Maasai Mara National Reserve – Best Wildlife Park in Kenya

Maasai Mara National Reserve also referred to as the Mara Reserve is one of the most spectacular wildlife reserve in Africa. The reserve is most popular for its powerful wildebeest migration. It provides ultimate big game and wildebeest migration expedition.

Location, size and formation

Masai Mara Reserve is a premier nature reserve located in the far Southwestern part of Kenya, Narok County. This wildlife reserve extends up to the Tanzania border and to the South; it is bordered by Serengeti National Park. Maasai Mara National Reserve was officially recognized as a Kenya Reserve in 1961 and presently, it spans over the land area of 1510sq.km. Its landscape features vast grassland and seasonal river lets.

Tourist Attractions at Maasai Mara Reserve

Wildlife/faunal species

Maasai Mara Reserve prides itself of diverse wildlife consisting of small and large mammal species. The top most sought for wildlife on Kenya safari in this reserve include the cape buffaloes, the plain zebras, African bush elephants, elands, wildebeest, topis, Thomson’s gazelles, African wild cats, leopards, lions, impalas, hippos, aardvarks, warthogs, civet, spotted genet, cheetahs, porcupines, crocodiles, and others.

Bird species

Birds make up part of the interesting attractions at Maasai Mara and over 470 species of birds all exist in the different habitats of this reserve. The reserve is amazingly a birder’s paradise, inhabiting birds such as square-tailed nightjars, Eurasian nightjars, turkey-sized ground hornbills, Tara river cisticolas, lilac breasted rollers, lappet faced, Schawlow’s turacos, African spoonbills, pennant-winged nightjars, secretary bird, superb starlings, giant kingfishers, William’s lark,

Kori bustard, bateleurs, African finfoot, Abdim’s stork, cinnamon-breasted bunting, Jackson’s widowbird, Red-throated tit, Rosy-throated long claw, grey penduline tit, Ayres’s hawk eagle, saddle-billed stork, rufous bellied heron, tabora cisticolas, Southern ground hornbills, temminck’s coursers, yellow-throated sand grouse, white-bellied go-away bird, trilling cisticolas and Swahili sparrow, etc.

Tour Activities to do in and around Maasai Mara

Maasai Mara Reserve boasts of diverse safari activities presenting visitors wide range of options to choose from. The top tour activities to do in and around the Masai Mara National Reserve include witnessing the great migration, game drives, birding, nature/bush walks, hot air balloon safaris, community or cultural visits, and camping.

Witnessing the Great Migration

A safari holiday to Masai Mara is never complete without the great wildebeest migration. The best months of the year to have the most of the Great Migration in Kenya’s Masai Mara is from June to October.

This involves witnessing more than 1.5 million wildebeest while they cross the borders of Tanzania (Serengeti National Park) to Kenya’s Southwestern area. The huge movement includes not only the wildebeest but also other mammals such as elands, gazelles, topis, and zebras. During the great migration expedition, there are higher chances to come across other wildlife and bird species.

Game drives

Maasai Mara Reserve is credited for its exceptional guided big 5 game viewing experiences. This is a complete big five game protected area making it Kenya’s most favorite African travel destination.

The game safaris in Masai Mara enriches visitors with lasting memories of wildlife encounters with higher chances to spot the African bush elephants, rhinos, cape buffaloes, lions, leopards, plus cheetahs, Maasai giraffes, zebras, hyenas and many others. There are 3 sessions to choose to exploring this reserve on a guided wildlife viewing that is in the morning, evening and night game viewing.

Bird watching

A total of 470 bird species survive in the varying habitats of Maasai Mara Reserve Kenya.

These include the Saddle billed stork, black bellied plovers, black winged lapwings, lappet faced vultures, pelicans, long-tailed cormorants, African darters, African jacanas, Caspian plovers, woolly necked storks, Madagascar pond herons, double banded coursers, curlew sandpipers, wattled lapwings, ruddy turnstone, flamingos, purple herons, hooded vulture, rufous bellied herons, Narina trogons, little sparrow hawks, white backed vultures, blue napped mouse bird, black winged kite, African sacred ibis, African fish eagles, black goshawks, and more.

Hot air balloon tours

Spark your travel spirit with Maasai Mara’s memorable balloon excursions. Get a chance to witness abundant wildlife including the big game over the sweeping savanna plains while on a hot air balloon experience with an expert.

Visit the Maasai people

What makes Kenya safaris to Maasai Mara exceptional is the fact that visitors have plenty to explore and experience. Game viewing safaris can be incorporated with guided cultural encounters at the Maasai community where you get to meet the Maasai warriors, learn about their unique traditions and cultures; get entertained by the distinct dances and cultural music performances.

Bush walks

Guided bush walks are amazingly the best alternative for nature lovers to immerse themselves into the Maasai Mara to unearth its wonders. With bush walks, you penetrate deeply into areas hard to be reached while on a 4×4 tourist car.

Camping tours

Camping excursions come abundant opportunities for visitors to closely interact with nature.
Visitors set their tents in enriching camping sites where they can enjoy inspirational melodies from the wilderness, the lion roars and the different bird songs, etc.

Camping is open to all kinds of visitors not necessarily the budget or backpackers.

Best time to visit Maasai Mara Kenya

Visits to explore Maasai Mara Reserve can be done at any time of the year. But the best time to travel to experience the mighty wildebeest migration and big five game is from June to October.

Best places to stay in and around Maasai Mara Reserve

Maasai Mara Reserve features plenty of accommodation options and comprise of budget lodges in Masai mara, midrange and luxury. They include Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp, Ol Seki Mara Camp, Kicheche Bush Camp, Fig Tree Camp, Mara River Lodge, Ngare Serian, Basecamp Maasai Mara, Masai Mara Serena Hotel, Sand River Masai Mara Camp, Entumoto Safari Camp, Angama Mara Kilima Camp and others.

How to get to Masai Mara National Reserve Kenya

Maasai Mara is accessible by road or by air and by road, you depart from Nairobi capital via Narok County route about 6-7 hours’ drive. By air, depart from the airport in Nairobi to any of the airstrips in and around Maasai Mara that is Keekorok, Musiara, Ngerende, Serena, Ol Kiombo and Kichwa airstrips.