Maasai Mara
Migration & big cats.
Size
1,510 km²
Best months
Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Signature wildlife
Lion · Cheetah · Leopard
Why Go
The reason to be here.
The Mara holds the densest lion population of any reserve in Kenya, and cheetah sightings are reliable across the year. The Mara Triangle and the northern conservancies (Mara North, Naboisho, Ol Kinyei) deliver the same wildlife with a fraction of the vehicles.
Between July and October, more than a million wildebeest, zebra and Thomson's gazelle move into the reserve from Tanzania's Serengeti. The Mara River crossings — where columns of wildebeest plunge into crocodile-thick water — are the visual the entire continent is famous for.
Off-season (November to June) is when the Mara comes into its own for travellers who want the wildlife without the convoys. Cubs are abundant, the grass is short after the rains, and accommodation is materially cheaper.
What You'll See
Headline species.
Lion
Resident prides of 15+ in the Mara Triangle and Naboisho.
Cheetah
Reliable daily sightings — often on termite mounds at dawn.
Leopard
Concentrated along the Talek and Mara River fig trees.
Elephant
Large breeding herds, particularly in the eastern Mara.
Wildebeest
Migration river-crossings July through October.
Black Rhino
Critically endangered population in the Mara Triangle.
Best Time to Visit
Month by month.
Wildlife-viewing quality, scored from off-season to peak. Rains, migrations and water levels all shape what you'll see when.
Safaris
Trips that include Maasai Mara.
Classic Mara & Amboseli
The two parks that built Kenya's reputation — Maasai Mara's predator country and Amboseli's elephant herds under Kilimanjaro. Seven days, well-paced.
$1,890 / person
Great Migration Special
Built for the river crossings. Five days, all Mara, July through October. We position you for the Mara River crossings the brochures show.
$1,450 / person
Big Five Grand Circuit
The complete Kenya loop. Four parks, ten days, and a deliberate route through the country's best big-game habitat. Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino.
$3,200 / person