Kenya
Masai Mara & Gorillas - Camping or Lodge Safari
Nov 7, 2026
Nov 21, 2026
Dec 5, 2026
Kenya Safari: Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Zanzibar
Into the Masai Mara at 6:30 through the pop-up roof, a break at camp at midday, and on day three the rhinos at Lake Nakuru. Five guided tours between 4 and 30 days, from 1,899 €, three of them ending on Zanzibar.
Kenya safaris.
5 trips through Kenya, guided in small groups: lodge, camping or overland. Every card names the length, the dates and the price.
Kenya
Overland truck trip through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya
Tanzania
Africa group trip: Ngorongoro Crater & Zanzibar Trek - camping or lodge safari
Nov 8, 2026
Nov 22, 2026
Dec 6, 2026
Dec 20, 2026
Kenya
East Africa Pure in a Journey
Nov 11, 2026
Nov 25, 2026
Dec 9, 2026
Dec 23, 2026
Kenya
A short trip through Kenya with Masai Mara
Nov 7, 2026
Nov 21, 2026
Dec 5, 2026
Dec 19, 2026
Country Profile
Kenya Safari: 270 km from Nairobi to the gate of the Masai Mara
The Masai Mara National Reserve measures 1,510 km², borders the Serengeti to the south with no fence between them and carries one of the highest lion densities in Africa. From July to October the wildebeest herds from the Serengeti stand at the Mara river and cross it. Lake Nakuru in the Rift Valley has been a national park since 1968, measures 188 km² and is the safest place in Kenya for white rhino and Rothschild giraffe. From Nairobi to the gate of the Mara it is 270 km, five to six hours, the last 80 km on gravel.
Five tours run from here: 4 days of Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru from 1,899 €, 10 days out of Nairobi with Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Zanzibar from 2,699 €, 15 days of Kenya and Uganda with gorilla trekking in Bwindi from 3,499 €, 14 days of Zanzibar, Tanzania and Kenya from 4,859 €, and 30 days in the truck from Johannesburg to Nairobi from 6,999 €. None of these five tours drives Amboseli or Tsavo, we plan the south on request.
You travel in a safari minibus with a pop-up roof or in a 4x4, and on the long routes in an overland truck with up to 20 seats. The guide speaks English. You sleep in a lodge, a fixed tented camp or your own tent, depending on the tour. The price covers guide and driver, vehicle, overnight stays, the meals listed in the itinerary, filtered drinking water and every national park entry fee. Flights, visa, drinks and tips come on top.
Joe Kuster
Founder & Lead Motorcycle Guide
Overcross® Tours
National parks in Kenya
Every park has its season and its animals. This is what awaits you where in Kenya.
Masai Mara
3 tripsHow you travel on this safari
In Kenya you travel in a safari minibus with a pop-up roof or in an open Land Cruiser, depending on the tour, six to eight guests per vehicle. The long tours run in a converted truck with up to 20 seats and change into 4x4s inside the parks. The guide speaks English, and the evening briefing explains the next day.
The 4-day tour into the Masai Mara sleeps in a lodge on the edge of the reserve, the longer tours alternate between lodge, tented camp and campsite. A tented camp is a fixed tent with a bed and its own shower, the middle ground between lodge and tent. On the truck tours you sleep in a two-person tent you pitch yourself, and the crew cooks.
Driving days are longer in Kenya than in Tanzania because the parks lie further apart: Nairobi to the Masai Mara is five to six hours, Masai Mara to Lake Nakuru another five. Inside a park you are out from sunrise to sunset, with a midday break at camp. Physically it asks for little, only patience and an early alarm.
Who it suits
The 4-day tour suits everyone, including a first safari. The truck tours of 14 to 30 days are for guests who sleep in a tent and lend a hand.
Where you sleep
Lodge on the edge of the Masai Mara, tented camp with a bed and its own shower, and on the truck tours a two-person tent with a mattress.
Vehicle and legs
Safari minibus or Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, 6 to 8 guests. Driving days 5 to 6 hours, game drives 6 to 8 hours.
A day on safari
Game drive 6:30 to 10:00, breakfast, break at camp, second drive 15:30 to 18:30, dinner at 19:00, briefing for the next day.
Regions and parks
Safari regions in Kenya
From the grass plains of the Masai Mara over the rhinos at Lake Nakuru to the beaches of Zanzibar: here is which regions you can see together on a Kenya safari.
Masai Mara
Masai Mara: the highest lion density in Kenya
The reserve measures 1,510 km² and runs into the Serengeti with no fence between them. From July to October the wildebeest herds stand at the Mara river and cross it, in January and February it is dry and far emptier. Three of our five tours drive the Mara, the shortest one with two full game-drive days.
To the park: Masai MaraTours where you can visit this area
Discover Kenya on a lodge safari Camping Lodge Safari in Kenya Kenya and Tanzania round trips & adventure trips
Lake Nakuru
Lake Nakuru: rhinos in the Rift Valley
The park around the soda lake measures 188 km², has been a national park since 1968 and is fenced all the way round, which is why both white and black rhino stand here. Rothschild giraffe, flamingos and pelicans are at the shore. From the Masai Mara it is around five hours drive. The same three tours that drive the Mara also stop at Nakuru.
