Maasai Mara

Maasai Mara is a large savanna reserve in southwestern Kenya and part of the greater Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, internationally known for abundant wildlife and the annual Great Migration. The reserve protects diverse habitats including open grassland, riverine forest, and seasonal marshes.

Visitors focus on large mammal viewing - especially lions, cheetahs, elephants, and migratory herds - and on river crossings on the Mara River during the migration. The reserve includes distinct areas such as the Mara Triangle, Musiara Marsh, and the Talek River corridor that offer different viewing conditions and management regimes.

Maasai communities live on the reserve margins and cultural visits are often combined with wildlife safaris; many conservancies work with local Maasai to balance grazing, tourism, and conservation.

The reserve lies in Narok County in southwestern Kenya, contiguous with the northwestern Serengeti in Tanzania and reachable by road and daily flights from Nairobi.

• Size and migration: The reserve covers around 1,510 square kilometers and forms the Kenyan side of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem that hosts the annual Great Migration of more than one million wildebeest and other ungulates.
• Migration timing: Peak river-crossing activity during the Great Migration usually occurs between July and October, with exact timing dependent on seasonal rains.

What to See #

• Mara Triangle: The Mara Triangle is the western sector of the reserve known for organized conservancy management and frequent river crossings during the Great Migration.
• Musiara Marsh: A wetland area within the reserve that supports high densities of hippo, crocodile, and resident birdlife; it is also a prime area for big-cat sightings.
• Talek River: A perennial river running through the reserve that marks a common crossing point during the annual wildebeest migration and attracts dense concentrations of predators.