A Masai Mara Safari delivers the quintessential East African experience, especially Kenya Safari Tours experience. Its tented camps overlook sprawling plains studded with acacia trees and grazing antelope. Red-robed Maasai herdsmen tend their cattle on the savannah, co-existing with the wildlife and celebrating their passage into manhood with the famous ‘jumping dance’.

And from June to November the biggest show on earth arrives the migration – over a million wildebeest returning to the Masai Mara from the Serengeti. Forced across the crocodile-filled rivers that stand in their way, the herds provide a thrilling spectacle of nature at its rawest. Back in the Masai Mara, the wildebeest face the attention of more predators – big cats, spotted hyenas and wild dogs – making it one of Africa’s must-see destinations for safari travellers.

But you don’t have to visit the Masai Mara in migration season to guarantee a memorable safari. Its abundant resident wildlife provides year-round game viewing while out-of-migration-season travellers enjoy the advantage of fewer other visitors, lower accommodation prices and a lush and green landscape.

The Masai Mara is a safari destination with broad appeal. Activities range from game drives and cultural tours to hot-air balloon safaris. Honeymooners and couples will love the Mara’s more intimate and exclusive camps; parents will be pleased to find camps with babysitters, activities for children, and 4-sleeper family suites.

During the migration months, when visitor numbers are highest, we recommend beating the crowds by staying at a Masai Mara concession. The privately-run reserves are home to excellent accommodation and offer everything the Masai Mara Safari delivers plus night drives, nature walks and exclusive, off-road wildlife sightings.

Why Go On A Masai Mara Safari?

The Masai Mara National Reserve and its neighbouring conservancies form Kenya’s flagship conservation area and one of the top safari destinations in Africa. Its wide-open plains provide a sanctuary for an abundance of animals like elephants, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, hyena and Mara’s famous big cats: lion, leopard and cheetah. And from about June to November every year, the Mara is a much-welcomed pit stop for unending masses of wildebeest that follow the rains on their death-defying, 2 900-kilometre (1 800-mile) circular journey.

Masai Mara Safari Highlights

1. Kenya’s most famous reserve
2. Site of the annual wildebeest migration
3. Plentiful predators such as lion, leopard and cheetah
4. Exceptional animal interactions
5. Iconic landscapes of open savanna
6. Classic and luxury safari camps
7. Maasai cultural encounters

When To Go On Masai Mara Safari

July to September is when the annual wildebeest migration takes place. However, the Masai Mara Safari offers excellent game viewing all year round.

If you plan to go during the Great Migration, be sure to book early as our camps and lodges tend to fill up quickly during this period.

Talk to Gorilla Trips about a Masai Mara Safari. We’ll recommend the best tour or accommodation for your requirements. We can also tailor-make the best Kenya Safari Packages for you.