One thousand five hundred square
kilometres of open grassland.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve covers roughly 1,510 square kilometres in Narok County, and it is the northern end of the same ecosystem that becomes the Serengeti once you cross into Tanzania. The ground is open, rolling and largely treeless, which is exactly why it has the reputation it does: predators here are visible in a way they are not in thicker bush. Between July and October the migration herds push up from the south, and the Mara River crossings are what most people come to see. The rest of the year the resident game is still among the best in Africa.
South-west Kenya
Approximate reserve area
Ideal length of stay
Migration and crossings
Why visit the Maasai Mara
Between July and October the herds mass on the riverbank and cross where the crocodiles wait. There is nothing else like it.
Lion, leopard and cheetah at concentrations few reserves match, on ground open enough to actually watch them hunt.
When the herds return south the resident game stays, so a February trip is still a serious wildlife trip.
Private conservancies bordering the reserve allow night drives and off-road, which the main reserve does not.
Sunrise flights over the plains, landing for breakfast on the grass.
The reserve is named for the people who have grazed this land for generations, and visits are arranged directly with them.
What there is to do
Game Drives
Morning and late afternoon drives in an open-roof vehicle, timed for when the animals are actually moving.
Hot Air Balloon Safari
A sunrise lift-off over the plains, then breakfast set out on the ground wherever you come down.
Migration Viewing
Timed around the crossing months, with early starts to reach the river before the herds commit.
Maasai Village Visit
Time in a Maasai homestead, arranged directly with the community rather than through a middleman.
Sundowners
Drinks somewhere with a long view as the light goes, which is the part most people remember.
Wildlife you can expect
Lion
Prides hold large territories here and are seen on most drives, usually resting up through the middle of the day.
Elephant
Family groups move between water and feeding ground, and the bulls are often encountered alone.
Leopard
Solitary and largely nocturnal. Look along the riverine trees at first light and in the last hour before dark.
Cheetah
Built for open ground and hunting in daylight, which makes a sighting one of the better ones to sit with.
Buffalo
Herds gather in the hundreds near water. Old bulls split off alone and are the more dangerous animal.
When to go
The Mara is worth visiting in any month. The season decides whether you are watching a crossing or a quiet plain.
Peak migration
River crossings and the highest concentration of game. Also the busiest and most expensive months.
Great wildlife
Herds are south in the Serengeti, but resident predators are active and vehicle numbers drop sharply.
Green season
Long rains, dramatic light, lush country and the lowest rates of the year.
Short rains
Brief afternoon storms, strong birding and quiet camps.
Plan a Maasai Mara safari
The Mara appears on almost every Kenya itinerary we run, from two-night group departures to twelve-day private circuits.