All You NEED to Know

It’s simple that the Masai Mara Nationwide Reserve is likely one of the most well-known parks in Africa. My first ideas of happening safari in Africa have been of Kenya and its wide-open grasslands. The truth that Kenya is house to the unique safari and the Masai Mara is the epicenter of the trade ought to come as no shock.

Positioned within the Southwest of Kenya the 1,510 sq. km Masai Mara Nationwide Reserve is house to an abundance of recreation together with the seasonal wildebeest migration. The migration is the best wildlife spectacle on earth, when over 1,000,000 wildebeest cross plains, valleys, and rivers in quest of contemporary pasture.

A Masai Mara safari is certain to make sure guests with unbelievable recreation viewing all yr spherical. On daily basis we went out into the park we noticed one thing unbelievable. I used to be amazed watching hyena pups sniff our automobile tires, elephants rub towards our tent poles within the night time, and a satisfaction of lions kill and devour a zebra.

Regardless of being some of the standard spots to go on safari in Africa the reserve blew us away.

The identify Masai Mara comes from the well-known Maasai tribe who inhabited the reserve. Whereas, the mara comes from the Maasai phrase which means “noticed,” an apt description of the panorama from above.

It is part of the larger Serengeti-Mara ecosystem and shares a border with the well-known Tanzanian national park the Serengeti. This complete area of the world is large for wild recreation and is house to hundreds of thousands of enormous animals. On this information, we’ll cowl the fundamentals to a safari within the reserve.

A Safari Information to the Masai Mara Nationwide Reserve

Our Expertise On Safari in Kenya’s Masai Mara

After finishing up a six-month-long drive from Cape Town to Kampala we couldn’t have been extra thrilled to have a safari within the Masai Mara. For as soon as, we have been going to take a seat again, take flights, and let the consultants take us round a tremendous slice of East Africa. Our expectations have been very excessive; nevertheless, we weren’t let down. In all our time in Africa, we have now by no means seen so many huge cats. In sooner or later we noticed three separate lion satisfaction and kills.

It’s official – safaris have spoiled us. Issues like silence, elephants, and starry nights have change into commonplace and it is going to be arduous to tire of this stuff. On daily basis we spent out within the recreation autos was enthralling.

In most camps we go to we make the choice to take a seat a recreation drive out with a purpose to calm down some, however within the Mara, we didn’t skip out on a single day within the bush. It is usually the primary park we have now been to in Africa the place we noticed all the “Huge 5,” animals in sooner or later.

To high all of it off, a few of our greatest images have come from the Mara. Sunsets within the Mara didn’t blow us away as a consequence of it being the wet season. Nevertheless, the sunshine bouncing off the plains and the open areas with little room to cover makes for wonderful wildlife photography.

When is the Greatest Time To Go to the Masai Mara?

The very best time to go to the Masai Mara is within the dry season, late June – October. Throughout this time period, the sport viewing is at its finest. The world-famous wildebeest migration arrives in July and hangs round till October.

The wet season sometimes arrives in March and goes on to Might. In full swing, the wet season will shut some camps down as it’s troublesome to do recreation drives with some roads turning into impassable.

A beautiful time to e-book a safari within the Masai Mara is the shoulder seasons round Jan-Feb. Guests will discover decrease costs and fewer crowds. The wet season isn’t all unhealthy. Many lodges stay open and provide inexperienced season charges which may be as much as 50% of their excessive season charges.

Inexperienced season within the Mara additionally brings concerning the births of many younger animals and fewer crowds. For my part it’s at all times finest to go to in shoulder seasons; nevertheless, in case your finish purpose is to see the migration anticipate finding crowds and have deep pockets.

Animals within the Masai Mara

The park is house to all the “Big Five” animals. The park’s inhabitants of Rhino are below fixed risk and have risen again to round 40 after being practically worn out within the ’80s.

Relating to cats the park is well-known and most guests will come throughout a satisfaction of lions and cheetah. In practically every week across the Masai Mara, we noticed eight totally different lion prides, 5 cheetahs, and noticed our first serval and African wild cat.

