Parks & Reserves
The greatest wildlife show on earth.
The Mara is the Kenyan end of the Serengeti ecosystem and the stage for the Great Migration: more than a million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebra crossing the Mara River between July and October, with lions, leopards and cheetahs in attendance. Outside migration season it is still the best big-cat country in Africa.
- Great Migration river crossings (July to October)
- Sunrise balloon safari over the plains
- Big cats year-round
- Night drives and walking in the conservancies
- Maasai village exchange
Maasai Mara: at a glance
- Best time
- July to October for the migration; January to March for dry, clear days; April to June for the green season and the best rates.
- Wildlife
- Lions, leopards, cheetahs and elephants year-round; the wildebeest and zebra migration usually July to October.
- Weather
- Warm days and cool nights at about 1,500 to 2,100 m. Long rains April to May, short rains in November; mornings in the open vehicle are chilly.
- Park fees
- Reserve entry is set by the Narok County Government and charged per 24 hours. Private conservancies charge their own fees, usually bundled into the camp rate. We list every fee on its own line in your quote.
- Safety
- Game drives are with a licensed guide and you stay inside the vehicle except at marked sites. Petty crime is the main risk in towns. U.S. State Department: Kenya
- Malaria
- Present. The CDC lists malaria in all areas below about 2,500 m, game parks included. Ask a travel clinic about tablets. CDC Travelers' Health: Kenya
