wildebeest migration

Explore Maasai Mara Game Reserve

Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Kenya. The reserve is located in the Great Rift Valley in primarily open grasslands with wildlife greatly concentrated on the reserve’s western escarpment.

 

The park is regarded as the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife viewing areas. The annual wildebeest’s migration alone, also called The Great Migration, involves over 1.5 million animals arriving in July and departing in November. There are over 95 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles and over 400 birds species recorded on the reserve.

 

Nowhere in Africa is wildlife more abundant. In this regard, visitors are almost assured to see the Big Five (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino) in the Mara.

 

At an altitude of 5,300 feet (1,600 metres), the rainy season in the Mara runs from November through May, with peak rainfall in December-January and April-May. The dry season runs from June-November. Maximum temperatures measure up to 30°C while minimum temperatures reach 20°C.

 

The best time to visit the Masai Mara is between July and October, during peak season when The Great Migration happens. Early November and February can also offer excellent game viewing.

 

Activities available in the Mara include game viewing, camping, night game drives, visits to Masai cultural villages, balloon safaris, picnic lunches and breakfasts and scene photography.

Things to do

wildbeest migration

Game Drives

Masai Mara is one of the world’s most famous national parks

See all the members of The Big Five (elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and rhino) together with 95 other species of mammals and 550 species of birds. In the Masai Mara you’ll also witness the annual migration of over one-and-a-half-million wildebeest.

Park entry fees is payable to park authorities upon entry to Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

hot air balloon safari

Hot Air Baloon Safari

This is a delightful experience, drifting slowly and silently over the vast African plains. As the sun breaks over the horizon, spread beneath you is a panorama of Africa, vast herds of animals oblivious to your presence above. The Balloon leaves just before sunrise when the breeze on the plains is still cold. Once airborne, the balloons are blown by the prevailing winds across the broad landscape. Apart from the hiss of the burners, the flight above the Maasai Mara plains is magically silent. The pilot controls the height of the craft by regulating the flow of hot air into the balloon. Sometimes the balloon will descend over the plains for a close up view of the wildlife; on other occasions, it rises to clear a tree canopy and rise over the riverine forest.

masai cultural visit

Maasai Cultural Visit

This activity is only possible if clients are spending a minimum of 02 nights in Maasai Mara. Normally it would take a whole morning or afternoon, but it’s better before it’s too hot. It is recommended to book early as the activities have to be booked and confirmed well in advance. Usually visitors are welcomed by a group of Maasai morans (warriors) and Maasai women with traditional dances which the visitors are free to join. After the welcome, the Maasai people demonstrate some of their ways of life, including making a fire from the friction of rubbing 02 sticks together. A Maasai blacksmith and a medicine man (Laibon) also demonstrates their trade in their traditional ways. There is also a show on how the Maasai harvest blood from cows, which they then mix with milk and eat. This among other activities are showcased and the visitor is encouraged to participate.

Places to Stay

Mara Leisure Camp

Set in what is considered Kenya’s prime wildlife area, Mara Leisure Camp is located along the Talek River, at the confluence of the Masai Mara’s four wildlife viewing areas, on the northern boundary of the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Mara Leisure Camp is located within one of the most spectacular locations in the entire Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Keekorok Lodge

Over 700 square miles of lush, sun-drenched plains encircle Keekorok Lodge, the oldest hotel in Masai Mara Game Reserve in southwest Kenya. The Keekorok Lodge was opened in 1962 and is ideally situated in the direct path of the spectacular wildebeest migration that occurs every year from July to October. Guests can experience unparalleled Masai Mara safari adventures, and morning and evening game drives are a must for anyone visiting the reserve.

Sand River Camp

Situated on a secluded and picturesque site on the banks of a river from which it takes its name, Sand River Masai Mara replicates the heyday of exclusive permanent tented camps of the late 1920’s. It is an ideal destination, at any time of the year, for those wishing to enjoy exceptional game-viewing and the dramatic arrival of the Annual wildebeest migration.

Sarova Mara Game Camp

The rolling plains around the Sarova Mara Game Camp are teeming with wildebeest, gazelles and zebras during the migration months, and the camp is situated right in the center of their migration path. A wildlife safari puts you right in the middle of all this action. Get a first-hand account of this epic phenomenon and live to tell the tale. A safari also helps you acquaint yourself with the landscapes of this beautiful African setting.

Governors Camp

The setting is magical. So much so that almost a century ago it was reserved, exclusively, for Kenya’s colonial Governors. Governors’ Camp nestles in the forest along the winding banks of the Mara River, it’s waters teeming with bird-life, hippo and crocodile, in the heart of Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. Some of the 37 tents line the riverbank, tucked into the forest they enjoy uninterrupted views over the Mara River, others have views across the sweeping plains of the Masai Mara. Created in 1972 Governors’ Camp set new standards in luxury for a tented camp. Today it’s still Africa’s best.

Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp

Located where the riverine forest meets the sweeping plains in the path of the awe-inspiring Great Migration, the camp provides an authentic dose of African wildlife, delivered with legendary Kenyan hospitality. With timeless interiors that are simple yet contemporary and stylish, the new Kichwa Tembo enhances guests’ sense of privacy and enjoyment.

Fairmont Mara Safari Club

The Fairmont Mara Safari Club, a luxury Masai Mara resort hotel in Kenya, re-opened in 2009 following an extensive renovation program.

Surrounded on three sides by the breathtaking Mara River, and on the edge of the world’s Seventh “New” Wonder of the World – the Masai Mara – Fairmont Mara Safari Club is the epitome of tented luxury. A Top 20 Luxury Resort by Travel & Leisure Magazine The Fairmont is a host to a number of fine dining, safari and outdoor activities. The main Masai Mara lodge at the center of camp hosts an indoor restaurant, bar and library with Internet access to keep the relatives up to date with safari adventures. A spacious outside deck overhangs the river and leads to a swimming pool, complete with bar and private massage tents.