Birdlife within the Masai Mara is ample with 470 species calling the park house for no less than a part of the yr. We noticed bateleur eagle, lilac breasted curler, ostrich, topped crane, lappet confronted vulture, pygmy falcon, and secretary birds. One among our favorites, the lilac breasted curler, can also be the nationwide chook of Kenya.

It’s doubtless you’ve seen the Mara on the large display in quite a few nature documentaries, TV sequence, and even motion pictures. BBC’s Huge Cat Diaries adopted a number of huge cats across the Masai Mara. In fact, any movie buff will probably be effectively accustomed to Kenya and the Mara from the film “Out of Africa.“

The Nice Migration within the Maasai Mara

There are few pure occasions on the planet that may evaluate to the spectacle that’s The Nice Migration. Between Tanzania and Kenya an enormous herd of practically 1,300,000 wildebeest, 500,000 Thomson gazelle, 200,000 zebra, 97,000 topi, and 18,000 elands migrate in quest of contemporary grass. These safari animals run in monstrous herds and transfer between the Serengeti and the Masai Mara producing a tremendous sight.

The migration arrives within the Masai Mara across the starting of July and round October. When you plan on going count on to pay sky excessive lodge costs and e-book effectively upfront.

The best wildlife present on earth attracts a crowd. We visited the park within the inexperienced season. Nevertheless, due to our changing environment, the rains arrived a lot later within the yr and regardless of visiting in mid-April we witnessed the primary of the rains.

The Masai Mara Panorama

The panorama of the Mara is basically open grasslands with seasonal rivers slicing by way of. Protecting 1,510 sq. km or 583 sq. miles the park occupies a small part of the larger Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. On the southernmost border of the park lies Tanzania and the Serengeti Nationwide Park. The North, West, and Japanese are bordered by Maasai communities who stay as pastoralists.

Set contained in the Nice Rift Valley, the park is taken into account a UNESCO World Heritage Website. The western border of the park ends on the Esoit Escarpment which is the western facet of the Nice Rift Valley. Asides from the rolling grasslands you too can discover forested river banks, acacia woodlands, swamps, and thickets.

The Masai Mara Tribe

The Maasai are the ancestral individuals of the Mara. Historical past remembers them as fierce warriors and hard pastoralists. To today many lodges across the Mara make use of the native Maasai from the communities as their “askari” or safety guards. Maasai are well-known for his or her wealthy cultural heritage. Their deep ties to the wilds of Africa and dwelling across the nationwide parks of Kenya and Tanzania are intertwined with the safari trade.

Yow will discover them dwelling throughout the Masai Mara reserve and lots of lodges prepare cultural visits and promote their crafts in camp. We discovered Masai working in all positions, together with our guides, on the camps we stayed at within the Mara.

Masai Mara Lodges You’ll Love

Governors Camp Assortment

Almost a century in the past in an distinctive a part of the Mara the governors of colonial Kenya had their unique camp alongside the banks of the Mara River. The spot was world-renowned for its distinctive recreation and wonder and was the camp Teddy Roosevelt used on his safaris.

That very spot is now house to Governor’s Camp, the primary tented camp within the Masai Mara. Over time the operation has expanded and it’s the largest we have now stayed in with practically 37 tents.

Though, the attraction is just not misplaced because the camp feels spacious and the river forest acts as a pure barrier between friends’ tents. Many tents both face out to the Mara River or to the Masai Mara plains and the tranquility is just not misplaced.

The tents themselves are all canvas and the sounds of the Mara spill proper into the room. Grunts of hippos, roars of lions, and calls of hyenas are a nightly prevalence.

These animals additionally frequent the unfenced camp, and we even awoke one night time to an elephant rubbing towards our tent poles. This gives friends an actual sense of being within the wild, however by no means too near hazard with the ever-present Maasai safety readily available.

Fashionable facilities are usually not withheld within the tents, all of the tents embody WiFi, flush bathrooms, and scorching showers. The beds are comfy with scorching water bottles ready below the covers for these chilly nights. Whereas the essential bar has a big deck that extends out over the river with comfy seating.

