6 Days Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari

6 Days Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari

For travelers who want more than a quick pass through the Masai Mara during migration season, this 6 Days Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari builds in three consecutive full days inside the reserve — enough time to genuinely follow the herds rather than catch a single glimpse of them.

The Masai Mara hosts the migration from mid-June through October, when more than two million wildebeest, alongside thousands of zebras and gazelles, move into the reserve’s plains in search of water and fresh grazing.

With good fortune and timing, you may witness a Mara River crossing — one of the most dramatic wildlife events anywhere on the continent, as the herds face down Nile crocodiles in the water and predators waiting on the banks.

This itinerary suits travelers who want to build their whole trip around the migration rather than treat it as one stop among several, and who value having enough days in the reserve to adjust to where the herds actually are on any given day.

Quick Facts

Highlights

• Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi
• Day 2: Nairobi to Masai Mara
• Days 3 to 5: Follow the Great Wildebeest Migration
• Day 6: Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi

On arrival in Kenya at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Nairobi in a private vehicle. Spend the rest of the day recovering from jet lag, with dinner and an overnight stay to follow.

Accommodation: Best Western Hotel, Nairobi

Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Nairobi to Masai Mara

After a hearty breakfast, meet your driver-guide and set off from Nairobi for the Masai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya. It is a journey of around five hours, with stops at the Rift Valley View Point for the escarpment scenery and in Narok, where you can meet local artisans and pick up handmade crafts. You will arrive at your lodge in time for lunch, followed by a short rest.

In the afternoon, head out for your first game drive across the Mara’s plains, with excellent chances of spotting lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, hartebeests, cheetahs, and African wild dogs. As the sun sets, return to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Zebra Plains Mara Luxury Camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Days 3 to 5: Follow the Great Wildebeest Migration

Spend three full days exploring the Masai Mara National Reserve, following the migrating columns of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle on their annual trek across the reserve.

Each day, wake early for breakfast and head out with a packed lunch for a full day of game driving, following the herds and the predators trailing them. Your guide will position you at vantage points along the Mara River for a chance to witness a crossing — countless wildebeest and zebra braving the current and the crocodiles lying in wait. For photographers, it is one of the most rewarding sights in Africa.

Wildebeest Migration

Beyond the migration itself, the Mara is home to a wide range of resident wildlife: lion prides resting under acacia trees, leopards in the branches above, and elephants and buffaloes bathing at watering holes. Birders will also find plenty to see, with over 450 recorded species in the reserve.

Between drives, return to camp to relax — a dip in the pool, a spa treatment, or simply time to enjoy the quiet of the bush. Evenings bring a sundowner as the sky turns color, and nights close with the sounds of the bush coming alive.

Accommodation: Zebra Plains Mara Luxury Camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Departure

Wake early for breakfast, check out of your lodge, and take a short final game drive on your way back to Nairobi, soaking in the reserve’s landscape and wildlife one last time. After lunch in Nairobi, you will be dropped at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your departure flight.

End of 6 Days Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari