6 Kenya Safari Packages Compared: Prices and Inclusions
The best safari to Kenya packages list exactly what they cover, match the days you have, and put you in a private vehicle with a guide who knows the parks. If money is tight, the 3-day Masai Mara and Lake Naivasha trip at $650 is the pick. If you want elephants under Kilimanjaro, take the 3-day Amboseli trip at $715. First-timers who want the Big Five should look at the 5-day trip at $1,460. Anyone chasing the wildebeest migration should look at the 7-day migration safari at $2,446.
The problem is that package pages rarely compare like with like. One lists park fees and another does not. One price covers three days and another covers seven. Drinks, village visits and balloon rides get left off the headline number, and you only notice when you add everything up.
This guide fixes that. It first explains what a Kenya safari package should include and what a day on safari costs. Then it goes through six packages from Laxa Trails Safaris, a Kenya-based company founded in 2019 by a guide with more than 14 years in the field. Each package gets the same checklist: what you get, who it suits, and what to check on price.
What Kenya safari packages cost and what they include
What a package price should include
A fair price covers transport with a driver-guide, park entry fees, accommodation, meals and drinking water. Everything else is an add-on, and add-ons are where cheap quotes become expensive. Use this checklist when you compare any two quotes:
- Normally included: a safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, a driver-guide, park fees, lodging, meals and bottled water.
- Usually extra: international flights, visa fees, travel insurance and tips.
- Often extra: soft and alcoholic drinks, balloon safaris, Maasai village visits and optional activities.
Group size matters too. Most Laxa Trails safaris run on a private basis for a minimum of two people. We recommend no more than seven people per vehicle so everyone keeps a window seat.
A package price is only comparable once you know what sits outside it.
Kenya safari package prices per day, and when to go
Published Kenya safari rates run from about $200 per person per day for camping trips to about $1,000 for luxury. The table shows the tiers, with the mid-range band as an approximate middle.
| Level | Approx. cost per day | Typical accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $200 to $300 | Camping or basic lodges, shared or group vehicles |
| Mid-range | $300 to $500 | Lodges and tented camps |
| Luxury | $500 to $1,000 | Upscale tented camps and lodges, often fly-in |
Season changes the bill as well. June to October is the dry season and brings high-season prices, with migration herds in the Masai Mara from roughly July to October. March to May has heavy rain and lower prices. November to February is green, with fewer weather disruptions.
The six packages side by side
Every package below is priced in US dollars, and the per-day figure is the listed price divided by trip days. The 3-day trips land inside the budget band. The longer trips sit at the top of that band or in mid-range, with the 7-day trip cheaper per day than the 6-day one.
| Package | Days | Listed price | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masai Mara and Lake Naivasha budget | 3 | $650 | $217 |
| Amboseli National Park | 3 | $715 | $238 |
| Big Five Kenya safari | 5 | $1,460 | $292 |
| Naivasha, Hell’s Gate, Nakuru, Mara | 5 | $1,765 | $353 |
| Unforgettable Kenya safari | 6 | $2,195 | $366 |
| Great Wildebeest Migration | 7 | $2,446 | $349 |
Accommodation ranges from basic camping to luxury tented camps or lodges depending on your budget, so tell your Tour Consultant which level you want.
1. 3-day Masai Mara and Lake Naivasha budget safari
What you get
This is our cheapest package and an affordable Kenya safari package that still reaches the Masai Mara. You get game drives to look for the Big Five, a boat ride on Lake Naivasha and a Maasai village visit. The listed inclusions are:
- A 4×4 minivan or safari jeep with a professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Park entry fees, accommodation and meals as listed, and bottled water
- Start on any day, with room to customize the trip
Who it suits
Pick this if you have a long weekend, a firm budget and want to see the Mara without luxury rates. It suits first-timers, solo travelers and couples who care more about wildlife than lodge comfort.
Expect to trade time for price. The road from Nairobi to the Mara typically takes five to six hours, so three days leaves you limited time in the reserve itself.
Price and what to check
At $650, the package works out to about $217 per day. International flights, Kenya visa fees, travel insurance and tips are excluded.
Before you compare this with a cheaper quote elsewhere, ask which accommodation type is listed and whether park fees are inside the price. Those two answers explain most gaps between cheap Kenya safari packages.
Three days is the shortest trip that still reaches the Mara, and the cheapest way to try Kenya.
2. 3-day Amboseli National Park safari
What you get
This road safari from Nairobi to Amboseli is built around large elephant herds and views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Kilimanjaro is often clearest in the early morning. The package covers:
- Transport in a safari van customized for game viewing, with an option to upgrade to a 4×4 Land Cruiser jeep
- A professional English-speaking driver-guide and game drives
- All park entrance fees, full-board accommodation (3 days, 2 nights) and drinking water
Who it suits
Choose Amboseli if elephants and photography matter more to you than covering many parks. It works well for couples and families with a short window.
It is a single-park trip, so you will not see rhinos or flamingos, and the Masai Mara is not included. If you want the Big Five, look at the longer packages below.
Price and what to check
The price is $715, down from $815, a 12% discount that saves you $100. That is about $238 per day.
Read the exclusions closely. Soft and alcoholic drinks, the Masai village visit, the balloon safari and tips are all extra. Budget for them separately, especially if you want the village visit that the 3-day Mara trip includes.