Sport viewing across the lodge is phenomenal and arguably a few of the finest in Africa. On the time of our go to, the camp was surrounded by actually hundreds of zebra.

They lined the panorama in stripes of white and black. We discovered cheetahs, lions, and elephants each day. To our shock, regardless of being in the course of the Mara we noticed a couple of different autos that weren’t from our camp.

Governors operates a number of camps throughout the Mara together with Little Governor’s within the Mara Triangle, Il Moran, or their unique Non-public Camp. In addition they run Governor’s Sizzling Air Balloon safari, which is arguably the most magical thing you can do when in the on safari.

Cottars Nineteen Twenties Camp

• Location: Masai Mara, Kenya
• Sort: Tented Safari Camp
• Actions: Bush Walks, Sport Drives, Birding, Fly Camp, Sizzling Air Balloon Flight, Night time Sport Drives, Sundowners, Go to Masai Village, Swimming Pool, Canvas Bush Tub
• Avg. Worth: $2,000 – $2,500 Per Night time (Double Occupancy)

At Cottar’s 1920s Camp friends are transported again in time to the essence of the unique safari. Their information on this journey is Calvin Cottar. The Cottar household has been guiding friends round Kenya since these early days. They’re the “safari household,” and have guided an extended listing of celebrities, royalty, and aristocrats over a century of working in Kenya.

Taking over the reigns of his household heritage Calvin and his spouse constructed the Cottar’s Nineteen Twenties Camp and fashioned the Olderikesi Conservancy. The 22,000-acre concession is unique to the camp and borders each the Serengeti and Masai Mara. Sport drives across the conservancy additionally dip into each parks offering an actual sense of journey in pursuit of untamed recreation.

In the meantime, the camp is crammed with genuine antiques, household images, and artifacts from a century of safaris now used ornament for the primary lounge and tents. Tents on the Nineteen Twenties camp are a throwback to the previous golden period of safari with all the journey, romance, and environment.

If there may be one camp to stay out the film “Out of Africa” that is the one. The massive white canvas tents roll as much as reveal sweeping views all the way down to the Serengeti and Masai Mara. The beds are four-poster and a working gramophone sits casually on an vintage trunk. Loos are ensuite and a woodfired scorching water heater ensures visitor at all times have a scorching bathe.

Experiences on provide listed here are distinctive and opulent. Visitors can partake in bush walks, recreation drive within the household’s 1940 Rolls Royce, bush dinners, spa companies (each tent receives a complimentary 30-minute therapeutic massage), and even a canvas tub bush bathtub. So be sure to have some good outfits and an excellent pair of safari boots packed in your bag.

Tendencies within the safari enterprise seem to make sure that friends don’t go with out fashionable facilities lately. As with the opposite camps, we stayed within the Mara WiFi was within the rooms. It was a pleasant change as lodges are shifting the web out of the primary lounges to encourage socializing. Dinners at Cottars have been great with household type seating and alcoholic drinks included.

Cottar’s Nineteen Twenties Camp has been featured in lots of editorials and it’s extensively thought-about among the best safari camps in Africa. Along with the beautiful safari fashionable bush villa, the Cottars property is a transparent winner across the Masai Mara.

Hemingway’s Ol Seki

• Location: Masai Mara, Kenya
• Sort: Tented Safari Camp
• Actions: Bush Walks, Sport Drives, Birding, Night time Sport Drives, Sundowners, Go to Masai Village,
• Avg. Worth: $1,000 – $1,200 Per Night time (Double Occupancy)

Positioned on the award-winning Naboisho Conservancy, Hemingway’s Ol Seki provides friends a tremendous wildlife expertise. The camp is intimate with ten tents perched on an escarpment. Tents are huge and fashionable with canvas throughout together with two huge household tents.

The loos and baggage space are massive and we at all times had scorching water. We may have used a bit extra inside ornament within the tent and located the “daybed” to be misplaced and too massive.

