Maasai Mara national reserve in Kenya was first established in 1961, it was merely a sanctuary of 520 km2, but today it is one of the country’s largest national reserves on a Kenya safari. Consisting of 1,510 km2 of land in Kenya’s Rift Valley. It doesn’t matter how you refer Maasai Mara some people just call it “the Mara” it’s spelt with a double “a”. Along with neighboring conservancies including Mara triangle, Maji moto, and many others, Maasai Mara is situated in the larger Mara ecosystem. With temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C, Maasai Mara and the broader Mara encounter thrills at an altitude of 5,300 feet above sea level.
Maasai Mara national reserve is located in southwestern Kenya and shares a border with Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Maasai Mara national reserve is renowned for housing a large population of species in the African desert, the annual great migration including millions of wildebeests, thousands zebras, and thousands of impalas, Thomson’s gazelles and among others which move between Maasai Mara and Serengeti National Park on a seasonal basis while crossing the Mara River where crocodiles wait to feast on them. Everyone wants to see the enchanted wildebeest migration, which draws a large number of tourists from all over the world during this seasonal migration. This migration typically takes place between the months of July and August, at which time wildebeests can be seen moving from Serengeti National Park through Mara Rive to Masai Mara National Reserve, and then returning from Mara to Serengeti in the months of September and November. While on a safari in East Africa, this is the most exciting and fascinating sight to see.
In addition to wildebeests, Masai Mara national reserve is a home to a variety of other mammals, including zebras, cheetahs, leopards, elands, topis, gazelles, and many more. This makes Maasai Mara national reserve one of the best places to travel in East Africa if you want to go on a safari to see wildlife. The Maasai Mara is the finest place to go birdwatching safari because it is a home to more than 500 different species of birds.
Maasai Mara game reserve offers a variety of other tourist attractions in addition to seeing the wildebeest migration, such as;
Community tours in Maasai Mara national reserve.Â
Maasai Mara national reserve provides the best community tours, allowing visitors to meet the native Maasai inhabitants, who are known for being livestock keepers and who reside in Maasai territory. It is incredibly satisfying to spend a day on a cultural excursion to the Maasai community and take in the dance and in singing performances as well as learn about other skills like milking and milk storage.
Birding safaris in Maasai Mara national reserve.Â
As already noted, Maasai Mara national reserve is home to over 500 different species of birds, which can be viewed in the lush greenery. While in Maasai Mara national reserve’s remoteness, birders are always urged to wander around with their binoculars in order to enjoy a fantastic birding safari experience. The bird species to be spotted includes Abdim’s stork, African finfoot, crowned cranes, Bateleur, Giant kingfisher, Grey penduline tit, Hilderbrandt’s starling, Tabora cisticola, Swahili sparrow, Temminck’s courser, Usambiro barbet, Woolly-necked stork, Yellow-throated sandgrouse and many other birds can be seen during a birding safari in the Maasai Mara national reserve.
Hot air balloon safaris in Maasai Mara national reserve.
The sunrise hot air balloon safari, which gives travelers a clear view of the sun rising from the skies, is what Maasai Mara national reserve provides as the best hot air balloon safari experience. The best wildlife viewing are from this early-morning hot air balloon, which typically includes a bush breakfast and a bottle of Champaign. Viewing wildlife when grazing in Maasai Mara national reserve’s savanna. Additionally, tourists may enjoy a clear aerial perspective of the entire larger Mara region, along with all of its breathtaking vegetation and fauna.
Game drive safaris in Maasai Mara national reserve.Â
Due to its stunning eco system, Maasai Mara national reserve offers the best game drive safaris anywhere in East Africa. To fully enjoy Maasai Mara on a game drive, many tourists prefer to stay at least two or more days. There are morning game drives, afternoon game drives, full day game drives and night game drives available in Maasai Mara national reserve. Participating in all these game drives provides access to the park’s biggest concentration of species.
A safari to Maasai Mara national reserve can also include other safari activities like nature hikes and walking safaris, a luxurious stay at Governor’s private camp, an exploration of the Mara River, a trip to Mfangano Island, and many others.
Where to stay while on a Kenya safari to Maasai Mara national reserve.Â
Like every other protected region in Kenya, Maasai Mara national reserve offers a variety of accommodation options, allowing visitors to pick the one that best fits their needs and budget. While the majority of the accommodation are only a few kilometres away from the Mara reserve, some are located inside the Mara reserve. These accommodation options include budget, midrange, and luxury options. These lodges include Mahali Mzuri, Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Mara Big 5, Mara Bush Camp, and Mara Tented Camp, among many others.
When to visit Maasai Mara national game reserve.
All seasons are suitable for visiting Maasai Mara national reserve. The optimum time to visit Maasai Mara national reserve depends on a number of aspects, such as the interests of the tourists; for example, if they want to see the wildebeest migration, you are advised to visit the reserve from the months July and October. Then for the bird lovers should visit Maasai Mara national reserve during the wet seasons when there are many bird species and their young ones due to the abundance of food. The greatest times to visit a park are during the dry months when the trails are a little bit dry and navigable and the foliage cover is shorter for simple wildlife spotting.
Getting there to Maasai Mara National Reserve.
There are two ways to get to Maasai Mara game reserve: by road or by air.
By road: the distance from Nairobi to Maasai Mara game reserve is about 270km which is covered on a road drive for 4-5hours depending on the traffic and stopovers along the way.
By air: there are several charter flights from different destinations to Maasai Mara National Game Reserve and the duration of flight depend on the place of origin and the stopovers as well.