What’s Included in a Masai Mara Safari Package
Choosing a Masai Mara safari package is one of the most important decisions in your trip planning — and one of the most confusing. Two packages at the same price can look identical on paper and deliver completely different experiences. The difference almost always comes down to what is actually included and what gets added to your bill later.
This guide gives you a clear, honest breakdown of exactly what a Mara Siligi Camp package covers, what it does not, and what to look for when comparing any safari package in the Mara.
Table of Contents:
- Why Safari Package Pricing Confuses Even Experienced Travellers
- Everything Mara Siligi Includes — No Exceptions
- What Changes Across Our Different Package Types
- What Is Never Included — Budget for These Separately
- How to Read Any Safari Package Description
- Why Mara Siligi Packages Are Built Differently
- Ask Us for a Written Breakdown Before You Book
Why Safari Package Pricing Confuses Even Experienced Travellers
The safari industry does not have a universal standard for what a package means. Every operator defines it differently — and the ones with the broadest language tend to have the loosest inclusions. The word “all-inclusive” appears regularly in listings that exclude park fees, use shared game drives, and cover breakfast only.
Here is what “all-inclusive” often does not cover at other camps:
- Park entry fees — a significant daily government conservation fee, left out of many headline rates
- Private game drives — shared vehicles are the default at most camps unless you specifically ask
- All meals — breakfast-only packages regularly describe themselves as inclusive
- Nairobi to Mara transfers — almost always a separate line item
- Activities beyond the drive — bush walks, cultural visits, and extras are typically add-ons
When you know this, you stop comparing headline rates and start comparing what is actually inside each quote. That is when a masai mara safari package from us consistently stands apart — because what matters is already included, stated clearly, and never hidden in the small print.
Everything Mara Siligi Includes — No Exceptions
Every masai mara holiday package at Mara Siligi is built on the same foundation. Regardless of which package you choose, here is what is always included.
Accommodation
Your tent at Mara Siligi Camp is spacious, en-suite, and built for genuine comfort after a full day in the bush. Cozy beds, private bathroom, hot shower, and a private deck with direct views of the Mara plains. Solar-powered electricity runs around the clock — your devices stay charged, your camera batteries are always ready. Housekeeping happens every day.
Full-Board Meals
Every package is full-board. Breakfast before your morning drive, lunch on return — at camp or as a packed bush picnic on a full-day drive — and dinner in the evening. The kitchen caters to all dietary requirements: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and any specific allergies. Just let us know when you book and the team prepares accordingly throughout your stay.
Park Entry Fees
This is where Mara Siligi is different from a large number of operators in the Mara. Park entry fees are included in every package we offer. The Masai Mara National Reserve charges a daily conservation fee per person — it is significant, it varies by season, and at Mara Siligi it is always part of your package. No surprises at the gate, no daily add-on at checkout.
Daily Guided Game Drives
Every package includes daily guided game drives with an experienced local Masai guide. Our guides grew up on this land — they know the wildlife corridors, the predator territories, and the seasonal patterns in a way no guidebook can teach. Morning and evening drives are included as standard. Full-day drives are available to add and worth doing, especially during migration season.
Private Vehicle Options on Every Package
Private vehicle options are available across all our packages. When you choose a private drive, it is your vehicle and your group only — no shared vehicles, no group schedules, no strangers deciding when to move on from a sighting. Your guide focuses entirely on your interests. You stay as long as you want. You set the pace of every drive.
Camp Activities
These are included in your stay and never appear as separate charges:
- Guided nature walks from camp
- Stargazing sessions on clear evenings — zero light pollution, full Milky Way overhead
- Photo lounge and workspace access — ideal for photographers and anyone who wants a dedicated space to review and edit
- WiFi in the camp lounge — stay connected when you need to, unplug when you do not
- Massage area and outdoor decks for unwinding between drives
What Changes Across Our Different Package Types
The full-board, park-fee-included foundation never changes. What shifts across package types is the structure built around it — the length of stay and the specific inclusions layered on for different kinds of trips.
Mid-Range 2 to 3 Day Packages
Accommodation in standard or family tents, all meals, daily guided game drives, park entry fees, and a local Masai guide. Four to six game drives across two full days. Everything in the standard inclusions applies. Ideal for travellers with a tight window who want a complete, well-managed safari experience.
Photography Packages — 6 Days
Six nights accommodation with photography lounge access, all meals including bush picnic lunches, custom-timed game drives built around golden light, park entry fees, an experienced wildlife photography guide, and dedicated photo review sessions at camp. Built for serious photographers who want their entire schedule structured around the best light and the best positions.
Family Packages — 5 Days and Above
Spacious family tents, all meals including children’s menu options, family-paced guided game drives, park entry fees, and child-safe educational nature walks. Drive timing is built around younger guests — shorter, more frequent drives with camp time in between. The electric-fenced camp means children are safe throughout. No minimum age.
