A brief Overview of The Masai Mara
The Masai Mara is the approximately 3,000 km² and is located in southern Kenya, approximately [2hrs] flying time from the capital Nairobi.
The reserve is characterised by a diversity of vast open grassland and Acacia scrublands which make the game drives and walking safaris hot air ballooning all that more interesting! The size and location of the park means that wildlife viewing is almost the best on the planet and the mains specifies here are wildebeest, gazelle, zebra, big 5, cheetah, hyena, giraffe.
Do see our best camps & lodges in The Masai Mara picks for 2026/27 on this page.
The Masai Mara Reserve
The Masai Mara National Reserve is amongst the most famous of all of the 17 parks and reserves dedicated to wildlife in Kenya. At approximately 1,800 sq kilometres, it is not a vast tract of land but, due to the abundance of water year round, it is a haven to wildlife from all around and the home to The Great Migration that visits from late July to November.
As a series of small catchment areas, the Masai Mara Reserve and conservation area (the Greater Mara), are fortunate to have their own eco-system and therefore have not been so affected by the droughts that have plagued East Africa over the years. One of the main factors in this, is also the flow of the Mara River up from Lake Victoria which cuts north from the border, providing a lifeline to the park.
The reserve consists, primarily, of open grassland, with clusters of the distinctive acacia tree in the south-east region, and the Oloololo Escarpment that rises up along the western border, creating a funnel for the game as it arrives. This area to the west is the area where the wildlife tends to be most concentrated and, as the swampy ground means that access to water is always good, the tendency is for fly in safari staying in the smaller, more intimate camps and lodges.
The easternmost border, approximately 224 kilometres from Nairobi, is far more accessible and so tends to suffer from the larger groups and mini-van trips and so will tend not to be on the agenda for those wishing a more private itinerary.
Do see our best camps & lodges in The Masai Mara picks for 2026/27 on this page.
The Greater Masai Mara
Unlike the Mara National Reserve, the region that surrounds the reserve is owned by the local, Maasai communities and is, therefore, controlled and managed by them.
Traditionally the nilotic, pastoralist people of the Masai have long worked these areas of land, but, as they have become aware of the potential revenues from tourism, they have slowly realised that the land would be better served for wildlife. With this in mind, what the Greater Mara offers that is different to the Mara Reserve is far more freedom. The range of activities out in these private concessions ranges from walking with a Masai guide to night drives and fly camping out in the bush.
While the migratory herds move into these areas slightly later in the year (more September than August), they do provide a very similar level of game viewing, as well as a much wider overall experience. If you would like the flexibility, then a stay out in the Greater Mara may be ideal!
The Great Migration
When is it, where is it? See our mini-guide here or visit our full Guide to The Great Migration page.
Best time to visit The Masai Mara
If you are heading to the Mara to see the famed wildebeest migration herds that arrive annually to these open grasslands then June to November is the prime period when a melee of animals come together.
Outside of this period, though, the park and, in particular the Great Mara come into their own with great game viewing and resident herds providing much interest.
Do see our interactive best time to visit The Masai Mara guide on this page as well as on our parent guide to kenya page for more in-depth information on when to go.
Or call us on +44 1525 840 149. That’s what we’re here for.
Need more help?
As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149
This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.
With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.
Alternatively please feel free to send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.
Get help with a Safari to The Masai Mara
As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149
This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.
With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.
Alternatively please feel free to send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.
The Masai Mara
The Masai Mara
