Masai Mara - JewelOf Kenya's Wildlife Viewing!

Masai Mara, A Jewel Of Kenya's Wildlife Viewing Area, The World's Greatest Large Mammal Migration.

Kenya's Masai Mara was in November 2006 named as the 8^th Wonder of the world because of what experts termed as the "Uniqueness of the area and the preservation it provides to so many species living in harmony."

The National Reserve is 270 Km from Nairobi, a five hour drive or 45 minutes by air. The National Reserve was the shooting location for the film Out Of Africa, and remains the location for the British Broadcasting Corporation's Big Cat Diary Wildlife Series. Although it is a resting place of the big five, the reserve's major attraction is the roughly 2 million wildebeests, accompanied by half a million Zebras and thousands of gazelles migration from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Mara that happens between July and October. This "Must See" for all is the greatest wildlife spectacle on the earth!

The natural magical mixture of the animals move steadily north from Serengeti in search of the lush grass and water they need to survive. There they graze until about October at which point the entire herbivore circus turns around and heads south again; indeed the World's most spectacular wildlife is to be found in Kenya.

There have been some 95 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles and over 400 bird species recorded on the reserve. No where in Africa is wildlife more abundant, and it is for this reason a visitor hardly misses to see the big five (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and the rhino). Other game include hippopotami, cheetah, Grant's gazelle., impala, topi, coke's hartebeest, giraffe, roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, the water buck and the oribi etc.

However, the wildebeests remain by far the dominant inhabitants of the Masai Mara. Their numbers are estimated in millions and during the migration (July to November) huge numbers of the wildebeest move into the Mara Triangle. The abundant of these animals make the Mara to be known as one of the finest wildlife destination in the World as there is an excellent chance of seeing most or all of these animals.

Access

The Mara Triangle is serviced by two all- weather airstrips, the Mara Serena and Kichwa Tembo. The Main road access into the triangle is through Narok and Sekenani Gate.

Accommodation

Mara is well served by lodges like Keekorok and Sarova Mara, Kichwa  Tembo, Mpata club ,Olonana, Mara siria and several luxury tented camps.

Best Time to Visit

The peak season is between July and October, during the migration. Early November and February can also offer excellent time for game viewing.

Activities

Game viewing, Camping, night game drives, visit to the Masai cultural villages, ballooning, bush dinner, lunch and breakfast.

The Masai Mara is also an ideal first -time safari destination because it has a little bit of everything, including cats in abundance, plenty of accommodation options- both inside and outside the Reserve-and a 'must do' activity in the form of sunrise balloon flights.