Masai Mara Safari: National Reserve Travel Guide

The Masai Mara National Reserve sits in Narok County in southwestern Kenya, on the border with Tanzania, and forms the northern end of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. It covers roughly 1,510 square kilometres of open savanna, riverine forest and rolling grassland, with a surrounding ring of private conservancies that add a similar area again.

The reserve began in 1961 as a small wildlife sanctuary. It expanded over the following decade and was granted full National Reserve status in 1974, when a portion of land was returned to the local Maasai community. That arrangement, where people, livestock and wildlife share the same landscape, still holds today through the network of private conservancies around the reserve. It is one of the main reasons the Mara ecosystem remains as intact as it does.

The Mara supports one of the densest large predator populations anywhere in Africa, and all of the Big Five are resident.

• Lion in well studied prides along the Musiara and Paradise plains
• Leopard along the Talek and Mara river forest lines
• Cheetah on the open short grass, often hunting in daylight
• Elephant and buffalo throughout the reserve year round
• Black rhino in small numbers, most often seen in the Mara Triangle
• Wildebeest and zebra in their millions between July and October

Beyond the headline species you will see topi, eland, giraffe, hippo, crocodile and more than 450 recorded bird species.

Most visitors build their days around morning and late afternoon game drives, but the Mara offers more than that.

• Great Migration river crossings from July to October at the Mara and Talek rivers
• Hot air balloon safari lifting off at dawn, followed by a bush breakfast on the plains
• Guided bush walks available in the private conservancies but not inside the reserve
• Night game drives in the conservancies only, the best chance of aardvark, serval and genet
• Maasai village visits arranged directly with the communities we work alongside
• Photographic hides at several conservancy camps for low angle work

The Mara is a year round destination, but what you see changes a great deal by month.

By road. Nairobi to the Mara takes 5 to 6 hours. The tarmac runs to Narok, after which the final stretch to Sekenani, Talek or Oloololo gate is rough. A four wheel drive is not optional in the wet season.

By air. Scheduled flights leave Wilson Airport in Nairobi each morning and afternoon and take about 45 minutes to the Mara airstrips. This is the better option on short trips because it saves a full day of driving in each direction.

Park fees. Reserve conservation fees are charged per adult per 24 hours and are higher in the July to December peak. Conservancy fees are separate and are charged by the individual conservancy. Fees change from time to time, so we confirm the current rate in writing with every quote rather than quoting from memory.