Kenya’s safari vacation would not be complete without a trip to the world-famous Masai Mara. The Masai Mara National Reserve is a vast and beautiful grassland covering 1,510 km2, further enlarged by the surrounding private reserves. The endless plains of the savanna are separated by acacia thorn trees, rocky copiers, and craters. This dotted landscape fits in with the origin of the name Mara, which means it was discovered in the local Maasai language.

Maasai Mara forms the northern part of the larger Mara & Serengeti ecosystem, world-famous for its annual migration of millions of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelle. This incredible sight attracts most visitors to Mara from July to October, but not all animals move south to Tanzania. With abundant wildlife such as lions, elephants, leopards, buffalos, wildebeests, and hyenas, you can enjoy safari all year round in Masai Mara and nearby Wildlife Refuges. This blog provides a guide on how, why, where, and when to explore the Mara Safari.

Why go to Masai mara
Masai Mara is a classic African safari destination, and most of us would have seen it in one of the many wildlife documentaries filmed there. It is one of Africa’s largest lion dens and is home to countless predators who have become famous for the BBC’s Big Cat Diary. Undoubtedly this year-round wildlife and endless romantic views will bring such a mysterious attraction to visitors.

When to visit
July-early October is the dry season in Kenya and Masai Mara, with warm days and cool nights. This is a good time for safari as wildlife is concentrated around diminishing water sources and is easy to find. It is also when the big move moves from Serengeti in Tanzania to Mara. This incredible sight itself may be your reason to visit Masai Mara, and if that is the case, now is the time to do it. However, this is also a high season, so be prepared to be busy. Room rates are high and vacancies are limited and should be booked in advance to avoid disappointment.
Unless you’re brave or a real bargain hunter, the time to avoid is from late March to May. This is the main rainy season, which often rains most days, and the saturated black cotton soil of Mala can be impassable, resulting in the closure of many camps.

Its Gems

The Masai Mara is home to a diverse range of wildlife and environments. The Masai Mara is not only home to the “Big 5” lions, leopards, elephants, cape buffaloes, and rhinos, but it is also renowned for predator sightings, with a significant population of lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
The Maasai Mara is famed for its large lion population, and you will almost certainly see lions there. Cheetahs thrive on the open savanna, which is also a fantastic site to look for mala. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of their remarkable movement while hunting. There’s also a large hyena clan that roams the plains with abandon, and it’s a good source of general sighting information at all hours of the day and night.

Top activities

Witness the annual wildebeest migration – this is an astonishing annual migration of other animals such as wildebeests, grant’s gazelle and Thomson’s gazelle from Kenya to Tanzania due to the country’s short rains. Mid-July of the 2022 season is recommended as the transition begins in earnest and larger herds of wildebeest move to Masai Mara. The transition will continue until the end of August, after which it will begin to slow down until mid-September.

Walking Safaris and Nature Trails – These are guided bushwalks within the National Reserve, accompanied by security guards and local guides. Almost all Kenya National Parks, with the exception of Hell’s Gate National Park, have hiking restrictions. The same applies to both Narok County and Mara Sanctuary in the main Masai Mara Sanctuary. On the other hand, private reserves around the main reserve can run well-planned and supervised walking safaris. Even within the main reserve, camps and lodges offer short nature walks, usually within an hour, in the immediate vicinity of the safari property.

Hot Air Balloons Flying in the Masai Mara-Flying in the Masai Mara steppes is a great experience on the Masai Mara safari. The balloon takes off early in the morning at 6 am and floats quietly above the savanna below where various wildlife can be observed. After an hour’s drive, a “champagne bush breakfast” is followed by a wild balloon landing pad. Balloons are usually piloted by well-qualified and experienced pilots, and the balloons are manufactured by Cameron, a specialist manufacturer of hot air balloons in the United Kingdom. Baskets vary in size and space is usually limited, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead. Hot air safari can fluctuate from $ 380 to $ 475.

Visits to Maasai Villages – Africa’s most famous tribal group, the Maasai, inhabits much of southern Kenya and is the most populous ethnic group in the Maasai Mara. Many of the tribal practices of this nomadic warrior, who once dominated most of pre-colonial Kenya, are still practiced in the Masai Mara region, which is largely undisturbed by modern society. So why do we need to visit the Masai village and what can we see there? A one-hour visit to this Maasai village allows you to interact with the Maasai, learn about their culture and way of life, and witness some of their rituals and traditions first-hand. Visit costs range from $ 25 to $ 50 per person.

Bush Dinner and Sundowner-Eating under the starry sky of Africa is called Bush Meal. Whether you’re dining with a roaring hippo on the riverbank or in a plain with a panoramic view of the big game, this is an exhilarating experience. In most cases, bush meal begins when the sun sets. Enjoy a wonderful urban dining experience in the wild. A light-filled set between Star Servers guarantees a perfect experience.