The principle lounge was beautiful and the right spot to have sundowners, learn a e-book or socialize. It was adorned with leather-based couches, massive quilted rugs, and loads of espresso desk books to take pleasure in a day between recreation drives.

Ol Seki overlooks a artifical watering gap that was frequented by numerous antelope and hyenas at night time. Whereas the essential deck sits on a big rocky outcrop that made for a unbelievable spot to look at the sundown and have a romantic fireplace dinner.

We cherished the sport drives in Naboisho and our two Maasai guides, Rafael and Patrick, have been unbelievable. Our guides got here from the conservancies guiding faculty and they have been very accustomed to their very own land.

Their ardour for guiding and wildlife was evident and we discovered them to be our favourite guides within the Masai Mara. Sundowners, recreation drives, and morning espresso with them was a deal with.

Ol Seki works as an excellent camp together with Hemingways Nairobi. They’re effectively located in an exquisite non-public conservancy and have all of the facilities to make sure a snug safari.

Tenting In The Masai Mara

It’s potential to camp by yourself within the Masai Mara. The Mara Conservancy provides three fundamental public campsites and eight non-public campsites. The general public campsites function on a primary come first serve foundation and take no reservations.

 Whereas the non-public campsites are open to the general public through reservation. All campsites require the hiring of two-night guards for two,000 KSH every.

• Public Campsite Price: $30 pp an evening
• Non-public Campsite Price: Inquire by writing to mara@maratriangle.org or name/WhatsApp +254 100202578

Yow will discover our extra data akin to reserving and GPS coordinates on the Mara Triangle website.

Masai Mara Park Charges

• Non-Resident staying contained in the park: Grownup – US$ 70 // Youngsters  – US$ 40
• Non-Resident staying outdoors the park: Grownup – US$ 80 // Youngsters  -US$ 45
• For Kenyan Residents: Grownup – Ksh. 1000 // Youngsters and College students – Ksh. 300
• East African Residents: Grownup – Ksh 1,200 // Youngsters and College students– Ksh 500

How To Get To The Masai Mara?

Bush Flight To The Maasai Mara

The easiest way to get to the Mara is indisputably a bush flight. Bush flights are carried out by gentle plane that may land on the assorted dust runways across the Mara. Governor’s Aviation dropped us off proper at camp with the airstrip solely 10 minutes away from the Governor’s Camp.

We used Fly-SAX (now rebranded to EastAfrican) to get us round most of Kenya. They’re an excellent regional supplier providing flights throughout Kenya with plenty of worldwide locations. We booked our flight from Entebbe, Uganda to Nairobi through SAX and had an excellent expertise.

SAX can also be the solely firm with the industrial rights to land on Cottar’s non-public airstrip. The one different choice to arrive at Cottars is through a personal airplane or prolonged drive. We booked our flights round Kenya with SAX who flew us into Mombasa and Diani Seashore, or Ukunda Airport.

Drive To The Masai Mara

We took one drive to the Mara and it was an extended day. From Nairobi, the Masai Mara is about six hours away. As soon as we hit the dust roads previous the city of Narok we have been reminded why we sold our truck in Uganda. It’s a lengthy street that’s badly corrugated. They’re within the strategy of placing in a brand new street, however time will inform in the event that they Kenyan authorities finishes the job.

There are a selection of funds locations and campsites to remain outdoors of the park and round Narok so that you don’t need to pay an arm, leg, and one other arm for a safari within the Mara.

Our Entire Africa Travel Story • What We Never Shared

Malaria Round The Masai Mara

Folks take malaria a bit of too severely with regard to journey in Africa. The Masai Mara is dry and at an elevation. In direction of the top of the wet season, mosquitos could also be current; nevertheless, malaria could be very unusual.

The very best protection for malaria is prevention. That means wearing insect repellant and lengthy sleeves at night time when the mosquitos carrying malaria chew.

Important Objects For A Safari within the Masai Mara

Packing the right safari clothes is at all times a good suggestion, nevertheless it’s by no means important as a result of you’ll be able to put on no matter you need. We additionally go in-depth on the best women’s safari clothes!