The Masai Mara — Kenya’s Greatest Wildlife Reserve
The Masai Mara National Reserve covers 1,510 square kilometres of open savannah in southwestern Kenya, forming the northern extension of the vast Serengeti ecosystem that stretches south into Tanzania. Together, the Mara and the Serengeti comprise one of the last places on earth where the full predator-prey dynamic of the African savannah operates at its natural scale. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, African wild dogs — all live here in numbers that have become rare almost everywhere else. The Mara River bisects the reserve from north to south, and it is this river that gives the Masai Mara its most famous moment: the annual crossing of the wildebeest migration.
The Great Migration River Crossings
Between July and October each year, the wildebeest herds that have calved in Tanzania’s southern Serengeti push north into the Masai Mara in search of fresh grass. To get there, they must cross the Mara River, which at this time of year is patrolled by large Nile crocodiles that have been waiting for exactly this moment. The crossings — sometimes hundreds of animals at once, sometimes a tentative few followed by thousands — are among the most visceral and unpredictable wildlife spectacles on the planet. The herds may cross at the same spot multiple times over a period of days, or move to a different crossing point entirely. A guide who knows the river reads the herd’s movement and positions you accordingly. You cannot guarantee a crossing on any given day, but a week in the Mara between late July and early October and you will almost certainly see one.
Year-Round Wildlife in the Mara
The migration is the headline, but the Masai Mara is exceptional outside migration season too. The resident lion population is one of the densest in Africa — the Mara Triangle alone has over 50 lions, and prides are encountered almost every day. Leopards hunt along the Mara River’s forested banks and are more reliably seen here than almost anywhere else in Kenya. Cheetahs — particularly mothers with cubs — use the open plains of the eastern Mara and Naboisho Conservancy. Elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, cape buffalos, and topis are present in large numbers year-round. The birdlife is exceptional: over 470 species recorded.
The Mara Conservancies
Surrounding the national reserve are several private conservancies — Ol Kinyei, Mara North, Naboisho, Olare Motorogi, and Mara Ripoi among others — where access is limited to guests staying at the camps within each conservancy. This matters practically: off-road driving, night game drives, and walking safaris are permitted in the conservancies, none of which are allowed in the national reserve itself. Vehicle density at sightings is dramatically lower. Many of our clients split their Mara time between a night or two in the conservancies and nights in or near the national reserve, which gives them the best of both.
Getting to the Masai Mara
The Masai Mara is a five to six hour drive from Nairobi on tarmac to Narok and then rough dirt road — comfortable enough but not everyone’s preference. The alternative is a forty-five minute scheduled or charter flight from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to one of the Mara’s several airstrips. Most of our clients fly in and drive out, or vice versa, to see more of the country. We arrange all transfers as part of your itinerary.
When to Visit the Masai Mara
July to October is peak season and the best time for the river crossings. January and February are dry, quiet, and excellent for big cat sightings. April and May bring the long rains and lower prices — the roads can be difficult but the landscape is beautiful and the parks almost empty. June is excellent and slightly less busy than the peak July-to-October window. Read our full Kenya timing guide for month-by-month detail, or contact us to plan your visit.