It was originally designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1961 during the colonial period in Kenya. The Masai Mara expanded to cover more of the area where there were a lot of wild animals inhabiting the area. They then established wildlife corridors from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara. Subsequently, the respective local county councils, namely Narok and Trans Mara, were given the responsibility of managing the Eastern and Western sides of the reserve, respectively. The Western side of the reserve includes the Mara triangle. The reserve is now largely held as one of the leading wildlife conservation areas in the world, known for the famous wildebeest migration.
A magnificent collection of wild animals, stunning landscapes with the wide open spaces for as far as the eye can see, superb year-round climate, and internationally acclaimed accommodation which ranges from exclusive luxury tented camps to safari lodges to budget tented camps. The Maasai Mara covers all the right boxes when it comes to visiting beautiful destinations in Africa. Many thousands of travellers also specially come to see the world-famous annual wildebeest migration, when a million plus animals migrate north from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara.
Masai Mara National Reserve spans an area of about (1,510 square Km / 580 square miles) in the southwest of Kenya. The reserve is a part of a much larger ecosystem, which includes the bordering Serengeti National Park (located in northern Tanzania). Serengeti covers a larger area of approximately (25,00 sqaure Km/ 9700 square miles). While the Serengeti borders the Masai Mara to the south, the western side is bordered by Siria escarpments, with open savannah which has open savannah grasskalnds plains to the north and east of its reserve. The two major rainfall seasons typical to Kenya also apply to the Masai Mara, with the months from April to May and September to November experiencing a brief rain spell accompanied by hours of sunshine. The terrain in the reserve is typically open grassland and rolling hills, punctuated by a non-seasonal Mara River.
Basic Geographical Facts
- Altitude: 1,480-2,280 M approx(4,900-7,200 ft)
- Rainfall: 85mm(3.4 inches) per month.
- Temprature range: 12–31 °C (54–87 °F)
The Western side of the reserve is bordered by the Oloololo Escarpment. Views from here down to the reserve
The Maasai of East Africa are recognized for their nomadic way of life
The Maasai are recognized as one of the most iconic tribes in Africa. This is because they were nomadic pastoralists who traditionally made a living out of herding cattle. Originally a Nilotic ethnic group that is said to have migrated centuries ago from the semi-arid Nile Valley north of Lake Turkana, the Maasai inhabit the region around the Masai Mara as well as large portions of the Rift Valley. The Maasai have their unique nomadic culture and way of life, coupled with their style of dressing in which they dress in brightly colored ‘shukas’.
Herds of Wildebeest make the annual trek across the Serengeti into the Masai Mara
One of the most popular events of nature is the Great wildebeest migration, which is the mass movement of over a million animals, including wildebeest, antelope, zebra, and the Big Cats, such as lions, from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara. It’s a continuous year-long clockwise process encompassing the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara, influenced by a number of factors including weather, pasture, mating, and birthing cycle.
How to Book a Safari with Us.
Planning a Safari to the Masai Mara or just a Kenya Safari is often time-consuming for any traveller because of the complexity of the available options, both online and offline via traditional travel agents. Below is a guide on how easy it is to book a Kenya Wildlife Safari with us.
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