Masai Mara Safari

Why go on a Masai Mara Safari? Simply put, it is the best destination in Kenya for viewing wildlife - and lots of it! The Masai Mara is home to a great wildlife spectacle, as sometime between August and November more than two million wildebeest migrate from the Serengeti in search of water and grazing.

For many people, timing their Masai Mara Safari to coincide with the migration seems vital - but with a very abundant and healthy resident population of animals, a holiday to the Masai Mara is great at any time of the year.

The word Mara means "spotted". Does this relate to the landscape, which is patched with groves of acacia and thorn bushes? It is more likely that the name originated from the speckled inundation of wildebeest and millions of other herbivores during the migration. With its rolling grasslands and wide-open savannah, the Masai Mara is the kind of African landscape you might see in the movies.

Many predators also prevail in the Mara, including large prides of lions, a fair number of cheetahs and leopards, spotted hyenas and silver- or black-backed jackals.

From forest and rivers to hills and escarpments to plains, bush and scrub this diverse landscape is home to an enormous number of different species. Giant herds of Elephants wander slowly but purposefully across the vast grasslands, Gazelle’s, Elands and Topi skip playfully through beautiful scenery and if you are lucky you will see one of their major predators, Lions, Cheetahs and Leopards cunningly lying in wait for their prey and giving chase.

The Mara River traverses the reserve and it is not unusual to see Hippos bathing in the river and crocodiles lying in the baking sun seemingly asleep but in reality poised to pounce at lightening speed for their next meal. Birds, too, are prolific. Including migrants well over 450 species have been recorded, among them 57 species of birds of prey.

Amazing as it may seem this wealth of beauty both in the landscape and the multitude of wildlife which resides here is nothing compared to the amazing sight of the March of the Wildebeests. Each year, somewhere far in the South of the Serengeti, millions of wildebeests lift their heads almost in unison, and begin their long trek from the Kenyan Border to Masai Mara. Tracked by predators and circled by vultures their dangerous journey is a long one. Towards the end of June hundreds of thousands of Wildebeast arrive in Masai Mara and driving in the middle of this stampede is truly awe-inspiring, there is nowhere else on earth to rival this natural marvel.

It is important to remember that game viewing is nothing short of excellent all year round. As well as the expected better known species you will also have numerous opportunities to see some of the rarer and less frequently seen wildlife such as the roan antelope, hartebeest, Bat-eared foxes, topi and many, many more. The unique combination of a gentle climate, beautiful scenery and Abundance of wildlife makes the Masai Mara Kenya's most popular inland destination.

When is the best time to visit?

During the dry seasons: it's cooler from the end of May to early October, and warmer from late November to early March. The dry season from July to March is the best time to see wildlife, and the March of the Wildebeests occurs from June – August.

The Masai Mara lies about 270 km from Nairobi and takes about 5 hours by road. There are scheduled flights, twice daily from Wilson Airport Nairobi, which take about 40 - 45 minutes.