7-Day Luxury Kenya Flying Safari: Meru & Maasai Mara
A seven-day luxury Kenya flying safari connecting the untamed 'Born Free' wilderness of Meru National Park with the Great Migration plains of the Maasai Mara — direct bush flights, luxury lodges and Big Five game viewing throughout.
About this safari
This seven-day luxury flying safari links two of Kenya's most rewarding wilderness destinations without a single long road transfer. You fly directly between the wild, little-visited Meru National Park — the historic home of Joy and George Adamson and Elsa the Lioness, the lioness of Born Free — and the world-famous Maasai Mara National Reserve, the stage for the Great Wildebeest Migration and the BBC's Big Cat Diary. In between are private chauffeured transfers, VIP airport assistance, and evenings in some of Kenya's finest lodges.
Meru's thirteen rivers, riverine forest and open savannah hold the Big Five alongside the Northern Special Five — reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, beisa oryx, Somali ostrich and gerenuk — and more than 400 recorded bird species. The Mara delivers the classic East African spectacle: lion prides, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine thickets, and, from July to October, the drama of the Mara River crossings. The safari closes in Nairobi with a farewell lunch at the historic Karen Blixen Restaurant.
What makes this one special
- Direct bush flights between Nairobi, Meru and the Maasai Mara — no long road days
- VIP meet-and-assist at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
- Meru National Park — the 'Born Free' wilderness of Joy and George Adamson
- Big Five and the Northern Special Five across Meru's rivers and savannah
- Two full days in the Maasai Mara, home of the Great Wildebeest Migration
- Picnic breakfast overlooking the Mara River and its hippos and crocodiles
- Farewell lunch at the historic Karen Blixen Restaurant in Nairobi
- Optional sunrise hot-air balloon safari with champagne bush breakfast
The journey, morning by morning
Welcome to Nairobi — VIP arrival
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where our team meets you for VIP assistance through immigration and customs before a private chauffeured transfer to your Nairobi hotel. The evening is yours to rest and recharge before the safari begins.
Fly to Meru National Park — the 'Born Free' wilderness
After breakfast, transfer to Wilson Airport for the short flight to Meru National Park — one of Kenya's best-kept secrets, an untamed paradise of thirteen rivers, lush forest and open savannah where the Adamsons raised Elsa the Lioness. Arrive for lunch at your lodge, then head out on an afternoon game drive tracking the Big Five and the Northern Special Five.
A full day in Meru National Park
A full day exploring Meru's diverse habitats on morning and afternoon game drives — woodlands, doum-palm riverbanks and grassland — with a visit to the Adamson conservation sites and outstanding birdwatching among the park's 400-plus recorded species. Between drives, relax at the lodge with its sweeping views over the wilderness.
Fly to the Maasai Mara — Africa's wildlife crown jewel
Say kwaheri to Meru and fly to the legendary Maasai Mara National Reserve. As the plane descends over the tree-studded plains, the scale of the Mara reveals itself. Your guide meets you at the airstrip for a game drive en route to camp, arriving for lunch, followed by an afternoon drive in search of lion, cheetah and vast herds of plains game.
Full day in the Maasai Mara
A full day uncovering the magic of the Mara, which holds one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Traverse the golden plains for the Big Five and the reserve's famous big cats, and enjoy a luxury picnic lunch overlooking the Mara River with its hippos and crocodiles. From July to October you may witness the dramatic wildebeest river crossings.
The Maasai Mara — an optional dawn balloon flight
Another full day in the reserve at your own pace. Rise before dawn for an optional hot-air balloon safari over the plains, drifting above herds and rivers before touching down to a champagne bush breakfast (available on request). The rest of the day follows the wildlife — big cats, elephant, and the herds wherever they are moving.
Fly to Nairobi — Karen Blixen farewell & departure
Enjoy a final breakfast among the sights and sounds of the bush before your return flight to Nairobi's Wilson Airport. Our team transfers you to the historic Karen Blixen Restaurant for a farewell lunch, with a day room at a city hotel to freshen up before your evening transfer to JKIA for the flight home.
How this journey unfolds — 3 stops in 7 days
- 1Nairobi
- 2Meru
- 3Maasai Mara
The year on this safari, month by month
Available year-round. June to October is the dry season and prime game-viewing window, with the Maasai Mara's wildebeest migration and river crossings typically July to October. January and February are warm, clear and quieter; the long rains around March to May bring lush green landscapes and lower-season rates.
Indicative pattern for Kenya's safari circuit. The long rains (around March–May) and short rains (around November) shift year to year.
Conditions along the route
Live readings where this safari spends its days.
The world this journey moves through
Representative photography of the landscapes and wildlife on this route — tap any photo to view it full screen. Client photography replaces these once our own library arrives.
Included and not included
Included
- VIP meet-and-assist airport services and all airport and airstrip transfers
- Accommodation in a double/twin room sharing at the lodges named
- Full-board meal plan on safari
- Scheduled shared game drives in a 4×4 safari Land Cruiser
- Scheduled light-aircraft flights between Nairobi, Meru and the Maasai Mara
- Sundowners
- All national park and conservation fees
- Laundry
- AMREF Flying Doctors emergency evacuation cover
- All government taxes and levies
Not included
- International flights from your home country
- Kenya visa fees
- Travel, medical and cancellation insurance
- Souvenirs and gifts
- Optional hot-air balloon safari (US$475 per person)
- Tips and gratuities
- Telephone calls, room service and items of a personal nature
Travellers who want Kenya's headline wildlife in a week without long drives — first-time and returning safari-goers, couples, photographers and small groups. The fly-in format suits anyone who would rather spend their days on game drives than on the road.
A set luxury package: Villa Rosa Kempinski in Nairobi, Elsa's Kopje overlooking Meru, and Sand River Mara on the edge of the reserve, with a day room at Four Points by Sheraton on departure. Room types and extensions are arranged by the Wildtouch team.
Questions travellers ask
- How much does the 7-day Meru and Maasai Mara flying safari cost?
- Per person sharing, the safari is from US$4,330 in low season (March, April, May and November), US$5,000 in high season (January, February, June, October and 1–19 December) and US$6,260 in peak season (July–October and 20 December–3 January). The rate includes the internal flights, lodges, full board and park fees; international flights, visas and the optional balloon safari are extra.
- Why is this a flying safari rather than a road trip?
- Meru and the Maasai Mara sit on opposite sides of Kenya. Flying between them turns what would be two very long driving days into short scenic hops, so your time is spent on game drives rather than on the road — and the aerial views of the Mara plains are spectacular in their own right.
- Will I see the Great Migration on this safari?
- The wildebeest migration is typically in the Maasai Mara between July and October, including the Mara River crossings, so travelling in those months gives the best chance of the crossings. The Mara holds outstanding resident wildlife — lion, cheetah, leopard and elephant — all year round.
- What is special about Meru National Park?
- Meru is the wild, uncrowded park where George and Joy Adamson raised Elsa the Lioness, the story behind Born Free. It combines the Big Five with the Northern Special Five (reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, beisa oryx, Somali ostrich and gerenuk) and more than 400 bird species, with a fraction of the vehicles you find in busier parks.
This itinerary is a starting point
Dates, lodges and pace are shaped around you — by the Wildtouch team, who run the trips. Share your dates and party and we'll make it yours.