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Self Driving Around Masai Mara

Can I Self Drive in Masai Mara? Self Driving in Masai Mara has been been banned by Park authorities since 2024 June. Self Drive Kenya can help you set up a driver guide in the Masai Mara. Our contact persons in Masai Mara have experienced and friendly driver-guides Africa who can add even more enjoyment to your Masai Mara safari adventure. They will make sure everything goes without a hitch, tell you stories about the Masai Mara, and assist you in spotting wildlife.

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We will set up a ranger through our contact person at the Masai Mara National Reserve office if you only require a driver-guide for your visit to Masai Mara and not for the whole of your road trip in Kenya. This comes to roughly $40 USD a day. Simply inform us, and we will be pleased to assist.

Masai Mara Fee and how to get the entry permits

When you get to the gate, you may easily purchase your permits for the Masai Mara using Visa, Mastercard, or M-Pesa (mobile money). Your single-entry day permit is valid from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m, if you are staying outside the Reserve. You must depart the Reserve by 10 a.m if you plan to spend the night there. There is an additional fee if you leave after this time.

The Masai Mara has a low-season rate from January to June at $100 and a high-season rate from July to December at $200, which is helpful to know. A summary of the fees can be found on our national park page.

The time it takes to get to the Masai Mara and the state of the roads

Nairobi – Narok: on a smooth asphalt road, It takes about four hours to go from Nairobi to Narok-the gateway town to the Mara Reserve.

Narok to Sekenani Gate, the Mara Reserve’s major entrance: Give yourself two hours. The fully tarmacked C12 route is the one that is advised. Even though Google Maps recommends the C11, stay away from it because it’s bumpy, can harm your car, and takes a long time to get there. Turn left at the Maji Moto signpost on the C12 if you wish to visit Maji Moto Eco Camp.

The C13 Route takes you to Musiara & Talek Gates (Masai Mara National Reserve) and Oloololo Gate (Mara Triangle). The road is in bad shape, and the trip takes around seven hours. Stay away from this path.

Best Time To Visit Masai Mara National Reserve

All year round, the Masai Mara provides excellent Wildlife watching. The best time to visit the Masai Mara will depend on your preferences, such as a wilderness experience or the migration of wildebeests. You’ll be guided by your preferences throughout the seasons:

Peak Season (mid-June to September): The popular wildebeest migration falls during this time, making it the Mara’s peak season.Even while it can be fascinating to see millions of wildebeests, the region attracts a significant amount of travelers. The Reserve is crowded with innumerable safari vehicles, and mobile camps close to the river get pricey. Furthermore, although we can appreciate the desire to record memorable moments—like a crocodile capturing a wildebeest—it is extremely unpredictable and impossible to schedule such an event during your stay.

High Season: October through February is the Mara’s busiest time of year, with plenty of wildlife and a constant stream of tourists.

Low Season (March to May): Get ready to get trapped in the mud because this is the season with the heaviest rainfall. But for the independent traveler, this time of year offers a great chance to see the Mara with less visitors and better wildlife viewing. During this period, the Masai Mara’s lodges lower their prices and require fewer reservations in advance, and the surrounding area becomes gorgeously verdant.As previously said, it’s helpful to be aware that the Masai Mara charges twice as much during the peak season (July to December) as it does during the low season (January to June).

Notably, the Mara Triangle—particularly its western section—sees the fewest tourists, increasing the likelihood of a more secluded and tranquil wildlife encounter.

Does Masai Mara have campsites?

The Masai Mara offers a unique bush camping experience. The Masai Mara Triangle has three public campsites: Iseiya, Eluai, and Oloololo. These public campsites don’t require reservations in advance.

The Mara Reserve does not have any public campsites. You ought to go to Talek, Oloololo Gate, or Sekenani.

“The Mara Triangle offers very remarkable camping experiences. Oloololo has restrooms, showers, and a small cooking area, but Eluai has none. Everyone is eager to share game information, and the rangers are exceptionally friendly.

Inquiring about camping in Kenya? For everything you need to know about camping equipment, campgrounds, and tent options, Contact Us

Where in the Masai Mara can I find fuel?

Getting gasoline is crucial while going on a self-safari in the Masai Mara. The choices are as follows:

Narok Town: Narok Town is home to the closest Shell and Total gas stations.

Talek and Sekenani Gate: There are smaller, more expensive refueling stations at Talek and Sekenani Gate.

Inside the Masai Mara Reserve: The Sarova Mara Lodge and Serena Hotel are additional locations where fuel is available.

Self Drive Kenya Land Cruisers offers an amazing action radius of 700 km for a stress-free safari adventure. You can enjoy several game driving without worrying about running out of fuel if you refill at Narok Town.

Can I get to the Serengeti from the Masai Mara?

Are you interested in going to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania? Despite belonging to the same habitat, the Masai Mara and the Serengeti are divided by a geographical border. You must drive around both parks utilizing the Namanga, Isabania, or Oloitokitok borders in order to enter the Serengeti. Your trip is extended by at least one and a half days due to this detour. In addition, trade restrictions designed to safeguard each nation’s safari sector forbid cars with Kenyan license plates from entering Tanzania’s national parks.

This implies that you will not be permitted to enter Tanzania’s national parks if you are traveling from Kenya in a 4×4. The opposite is also true: You are unable to enter Kenya National parks in our Kenyan-registered tourist vehicle, so we offer Ugandan Registered Vehicles. This is because the two nations continue to have trade disagreements.