Is Masai Mara in Nairobi?

Having lived in Kenya my whole life, I am intimately acquainted with the geography of our beautiful country. However, a question that a few of my foreign friends tend to ask is whether the Masai Mara is located in Nairobi.  For those who have never made the trip from our nation’s Capital to the Masai Mara, the answer to this question is sometimes confusing since the two locations are sometimes treated synonymously. So in this post, I seek to answer the question, is Masai Mara in Nairobi?

Although Masai Mara is located within Kenya, it is located about 188Miles from Nairobi, Kenya’s Capital City. This is about a 6 hours drive or a 45-minute flight from Nairobi. In this article, I will break down the dynamics of travelling from Nairobi to the Mara and the alternatives if the distance is too long.

How far is Masai Mara from Nairobi

The Maasai Mara is 188 Miles from Nairobi. It is about a 6-hour drive and its a 45-minute flight from Wilson Airport in Nairobi. This match comes as a shock to anyone who thinks that it’s just a short drive from where international flights land.

The distance from Nairobi to the Mara means that you will need to factor a whole day of driving through the Kenyan countryside in order to access the park.

If you’re strapped for time and would not want to drive, you have a number of options:

1. Fly to the Mara ( usually expensive)
2. Visit a National park closer to Nairobi. These include:
   • Nairobi National Park (A few minutes drive from the Central Business District)
   • Hells Gate National Park (71 Miles)
   • Lake Nakuru National Park (105 Miles from Nairobi)

The fastest way of getting from Nairobi to the Masai Mara

The fastest way to get to the MaasaiMara is by flying there. The flight is usually in a light aircraft and it takes around 45 minutes to get there. At the time of writing this article, there are 5 flights to the Maasai Mara daily: two in the morning and 3 in the afternoon.

The cost of flying to the Mara depends on the season. Fares are usually higher in the high season when there  is higher demand. Below is a Pricing table from AirKenya.com

Fares	Low season	High Season	Tax
One-way	$189	$217	$29 from Wilson $25 from Mara
Return	$315	$361	$34

The most fun way of getting to the Masai Mara from Nairobi

The most fun way of getting to the Mara is going by road then returning by plane. This allows you to take in the sights and sounds of both means and provides the most comprehensive view of the Kenyan landscape.

When driving there, you will generally travel on a tour van that is made to endure the rough terrain that you will drive through as you approach the Mara. The road after Narok Town (which is about halfway to the Mara) is really bad and bumpy. You will need to prepare for this but I would argue that this is part of what makes this the “fun” option.

Cheap ways of getting to the Masai Mara from Nairobi

The cheapest way to get to the Mara as a tourist is to drive there using a van provided by one of the tour operators. This

You may have thought of driving there yourself using a hired vehicle. This is a bad idea for a number of reasons.

1. Kenyan roads are crazy and you need to have some experience on Kenyan roads before taking on such a long journey.
2. The vehicle you get may not be suited for the rough drive from Narok and you will probably break something on the way.
3. Having a local driver is a wonderful part of the drive. They have a lot of local knowledge and will guide you on some of the best places to make stops and will also explain some cultural nuances that you will not get to know about if you drove yourself.

When booking the transport you will use when going to the Mara, make sure that you do it through a company that have their own vehicles. Sometimes, you may be dealing with an agency that passes you on to another operator after you have paid them and this may result in a poor experience and you might end up paying more for your drive.

The drive usually costs anywhere between $80 to $120 per person per day. However, the costs vary depending on the tour operator and the time of year so be sure to get the exact prices though contacting a number of operators.

Is travelling to the Masai Mara to Nairobi safe

The road to the Mara is safe for torrists. The only security incidences that occur on this road are occasional demonstrations on the road between Narok and Mai Mahiu by disgruntled locals. The demonstrations sometimes involve blockading the road but they rarely become violent. The blockades sometimes cause heavy traffic but it usually clears up after a few hours. I got caught in one of these blockades and we spent about 2 hours held up on the road but no one was hurt in the incident.

The other security concern you should have is the possibility of an accident along a few of the perilous sections of the Nairobi to Narok road. However, with most tour van drivers being very careful and experienced drivers, this should not be a big fear for you.

Do I need any visa or travel documents when going to the Masai Mara from Nairobi

The Maasai Mara is within Kenya and one you get a tourist visa when you enter Kenya, you will have unrestricted access to the Mara. Gaining entry into the bordering Serengeti National Park will be more problematic since it is in a different country: Tanzania. To get to the Serengeti, you will have to go back to Nairobi, Travel to Arusha in Tanzania then drive to the Serengeti. And this is to visit a park that is just a few miles from the Maasai Mara.

What National parks are nearest to Nairobi

If the Maasai Mara is far away, You may want to consider visiting the following National parks that are located closer to Nairobi

Nairobi National Park ( Within Nairobi)

This park is just a few minutes drive from the Central Business District and it offers a wide variety of wild animals and an animal orphanage that allows you to get closer glimpses of the animals in a “zoo” like environment.

The Animals Found there are:

• Black rhinoceros
• Lion
• Leopard
• Cheetah
• Hyena
• African buffalo
• Giraffe

Hells Gate National Park (71 Miles from Nairobi)

Hells Gate is located about 2 hours from Nairobi in Naivasha town. This is the first town you will find once you descend into the Rift Valley. This park offers you an opportunity to take a hike on the gorge with beautifully carved rock faces. The park also has bikes that you can rent for the day and ride around the park.

In addition to this, you will get to stop at one of the escarpment viewpoints on your way to the Park that allows you to enjoy a panoramic view of the Rift Valley.

The animals that you will find there are:

• African buffalo
• Zebra
• Common eland
• Hartebeest
• Thomson’s gazelle
• Baboons

Lake Nakuru National Park (105 Miles from Nairobi)

A bit further from Nairobi than the Hells Gate National Park, Nakuru national park is popular for its Flamingos. It also has a wide range of animals and provides a unique experience to other National parks in Kenya.