Maasai Mara National Reserve

The reserve takes its name from the Maasai, who have grazed these grasslands for centuries and who own and manage most of the conservancies that now surround the reserve proper.

Those conservancies matter practically as well as culturally. Land that was being subdivided and fenced has instead been pooled into wildlife areas, with lease payments going directly to Maasai families, and the arrangement has kept large tracts of the ecosystem open to migrating herds.

The word Mara means spotted or dappled in Maa, describing the pattern of acacia, scrub and cloud shadow across the plains. Maasai social organisation is built around age-sets, with young men passing through a warrior stage before becoming elders, and cattle remain central to wealth, ritual and daily life.

Cultural visits arranged through conservancy camps tend to be considerably more substantive than those sold at the reserve gates, taking in herding practice, beadwork and the construction of a traditional enkang rather than a staged dance for arriving vehicles.

The Mara is contiguous with the Serengeti and shares its ecosystem, so the Great Migration crosses into Kenya here between roughly July and October, with the Mara River crossings as its set piece.

Outside the migration the reserve remains outstanding, holding one of the highest densities of lion in Africa along with cheetah on the open plains and leopard in the riverine thickets. Elephant, buffalo, giraffe, topi, eland and hippo are resident year-round. Black rhino occur in small, closely protected numbers.

Well over 450 species have been recorded across grassland, riverine forest and seasonal marsh, and the Mara is an easy place to build a substantial list without trying.

Secretary bird, kori bustard, ground hornbill, lilac-breasted roller and a dozen raptor species are routine. The Mara and Talek rivers add fish eagle, kingfishers and herons.

By Air

Scheduled flights run several times daily from Nairobi's Wilson Airport to airstrips including Keekorok, Ol Kiombo, Musiara and Mara Serena, taking about 45 minutes. This is how most visitors arrive.

By Car

The reserve lies roughly 270 kilometres from Nairobi, a drive of five to six hours. The final stretch beyond Narok is rough, and a 4×4 is strongly recommended, particularly in the wet season.

The long rains run March to May, peaking in April at around 175 millimetres, and short rains fall through November. Annual rainfall is roughly 800 to 1,000 millimetres, noticeably higher than the southern Serengeti, which is why the Mara stays greener and supports resident game so well.

Even in the dry season brief afternoon storms are common, and they rarely disrupt a game drive for long. The grass stays longer here than on the Serengeti's short-grass plains, which can make spotting smaller predators harder in the wettest months.

The practical implication is that this is not a place to pack only for heat. Mornings in an open vehicle at 11°C with wind chill are genuinely cold, and a windproof layer over a fleece makes the difference between enjoying a dawn drive and enduring it.

Rain here usually arrives as intense afternoon storms rather than sustained drizzle, and it clears as quickly as it builds. Tracks in the reserve drain reasonably well, but the black cotton stretches near the marshes become slippery, and a capable vehicle matters more in April and May than at any other time.

January to March is warm, largely dry and much quieter, with resident big cats every bit as visible and cub sightings common. For photographers who want space and time at a sighting rather than the drama of a crossing, this is often the better window.

April and May bring the long rains, the lowest rates of the year and green, dramatic landscapes, at the cost of some difficult tracks and longer grass. A number of camps close for part of this period.

June is a transitional month worth considering, as the rains ease and the first herds begin arriving from the Serengeti before the peak-season rates take effect.

Whichever window you choose, the grass is shorter outside the wettest months, which makes spotting cheetah and the smaller predators considerably easier across the open plains.

Book early whichever window you choose. The Mara has a finite number of camps and the better ones fill twelve months ahead for the crossing season, while the conservancies deliberately cap guest numbers and so sell out even faster.

The reserve is well managed and crime is rare, but wildlife rules are the usual ones: stay in the vehicle, keep distance from elephant and buffalo, and travel with a licensed guide.

During peak crossing season vehicle congestion at the river can become a hazard in itself, with jostling for position. Choosing a conservancy camp, or travelling outside July to October, avoids most of it. River banks are steep and crocodile numerous, so never approach on foot.

Malaria prophylaxis is advised despite the altitude, and repellent should be used at dawn and dusk. Yellow fever vaccination is commonly required for Kenya depending on your route of arrival.

Consult a travel clinic about typhoid, hepatitis A and B and tetanus. Medical facilities in the reserve are limited to camp first aid, with Nairobi the point of reference for anything serious, so insurance covering air evacuation is important.