Maasai Mara National Reserve

The Maasai Mara is a wildlife reserve in southwestern Kenya that is part of the greater Serengeti ecosystem. It is famous for its large populations of African wildlife, including the big five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo, and rhino), as well as the annual wildebeest migration.

Visitors can go on guided game drives to see the wildlife, hot air balloon rides for a unique view of the reserve, or visit Maasai villages to learn about the local culture. The Maasai Mara is a popular destination, there is multiple lodges and camp sites within the park, staying in the park makes the visit even better. Ask your guide for local recommendations.

Maasai/Masai Mara National Reserve is situated in southwest Kenya and is one of Africa’s greatest wildlife reserves. Mara means “spotted” due to the short bushes found in the park. Locally known as the Mara is a large national park in Narok county, Kenya contiguous with Serengeti National Park. Masai Mara National Reserve is home to the big five; the Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephants, and Rhino. The park hosts the great migration and is known as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and one of the ten wonders of the world. The climate is gentle, rarely too hot, and well-spread rainfall year-round. The reserve is also home to smaller groups of elephants, giraffes, zebras, and gazelles from the Serengeti in northern Tanzania crossing the great Mara River into Kenya in search of fresh feeding grounds, which takes place in late July-September. Solitary leopards haunt the acacia trees lining the Mara River, while the lions and Cheetahs prowl the savannah plains. The park is also home to 450 different species of birds.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya is a place of wonder, alive with the raw beauty of nature and the rhythm of life in the wild. This vast land, covering about 1,510 square kilometers, is not just a park; it's a vibrant theatre of nature, playing out scenes of survival, beauty, and the interconnectedness of life.

One of the most compelling reasons to visit the Maasai Mara is to witness the Great Migration. This annual event is one of nature's most awe-inspiring spectacles, where over a million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles travel in a never-ending cycle of life and death, following the rains in search of fresh grass. The sight of these vast herds moving across the savanna, facing dangers like river crossings and predators, is something that stays with you forever.

Apart from the migration, the Maasai Mara is teeming with wildlife. It's an incredible place to see the "Big Five" – lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and rhinos – in their natural habitat. The reserve's rolling grasslands and riverine forests also host cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, and over 470 species of birds, making every safari drive a journey of discovery.

What sets the Maasai Mara apart is its deep connection with the Maasai people, who have lived in harmony with the land for centuries. Their rich culture and traditions are an integral part of the Mara experience. Visitors often have the chance to visit Maasai villages, learn about their way of life, and witness their traditional dances and ceremonies.

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The landscape of the Maasai Mara is a breathtaking backdrop to its wildlife. The golden grasslands, dotted with acacia trees and traversed by the Mara River, create a scene that is quintessentially African. The sunrises and sunsets here paint the sky in extraordinary colors, adding to the magic of the experience.

Kenya have plenty of National parks and an amazing wildlife for you to explore. But there is only one Maasai Mara and that’s where you should go! Maasai Mara is located about a five hour drive from Nairobi, it’s only 270 km but the roads are far from perfect, but as the old saying ”the journey is a part of the goal”, we recommend you to take the time to get a glimpse of the real life in Kenya. As you probably understand, there are millions of people in Kenya living under very rough circumstances. So the five hour drive will probably give you a stronger feeling of thankfulness for life. We recommend you not to drive yourself, there are plenty of Safari companies offering Safari incl pick up in Nairobi. Except for the most given advantage that you don’t need to drive, you also outsource the administration of paying fees to the park (which can be a hustle), deciding which of all the small shops and cafés along the way you should stop at. As if that wasn’t enough they also take care of booking your accommodation in Maasai Mara.

When you finally arrive we promise you that it will all be worth it. Maasai Mara is over 1500 square km and home to the big five and many many more wild animals. Mara is actually not the biggest reserve in Kenya but probably the most famous, in south Massai Mara is connected to the even more famous national park Serengeti, but that’s on a whole other list as it is located in Tanzania.

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If you are traveling here during autumn you will see something spectacular called the great migration. That’s when about 1,7 milion wildebeests are entering the park from Serengeti in the south. Els from that the Mara is renowend for its great population of leopard, cheetah, lion and elephant.

The park is actually named to honor the Maasai people, the ancestral inhabitants of the area. You will not miss them while you are visiting and it’s also possible to book a visit to one of their villages to get to know a little more about their life and history.