How to Reach Masai Mara
How to Go to Masai Mara: Travel from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara Reserve. Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city, is the gateway to the Masai Mara National Reserve, and most Masai Mara safaris depart from here. This city also has Kenya’s main international airport, “Jomo Kenyatta International Airport,” which handles the majority of international flights into and out of Kenya.

The Masai Mara national reserve is about 225 kilometers (140 kilometers) from Nairobi city, however the mileage varies depending on which entrance gate you want to use while approaching the reserve. One of the most often asked questions by visitors and travelers is how long it takes to drive from Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve. The journey from Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve takes around 6 hours, including a couple of small pauses. The closest access gate in the Mara is 6 hours away by car.

The western Masai Mara entrance gates, such as Musiara or Oloololo, take around 30 minutes longer to reach by taking an alternative route that heads west onto the B3 highway towards Bomet soon after reaching Narok Town. Some road conditions are bad, with the last 75 kilometers to the reserve being on a rough dirt road.

Another way to travel to Masai Mara National Reserve is to fly; flights to Masai Mara’s many airstrips take around an hour from Wilson Airport.

Below is information on how to go to Masai Mara by car and air from Nairobi.

FROM NAIROBI TO MASAI MARA BY ROAD

The road is presently tarred all the way from Nairobi to the Masai Mara’s Sekenani Gate, making it the most popular method of travel to go to the Masai Mara national reserve. The distance from Nairobi City to Masai Mara varies from 225 kilometers (140 miles) to 275 kilometers (170 miles) depending on the entry gate or entry point you use to access the reserve such as Sekanani, Talek, and Ololaomutia and approximately 6 to 6.5 hours from Musiara o (Narok county side but on the Western side) and Oloololo gate which is closer to the Masai Mara conservancy and the Mara Triangle. This tour includes two quick en route stops in the tiny town of Narok for fuel and a restroom break.

How to Go to Masai Mara Game Drives in Maasai Mara Road from Nairobi to Masai Mara

To go from Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve, take the A104 Highway out of town and onto the B3 shortly before the Limuru intersection. If you are departing from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, use the southern bypass to A104 in Kikuyu Town to avoid city traffic. Once in Narok, follow the C12 road to the Sekenani, Talek, and Ololaomutia gates, or the C13 route to the Musiara and Olololo gates, as well as Rianta Town. Since the later route is more difficult, 4X4 vehicles are the best alternative.

ESTIMATED TIME TO GET TO MASAI MARA

ROUTE ESTIMATED DRIVING HOURS
From Nairobi to the Maasai Mara (Sekanani Gate)
Nairobi to Masai Mara takes between 5.5 and 6 hours (Talek Gate)
Nairobi to Masai Mara takes between 5.5 and 6 hours (Oloolaimutia Gate)
Nairobi to Masai Mara takes 6 hours (Musiara Gate)
Nairobi to Masai Mara takes 6.5 hours (Oloololo Gate)
Road Conditions: 6.5 hours

The road conditions from Nairobi City to Masai Mara are frequently asked questions by prospective clients planning their Masai Mara safari. The majority of the route used to get to Masai Mara is actually a tarred road beginning with highway A104, B3, and finally C12, with the exception of a one-hour section. The tarmac section of this road, however, is in poor shape in certain spots, including a few stretches with potholes, while the unpaved alternative may be rough and dusty, adding to the thrill of reaching the vast African wilderness.

Maasai Mara Safari Vehicles

A safari vehicle to employ for a Masai Mara safari plays an important part in your experience. There are two main kinds of vehicles usually used for safaris in Kenya and East Africa in general in Masai Mara. Safari Tour Minibuses (Tour Vans) and 4X4 Safari Jeeps (Toyota Land Cruiser or, less usually, Landrover vehicles) feature built-in, pop-up game viewing roof hatches that are opened during game drives in the reserve. There are also UHF radio calls and cooler cases, and the Tour Vans are far less expensive than the 4X4 wheel drive safari jeeps. It should be noted that certain tour vans have 4×4 capabilities, but without the ground clearance or off-road ability of a land cruiser. Both of these vehicles normally accommodate a maximum of seven persons, with six being optimal and eight being the top limit with an additional seat installed. It should also be noted that luggage limitations apply.

AIRFARE TO MASAI MARA

There are various airlines that fly from Nairobi’s Wilson airport to several airstrips servicing the Masai Mara national reserve, with one-way flights lasting roughly one hour. The same jet frequently returns to Nairobi after dropping or picking up people from a variety of airstrips in Masai Mara.

Wilson Airport, rather than Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, serves as the departure point for all domestic and chartered flights from Nairobi to the Masai Mara National Reserve (JKIA). On the day of your travel, you should be at the airport around 45 minutes before departure. These flights are offered by two major airlines, Air Kenya and Safarilink, as well as a new airline, Governors Aviation.

How to Reach Masai Mara
Kenya Airways
Schedule of flights to Masai Mara

The kind of flight

Time of departure from Nairobi

Masai Mara arrival time
Flight from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Return flight 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
3pm-4pm afternoon flight
Afternoon return flight 4pm 5pm
MASAI MARA AIRSTRIPS

The Masai Mara National Reserve is served by a dozen airstrips located within the reserve and surrounding game ranches and conservancies. These airstrips are spread out in different areas of the reserve and are able to serve several lodges and campsites that are located close to each other to reduce transfer time from the airstrip to the hotel. The Maasai Mara National Reserve has many airstrips.

Keekorok Airport
Serena airport Musiara airstrip Ol Kiombo airstrip Siana airstrip Airstrip\sNgerende Airstrips Ol Seki and Olare Orok Airstrip\sAngama Airstrip
Flights to the Masai Mara national reserve are operated by a variety of aircraft, including propeller planes with seating capacity ranging from 40 seats for DeHavilland Dash 7 and 8 aircraft to 13 seats for Cessna Caravans.

Passengers are restricted to 15 kilograms of carry-on and check-in baggage combined during flights.