can you do masai mara on a budget?

basically me and my friend are students travelling from jinja uganda to zanzibar over the next six weeks and want to safari but the prices of lodges and entrance fees etc are scaring us silly. we can't come to this area of the world and not safari but neither do i want to see a glorified zoo. we were also wondering how long people think you need to spend in a safari park to get the best chance of seeing something worth while (i realise this is an impossible question but are you near guaranteed in a day to see some of the big cats for example?)

any advice on the cheapest way to do mara on a budget and a rough idea of how much it would be all in would be great

thanks in advance

I'm also interested in this. This stuff at US$300 a day is outrageous.

The nearest I got was 5 days for $680 then I find a hidden fee for food, drinks, park fees etc etc of US$480. This brings it up to the cost of other tours. ie. US$232 a day? For a basic camping holiday? BTW this was out of Nairobi.

They say just go to Arusha (Tanzania) and go to the tourist info centre and try and jump on the back of other tours. Or go to Arusha Backpackers hotel and try and team up there.

But if it's going to be over $150 a day forget it.

Edited by: pns

Hi guys,

I've just been replying to the previous post on examples of budget accommodation here, they do exist but are not very well advertised!
Try looking at Hostel World or Hostel Bookers, some are on there. Just bear in mind until the end of August due to the migration the Mara is very booked up so some may not have availability.
You can hire a safari van in Kenya with a driver and fuel for around ksh12-13,000 per day.
It is also possible to access the Mara by public transport, there are matatus from Naivasha/Nakuru and Nairobi which service to Narok regularly for around ksh400-500pp and there are once a day matatus to Masai Mara from Narok which leave every lunchtime for I think ksh500pp. You can also get a Taxi from Narok for 5000ksh. From Kampala to Narok you can pick up an EasyCoach bus also.

Once you are in the Mara you can hire a Landcruiser and driver/guide for gamedrives for between ksh12-14,000 per day, most camps can arrange that for you.
The park fees are currently $80pppd for non-residents and ksh1200 for residents so obviously you need to budget for that. For most people 1-2 full day gamedrives, taking a packed lunch in is enough for most people to cover a large area of the park, obviously what you see depends on the day.
With a matatu the first gate you will get to is Sekenani so that is where most backpackers base themselves, for budget camps there try looking at Mountain Rock, Wajee Camp, Mara Explorers Camp (not Mara Explorer, that is a super luxury camp the other side of Mara!).
Think they all have websites if you Google them.

Good Luck!

Edited by: LDMM

Thanks for this.

Seems very expensive to do it on your own.

Maybe just take a chance at Arusha and go from there.

Cheers

Just remember there are some immoveable costs - primarily the park fees at $80pppd. Camping inside the park costs $25pppd, outside the park around $10pppd. Then factor in the cost of a vehicle (fuel and other running costs - neither are cheap in Kenya and I speak from experience!), wages for a driver/guide, food, water, etc and it's easy to see how even the most budget of budget safaris is $150pppd plus. That's effectively operating on next to no profit.

In reality it isn't any cheaper to do in your own car with all your own kit ( we did this and I would estimate our base costs were at least $150pppd including park fees, camping, fuel to and from Nairobi and for game drives and food). Of course hiring a vehicle/driver will be an additional cost on top.

For the best value for money I would recommend you do a group trip (numbers obviously reduce the costs) but pay a little more and get someone who isn't trying to do it on an absolute shoestring - otherwise you risk your vehicle falling apart in the middle of nowhere. Even if you get to Talek Gate on public transport and camp there at $10 a night, the cost of park fees plus two game drives will put you up to nearly $150 a day and you will have a lot of extra hassle (buying/ transporting/cooking your own provisions, carrying your camping gear etc).

You say you're coming from Uganda, so why not do a safari there?
Their park fees are much cheaper, currently usd35 pppd.
Red Chilli in Kampala run trips to Murchison, where you can do a typical 'plains' type safari, plus you can also go on a terrific boat trip up the Nile to Murchison Falls.
There's a full list of the UWA fees here

There Budget camping safaris in Masai mara that would cost less.... i know of a company that are true to themselves and don`t add the hidden costs if your interested i can always refer you!

There is always how they do it for the students... ask simon on simonmilambo@rocketmail.com

Hi friends i might be late but still i do think i can help!

For budget camping do follow the link: http://www.bigtimeholidays.co.ke/maasai-mara.htm you will sure get all the answers for all you want.

If you need more information contact Simon at +254725971349 he is an amazing guy and apart from being helpful, he is also true to himself!!

You can also use bonfire adventures just Google them and see their travel packages.

Please consider joining us on the 23rd August 2013 if you dont have anything in the pipeline so far. We will share the transport cost and will involve pick up / drop off in Nairobi. We are doing a budget trip with transport in minivan on exclusive use and accommodation in permanent en-suite budget tented camps. Drop me a line to eugenesim at yahoo dot com for more details

We plan to go to Masai Mara - Nakuru for Oct, 28-31. We plan to rent a vehicle. So we need a fellow-travellers to share the costs. After we are going to Turkana lake to see Solar Eclipse of November 3. Welcome to join!
danchishin@hotmail.com