The annual migration of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle between the Maasai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania, along with the determined pursuit of predators such as lion and leopard, is considered by many to be the greatest natural spectacle on Earth.
Spanning over 500 square miles of predominantly grassland, the Maasai Mara National Reserve provides fertile habitat for all of Africa’s Big Five, as well as crocodile, black rhino, and an astonishing variety of birdlife. It is one of the continent’s most sought-after destinations for safari holidays, and also home to the Maasai tribe, fearsome warriors and hardened pastoralists, many of whom still abide by the semi-nomadic practises their people have followed for centuries.
Location: 5 hours’ drive from capital, Nairobi in the rift valley, south-west Kenya
Wildlife safaris in Kenya are possible year-round, but the best, and consequently busiest time, is during the dry season which runs from late-June until October. During this period, the bush is not as dense and the animals cluster in large numbers by rivers and waterholes, making for exceptional viewing opportunities and the possibility of witnessing a predator in action.
Of course, just being in the Maasai Mara at the right time doesn’t guarantee you’ll see everything you want to, which is why it’s vital to use the services of professional guides with years of experience in safely tracking wildlife. It’s the best way to be sure you enjoy good viewpoints and high-quality safari activities whether travelling by 4×4, plane or on foot. A safari holiday in Kenya may only last a few weeks, but the memories will last for a lifetime.
Luxury boutique camps offer the quintessential Kenya safari experience, promising outstanding amenities and services to compliment the views. You might watch the animals gather around the waterhole from the comfort of your personal verandah; dine beneath the stars on gourmet seasonal food prepared by skilled camp chefs, and relax after your game drives with massages and treatments, or a refreshing dip in the camp’s private swimming pool. Whether travelling as a couple, a family or a group, there is an outstanding range of luxury Maasai Mara accommodation available that will take you back to the golden age of safari.
The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of Earth’s most spectacular natural wonders. Every year, immense herds of grazing animals including wildebeest, zebra and antelope, make their way clockwise around the Serengeti – Maasai Mara ecosystem, tracked constantly by predators such as lion and leopard.
Timing is everything when it comes to witnessing the Great Migration, as unfortunately the animals pay little attention to safari schedules, which is why many people opt for mobile camping, and experienced safari guides often prove to be an invaluable resource.
Maasai cultural tours introduce you to ways of life that are centuries-old, rooted in tradition, and never less than fascinating. You might join day-trips out to welcoming tribal villages, or stay overnight, taking part in ceremonies, rituals, craft workshops or farming activities that will give you a valuable insight into the daily lives, beliefs and customs of the Maasai people.
Through immersive encounters such as these, the visitor can develop greater understanding and awareness, bridge cultural differences, and help sustain these communities into the future. A Kenya safari holiday can only show you so much – Maasai cultural visits ensure a much deeper experience.
What better way to discover the raw majesty of the Maasai Mara and its wildlife than from the air. A Maasai Mara hot air balloon safari enables you to sail peacefully through the sky, at sunrise or sunset, for a spectacular bird’s eye view when the animals are at their most active.
Comfortable, spacious baskets allow for an unforgettable journey over the plains. For an additional touch of luxury, many hot air balloon safaris in Kenya can also be combined with a delicious bush breakfast prepared for you on landing.
Guided nature walks through the bush are a highlight of many Maasai Mara holidays. Much of the terrain here is made up of open savannah, allowing for superb visibility and a truly authentic safari experience. Professional guides use their knowledge and experience built up over many years to track the animals, while sharing fascinating insights into their behaviours and habitat.
Day and overnight hikes depart directly from safari camps, bringing you up close with giraffe, elephant, zebra and antelope, amid some of Kenya’s most captivating scenery.
Just two hours north of the Maasai Mara by jeep, Lake Naivasha is a vast freshwater oasis surrounded by acacia forest, papyrus swamp and many unique natural features shaped by volcanic activity over the centuries. Over 400 species of bird can be seen around this vast expanse of water, along with hippopotamus, giraffe and even the occasional shy leopard.
A popular weekend retreat from Nairobi, Lake Naivasha is the highest, and perhaps most beautiful of all the lakes in the Great Rift Valley. Boat safaris and game drives by day or night make for memorable experiences, but there are also many superb Lake Naivasha cultural tours on offer, from wine-tasting to visiting the historic Elsamere Conservation Centre, once home to Joy and George Adamson.
A safari in the Maasai Mara can easily be combined with trips to other parks and reserves that are either within easy driving distance, or a short flight away. Just two hours by road to the north is stunning Lake Naivasha, once home to Joy Adamson.
To the south of the lake lies Hell’s Gate National Park, renowned for the diversity of its wildlife and an enthralling Maasai cultural center. A few hours further on is Lake Nakuru National Park, considered by many to be one of the most magnificent parks in Kenya, and home to both white and black rhino as well as Rothschild’s giraffe.
Gorilla Safari Lodge is a private and secluded upmarket lodge with spectacular views of the Bwindi rainforest and located close to the Gorilla Trekking starting point. The lodge consists of spacious chalets, the main lodge area with a restaurant, and a bar overlooking the Bwindi rainforest and a gift shop. It also has free WIFI available at the main lodge area.
These are chalets, each consisting of a spacious room, a private terrace, and en-suite bathroom. They are beautifully decorated and nicely lit with great views of the Bwindi rainforest. Each room is fitted with large comfortable beds, plush linen, mosquito net wrapping around the bed, lounge furniture, and a fireplace. The bathrooms have flush toilets and showers with hot and cold running water.
Meals are all included; 2 breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. The restaurant offers 3-course meals of local and international specialties.
