I was planning my 2027 trip to Patagonia and I stumbled upon the crazy idea of visiting both Africa and South America in one trip.
I found business class award availability from the US to Nairobi on Qatar Q-Suites (A350-1000 to Doha) and South African Airways from Johannesburg (JNB) to Sao Paulo (GRU).The business class award space on South African seems to appear consistently 350 days ahead and can be booked with either Aeroplan or LifeMiles.
While there is a nonstop flight from JFK to Nairobi, it is impossible to find business class award space for less than 90K points per person each way using Virgin or Flying Blue points.
Qatar Q-Suite Award Booking
Qatar Airways Avios off-peak dates for 2027 typically fall between mid-January and late March, mid-April to early June, and late August to mid-December. There are a few off-peak award dates in 2027 to book the trip for 85K Avios per person (see images below).
Is January-February a good time to visit Masai Mara?
Visiting the Masai Mara in January and February is an excellent choice, characterized by a dry, warm, and sunny spell between the short and long rains. It is a premier time for wildlife viewing, featuring the calving season with high predator activity as lions and cheetahs target young animals. The landscape is vibrant green, and visitor numbers are lower, offering a quieter, more affordable safari experience.
Nairobi Airport to Masai Mara bush plane prices
After landing at Nairobi airport, we are planning to stay a night at Hyatt Regency Nairobi Westlands and then catch a bush plane from Wilson airport (WIL) to Masai Mara (MRE).
While Airlink flights in Africa can be booked with United points or Qatar Avios, they typically only fly between cities in Africa (see images below), not to the safari camps.
You should set aside around $1000USD for a return trip on bush planes when visiting Masai Mara and not wanting to drive 5-7 hours on bumpy roads. You must also use a non-Google search engine like Skyscanner to find these flights (see image below).
Masai Mara Accommodations
Most luxurious all-inclusive properties will cost quite a bit of money (you will struggle to find any accommodation for a budget of 1k per night) , but if you are lucky you may find award space at places like the JW Marriott Masai Mara.
I am planning to stay 3 nights at Mara Serena Safari Lodge (link) which is the only property located inside the Mara Triangle offering exclusive, low-density game viewing with fewer crowds compared to the main reserve. Mara Triangle also features a high density of predators and superior access to the Great Migration river crossings and allows off-roading, night drives, and walking safaris, providing a more intimate, high-quality wildlife experience.
Mara Serena Safari Lodge Prices
Mara Serena Lodge has reasonable all-inclusive nightly prices and safari prices compared to other luxury lodges/tents in the region. Signing up for their Prestige Club is free (easy with the smartphone app) and it gives you a lower rate and free cancellation 7 days before arrival (see images below). I am thinking of doing 5 safari game drives during our stay ($70 USD per person per drive) and I read about a $200 per person per day fee all visitors must pay to stay inside the Masai Mara national park (irrespective of whether you take game drives or not).
Conclusion
African safari is incredibly beautiful and our last trip to Kruger National Park was over 8 years ago. We have been wanting to go to there again and we are ecstatic about finding award space on Qatar’s Q-suites.