Masai Mara National Reserve

The Masai Mara National Reserve is the jewel in Kenya’s safari crown and arguably, one of the best safari destinations in all of Africa. Dominated by vast, open savannahs, the Masai Mara was the inspiration beyond Disney’s the Lion King. This preserved wilderness is located in southern Kenya, bordering Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. This expansive ecosystem is home to a magnitude of animals, including large elephant numbers, lion prides, leopards, antelope, giraffe, zebra, and hippo aplenty.

The Masai Mara National Reserve features two major rivers – the Mara and the Talek River. These rivers are the lifeblood of so many resident animals, and on the riverbanks often lie resident prides of lion and other opportunistic predators. The Mara River also plays an integral part in the Great Wildebeest Migration. Over 1.5 million wildebeest and zebra make the vigorous plunge to cross this Mara River from Tanzania into Kenya’s Masai Mara around July. This is a river crossing of life and death, of fear and courage. Hundreds of crocodiles strike under the murky waters, and big cats hide on the banks to take down wildebeest in the chaos of the crossing aftermath.

The wildebeest herds graze the plains of the Masai Mara from the July to September/ October period. Although the movement of the herds varies each year depending on weather patterns and rains, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime sight to see such an enormous gathering of animals in one space. There’s nothing quite like it in Africa.

Aside from the wildebeest migration, the resident wildlife in the Masai Mara National Reserve and the surrounding conservancies is incredible year-round. On a typical game drive, you can expect to see a wealth of plains game like antelope, giraffe, and zebra, as well as a large number of elephants – in fact, up to 3,000 individuals roam free inside the park’s ecosystem.

There are two main options when it comes to accommodation in the Masai Mara. The first is to stay inside the reserve, and there are some fantastic options here like Governors Camp, Naibor, and Basecamp Mara among others. The reserve has, arguably, a denser wildlife concentration which you will get to enjoy on morning and afternoon game drives. The other option is to stay in one of the conservancies bordering the reserve. These are known as the Greater Mara Conservancies, in which there are 14. As these are private reserves, the game viewing feels a lot more exclusive and varied, as bush walks and night drives are offered.