Spacious and nicely-decorated rooms
Great location
Spectacular views of Bwindi rainforest
Elaborate meals and variety of choices
Spacious restaurant
Free WIFI
No WIFI in the rooms
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $2,125 | $1,754 | $1,692 | $1,661 | $1,642 | $1,629 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $106 per person.
Rushaga Gorilla Camp is a mid-range mountain lodge located in the south-eastern part of the park near one of the four gorilla trekking starting points known as Rushaga. The lodge has excellent panoramic views of the Bwindi forest and is a 5 minutes' walk to the gorilla trekking starting point. It also has a restaurant that offers a full English breakfast, an a la carte lunch menu, and a choice of 3 set meals for dinner. You can also access free WIFI at the main lounge and restaurant area of the lodge.
These are spacious cottages with large comfortable beds and linen, lounge furniture, and a private terrace looking towards the Bwindi rainforest. All rooms have a spacious private bathroom with flush toilets, solar-powered hot showers, a sink, and a dressing countertop and mirror.
Your stay includes two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. The meals are all made from western or intercontinental cuisine.
Relatively good price
Great location
Spacious rooms
Views of the Bwindi rainforest
Free WIFI
Not nicely decorated
The linen is comfortable but not plush
Limited food items at the restaurant
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,834 | $1,448 | $1,385 | $1,354 | $1,335 | $1,323 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $146 per person.
Gorilla Valley Lodge is a small, low-budget lodge located in the south-eastern part of the park near one of the four gorilla trekking starting points known as Rushaga. The lodge has a small restaurant that offers a basic continental breakfast and a few options of international cuisine for lunch and dinner.
These are clean and modestly furnished brick and motor rooms consisting of a comfortable bed, linen, towels, and en-suite bathrooms. The bathrooms have solar-powered hot water showers and flush toilets. The rooms also have lighting, power plugs, and mosquito nets over the beds.
Only breakfast and dinner are included in the basic plan. You can order lunch daily at the restaurant.
Affordable and comfortable rooms
Good location
Basic facilities
Small rooms
Limited meal options
Limited views
No internet access
If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking. We will provide a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,438 | $1,187 | $1,125 | $1,094 | $1,075 | $1,062 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $89 per person.
Paraa Safari Lodge is an upmarket lodge with the refinements of a 3-star hotel, located in the center of the park looking over the Nile river. Facilities include spacious rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a pool with a bar, and a gift shop.
Paraa safari lodge boasts the best location in the park and offers the conveniences of being so close to the jetty for your boat safari on the Nile river, and close to the game viewing areas of the park. No lodge offers more conveniences for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari than Paraa Safari Lodge.
The rooms are nicely lit, decorated with plush linen, and towels. All rooms have a private bathroom with hot showers and a hairdryer. The rooms have a coffee bar, a reading table, refrigerator, complimentary bottled water, and a private balcony.
Meals are all included; two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners. The restaurant offers three-course meals of local and international specialties.
Spacious and comfortable rooms
WIFI available in all rooms
Great location for game drives and boat safari
Elaborate meals and variety of choices
The standard rooms have a ceiling fan, but no air-conditioning. You can upgrade to a deluxe room for $35 per person per room.
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,241 | $902 | $825 | $786 | $763 | $748 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $106 per person.
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Pakuba Safari Lodge is a mid-range lodge, located on the northern side of the park facing the Albert Nile. The facilities include a restaurant, terraced room blocks and a swimming pool.
The lodge is in an excellent location for game drives and with nicely furnished rooms, offering you better value for your money compared to other mid-range accommodations, making Pakuba the ideal lodge for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari.
All rooms have a private bathroom with solar-powered hot showers, a reading table, a closet, and a private terrace. The rooms are all air-conditioned.
This plan is inclusive of all meals. The price includes two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners during your stay. The meals are all made from western or intercontinental cuisine.
Reasonably priced.
Excellent location for game drives
Comfortable rooms with air-conditioning
WIFI at the main lobby and at the restaurant
The lodge is a 45 mins drive from the Paraa jetty, where the boat safari begins and ends.
Rooms lack a coffee or tea bar and Hair dryer.
The linen is comfortable but not plush
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $1,141 | $763 | $685 | $647 | $624 | $608 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $146 per person.
Red Chilli Rest Camp is a low-budget camp located in the center of the park on the southern side of the Nile, only 500 meters from the ferry crossing point. You stay in brick and motor, African thatched houses locally known as bandas.
The camp also has a restaurant that offers an a la carte breakfast and lunch menu, and a choice of 3 set meals for dinner. The combination of a great location and a right level of comfort makes Red Chilli Rest Camp the ideal budget accommodation for your 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari.
The bandas all include a double bed or two twin beds with linen and a mosquito net. A few bandas have private bathrooms, but most uses shared bathrooms. All the bandas have lighting, power plugs, and a fan. There’s a limited number of Ensuite bandas. The camp has shared toilets and bathroom stalls with hot water available.
The basic plan includes breakfast. You can buy lunch and dinner every day at the restaurant.
It’s inexpensive and safe.
Even though Red Chilli Rest Camp’s location is better than other budget accommodations, it’s not the best for game viewing. It takes about 30 minutes, including crossing the Nile on a ferry to get to the wildlife. The ferry has set crossing times, and these can limit the amount of time you spend viewing the animals. All the other low-budget camps have the same challenge. None is close to the wildlife.
Electricity is only available at set times of the day, except lights are always on. The set times are from 7 am to 9 am, 11 am to 2 pm, and 5 pm to 10 pm. Outside these hours, guests charge appliances such as phones and camera batteries at the restaurant.
No WIFI
Note: If there are no rooms available at the time of your booking, we will recommend a suitable replacement.
| Pax | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Price per person | $918 | $597 | $520 | $481 | $458 | $442 |
Prices are based on double room occupancy. You can upgrade to a single room for $89 per person.