By air
Wilson Airport, Nairobi (WIL), ~45 min by light aircraft
Africa · Kenya
Maasai Mara, Kenya
The great migration and big cats
Getting there
Best time to visit
July to October for the migration
Don't miss
The Mara River
The Musiara marsh
The Talek river
The Oloololo escarpment
Things to do
Game drives
The river crossings (July to October)
Maasai village visits
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Key45 · CC BY 2.0
What to pack
Neutral colours, binoculars; ask your doctor about malaria advice
A quieter corner
A hot-air balloon over the plains at dawn
Questions travellers ask
When can I see the great migration in the Maasai Mara?
July to October, which is also when the river crossings happen.
What should I bring on a Maasai Mara safari?
Neutral colours and binoculars, and ask your doctor about malaria advice.
Where do Maasai Mara game drives go?
Along the Mara River, the Musiara marsh, the Talek river and the Oloololo escarpment. For something special, take a hot-air balloon over the plains at dawn.
How do I get to the Maasai Mara from Nairobi?
Fly by light aircraft from Wilson Airport, Nairobi (WIL), about 45 minutes. Once there, visit a Maasai village and try nyama choma.
About Maasai Mara
- Inland
Where it is
The Maasai Mara National Reserve lies in Narok County in south-western Kenya, a sweep of rolling savanna bounded by the Oloololo Escarpment and continuous with Tanzania's Serengeti across the border.
History
The Maasai have grazed their cattle on these plains for centuries, and the reserve, named after them and the Mara River, was first protected as a wildlife sanctuary in 1961 and later enlarged. It is run by county authorities rather than the national wildlife service, and conservancies on land owned by Maasai communities surround it.
People
The Maasai, who speak Maa, raise cattle, goats and sheep around the reserve and are known for their red shukas, intricate beadwork and the adumu jumping dance of young warriors. Many also work as guides and rangers or in community conservancies that lease land for wildlife.
Known for
- The Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra
- River crossings on the Mara
- Lions, leopards and cheetahs
- Hot-air balloon safaris
- Visits to Maasai villages
Did you know?
Mara means spotted in the Maa language, a name that describes the plains dotted with small trees and bushes.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.