Honeymoon and Couples Packages — 4 Days
Private tent with romantic setup on arrival, all meals including a complimentary bush dinner, private guided game drives at your own pace and schedule, park entry fees, sundowner drinks in the bush, and a stargazing session. Everything romance-related that matters is built in — not listed as an optional extra.
What Is Never Included — Budget for These Separately
These costs apply across our packages and are worth planning for before you finalise your budget.
Hot Air Balloon Safari
The balloon is always a separate cost — at Mara Siligi Camp and at every camp in the Mara. It is operated by a third-party balloon company. We arrange it, we manage your logistics, and we brief you fully — but it does not form part of any standard masai mara travel package. It is worth experiencing. Float silently over the plains as the sun rises, wildlife spread across the landscape below you. Book it as an add-on when you enquire.
Masai Cultural Village Visit
The cultural village visit is included in the family package and available as an add-on across all others. It is not part of the standard mid-range or honeymoon package by default. If this matters to your group — and it is one of the most memorable experiences in the Mara — ask us to add it when you enquire.
Transfers
We can arrange your transfers from Nairobi for a seamless start to your safari. By air: daily flights from Wilson Airport to Ol Kiombo or Keekorok airstrips, approximately one hour. By road: five to six hours via Narok. Transfers are available to add to any package — they are not included in the base rate, but they are straightforward to arrange directly with us.
Premium Experiences
Private bush dinners under the stars, guided wildlife photography sessions, nature walks with tree planting, and safari extensions to Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, or Diani Beach are all available as add-ons. The bush dinner is included in the honeymoon package — for all other package types it is an additional experience worth considering.
Gratuities
Tipping is not included in any masai mara tour package — ours or anyone else’s. In the Mara, tips are genuinely earned. Your guide works long hours on your behalf, and camp staff do the same. Ask us for the customary tipping range before you arrive so you can plan and arrive prepared.
How to Read Any Safari Package Description
Use this framework when comparing any package — ours or anyone else’s.
Language that signals a well-structured package:
- “Full-board” — not “meals included” or “breakfast included”
- “Park entry fees included” — stated explicitly, never implied
- “Private vehicle available” — check whether this is standard or an upgrade
- Specific transfer details — which routes, which legs, managed by whom
Vague language that needs a follow-up question:
- “All-inclusive” — ask for a written inclusions list
- “Game drives daily” — ask whether private vehicle is included or extra
- “Meals provided” — ask which meals and what each covers
- “Activities included” — ask for the specific list, not the category
Three questions to ask every operator before you pay a deposit:
- Are park entry fees included in the package or charged separately on top each day?
- Is a private vehicle included — or shared by default?
- Can you send me a full written inclusions list before I confirm?
A confident operator answers all three immediately and in writing.
Why Mara Siligi Packages Are Built Differently
Locally owned and operated
Mara Siligi Camp is locally owned. Our guides are Masai — born and raised on this land, with knowledge that no guidebook can replicate. When you book a masai mara safari package with us, you are talking directly to the camp — not a booking platform, not a third-party agent. The people who take your enquiry are the same people who will be your hosts, your guides, and your team for the duration of your stay.
Fair pricing with no hidden costs
What you see in your quote is what you pay. Park fees, meals, game drives, and accommodation are all itemised upfront. We come back to every enquiry within 24 hours with a personalised package, full pricing, and availability. Nothing is left vague and nothing is added at checkout without your prior knowledge.
Location that puts you inside the action faster
Mara Siligi Camp sits at the foothills of Oldonyo Loip Hill, ten minutes from Mpuaai Gate and fifteen minutes from Talek Gate. You are not driving an hour to reach the wildlife corridors — you are already close to the most active game drive areas in the reserve. That proximity changes the quality of every drive in your masai mara holiday package, especially during migration season when timing matters most.
Ask Us for a Written Breakdown Before You Book
Here is what every prospective guest receives from Mara Siligi Camp before paying a deposit:
- Full inclusions list — accommodation, meals, park fees, drives, and camp activities
- Any add-on experiences you have asked about, clearly explained
- Transfer options and how to arrange them
- Availability for your specific travel dates
- Cancellation and rescheduling policy in plain language
You review it, you ask questions, and we answer them. Then — and only then — does a deposit make sense.
If you are comparing a masai mara travel package across multiple camps, take every inclusions list and lay them side by side. Add transfers and any add-ons to every quote. The full-cost picture often looks very different from the headline rate — and that difference tells you exactly where the value is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our packages include accommodation, full-board meals, park entry fees, daily guided game drives, and access to camp activities. Before you book, we provide a detailed written breakdown so you know exactly what is included and what is not.
No. We believe in transparent pricing. All core safari costs are clearly outlined in your quote, and we explain any optional add-ons such as hot air balloon safaris, transfers, or premium experiences before you confirm your booking.
Two Masai Mara safari packages can have similar prices but very different inclusions. We encourage guests to compare park fees, meals, game drives, accommodation standards, and transfer arrangements side by side to understand the true value of each package.
