Masai Mara National Reserve is situated southwest of Kenya in Narok county, sharing a common border with Serengeti National park in Mara region, Tanzania. It is the land of breathtaking views, abundant wildlife with endless plains. Masai Mara is named in honor of the Maasai people (the indigenous inhabitants of the area) and is the most popular and most famous tourist destination in Kenya. The place is punctuated by a spectacle of rolling hills that blend into elongated open grasslands and acacia woodlands. It is these well preserved habitats that act as home to a plethora of widlife that call Mara land their home! The name "Mara" means spotted in the Masai language, and this came to be about due to the many dotted trees that spread across the landscape.
Masai mara was originally gazetted as a wildlife sanctuary and later a wildlife reserve in 1961 due to an increase in the total land size of the area. The years that followed saw changes in the reserve administration and land size. Currently, the reserve is governed by the Trans-Mara and Narok county councils.
The reserve stretches 1,510 square kilometers (580 square miles) and raises 1,500-2,170 meters above sea level. The reserve is a home to variety of game that includes all the big five animals. Between August and October, Masai Mara National reserve is usually teeming with a haven of abundant widlife, all of which wow you with the novelty of world class experience. Such animals include millions of wildebeest, Zebras, and different species of antelopes which form the Great annual animal migration. Large heards of elephants that are complimented by buffalos and huge lion prides as well as other predators form a visible relationship between the hunter and the hunted. The sight of what happens in the area presents beautiful and scenic views that are altogether lovely! Other animals in Masai mara include; giraffes, the elusive leopard, impala, gazelle, Defassa waterbuck, hippo, blakc rhino, warthog, topi, Coke’s hartebeest and the reedbuck among others.
Masai mara is therefore a paradise for naturalists and photographers with abundant display of Elephants, Cape buffalos, Lions, Giraffes, Hippos, Black rhinos, Cheetahs and Leopards making it the home of Africa’s big five. For bird enthusiasts, the park hosts up to 450 resident and migratory bird species. These include: Ostriches, Lilac-breasted roller, Denham’s bustard, turacos, grey kestrel and the hornill among others.
The Great Migration in Masai Mara Nation reserve.
The great migration is no stranger to the world of fame, and being listed among the seven nature wonders of Africa, it underlines the hearts of many nature and travel enthusiasts with a unique kind of happiness. Many that visit the area are rewarded with great and spectacular views of wildlife, and of course their memories. The great migration starts with millions of animals that are seen galloping over 500 km, starting from the Southern part of Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara National reserve of Kenya, a trip during which crocs and predators are seen maximising the art of feasting upon the weary and unwary migrators. Even though the two phased migration starts around January, the animals actually start their journey into Masai Mara during May when the animals start moving Northwest near the Grumeti river. In July, the animals then start crossing the Mara and grumeti rivers, which provides scenic views that offer more than just nature and pleasure! The animals then settle until they start the journey back to Serengeti.
Due tothe acitivities that happen around the mara river, there's actually a place that came to be labelled the mara triangle. The mara triangle is a wedge that is part of the mara reserve. This triangle is surrounded by the mara river to the east and the Oloololo escarpment to the Northwest. The triangle also offers great views of wildlife.
Activities in Masai Mara National Reserve
Game drives.
You will have a series of game drives to have scenic views of wildlife and nature!
Balloon Safaris.
These provide an excellent view of numerous animals galloping across the vast savannah. The animals can be seen induldging in their various activities that range from predation to feeding. The balloon safari enable one to develop a vulture's-eye-like view and happen usually at dawn.
Photography competitions.
In 2018, one of the Mara's luxury safari camps called Angama Mara launched the Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year competitions through its organisation called Angama Foundation. You can always take part in these competitions.
Community visits.
You will have an opportunity to visit the Masai people and have a taste of their traditional culture. The masai tribe is one of the native tribes of Kenya, occupying the Southern and Northern area of the country. The tribe practices livestock keeping and little agriculture.
When to visit the Masai Mara National reserve.
Masia Mara can be visited any time of the year, although the best time to visit is between July and October, a time during which the great animal migration happens.