Tours where you can visit this area
Discover Kenya on a lodge safari Camping Lodge Safari in Kenya Kenya and Tanzania round trips & adventure trips
Amboseli and Tsavo
Amboseli and Tsavo: the south below Kilimanjaro
Amboseli National Park lies 240 km south of Nairobi, measures 392 km² and shows elephant herds in front of Kilimanjaro at 5,895 metres. Tsavo East and Tsavo West together come to over 20,000 km². None of our five Kenya tours drives there, we plan the south on request as a separate safari.
Serengeti and Ngorongoro
Serengeti and Ngorongoro: across the border into Tanzania
Three of our five tours join Kenya to the north of Tanzania. The Serengeti measures 14,763 km², the Ngorongoro crater carries around 25,000 large mammals on 260 km² of crater floor, 600 metres below the rim. The 14-day tour drives Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru on one route.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar: the Indian Ocean after the savanna
The island lies 40 km off Dar es Salaam, and Stone Town has been World Heritage since 2000. Three of our five tours have Zanzibar in the programme, with Stone Town, a spice tour and beach days in Nungwi. The ferry from Dar es Salaam takes 2 hours. Since 2024 Zanzibar requires its own travel insurance of 44 US dollars.
What guests say and what we write
Other safari countries, other animals
7 more countries our safaris travel through. Every card opens the country page with all trips, parks and dates.
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6 tours
Tanzania safari
Serengeti and Ngorongoro, the great migration Safaris in Tanzania -
5 tours
Namibia safari
Etosha, Sossusvlei and the gravel roads of the Namib Safaris in Namibia -
13 tours
South Africa safari
Kruger, the Garden Route and the Cape Safaris in South Africa -
5 tours
Botswana safari
Okavango Delta and Chobe, by boat and by 4x4 Safaris in Botswana -
4 tours
Uganda safari
Mountain gorillas in Bwindi, chimpanzees in Kibale Safaris in Uganda -
2 tours
Zambia safari
Walking safaris in South Luangwa, camp by the river Safaris in Zambia -
4 tours
Zimbabwe safari
Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mana Pools Safaris in Zimbabwe
Talk to us
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Booking questions
Will I see the Big Five in Kenya?
Lion, elephant and buffalo stand in the Masai Mara, white and black rhino at Lake Nakuru, and the leopard is the hard one everywhere. If you drive the Mara and Nakuru on one tour you have all five within reach, though none of them can be guaranteed. Three of our five tours drive both parks.
Which parks do I see on a Kenya safari?
Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru on three of the five tours, plus Nairobi National Park on the shortest one. If you carry on into Tanzania you see the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro crater. Amboseli and Tsavo are on none of these five tours, we plan those on request as a separate safari.
Can I combine the Kenya safari with Zanzibar?
Yes. Three of our five tours start or end on Zanzibar, with Stone Town, a spice tour and beach days in Nungwi. If you book a tour without Zanzibar we add the island as an extension and book the hotel and the flight. Since 2024 Zanzibar requires its own travel insurance of 44 US dollars.
How many days do I need for a Kenya safari?
Four days are enough for the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru, which is our shortest tour. Ten to fifteen days add Tanzania or Uganda, and thirty days run from Johannesburg to Nairobi. Under four days the drive from the airport to the parks is not worth it.
When is the best time for a Kenya safari?
July to October, when the wildebeest herds stand in the Masai Mara and cross the river. That is also the busiest window. January and February are dry and quieter. April and May bring the long rains, the tracks turn soft and prices are at their lowest. Lake Nakuru is driveable all year round.
Do I need a visa and vaccinations for Kenya?
Yes to the visa: since 2024 it is an eTA applied for online before departure, around 30 US dollars, and the passport must be valid for 6 months. Yellow fever only if you arrive from a yellow fever area, malaria prophylaxis recommended. Write to us and we send you the current requirements for your passport.
How far is it from Nairobi to the Masai Mara?
270 km, five to six hours by vehicle, the last 80 km on gravel. You can also fly it in 45 minutes in a bush plane, which we book on request. Our tours drive it, because the way through the Rift Valley is part of the safari.
Can I combine Kenya with Tanzania?
Yes, three of our five tours do. The 10-day tour starts in Nairobi, crosses the border and drives Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Zanzibar. The 14-day tour begins on Zanzibar and ends in Kenya over the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru. The 30-day tour comes up from Johannesburg. The Tanzanian visa costs 50 US dollars and is issued at the border.
Lodge or camping: which one suits me?
Lodge means a bed, a shower and dinner at a table. Camping means a tent with a mattress, a crew that cooks and noises within earshot. On the 30-day tour the tent version costs 6,899 € and the hotel version 7,799 €, a difference of 900 €. For a first safari we suggest the lodge.
How big is the group in Kenya?
Up to 20 guests, the group runs from 4 people, and from 6 on the 14-day tour. Inside the parks you change into 4x4 safari vehicles, where six to eight guests sit per car, everyone at a window. The guide drives and explains, and the briefing for the next day is in the evening.
What is included in the price?
Guide and driver, vehicle, overnight stays, the meals listed in the itinerary, filtered drinking water and every national park entry fee. The 4-day tour costs from 1,899 €, the 30-day tour from 6,999 €. Flights, visa, travel health insurance, drinks and tips are not included.
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