Kenya / Rift Valley & Maasai Mara / Maasai MaraMaasai Mara
The Great Migration and Big Cats on the Open Plains
Kenya's most famous reserve: rolling grassland on the Tanzanian border with the highest density of lions, cheetahs and leopards in the country. From about July to October the wildebeest and zebra of the Great Migration cross over from the Serengeti, and the Mara River crossings, with crocodiles waiting, are the scenes people travel for. The reserve is open all year; the private conservancies around it (Naboisho, Olare Motorogi, Mara North) limit vehicles and allow night drives and walks. Most visitors come on a lodge or camp package with game drives, by road from Nairobi (5-6 hours) or by bush flight from Wilson.
Highlights
- Wildebeest crossing the Mara River (about July to October)
- Lions, cheetahs and leopards on the plains
- Dawn balloon flight with a bush breakfast
- Black rhinos in the Mara Triangle
- Hippo pools on the Mara River
- Maasai village visit
- Walks and night drives in the private conservancies
Things to do
- Morning game drive on the plainsMorning · 4h
- Full-day game drive to the Mara River with a picnic lunchMorning · 8h
- Afternoon game driveAfternoon · 3h
- Dawn balloon flight over the Mara (optional, about US$500)Morning · 4h
- Maasai village visitAfternoon · 1h 30m
- Sundowner on the plainsEvening · 1h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: July – October (migration), January – March
Worth knowing
Great Migration: Peak Season in the Mara
The wildebeest and zebra are usually in the Mara from about July to October, and so is everyone else: camps fill 6-12 months ahead, prices are at their highest, and dozens of vehicles can gather at a river crossing. Crossings happen on the herds' schedule, not yours; allow at least three full days, and a camp in a private conservancy limits the crowds. The reserve fee is US$200 a person a day from July to December.
Heads up
Migration Timing Uncertain
The herds' arrival (June-July) and departure (October-November) shift by weeks from year to year with the rains. Big cats and resident game are excellent all year, but if the crossings are the point of the trip, book August or September.
Worth knowing
Long Rains: Muddy Roads, Some Camps Closed
⚠️ The long rains fall from about April to May: heavy afternoon storms, black-cotton soil roads that trap vehicles, and some tracks and river crossings closed. Many seasonal camps in the Mara, Samburu and Laikipia close; those that stay open cut their prices. Allow extra time on the roads, and bush flights can be delayed.
Heads up
Short Rains
The short rains bring brief showers, mostly in the afternoon, from about November into early December. Game drives still run; tracks can be muddy for a day after a storm.
Part of a longer route
Maasai Mara is a stop on a curated circuit through Kenya.