Masai Mara safari : Masai Mara national reserve is among the popular Kenya safari destinations and it is found in the south western part of the country.
This reserve offers amazing wildlife viewing throughout the year and Masai Mara also has breath taking scenery and it consists of savannah plains, woodlands. Masai Mara national reserve also consists of conservancies such as Mara north conservancy, Olare Motogori conservancy, Mara Nyaboisho conservancy, Ol choro oiroua conservancy, Ol kinyei conservancy and also Lemek conservancy.
Numerous wildlife species are found around Masai Mara reserve and they include elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalos and leopards which are the big five. Other wildlife species which can be seen during a safari around Masai Mara reserve include wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, elands, hyenas, cheetahs, hippos, waterbucks, impalas, gazelles among others.
Wildebeest migration in Masai Mara
The great wildebeest migration can also be seen during safaris around the Masai Mara national reserve and it involves movement of over 2 million wildebeests annually.
The wildebeest migration takes place across the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem and it is among the attractions that bring tourists to engage in safaris around the Masai Mara reserve during different months of the year.
This migration is also among the wonders of the world and it take place around the savannah plains of Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya and the Serengeti national park in the northern part of Tanzania.
Gazelles and zebras also move along with the wildebeests during the wildebeest migration in Masai Mara reserve. Predators like lions, leopards and cheetahs can also be seen roaming close to the plains where the wildebeests graze.
During safaris around Masai Mara reserve in Kenya, the wildebeest migration can be seen around July to October. Some of the highlights of the wildebeest migration in Kenya include the Mara river crossings where the wildebeest herds move across the Mara river from Serengeti national park to the reserve where they graze around the green pastures.
The movement of the wildebeests can however be unpredictable since it is nature and the wildebeest herds are also said to follow the rains and move in a clockwise direction throughout the year.
July and August are the best months to see the Mara river crossings before the wildebeests spread out across the plains of the Masai Mara reserve. Around September, the game drives during a safari around Masai Mara reserve are very exciting as the wildebeest herds can be seen grazing around the savannah plains. Around October and November the wildebeest herds start moving to the Serengeti national park and it is also a time of the year when the rains are received.
Activities to do in Masai Mara
There is a lot to take part in during a safari around Masai Mara reserve and they include the following;
Game drives are among the activities to take part in when on a safari around Masai Mara national reserve. This activity is carried out at different times of day such as in the morning, afternoon or evening and game drives can also be done for the full day. During a game drive around the reserve 4×4 safari vehicles are used for safaris and some of the wildlife species which can be spotted during game drives around Masai Mara reserve include elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, hippos, impalas, gazelles and many others.
Guided nature walks are carried out during safaris around Masai Mara reserve and the activity involves moving on foot around the savannah plains. A ranger guide moves with the tourists during the nature walk which can be done in the morning or in the afternoon or evening and it takes about 2 to 3 hours of walking off the usual game viewing tracks. The guided nature walks can be done in the conservancies around Masai Mara reserve.
Another activity to do when visiting Masai Mara national reserve is engaging in a hot air balloon safari. This activity is done in the skies above the plains of the reserve and over the diverse landscape of Masai Mara reserve which consists of riverine forests, towering escarpments and rivers. Wildlife species can also be spotted in the plains below during a hot air balloon safari which takes about 1 hour of floating over the plains and enjoying aerial views of the destination. This activity is spectacular especially during the wildebeest migration when the herds of wildebeests can be seen in the plains.
Cultural tours can also be carried out when visiting Masai Mara reserve in Kenya and it involves interacting with the locals and getting to know more about their way of life and culture. Visits to the homesteads of the locals such as the Maasai can also be done during the cultural tours around the destination. You can also enjoy traditional dance performances during the cultural tours.
Best time to visit Masai Mara for safaris
Safaris in Kenya to destinations such as Masai Mara national reserve can be done at any time of the year.
The dry season from June, July, August, September and October is considered the best time for safaris to Masai Mara national reserve. This is because the weather is favourable and wildlife species can be spotted around the water holes in the reserve during a safari. It is also a time when the wildebeest migration can be seen in Kenya. During this time of the year, many tourists visit Kenya for Kenya safaris tours and it is also a high season.
Safaris in Masai Mara reserve can also be done during the rainy season which takes place around March, April and May when heavy rains are received around the destination. It is also considered a low season with fewer tourists visiting Masai Mara reserve for safaris. It is also a good time for bird watching around Masai Mara reserve.
How to get to Masai Mara reserve
During a Kenya safari to Masai Mara reserve, there are different ways to get to the destination and they include flights and also by driving.
Flights can be got from Wilson airport to the airstrips around Masai Mara reserve and these flights can be charter flights or scheduled flights. Driving from Nairobi to Masai Mara reserve takes about 5 to 6 hours.
