masai mara safaris

Masai Mara tips & insights
Kenya's best
The Masai Mara is the best Game Reserve in Kenya. But the Serengeti in neighboring Tanzania is superior because it provides visitors with a better overall safari experience.

Click Kenya vs Tanzania for details

Serengeti relationship
The Masai Mara is a natural extension of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, with which it shares the famous Serengeti Migration.

Animal crossings
The above two game venues also share a fenceless international border, though the hordes of migrating animals are oblivious to the Kenyan-Tanzanian boundary as they cross it twice a year.

Name
This game reserve was once called the Serengeti. In 1961, it was renamed Masai Mara in honor of the Masais, the indigenous tribal people who still herd their cattle and goats within the game reserve.

Similarities
In many ways the Masai Mara is similar to its southern neighbor, the Serengeti National Park. For example, it has rolling grassland hills with scattered acacias. Forests occasionally interrupt the open landscape. And, all the major safari animal species can be found in it.

Dissimilarities
Key exceptions to the similarity are size (the Masai Mara is eight times smaller), safari tourist congestion (it's worse), and peak migration times (see my animated migration map on page two).

More Masai Mara tips & insights
When to go


The Masai Mara is at its best during its peak migration period, generally from late July to early October.

Getting there


The Masai Mara is out-of-the-way. It's situated in southwest Kenya along the Tanzania border. It is six hours by car from Nairobi. Some road stretches are rather bumpy, which is why many safari-goers prefer the 45-minute plane ride.

Masai Mara lodge and camp tips and insights
Masai Mara leads the nation
Most of Kenya's finest lodges and camps are in or just outside the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Rates
$$$$ = high, $$$ = mid-to-high

The best accommodations in the Masai Mara
Governor's Camp Group - $$$$
This luxury safari operator runs several small tented camps. All are in the same general area, but each has a distinct personality. Guests have an out-of-Africa experience.

Other leading Masai Mara venues
Kichwa Tembo Camp - $$$$
This lodging complex lies just outside the Masai Mara Game Reserve boundary and has 40 luxury tents. Nearby is Kichwa Tembo's younger, smaller and more exclusive sibling, the Bateleur Camp. Both are operated by the luxury safari operator & Beyond

Sorova Mara Tented Camp - $$$$
Its 75 luxury tents have hard-permanent roofs and concrete-floored showers. Camp has a tree-rich landscape. Well-situated for migration-time game viewing.

Keekorok Lodge - $$$
This was Kenya's first luxury safari lodge (built in 1965). Keekorok Lodge has an enviable location for game-watching during the annual safari migration.

More quality Masai Mara lodges
Lodge lists continued from page one.

Mara Serena Lodge - $$$
Strategically located for enjoying the annual migration 74 rooms. Part of an established international safari lodge chain

Mara Simba Lodge - $$$
This 84-unit venue sits along a river bank favored by thirsty wildlife

Mara Sopa Lodge -$$$
Built just outside the Masai Mara. The 90 units are rondavel (hut) ethnic style, which adds visual interest.

Budget level
On a minimal budget?
Low-frill campsites exist beyond the Masai Mara main gates.

Terms used on this and previous page
Rates
$$$$ = high, $$$ = mid-to-high

Tented
The canvas tents are set up over permanent foundations. Luxury level.

Tent
More casual than tented camps. The tents are all canvas and are set directly on the ground

Camp
Lodging with tented or tent accommodations.

Lodge
Permanent, non-tent lodging.

Lodge location map


Best Kenya safari area Masa Mara
This is Kenya's best and most famous reserve. I have three pages about it. Click these links to read them.
Click Why it's worthy
Click Best lodges & camps
Click  Kenya vs Tanzania

Other leading Kenya safari areas
Aberdares
Kenya's two world renowned treehouse lodges (Treetops and the Ark) are located here. This forested park has scenic waterfalls.

Amboseli
It's Kenya's second most popular park. Unfortunately, the large-animal wildlife population has been thinning recently. So has the snow crowning Mount Kilimanjaro (the view of this volcanic mountain is one of Amboseli's chief tourist draws).

Lake Nakuru
Renowned for its pink flamingos. Although the population of this bird all but disappeared in the 1990s, it's making a comeback thanks to environmental safeguards.

Marsabit
This forested park blankets an extinct volcano. Elephants and birdlife are two of the main appeals of Marsabit.

Meru
The lioness Elsa of the best-selling Born Free book resided here.

Mount Kenya
This reserve is home to several lodges and camps, including the globally celebrated Mount Kenya Safari Club.

Nairobi Park
This small wildlife venue sits just outside Nairobi city, making it convenient for safari daytrippers.

Sanburu
The park is relatively arid, so the river banks attract wildlife, creating good game viewing opportunities.

Locator map