Maasai Mara Game Reserve 

Home to the annual wildebeest migration and home to the BIG 5

Introducing Maasai Mara Game Reserve

Maasai Mara Game Reserve is one of Africa’s most famous parks and it’s undoubtedly one of the continent’s best places to see animals. The wildlife viewing is superb throughout the year. The grassy plains and regular rainfall support a huge population of herbivores, in turn attracting many predators. All three big cats are relatively easy to see. The yearly wildebeest migration coming through the park is one of the world’s most amazing wildlife spectacles.

Experience the Maasai Mara Game Reserve

  • Wildlife
  • Birdlife

Wildlife at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve

Maasai Mara National Reserve is Kenya’s flagship park. Three of the Big Five are commonly seen, but leopard sightings are more occasional and black rhino is difficult to find (they can sometimes be spotted in the northern section of the Mara Triangle). The reserve is one of the best in East Africa for big cats, and smaller predators such as bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal and spotted hyena are also present. Antelope include impala, reedbuck, Thomson's gazelle, eland and topi, while buffalo, elephant and giraffe are relaxed and easily spotted.

The legendary wildebeest migration is one of the world’s most amazing wildlife encounters. Every year is different, but sometime in July and August (and even as late as September), millions of animals leave northern Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and head into the Masai Mara. The crossing of the Mara River along the way is one of the most spectacular moments of the migration. Around October, the migration slowly heads back into Tanzania again.

Birdlife at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve

With more than 500 bird species recorded, Masai Mara National Reserve is a world-class birding destination. It’s an excellent place to mark off a lot of Kenya’s savannah species from your bird list, and the park is particularly rich in raptors with 57 species present. Bateleurs often soar above the grassy plains and predator kills are a good place to find up to six species of vultures circling, roosting and scavenging. Migratory birds are present from November to April.

Best time to visit Maasai Mara Game Reserve

The best time to visit Masai Mara National Reserve is during the Dry season from June to October. At this time, animals draw near to rivers and waterholes and vegetation is thinner, making wildlife easier to find and to see. During the rains (especially March, April, November and December), some driving tracks can be difficult to navigate. Your best chance to witness the spectacle of the great migration is between August and October.



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