Amboseli is the best short trip for elephants, as long as you accept one park and a few extras.
3. 5-day Big Five Kenya safari
What you get
This is the package for readers who want the best value among Kenya holiday safari packages. It runs from Nairobi to Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru National Park and the Masai Mara. It is built around spotting the Big Five and rhinos. Activities and inclusions are:
- Game drives, a Lake Naivasha boat ride, a walking safari and a Maasai village visit
- Transport in a safari vehicle with a professional English-speaking driver-guide
- Park entry fees, accommodation and meals as listed, and bottled water
Who it suits
Five days gives you a proper balance. You spend time in three different habitats, and the pace is more relaxed than the 3-day trips. It suits first-time visitors, couples and families who want variety without a week away.
The walking safari and boat ride add a break from the vehicle. The trade-off is that Amboseli and Kilimanjaro views are not on this route.
Price and what to check
The price is $1,460, reduced from $1,550, a 6% discount that saves $90. That works out to about $292 per day.
International flights, visa fees, travel insurance and tips are excluded. Confirm the quote’s group size with your consultant, since the listed rate assumes one traveler and most trips run privately for two or more.
At about $292 a day, this is the strongest all-round Big Five package on the list.
4. 5-day Naivasha, Hell’s Gate, Nakuru and Mara safari
What you get
This 5-day Hell’s Gate safari covers the same five days as the Big Five trip but adds Hell’s Gate and Crescent Island to the route. You get:
- A Lake Naivasha boat ride and a walking safari on Crescent Island
- Time at Hell’s Gate, rhino tracking in Lake Nakuru and game drives in the Maasai Mara
- A cultural Maasai village visit at the end, plus transport in a safari vehicle
Who it suits
This one is for active travelers. Hell’s Gate is one of the few Kenyan parks where you can get out and walk or cycle among wildlife, which suits families with older kids and anyone tired of sitting in a vehicle.
If your only goal is the biggest list of animals in five days, the cheaper Big Five trip is the better fit. This one pays for variety.
Price and what to check
The price is $1,765, a 2% discount from $1,800 that saves $35. That is about $353 per day and $305 more than the Big Five trip.
The listing only confirms transport in a safari vehicle and excludes international flights, so ask for the full inclusion list for guide, park fees, meals and water in writing before you book.
Pay the extra $305 only if you want Hell’s Gate and Crescent Island on foot.
5. 6-day unforgettable Kenya safari
What you get
This is an all-inclusive Kenya safari package across four destinations: Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha and the Masai Mara. It adds a Naivasha boat ride and an optional Maasai village visit. Included:
- A 4×4 Land Cruiser jeep customized for game viewing, with an English-speaking driver-guide
- Lodge or camp accommodation on a full-board basis
- All park entrance fees, mineral water and game drives
Who it suits
It is the one to pick if you want Amboseli and the Mara in one trip and prefer a 4×4 over a van. Couples and small groups with six days to spare will get the most from it.
It moves fast. Four destinations in six days means several long transfers, so tell your consultant if you would rather skip one park and stay longer elsewhere.
Price and what to check
The price is $2,195, down from $2,315, a 5% discount that saves $120. That is about $366 per day, the highest rate on this list.
Airfares, visa fees, soft and alcoholic drinks, and tips are excluded. The Maasai village visit is optional here, so decide at booking whether to add it.
Six days buys you four destinations in a 4×4, and the highest daily rate here.
6. 7-day Masai Mara Great Wildebeest Migration safari
What you get
This is the classic longer circuit, covering the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Naivasha, Hell’s Gate and Nakuru over 7 days and 6 nights. It combines the Big Five and the wildebeest migration with elephants under Kilimanjaro, rhinos and flamingos at Nakuru, and walking or cycling around Naivasha and Hell’s Gate. Included:
- Pickup from the airport or hotel, and transport in a tour van or an upgrade to a 4×4 jeep
- A professional guide-driver and game drives in a pop-up roof vehicle
- Full-board accommodation, all meals, all game park fees and mineral water
Who it suits
This works for travelers who want the full Kenya highlights in one week, especially in migration season. Migration herds are in the Mara roughly July to October, but timing varies, so book early for peak months.
If you only want the migration, a shorter Mara-focused trip costs less. This one is for people who also want the other parks.
Price and what to check
The price is $2,446, about $349 per day, so cheaper per day than the 6-day trip. Excluded items are personal items, personal insurance, alcoholic and soft drinks, the hot air balloon safari, tips and the Maasai village visit.
To confirm a booking, we require a 50% to 60% deposit by wire transfer. The balance is due at least 30 days before departure, or in cash US dollars on arrival. We also strongly recommend travel insurance.
A week costs less per day than six days, which makes it the best value for a long trip.
Choosing your Kenya safari package
Match the package to your days and your priorities. Three days is enough for a budget taste of the Mara or a focused elephant trip at Amboseli. Five days gives the Big Five with real variety. Six or seven days buys Amboseli, the migration and the full circuit, and the 7-day trip is the cheaper way to do it per day.
Whatever you choose, compare packages by what is included and what a day costs, not by the headline price. If you want help matching a route to your dates and budget, request a quote for a Big Five Kenya safari package, or any route you prefer, and one of our Tour Consultants will come back with details.
