A Complete Masai Mara Game Reserve Guide For Tourists
World famous for its spectacular landscapes, a vast array of safari games, and renowned Wildebeest migration, the Masai Mara game reserve is a must-see during your safari experience.
With many of our excursions including a visit to the famous national reserve, we thought we would provide you with all the information you need on one of Kenya’s unmissable destinations!
Masai Mara National reserve is located in the southern part of Kenya. It is the most popular park in the country and a premier park in Africa. Masai Mara National Reserve covers an area of about 1510 sq. kilometers.
Three rivers run through the reserve namely the Mara river, Sand river, and Talek river. Masai Mara National Reserve combined with another area called the Mara triangle and several Masai Conservancies, including Olare Orok Conservancy, and Naboisho Conservancy among many others.
How To Get To The Masai Mara Game Reserve
One of the most frequent questions in the Masai Mara Game Reserve is, how do you get there?
Most of our Masai Mara Safari tours are “fly-in” trips or rather our flying safaris to Masai Mara, using Kenya’s extensive light aircraft network. Nairobi is Kenya’s capital city and most Kenya Safaris start and end here.
The local Wilson Airport has numerous private air charter services which fly private daily flights to the various Masai Mara airstrips, and the other safari areas of Kenya.
The best way we recommend you to take for a Masai Mara is by the use of our comfortable 4×4 land cruiser jeeps.
They are well designed to offer optimum opportunities to spot wildlife, as well as comfort while on long-haul travels, such as charging systems and freezers for cold drinks, food hampers, and hot beverages storage.
While on a privately guided road safari, you will lucky to see and get involved or interact with the locals around the countryside, enjoy beautiful sceneries, and still have a blast experience through famous cities in Kenya.
Which is the best time to visit Masai Mara?
June is considered the start of the dry season for Kenya, where the abundant wildlife species start to appear around the rivers and the weather is at its best. However, there is no ‘best month’ to visit the national reserve.
The landscape covers 1,510 km², meaning there is almost always something to see no matter what time of the year you visit. We will do a brief of the best time to visit Masai Mara.
Jan to March
It’s one of the best times to visit Masai Mara as the season is dry and hot, but also, there’s a lot of water around, making it easy to spot and find wildlife within reach. It’s easy to spot big cats and other wildlife species.
The Reserve is not crowded and offers a real authentic safari experience. Roads and sightings are so friendly and the reserve looks lush green.
April to June
Known for the long rains in Kenya, the reserve is wet and lush green, with long grass and the bush gets thick making it hard to sight wildlife. It’s the best time to enjoy flying safaris on offers, and exclusive stays in luxury camps in Masai Mara.
July to October
One of the busiest times to visit Masai Mara. The reserve gets crowded and busy with guests from all over the world to witness the great wildebeest migration. It’s the best time to witness the wildebeest migration and crossings in Kenya.
November to January
During this season, the reserve experiences short rains, which start in late October to early December. The season gets busy towards the end of December during the festive seasons. You can enjoy a good time in Masai Mara during the early weeks of December.
What Activities to do in Masai Mara National Reserve
Balloon Safaris
Fly balloon safaris in Masai Mara on a chilly morning before the sun come up from the far end horizons of Masai Mara. Balloon Safaris takes you on a scenic morning flight over the extensive dotted plains of Masai Mara.
Maasai Community Visits
Maasai Cultural Visits offers you a memorable encounter with the local Maasai people in their homesteads known as the bomas. The Maasai People are a famous tribe that existed from ancient times and they reside in the southern part of Kenya and northern Tanzania.
Game walks – Bush Walks – Guided Walking Safaris
Masai Mara offers some of the best guided walks in Africa. On a walking safari, you are free to stop and inspect tracks left behind by a male lion as he makes his way back to his pride or scuff marks left by a dove having momentarily enjoyed a dust bath.
Our guide may lead you to closer encounters with elephants taking a snooze or drinking at a watering hole, or on a challenging trek to a kopje’s peak to discover what lies beyond it.
What animals will I see in Masai Mara?
The Masai Mara has one of the largest concentrations of wildlife animals and bird species on the continent. Bordering the Serengeti in Tanzania, the land is filled with lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras, hippos, black rhinos, crocodiles,s and of course, wildebeest.
These animals can be viewed across the year, so during your visit, you are bound to spot a few of these stunning species. Why not take a trip across the park from up above, in our Hot Air Balloon Safari? This way, you can view both the wildlife and beautiful landscapes of the national reserve.
Wildebeest Migration Safaris in Kenya
Every year, wildebeest and zebra cross from the Serengeti National Park to the Mara River in search of greener pasture.
The movement has been described as one of the seven modern wonders of the world, attracting tourists near and far from June through to September.
However, this year, the herbivores started their long trek at the end of May. Due to the long rains continuing to come down across Kenya and Tanzania, the Masai Mara is expected to witness more wildebeest traverse the ecosystem earlier.
No matter when the great migration happens, it is still a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity if you’re planning on visiting Kenya. With Cheetah Safaris you can plan your bespoke wildebeest migration safari, to suit both your budget and length of stay.
Staying in some of the most popular parks across Kenya and Tanzania, you will see the migration in all its glory, as they join the “Big 5” safari game across tremendous landscapes.
Join us from now until September, for a wildebeest migration adventure you won’t forget!
Contact Cheetah Safaris to plan your Masai Mara adventure
We have an abundance of Masai Mara safari packages where you can visit the Masai Mara, just simply visit our Kenya Safaris and find a package that best suits you.
Planning a safari can take time and effort, so let us take the hard part off you! Call us today at +254020250616 / +254 (0)780 337 652 and we can help you plan your perfect, bespoke Masai Mara safaris, catering to your budget and requirements.
Alternatively, contact us online and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
