Masai Mara and Samburu Safari: Two Ends of Kenya in One Trip
Masai Mara and Samburu at a Glance
Samburu sits 350 km north of Nairobi and the Masai Mara 225 km south-west, so a combined safari needs seven days or more. Packages start at KES 309,000 or USD 2,380 per person for 7 days. This page introduces the route and links to each itinerary and the comparison guide.
What This Guide Covers
Samburu and the Masai Mara are the two most different parks in Kenya, which is the whole reason to put them in one trip. Samburu is dry, red and northern, a reserve of acacia and doum palm along the Ewaso Nyiro River where the animals are ones the Mara does not have. The Mara is green, open and southern, with the densest big cats in the country and the wildebeest from July to October. Do both and you have seen two Kenyas.
The cost is the road. The two parks are on opposite sides of Nairobi, ten hours apart by Land Cruiser, so every itinerary below passes back through the city or breaks the journey at Lake Nakuru. Seven days is the minimum that does not feel like a drive with game viewing attached.
Why Combine Samburu With the Mara
Focus Area | Samburu (North) | Masai Mara (South) |
Signature Wildlife | Samburu Special Five: Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, gerenuk, and beisa oryx (not found in the Mara) | High-Density Predators: Densest big cats in Kenya, including the Marsh Pride and Sekenani cheetahs |
Seasonal / Key Sights | Riverine forest game along the Ewaso Nyiro River, including elephants and leopards | The Great Migration: Massive wildebeest herds and dramatic river crossings (July to October) |
Cultural Visits | Samburu people: pastoralists with a rich northern heritage | Maasai people: shared cattle economy and language family, with distinct southern traditions |
The Samburu Special Five. Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, gerenuk and beisa oryx live in Samburu and nowhere in the Mara. Add the Ewaso Nyiro’s elephants and leopards in the riverine forest and you have the species list that makes the northern leg worth ten hours of road.
The Mara’s cats and the migration. Samburu has lions and leopards, but not at Mara density, and it has no wildebeest herds. The Mara leg gives you the Marsh Pride, the cheetahs on the Sekenani plains and, from July to October, the river crossings. The Masai Mara wildlife page covers what lives there.
Two cultures. The Samburu people in the north and the Maasai in the south share a language family and a cattle economy, and a visit to each is a different afternoon. The Masai culture page covers the Mara side.
Not sure the combination is right for you? Our Masai Mara vs Samburu guide sets the two parks side by side on wildlife, cost, weather and crowds, and says which to choose if you can only do one.
The Itineraries
Per person, two sharing a private 4×4 Land Cruiser, budget tier, low season. Each page has the day-by-day plan, the tier table and peak-season prices.
7 Days Samburu and Masai Mara Safari: From KES 309,000 / USD 2,380. Three nights in Samburu and three nights in the Mara, with a cross-country transfer via Nairobi on Day 4. The direct overland circuit.
8 Days Samburu, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara Safari: From KES 358,000 / USD 2,750. Three nights in Samburu, one night at Lake Nakuru to break the long drive and track rhinos, and three nights in the Masai Mara.
7 Days Samburu, Lake Nakuru, and Masai Mara Safari: From KES 335,000 / USD 2,580. Two nights in Samburu, one night at Lake Nakuru, and three nights in the Mara. The balanced week-long circuit.
8 Days Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru, and Masai Mara Safari: From KES 395,000 / USD 3,040. Adds Ol Pejeta Conservancy (two nights Samburu, one night Ol Pejeta, one night Nakuru, three nights Mara) for chimpanzees and northern white rhinos.
Every other route and price is on the safari packages page.
Note: The Day 4 overland transfer from Samburu to the Mara requires a 5:30 AM departure to clear Nairobi before morning traffic and reach the Masai Mara gates prior to the mandatory 6:00 PM vehicle curfew. Alternatively, this leg can be flown from Samburu to the Mara via Wilson Airport.
How the Route Works
Factor | Route Logistics | Traveler Takeaway |
Direction | Samburu first, then Masai Mara via Nanyuki and Nakuru | Better road conditions driving south; ends the trip on a high note with peak cat sightings or the migration |
Park Fees | Park Fees: Managed across Samburu County (Samburu Reserve), Narok County (Masai Mara), KWS eCitizen (Lake Nakuru), and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. All entry and conservation fees are bundled into your package quote. | All separate county, conservancy, and national park entry fees are fully covered in package pricing |
Transport | Drive overland (approx. 10 hours) or fly from Wilson Airport (<1 hour each leg) | Flights cut travel days down to minutes, trading a private 4×4 vehicle for shared camp-operated game drives |
Best Timing | Overlapping dry seasons: July to October and January to March | July–October is the ultimate window for river crossings and wildlife density; January–March is quieter and cheaper |
Direction. Samburu first, then the Mara. You end on the migration or the cats, which is the stronger finish, and the drive south from Samburu through Nanyuki and Nakuru is the better road.
Fees: Samburu National Reserve is managed by Samburu County (with neighboring Buffalo Springs managed by Isiolo County). Lake Nakuru is a KWS national park paid via KWSPay on eCitizen. Ol Pejeta operates as an independent private conservancy with its own conservation tariffs. Masai Mara fees are governed by the Narok County Government and the Mara Conservancy. All respective gate and conservation fees are fully covered in our package pricing.
Flying. Both parks have airstrips served from Wilson Airport, so a fly-in version of either leg cuts the road time to under an hour each way at the cost of the private vehicle. The flying packages page explains the trade.
When. Samburu is best in the dry months, January to March and July to October, when the animals are on the river. The Mara is best July to October for the migration and January to March for cats. The overlap makes July to October the ideal window for the combination, and January to March the quieter, cheaper one. Month by month detail for the Mara is on the month guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do I need for Masai Mara and Samburu? Seven at minimum. The parks are on opposite sides of Nairobi and ten hours apart, so anything shorter spends more time on the road than in the parks.
How much does a Masai Mara and Samburu safari cost? From KES 309,000 or USD 2,380 per person sharing for 7 days in low season, budget tier. Peak season and higher tiers run up from there, and the itinerary pages show every tier.
Which park should I visit first? Samburu. The road south is better, and you finish on the Mara, which is the bigger spectacle.
Can I do Samburu and the Mara without the long drive? Yes, by flying one or both legs from Wilson Airport. You give up the private vehicle for that leg and game drives are in the camp’s vehicles.
Ready to See Both?
Send your dates, group size, and preferred accommodation tier to [email protected] or WhatsApp +254 180 297 751, and we will provide an itemized 7- or 8-day quote with all park and conservancy fees included. You can also Get a quote.
Written by David Njunge, TRA-licensed safari guide with over 10 years in the Mara. Edited by Cess Wambui, travel consultant, BSc Tourism and Hospitality Management. Prices verified for the 2027 season. Park conservation fees are governed by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) (Lake Nakuru), the Narok County Government (Masai Mara), and the Samburu County Government (Samburu National Reserve). Flight schedules courtesy of Safarilink and AirKenya. Masaimara.co.ke is an authorized safari operator partner.
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