Maasai Mara
Big-cat country. The Great Migration. 1,500 square kilometres of open savanna that has defined what safari means for a century.
Africa's most dramatic stage.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve sits in the south-west corner of Kenya, bordering Tanzania's Serengeti to the south. Together they form the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, one of the largest and most intact wildlife areas on the planet. What makes the Mara exceptional is not one thing but the combination of all of them: the density of large predators, the year-round availability of prey, the open terrain that lets you see far and the presence of the Mara River, which cuts through the reserve and provides the stage for the greatest wildlife spectacle on Earth.
Between July and October, approximately 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle cross the Mara River from the Serengeti. Nile crocodiles wait at the crossing points. Lions coordinate hunts. The riverbanks fill and empty with desperate animals. It is the kind of scene that makes normally composed people cry without warning.
"Even outside migration season, the Mara has more lions per square kilometre than almost anywhere else on the continent."
But the Mara is not only about migration month. Year-round the reserve holds outstanding concentrations of lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant and the near-threatened topi. Game drives in January or February, in the dry grass with no other vehicles and a pride of seven lions on a kopje in the morning light, are just as likely to stop your breath.
Wildlife of the Mara.
The Mara holds the full complement of the Big Five plus species that are rare or absent elsewhere in Kenya.
African Lion
The Mara holds one of the highest lion densities in Africa. Lions here are habituated to vehicles, allowing close-range observation of hunts, kills and cub activity. The famous Marsh Pride has been studied continuously for over 30 years.
Leopard
More elusive than lion but regularly spotted in the fig trees along the Mara River, draping recent kills over branches. Leopards are most active at dawn and dusk. Patient, quiet drives in river corridors give the best chances.
Cheetah
Open-plains hunter, perfectly adapted to the Mara's rolling grassland. Coalitions of male cheetah and single mothers with cubs are both seen. The Mara's cheetah population is one of the most studied and viewed in the world.
African Elephant
Large herds move through the Mara Conservancies seasonally. Bulls are often seen in thicket areas. The Mara's elephant population is recovering after decades of poaching pressure, aided by community conservancy programmes.
Black Rhinoceros
Critically endangered and rarely seen by general visitors. A small population exists within heavily protected areas of the greater Mara ecosystem. Your guide will know of recent sightings and will advise on realistic expectations.
Hippopotamus
The Mara River pools are thick with hippo. They submerge through the heat of the day and graze on the banks at night. The deep, resonant call of a hippo at dawn, echoing across the river, is one of the sounds that define the Mara.
Wildebeest
The reason most people know the Mara's name. 1.5 million animals arrive from Tanzania between July and October. The river crossings at Mara and Talek are unpredictable, chaotic and one of the few natural events that genuinely defies description.
Masai Giraffe
The tallest of all giraffe subspecies, with irregular, jagged patterning. Permanent resident of the Mara, browsing on Acacia and Balanites. A giraffe silhouetted against a pink sunrise on the Mara plains is the image that follows you home.
Month by month.
The Mara has no bad month, only different advantages. Here is what each part of the year offers.
A typical safari day.
No two days are the same, but the rhythm of a Mara safari tends to follow the logic of the animals and the light.
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5:30 am
Dawn drive departs. The air is cool, the plains gold. Predators are still active from overnight hunts. Your guide has already been listening to radio updates from other guides in the park.
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8:30 am
Bush breakfast. Your guide finds a safe, open spot with views. Tea, coffee, fruit and eggs served from the back of the vehicle. If you're lucky, a giraffe walks past.
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10:30 am
Return to camp. Debrief with your guide. Hot shower. Rest period through the midday heat. Most wildlife rests too. Your camp is typically inside or adjacent to the reserve.
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4:00 pm
Afternoon drive. Animals are active again. Cheetah hunt in the long golden light. Hippos emerge from the river. The sunsets here are unhurried and enormous.
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7:00 pm
Sundowner, then dinner. Your guide picks a kopje or river bend. Cold drink, the last light. Return to camp for dinner by lantern. The night sounds of Africa begin.
Where you stay.
Emrays works with a range of accommodation across the price spectrum, from well-run mid-range lodges to semi-luxury tented camps on private conservancies. All are selected for location over brand prestige.
The Mara beyond the boundaries.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve covers 1,510 sq km of government-protected land. Surrounding it are private and community conservancies including Olare Motorogi, Mara North, Naboisho and others, together adding over 1,000 sq km of managed wildlife corridor. Staying in these conservancies means lower vehicle density, night drives and walking safaris not available inside the reserve. Emrays can advise on the conservancy that best suits your style and budget. A portion of conservancy fees goes directly to Maasai landowners who have taken their land out of agriculture and kept it as wildlife habitat.
Maasai Mara safari packages from Nairobi and Mombasa.
All four safari experiences. Start with the Mara and we can combine any of them into one itinerary.
Practical information.
Getting there
- Fly into Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO) for international arrivals
- Domestic flight: Nairobi Wilson to Mara Serena or Keekorok airstrip (45 minutes)
- Road transfer: 5 to 6 hours from Nairobi via Narok. Emrays handles all transfers
- From Mombasa: overnight train (SGR) to Nairobi, then road or flight to Mara
What to pack
- Neutral colours (khaki, olive, tan) for game drives. Avoid bright white
- Layers for cold mornings (5 to 10 degrees Celsius at dawn in dry season)
- Quality binoculars make a significant difference
- Long-sleeved shirts for dust and sun on open vehicles
- Camera with a telephoto lens of at least 200mm
- Insect repellent and any malaria prophylaxis your doctor advises
- Comfortable walking shoes for bush walks
Ready to see the Mara?
Tell us your dates and group size. We'll build the itinerary, select the camp and handle every detail from Nairobi or Mombasa to the plains and back.