Safari from Nairobi: Masai Mara, Amboseli and More, Booked from Where You Are
Updated November 2026 · by Safari Broker, an independent safari research service
You can start a safari straight from Nairobi: a half-day in Nairobi National Park, 1 to 3 days to the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru or Naivasha, or a longer combination, by road or on a scheduled flight from Wilson Airport. Short notice works best by comparing several quotes at once.
Where you can go from Nairobi
| Trip length | Where | Getting there |
|---|---|---|
| Half day | Nairobi National Park game drive | Starts and ends in Nairobi |
| 1-3 days | Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Hell's Gate and Lake Naivasha | By road with a 4x4; Mara and Amboseli also have scheduled flights from Wilson Airport |
| 4+ days | Combos: Mara + Amboseli, Mara + Nakuru/Naivasha, or Mara + Serengeti (Tanzania) | Road, flights or both; more days in the park, fewer on the road |
No drive times shown.
Drive or fly in
By road
- Your 4x4 and guide from the hotel
- More time in the vehicle, so check days in the park vs on the road
- Fits Mara, Amboseli, Nakuru, Naivasha
By scheduled flight
- From Wilson Airport to Mara airstrips
- More time in the park, higher cost, baggage limits: ask
- Mara and Amboseli have scheduled flights
Private or shared?
Private
Your own vehicle and guide, your pace and start time. Costs more per person.
Shared (group-join)
Seats in a vehicle with other travelers on set dates. Usually cheaper per person, less flexible.
What to check in a quote
Park fees included?
Written as a line, per person per day, for the right park or reserve.
Vehicle type
A 4x4 with a pop-up roof for viewing, and how many people per vehicle.
Days in park vs on road
A 3-day trip with a long drive each way leaves less time with animals.
Private or shared
Ask which one the price is for.
Lodge or camp named
The property and room type, not just a category.
Pickup point and times
Your Nairobi hotel or the airport; return time.
Fees: check the Mara Conservancy (Mara Triangle) and the Kenya Wildlife Service for the current figures. We state none because we could not verify them today.
Short notice? Compare quotes in days
You tell us dates and group
A 2-minute form.
We contact 3-10 vetted operators
Same trip, same dates.
You get a top-3 within 3 days
Express, $99. Standard is $49.
Want a licensed Kenyan operator? Ask for proof of licence and check association membership, for example with KATO. How to compare prices: African safari cost in East Africa and our 5 real Tanzania safari quotes. Going on to Tanzania? See how to choose a Tanzania safari operator.
FAQ
Can I book a safari from Nairobi when I am already in Kenya?
Yes. Operators run safaris that start in Nairobi, usually with a hotel pickup. The question is how much notice they need, which depends on lodge availability for your dates. Our Express option ($99) sends you a full recommendation within 3 days.
How do I get from Nairobi to the Masai Mara?
By road, with a 4x4 vehicle (the Mara Conservancy says any 4x4 suits and the road is tarmac from Narok to Sekenani gate), or by scheduled flight from Wilson Airport (the Mara Conservancy lists airlines with daily flights to the Mara). We do not publish a drive time because we could not source one: ask each operator for the road time in the quote.
What is the nearest safari to Nairobi?
Nairobi National Park is the game-drive option from the city itself, and AirKenya describes Amboseli as just outside Nairobi. We publish no distances or fees for them: check the Kenya Wildlife Service and Magical Kenya for current park information.
Is a private or a shared safari better?
A private safari gives you your own vehicle and guide and sets the pace. A shared (group-join) safari puts several travelers in one vehicle and usually costs less per person but has fixed departure dates and itinerary. Ask which one a quote is.
Are park fees included in a Nairobi safari quote?
They should be listed explicitly. In the Tanzania quotes we collected, park fees were included in all five. Kenya is no different in principle: ask for a line-by-line quote, and check the fee against the official source.
How much does a safari from Nairobi cost?
We have no real Kenya quotes to publish yet, so we state no price. Our Tanzania data is on the Tanzania safari cost page. Request Kenya quotes for your dates and you get several itemised prices side by side.
Get 3-10 competing quotes for your dates
Flat fee, no operator commissions. You book the operator directly.
Keep reading
- Tanzania safari costHow much is a safari in Tanzania? Five real operator quotes for the same 7-day trip, park fees from official tariffs, and what drives the price.
- African safari costHow much is an African safari? East Africa cost drivers for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, official fees with sources, and how not to overpay.
- Gorilla trekking: Rwanda vs UgandaRwanda gorilla permit $1,500 vs Uganda $800: parks, rules, minimum age, habituation and how to book, from the official tariffs. Plus Kibale chimp tracking.
- Best safari operators in Tanzania: how to chooseHow to choose a Tanzania safari company: licence and association checks, red flags, questions to ask, and what five real quotes for one trip showed.
- Example safari comparison reportWhat you receive for the flat fee.
- Safari Broker pricing: $49 or $99Standard or express research.
Sources
- Mara Conservancy - Conservation Fees (Mara Triangle, Masai Mara)Mara Triangle fees are paid according to where visitors stay; the 12-hour park entry ticket is valid 6:00 am to 6:00 pm; payment is cashless (M-pesa and card). The fee amounts were not readable in the page text we fetched, so we state no Mara fee. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
- Mara Conservancy - Driving to the Mara TriangleThe road is tarmacked from Narok to Sekenani gate; any 4x4 is suited; vehicle fees are valid for 12 hours. No journey time is given, so we state none. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
- Mara Conservancy - Flying to the MaraLists commercial airlines with daily scheduled flights to the Mara (Air Kenya, Safarilink, Fly540, Mombasa Air Services, Aeronav, Boskovic Air Charters). Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
- AirKenya - FAQAirKenya operates from its own terminal at Wilson Airport (WAP), Nairobi, and flies to the Maasai Mara and Amboseli among other destinations. Airline source, not a government one. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
- AirKenya - AmboseliDescribes Amboseli National Park as an elephant sanctuary just outside Nairobi, with views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
- Kenya Wildlife Service (park fees and park pages)Official site, but it did not load securely for us today (certificate error), so we state no Nairobi National Park, Amboseli, Nakuru or Hell's Gate fee. Check it directly. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
- Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board)Official tourism board site. It blocked our automatic fetch today, so we use it only as a link for current park information, not for any figure. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
- KATO - Kenya Association of Tour OperatorsKenya's tour operator association (official site). Accessed 13 Nov 2026.
- Safari Broker - Express optionOur own offer: Standard $49, Express $99 with the full recommendation within 3 days. Accessed 13 Nov 2026.