Getting there.
Masai mara is about 270 km from Nairobi city. It takes approximately 5 hours to reach the area by drive and around 40 minutes of flight. For a drive, the road is good apart from the section from Narok to Sekenani gate.
Activities
Enchanting Sundowner in Mara Plains
Watch the sunset sinking over the classical Mara plains as you enjoy a chilled bottle of wine or champagne at the famous Oloololo Escarpment with breathtaking views of the vast Masai Mara.
As the silence of the vast sweeps the plains, your eye is drawn to a herd of majestic elephants slowly making their way to a glimmering waterhole. The baby elephants play and tangle their trunks with their older siblings.
Carving another path, the wildebeest trudge up the escarpment slope for the same glimmering waterhole. Here the little ones stick closely to their mothers. Creating a spectacle of nature’s most amazing experiences as, zebras and giraffe amble past each other and quirky warthogs go down on bended knee to forage in scrubby brush. Cast your gaze further back and you may see the black-backed jackal sneaking closer. This is a glorious time to relish the daily ritual of life in the wild as it unfolds naturally before you.
The unmatched Hot air Ballon above the Game
Hot air balloon Safari
Just before sun rise and embark on the unmatched hot air balloon safari high above the mighty Mara plains. Soar peacefully and enjoy the magnificent bird’s eye view of all the animals below (including the Great Migration if you’re lucky).
This classical safari experience concludes with unforgettable, hearty champagne breakfast in the middle of the Mara plains.
Explore the Mara plains on foot
Guided Walking Safari
This is the only opportunity to reconnect with your spirit of adventure and follow in the footsteps of ancient explorers and local herdsmen on a once-in-a-lifetime guided walking safari. heighten your senses without the continuous sound of the safari vehicle … listen to the crickets, breathe the fresh air, view the endless horizon and appreciate the African soil on the soles of your shoes.
Meet with the Maasai people on a community visit
No journey to the Masai Mara would be complete without an authentic cultural experience that gets you up close and personal with the fascinating Maasai people. They will invite you into their humble mud and stick manyattas (homesteads) and reveal their pastoral world and ancient, time-honored traditions.
Witness the incredible Great Migration on the Continent
Witnessing East Africa’s incredible Great Migration is perhaps one of the most popular booked safari. Undeniably one of Africa’s most sought-after adventures, the annual wildebeest migration is truly a once-in-a lifetime experience that should be on every wildlife enthusiast’s bucket list.
The constant movement of grunting wildebeest across the vast Serengeti/Mara plains consists of more than 1.5 million wildebeest, 500 000 zebras, 18 000 elands and 200 000 Thompson’s gazelle, all in relentless pursuit of lush new vegetation to graze. Of course the enormous herds of thundering hooves are forever being stalked by predators lurking nearby, giving onlookers the most jaw-dropping, action-packed wildlife sightings. Serengeti National Park is famous for its annual migration of over 1.5 million white-bearded wildebeests, an estimated 250,000 zebras, gazelles, and tens of thousands of elands, topis and Hartebeests. This migration is the second largest terrestrial mammalian migration in the world, and thus rendered as one of the seven natural wonders of Africa as well as one of the ten natural travel wonders of the world. The migration begins right within the south of the Serengeti in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Following the clockwise direction, the animals move to the North towards Masai mara reserve in Kenya. The animals gallop over the endless plains, covering a distance of 500 miles in search for food resources. This great migration of the serengeti occurs in two phases. The first phase starts from between January to March, during which there is plenty of rain suitable for calving. The second phase begins in late May, during which the animals start moving Northwest into the areas near the Grumeti river. At the start of July, the animals start moving and cross the Mara and Grumeti rivers which is usually an opportune time for the crocodiles to feast. The animals finally settle in Kenya around late August, where they remain for the rest of the dry season.
Due to the acitivities that happen around the mara river, there's actually a place that came to be labelled the mara triangle. The mara triangle is a wedge that is part of the mara reserve. This triangle is surrounded by the mara river to the east and the Oloololo escarpment to the Northwest. The triangle also offers great views of wildlife.
