MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE
Why most people love Masai Mara National Park in Kenya
The Masai Mara National Park is popular with adventure fans from all over the world because it has so much wildlife. The “Big Five” animals of Africa—the lion, the leopard, the elephant, the buffalo, and the rhino—draw them here. But these hills and rivers are home to more than 95 different kinds of mammals. You can see a topi, an eland, a giraffe, a fox, and birds like kingfishers, guinea fowl, and many types of hawks. There aren’t many parks where you can see more wildlife.
Getting away from it all
It pours across the Mara River from the nearby Serengeti like a mass exodus of animals. First, waves of zebras will arrive, then huge groups of wildebeests will flood into these tawny fields. The sight of these millions of birds mesmerizes people who are waiting to visit the park from July to October.
Nile crocodiles, lions, cheetahs, and many other predators wait for this annual flow of wildlife. They are drawn to the nomads who come to feed. It is without a doubt the biggest gathering of animals in the world.
The Maasai
The Maasai people live on this land full of unique acacia trees. They are nomadic farmers and are the source of the park’s name. Around the reserve, they build traditional towns and live like they have for thousands of years, herding their cattle and fighting back against the modern world that keeps coming in.
The Maasai are known for their beautiful, brightly colored shukas and skilled beadwork. They are a live link to a time before colonial Africa, when Africa was wild and undeveloped.
The best things about Masai Mara National Reserve
Before the Great Migration, Every year, thousands or even millions of wildebeest, zebra, topi, eland, and gazelles make the trip to the Mara lands in search of food in the higher grasses. From July to October, this never-ending train of animals goes from Tanzania to Kenya and back to Tanzania in a big circle. It’s a beautiful nature show that doesn’t stop.
The Big Cats and Other Animals
People say that there are more lions in the Mara than anywhere else in Africa. It’s not hard to find the many prides that live here, and if you’re patient, you can often also find leopards. You can’t walk through this huge park for a day without seeing a lot of animals in their native habitat.
People of the Maasai
People who are in the Mara should go to the Maasai towns that are close by. Their homes, bomas, and other buildings are real and were built by hand. Discover their traditional way of life and enjoy their crafts, ceremonies, and customs.
Early-morning balloon ride
A dawn hot air balloon tour is the best way to see this moving park, especially during the months of the Great Migration. The trip is one you’ll never forget, as you sail over the wildlife and land lit by the early morning sun.
Animals that live in the Masai Mara Game Reserve
The Masai Mara National Reserve is a wildlife lover’s dream, with a huge range of animals living there. The lion is one of the most well-known animals in the Masai Mara. Large groups of lions live in the area, and people can often see them relaxing on rocks or hunting. Leopards and cheetahs are two other big cats that live in the Masai Mara. They are often seen running across the savannah in search of their food.
Another famous thing to see in the Masai Mara is the elephants. Large groups of these beautiful animals can often be seen roaming the grasslands. People can watch these gentle giants feed, play, and take mud baths in the rivers. There are also many herbivores that live in the reserve, such as giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest, which can be seen in big groups during their annual migration.
The Masai Mara is home to many kinds of animals that are not as well known, such as the spotted hyena, the serval cat, and the bat-eared fox. People who come to the reserve can go on guided tours or self-drive safaris to see the park’s wild animals and experience its vast wilderness. Because there are so many animals to see, the Masai Mara is a place that wildlife lovers will never forget.
Information about Masai Mara National Reserve
The Masai Mara is a big, rolling grassland that covers 1,500 square kilometers (589 square miles) on the border between Kenya and Tanzania. A group of conservancies circle the national park. These are places where the Maasai live and are only open to a certain number of visitors.
The Reserve is in the Great Rift Valley, right next to Tanzania’s Serengeti lands.
The Mara is just south of the equator, so the daily temperature doesn’t change much. It will be between 200C (680F) and 300C (860F) outside. It might rain in the afternoon or evening.
If you can, go during the migration season, which runs from July to October. December through January and April through May are the rainy months.
How to get there: Safari Trips to Kenya offers tours. We’ll take you there in style in a 4×4 Safari Jeep that has been carefully equipped.
We’ll make plans for you to fly into one of the park’s all-weather airstrips.
