The Masai Mara for under $500
Masai Mara
A proper safari doesn’t have to cost thousands. A three-day camping safari from Nairobi, and what we saw.
Safari prices in Kenya run from “reasonable” to “more than your car”. At the bottom end are group camping safaris from Nairobi: you share a pop-top Land Cruiser with five other travellers and sleep in a fixed tent camp just outside the reserve.
We did three days and two nights for $420 each, park fees included, and saw four of the Big Five (no rhino). A lioness with cubs in the long grass on the first evening. Three cheetahs on a termite mound. Elephants crossing the road in front of us.
Choosing a company
Read the recent reviews carefully: the cheap operators vary wildly. Check that park fees are included, how many people share a vehicle (six is the most you want), and whether the roof pops up. July to October brings the great migration, and higher prices.