HOME OF THE GREAT MIGRATION

Maasai Mara National Reserve

Endless savannah, big cats and the world’s greatest wildlife spectacle

Why Visit

Maasai Mara National Reserve covers approximately 1,510 km² of open savannah, acacia-dotted plains and riverine woodland in southwestern Kenya (Narok County), right on the border with Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. First protected as a wildlife sanctuary in 1948 and established as a game/national reserve in 1961 (with boundary adjustments finalising its current size by the mid-1980s), it forms the northern section of the vast Serengeti–Mara ecosystem.

The reserve is world-famous for the annual Great Migration, when more than a million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle cross into the Mara (typically July–October), culminating in dramatic river crossings of the Mara River. Year-round it supports exceptional densities of big cats, the Big Five, and a rich supporting cast of plains game and birds, all set against the classic “spotted” landscape that gives the Mara its name.

The Great Migration

One of the planet’s greatest natural spectacles vast herds of wildebeest and zebra pouring across the plains and risking crocodile-filled river crossings.

Exceptional Big-Cat Sightings

High densities of lion, cheetah and leopard, making the Mara one of Africa’s premier destinations for predator viewing.

Year-Round Game Viewing

Resident populations of elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, topi, hyena and more ensure outstanding wildlife experiences outside migration season.

Living Maasai Culture

Authentic encounters with the Maasai people, whose pastoralist traditions and community conservancies play a central role in the wider ecosystem.

Top Things To Do

Game Drives

Morning, afternoon and (in many conservancies) night drives across the open plains and along the Mara and Talek rivers. Expect high chances of lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, hyena and a wide range of antelope. During migration season the drama intensifies around river crossings and predator–prey interactions.

Witness the Great Migration

Time your visit for the herds’ presence in the Mara (roughly July–October, peak river crossings often August–September). Watching thousands of animals thunder across the Mara River under the threat of crocodiles and waiting predators is an unforgettable highlight.

Hot-Air Balloon Safaris

Dawn balloon flights offer a unique aerial perspective over the savannah, river courses and wildlife, followed by a bush breakfast — one of the Mara’s most iconic experiences.

Cultural Visits with the Maasai

Visit traditional manyattas (homesteads) to learn about Maasai culture, cattle herding, beadwork, warrior traditions and the deep connection between the people and the land. Community conservancies surrounding the reserve also offer exclusive, low-impact wildlife experiences that directly benefit local landowners.