monitor delays and adjust airport collection.

When to Leave Nairobi

The Mara rewards visitors year-round, but the calendar changes what you'll pay and what you'll see. July to October is migration season: the wildebeest herds are in the reserve, river crossings are possible, and demand peaks — book camps and flights well ahead, and expect the $200/day park fee. January and February bring dry weather, short grass and superb resident predator viewing at the $100/day fee. March to May is the long-rains green season: the cheapest months of the year, lush scenery, and fewer vehicles at sightings — but insist on a 4x4 Land Cruiser rather than a van, because the black-cotton roads around Narok turn treacherous when wet. November sees short rains and similar advice applies.

If your dates are flexible, June is a quiet sweet spot: dry roads, low-season park fees, and the reserve filling with game just before the migration arrives.

River crossings follow rainfall and herd movement, so no exact date guarantees one.

Resident lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and antelope support year-round wildlife viewing.