Maasai Mara Game Reserve- Wildlife Safari Kenya

Most of the leading off road trips to Kenya leads tourists to Masai mara national park as its ranked as the top most game reserve where tourists can spot the big five Animals while on self drive holiday in East Africa. whether you have rented a safari jeep for road trip holiday in Kenya for a family weekend or weekly holiday  never miss the chance to stop in Masai mara National Park which is continuation of the Serengeti national park.

Facts about Masai Mara Game Reserve

Masai Mara  is a largest game reserve in Narok County of Kenya which is contiguous with the mega Serengeti National Park in Mara Region Tanzania. It is named in honor of the Masai people and their description of the area when looked at from afar.

It is globally famous for its exceptional population of lions, leopards and cheetahs, and the annual migration of zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and Wildebeest to and from the Serengeti every year from July to October, known as the Great Migration.

Great Wildebeest Migration

Masai Mara game reserve is famous for the Great Migration, when thousands of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson’s gazelle travel to and from the Serengeti, from July through October ( Mostly visited throughout the year) . In the Mara River, throngs of hippos and crocodiles lurk.

Masai Mara game reserve is also known for providing excellent predator sightings in either 4WD Jeep rented during your self drive trip in Kenya, thanks to its relatively large populations of lion, cheetah, and leopard – especially in the dry months from December through February.

Wildlife in masai Mara national park

The Mara is known as one of the finest wildlife destinations in Africa with is an excellent chance of seeing the “Big Five” that is lion, leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, and rhinoceros are found here. Hippopotami and crocodiles are found in large groups in the Mara and Talek rivers. Hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, and bat-eared foxes can also be found in the reserve. The plains between the Mara River and the Esoit Siria Escarpment are probably the best area for game viewing, in particular regarding lion and cheetah.

The wildebeest are the dominant inhabitants of the Masai Mara, and their numbers are estimated in the millions. Around July of each year, these animals migrate north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October.

The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving some 1,300,000 wildebeest, 500,000 Thomson’s gazelles, 97,000 Topi, 18,000 elands, and 200,000 zebras. Antelopes can be found, including Grant’s gazelles, impalas, duikers and Coke’s hartbeests.

The plains are also home to the distinctive Masai giraffe. The large roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, rarely present elsewhere in Kenya, can be seen within the reserve borders.

More than 470 species of birds have been identified in the park, many of which are migrants, with almost 60 species being raptors.

Birds that call this area home for at least part of the year include: vultures, marabou storks, secretary birds, horn bills, crowned cranes, ostriches, long-crested eagles, African pygmy-falcons and the lilac-breasted roller, which is the national bird of Kenya.

Activities in Masai Mara Game Reserve

Hot Air Balloon over the Masai Mara.

Enjoy the tranquility of a balloon ride as you float above the plains watching the wildlife below, See the forest and the rivers of the Masai Mara on a truly unique experience as we drift in the breeze. See why the Masai named this the ‘Mara’, which means ‘spotted’ as you see the circles of trees, shadows from clouds, and scrubland that create the beautiful scenery.

Safari Drive

The best location on the Mara means access to the best wildlife and photography opportunities, enjoy custom designed 4×4 vehicles suited to this environment and game viewing, and highly trained drivers who have a love of the environment and enjoy two of these incredible game drives each day to spot some of the Mara’s fantastic animals including the Big 5 and animals such as  lions, elephants, cape buffalo, and rhinoceros, as well as giraffes, hippos, hyenas, Nile crocodiles, wildebeest, zebra, gazelles, antelopes,

See the Wildebeest Migration

The wildebeest migration is an annual event where over a million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle cross from Tanzania to Kenya’s Masai Mara in a continuous cycle following the rains and fresh grass. The migration often takes place between the months of July and October and is anticipated by hundreds of tourists and the Masai Mara’s predators alike. This is also the time when the wildebeest give birth and life echos all around the Mara. Life not only arrives with the birth of wildebeest, but also with the actions of predators and the arrival of lions and hyenas.

Enjoy Cultural Visits with the Maasai

This is the land of the Maasai, an ancient pastoralist culture known for their warriors, who were once expected to kill a lion to prove its strength and manhood. Recognizable for their red robes and beaded jewelry, the Maasai follow their cattle herds, moving their settlements as they search for water sources and new pastureland. While some Maasai are moving away from pastoralism as they adapt to modern life, most still uphold their society’s traditions, which include elaborate initiation rituals for boys and defined roles for men and women of every age within the community. Read More

Visit the Mara River

The Mara River is one of the documentary world’s most famous because of the annual wildebeest crossing and the abundance of Nile crocodiles. The river begins in Kenya’s highlands then drains into Lake Victoria, this is a very important water source for animals along the Mara River and grows to double its usual size after heavy rains, animals found here include bird-life, hippos and crocodiles and the river is found in the heart of the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Big Game walking safaris

Enjoy exploring the area on foot with highly trained guides. As you are no longer inside a custom designed safari vehicle, enjoy more excitement as you explore the Masai Mara looking for some fantastic wildlife.

Bird watching

The reserve has more than 400 species recorded in and around its borders, including such perennial favorites as Lilac-breasted roller, superb starling and little bee-eater. Large ground birds such as ostrich, Southern ground horn bill, Kori bastard and the localized Denham’s bastard are also common.