Guide to Masai Mara National Reserve : The Maasai Mara National Game Reserve is one of the most popular game reserves in the nation of Kenya. This reserve is the largest of all game reserves covering about 1,510 square kilometers approximately 580 square miles. This reserve found in southwest of Kenya is home to several animal species over 100, most popular the big five which are the lions, leopards, African elephant, cape buffalo, and the rhinoceros. The park is also home to other animal species that include the famous wildebeest, zebras, topis, antelopes and many more. In this ecosystem there are also birds over 400 bird species popularly the migrant species and raptors.
The Maasai Mara National Game Reserve is located within the Maasai region and is named after the Maasai people who are the ancestral inhabitants of the area and region. Managed by the Kenya wildlife authority through the County Government of Narok and the local Maasai community; this reserve is mainly known for the wildebeest migration that usually happens in July all through to September with the wildebeest doing two migrations from Maasai Mara to Serengeti and another from Serengeti to Maasai Mara
Though the wildebeest migration is the most popular safari activity there, the park also has number of attractions that include but not limited to the big five, the Lions are the most dominant, then there are elephants, leopards, buffaloes and rhinos. There also other animals the giraffes’ topis, antelopes, hyenas among many others.
The Maasai Mara national game reserve is the only protected area in the Kenyan region that has indigenous black rhinos, that have not been affected by any form of translocation population unaffected by translocations. This is attributed to the park’s natural vegetation and climate that is very favorable for these rhinos.
Among the unique animals in this game reserves are the spotted hyenas. The maasai Mara game reserve is one of the top research centers in the region for the spotted hyenas best spotted or seen between June and October.
Talking about weather, the game reserve has a semi-arid climate that has both dry and wet conditions. It has two rainy seasons and 2 dry seasons – the long and short respectively. Safaris in this game reserves usually happen during the two dry seasons.
On your safari to this game reserve, you will hope to have one of the following activities if not all: –
- Game drives to views the numerous animals and the different animal species in the game reserve.
- Special hyena game drive to spot the spotted hyenas. Of course, on these game drives you will see other animals, but the main ones will be the hyenas.
- Like the Hyena game drives; you will also get a chance to come has a special wildebeest migration expo. For you to enjoy experiences though you may have to get accommodation in proxy with the Mara River for you to be able to get a front seat to this spectacular show. Also as stated this migration happens between June and October, so you have to visit in those months.
- On top of the animals, you will also have a chance to glaze at the numerous bird species of the game reserve.
- Outside the game reserve you get to visit the maasai villages surrounding the park to learn more about the people from whom the park is named.
- Other activities you can do in this park include but are not limited to:- Hot Air Balloon Rides, the Leopard Gorge experience where you go on a special hunt leopards and couple of other mammals in the gorge, Mara river experience at the scenic mara river, the oloololo rocky ridge experience, the springs expedition among other activities.
