Maasai Mara National Reserve | Great Wildlife Migration in Kenya

The Masai Mara National Reserve is a picturesque mountain savannah in southwestern Kenya, bordering Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park to the south, and is Kenya’s most popular safari destination. Masai Mara National Reserve covers 1,510 square kilometers and is classified as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The reserve is located in the Great Rift Valley in Narok County.

Maasai Mara National Reserve is the name of the Maasai people, in memory of the Maasai who are the ancestors of the area, even today they live peacefully with wild animals in the game reserve, in the world “Mara” is the local name of the Maasai people, which means the bushes, savannas, and grasslands that make up the Maasai Mara the endless plains.

The Masai Mara started as a game reserve in 1961 with an area of ​​about 520 square kilometers and was later upgraded to a game reserve in 1961, expanding its boundaries to 1,821 square kilometers. The protected area is divided into 159 square kilometers and allocated to local communities; the rest of the area was transformed into a national reserve in 1974. The following year, 1976, the area of ​​the protected area was again reduced by 162 square kilometers. leaving only 1,510 square kilometers.

How Big is Maasai Mara National Reserve?

The area covers square kilometers and consists of three ranches: Mara Triangle, Sekhnani, and Musiala. The landscape of the National Reserve consists of open plains, hills, two large rivers, the Mara and Talek, flowing to the north, acacia trees dominating the southeast region, and the Eliot rock composition of the Rift Valley. The Great Rift Valley stretches 5,600 kilometers along Ethiopia’s Red Sea through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique, and this escarpment of the Maasai Mara National Reserve has the highest concentration of wildlife in its grasslands and coastal waters.

Maasai Mara National Reserve is a true African paradise and wildlife paradise, the reserve consists of an impressive diversity of wildlife, including lions, cheetahs, elephants, African buffalo, wildebeest, giraffes, zebras, Thomson’s gazelle, and Grant’s gazelle, black and white gazelles. hippopotamus, crocodile, hyena, jackal, serval, antelope like impala, duiker, horse antelope, kola antelope, etc.

The National Reserve is a great birding destination in Kenya and has recorded over 470 bird species and bird populations, including 60 species of raptors, resident, and migratory species. Maasai Mara National Reserve is home to birds such as Abudinian stork, African sandpiper, African owl, Eyre’s eagle, cinnamon deer, Denham’s thrush, giant kingfisher, gray tit, Hill Rembrandt’s thrush, Jackson’s widow, broom c. ostrich, purple grenadier, red tit, Rosen turaco, red-necked heron, red-bellied heron, red-throated stork, Schalow’s turaco, secretary bird, silver bird, southern hornbill, Swahili sparrow, Tabora cola Temminka’s courses, Trilling cisticola, Usambiro barbet, white-bellied walker, hairy necked stork, yellow-rumped widow, yellow-throated, etc.

Kenya safari in the Maasai Mara National Reserve

Wildlife watching

The national reserve is a world popular destination for wildlife tours in Kenya. The national reserve is home to many animals and has beautiful landscapes. This is best done by driving through the reserve using the permanent trails that pass through the reserve. Watch the game. The game drives take place in an open safari vehicle and are led by experienced professional guides and the wildlife viewing offers the opportunity to admire a variety of animals such as zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, cheetahs, etc.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve offers wildlife viewing all year round, but is best done during the dry season when the animals gather at waterholes to drink.

See Great Wildebeest Migration

One of the natural wonders of the world and the largest wildebeest migration on Earth. The wildebeest migration is most prominent in the Masai Mara crossing the Mara River involving over 1.5 million wildebeest and thousands of Thomson’s gazelles and migrations of gazelles and zebras. From the Serengeti National Park to the plains of the Masai Mara.

The animals involved in the migration are believed to be migrating in search of fresh grass and water, and the Mara River crossing is the deadliest part of the migration as migrating cattle enter rivers infested with deadly crocodiles. After crossing the river, the herds encounter predators such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs on the banks. All the action can be seen during a Kenyan wildlife safari in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, best viewed from July to September.

Bird watching

The national reserve is a great birding destination in Kenya and is home to over 470 documented bird species, including 60 arboreal species, many raptors, and endemic species. The endemic birds of the Maasai Mara National Reserve are usually found along the Mara River, and migratory bird species visit the reserve from October to May. During the bird safari in Masai Mara National Reserve, you can find Lesser-speckled, Gray Tit, Hildebrand’s Thrush, Jackson’s Widow, Sloth Thrush, Ostrich, Purple Grenadier, Red-necked Tit, Rose Turaco, Red-necked Egret, Red-bellied Heron, Red Heron. -throat sparrow, saddle stork, Shalo turaco, secretary bird, silver bird, southern ground hornbill, Swahili sparrow, etc.

Cultural Walk

The reserve is an extraordinary Kenyan safari destination where people and wildlife live in harmony, and on a Kenyan wildlife safaris tour in Maasai Mara National Reserve, you will have the opportunity to visit famous places with unique cultures and traditional customs. Maasai. On a cultural tour of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, you can gain a deeper understanding of the Maasai way of life, experience circumcision, encounter bomas (circular thatched huts built from local materials such as soil, wood, and straw), animal husbandry and more. You also have the opportunity to visit the Talek town market and schools where you will interact with local people.

Wildlife Adventures in Maasai Mara

Maasai Mara National Reserve is a beautiful Kenyan safari destination, perfect for trekking in Kenya, the reserve has many areas (protected areas), the most recommended trekking reserve is Naboisho reserve, which has a huge amount of wildlife, with spectacular views. Trekking in the Maasai Mara National Reserve is the ultimate experience to enjoy nature and wildlife. This experience gives you a great chance to see lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, cheetahs, wildebeest, and more.

Hot Air Balloon Ride

Hot Air Balloon Safari is an adventurous Kenyan safari experience that offers an amazing nature experience in the Maasai Mara National Reserve. This unforgettable experience offers a breathtaking aerial view from high in the sky. The inflated balloons are operated by more than 20 people who help the balloons take off and land, and the experience offers a chance to see many animals like migrating wildebeest, cheetahs, lions, herds of elephants, buffaloes, leopards, antelopes, etc. enjoy a fantastic view of the reserve’s neighboring plains.

How to get to Maasai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara National Reserve is accessible by road and air vehicles

Go, Overland

Maasai Mara National Park is about 2.5 hours drive from Nairobi to Naroka and 3.5 hours drive from Naroka town to Sekanani Gate. A 4×4 safari vehicle is best for road transport.

Air Transport

Domestic charter flights are offered from Nairobi Wilson Airport to several airstrips serving the Masai Mara such as Keekorok Airstrip, Cottar Airstrip, Mara North Airstrip, Musiara Airstrip, Ngerende Airstrip, Olare Orok Airstrip, Ol Kiombo Airstrip, Ol Seki Airstrip, and Si Seki Airstrip.

Where to stay in Maasai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara has several safari lodges, tented camps, and campsites that offer accommodation for Kenyan safari visitors in the reserve, ranging from luxury to mid-range, and budget. Maasai Mara National Reserve includes Maasai Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Elephant Pepper Camp, Mara Bush Camp, Kikwa Tambo Tented Camp, Kicheche Bush Camp, Orseki Mara Camp, En Kund Tented Camp, Loik Mara Camp, Ndutu Moto Safari Camp.

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