Kenya Safari Tours from Nairobi: 1 to 14 Days, With Prices

Entice Africa October 9, 2026Safari Packages | Booking | Entice Business Insights

Kenya safari tours from Nairobi can be as short as one day or as long as two weeks, and every one in this guide starts and ends in the city: a one-day Nairobi excursion from USD 340 per person, a 3-day Maasai Mara safari from USD 1,420 per person, a 10-day circuit through Samburu and the Mara from USD 5,100 per person, or two weeks that finish on the beach. Each is private, with your own 4×4 and driver-guide, and prices depend on season, group size and lodge choice.

Nairobi makes a practical base. International flights land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the Maasai Mara is a 5 to 6 hour drive or about an hour by scheduled flight, and several wildlife and cultural outings fit into a single day. Entice Africa Safaris is based here too, so every trip below leaves from Nairobi.

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At a glance

Day tours from Nairobi: one day, back at your hotel that evening

A day tour is the easiest first look at Kenyan wildlife, and it suits the day before or after a long flight. Nairobi National Park, run by the Kenya Wildlife Service, covers 117 square kilometers (about 45 square miles) at the edge of the city. Four of the Big Five live there, including lions and black rhino; elephants are the exception.

For elephants, visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust nursery, which opens to the public for one hour a day, 11 am to noon, by advance booking only.

The from-prices are the lower, larger-group rates, so one or two travelers pay more per person, and lunch is extra on the Nairobi excursion.

Short safaris: 3 to 5 days in the Maasai Mara

The Maasai Mara (also written Masai Mara) is Kenya’s best-known reserve, with big cats on open grassland and the wildebeest migration in season. Two nights is the shortest stay that lets it show what it does.

3 days: a first look at the Mara

Three days means two nights inside the reserve: an afternoon game drive on arrival, a full day on the plains with a packed lunch, and a morning in a Maasai village before the drive back to Nairobi. Days one and three each include the 5 to 6 hour road, so only the middle day is spent entirely on the plains. The Mara’s resident lions, cheetahs and elephants stay put all year; a leopard takes patience and luck, and no guide can promise a sighting.

5 days: three full days in the reserve

Five days gives you four nights and three full days out, enough to follow the herds instead of sampling them. Our 5-day Masai Mara migration safari is timed for the wildebeest, which are usually in the Mara from about July to October. Its from-price is the April to June rate, and July to October costs more.

The road, honestly

The drive is about 260 km (160 miles) and takes 5 to 6 hours with a break: mostly tarmac, then a short, bumpy track into camp. Scheduled light aircraft fly from Wilson Airport, Nairobi’s domestic airfield, and Safarilink’s published schedule lists its Mara flights at about an hour. Rhino are hard to find in the Mara. If rhino matter to you, add Lake Nakuru National Park, where black and white rhino are far easier to find.

Longer safaris: 7, 10 and 14 days from Nairobi

7 days: Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli

Our 7-day route spends three nights in the Mara, one at Lake Nakuru for flamingos and rhino, and two at Amboseli, where elephants cross the plains with Kilimanjaro behind them on a clear morning. For a day-by-day look at the same three areas, including where flying between them saves time, read our 7-day Kenya safari itinerary.

10 days: Samburu to the Mara

Our 10-day route builds up to the Mara. Samburu, in the dry north, has reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra and gerenuk that do not live in the Mara. Rhino at Ol Pejeta and Lake Nakuru, then three nights in the Mara, follow. No driving day is longer than about six and a half hours. Camps, costs and the day-by-day detail are in our 10 days in Kenya itinerary.

14 days: bush, then beach

Two weeks takes one private vehicle on a loop through the Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli and Tsavo. It ends with three nights on Diani Beach on the Indian Ocean and a short flight back to Nairobi. Driving days run from four to seven hours, and we can fly some legs or add nights if that is too much. The route is our 14-Day Kenya Safari and Diani Beach holiday.

Which length is right? Compare by days and price

A longer trip can show a lower from-price than a shorter one, as the 10-day does against the 7-day. Each from-price is a published starting rate for one season, lodge level and room-sharing arrangement, not an average, so the figures are not like-for-like. To compare fairly, ask for quotes for the same dates and the same lodge level.

Best months, what moves the price and what is included

The Mara has big cats in every month. Mara lodges such as Governors’ Camp describe the migration arriving in July and gathering for the river crossings in August, but the herds follow the rains, so nobody can promise a crossing on a given day. April and May bring the long rains: the fewest visitors and our lowest prices, with afternoon showers, and a few camps close for part of the season.

Four things move the price: the season, the group size (the per-person rate falls as the vehicle fills), the lodge level from budget to luxury, and whether you fly any legs.

What the price includes

On our multi-day trips the price covers your private 4×4 and driver-guide, accommodation, meals as listed in the itinerary, park and conservancy fees, JKIA transfers and drinking water in the vehicle; each trip page has its exact list. It does not cover international flights, the Kenya eTA, travel insurance, tips, drinks at lodges, flights within Kenya or optional extras such as Maasai village entry fees and the Mara hot-air balloon, which is USD 550 per person.

Related safari guides

• 3-Day Masai Mara Safari from Nairobi: Private Trip Guide
• 10 Days in Kenya: Samburu to the Mara Itinerary and Cost
• Kenya Safari Package Prices 2027: Our Trips and What They Cost

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to fly or drive to the Maasai Mara?

For three days or fewer, flying one way saves several hours on the road. The catch is a luggage limit of about 15 kg (33 lb) in soft bags, hand luggage included. On five days or more the drive takes a smaller share of your trip, and you see the Rift Valley on the way. You can also drive one way and fly the other.

Can I take a safari from Nairobi in a single day?

Yes, in Nairobi National Park, which borders the city. Most of Kenya’s famous parks need an early start and a long day by road: the Mara alone is 5 to 6 hours each way. A day tour with the Sheldrick elephant nursery and the Giraffe Centre is a good warm-up, and a multi-day safari can start the next morning.

How many days do I need for a Kenya safari from Nairobi?

Three days is the minimum we suggest for the Mara, because two nights gives you one full day of game drives. Five days suits migration season. Seven to 10 days add Amboseli, Samburu or the Rift Valley lakes, and 14 days let you finish on the coast.

Will someone meet me at JKIA when I land?

On our multi-day trips we collect you from JKIA or your Nairobi hotel and take you back for your flight home. On the 10-day route, for example, a member of our team meets you in the arrivals hall, helps with your bags and drives you to your hotel. The drive takes from about 20 minutes to well over an hour at rush hour, depending on your hotel. Our office is at Pili Trade Centre on Mombasa Road, close to the airport.

Do I need an eTA to visit Kenya?

Most foreign visitors need an electronic travel authorization, applied for online at the official portal, etakenya.go.ke. The portal says standard processing fees start at USD 30 and applications are generally processed within three business days. UK government advice says the Kenyan authorities recommend applying at least two weeks before departure. Your passport needs at least six months of validity and blank pages: the portal asks for at least one, and UK advice says two. UK advice also lists a travel health insurance requirement for eTA applicants from 5 October 2026, which the portal’s FAQ does not mention, so check the current position on the portal before you pay. The eTA is not included in our prices.