4 Incredible things that make a Maasai mara safari experience a memorable one
4 INCREDIBLE THINGS THAT MAKE A MAASAI MARA SAFARI EXPERIENCE A MEMORABLE ONE
4 Incredible things that make a Maasai mara safari experience a memorable one : Maasai Mara national reserve is one great safari destinations in Kenya and Africa at large offering one of a kind experience, a Masai Mara safari is a memorable safari experience to do in Kenya. On a Masai Mara safari you are guaranteed to spot an abundance of wildlife including the Big Five “Lion, leopards, elephants, cape buffaloes and rhinos”, cheetahs and witnessing the annual wildlife migration the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth.
Here are the four main attractions that make a Masai Mara safari experience a memorable one
- THE MAASAI TRIBES
The Maasai tribe are one of the most famous tribes in Kenya and a must visit community during your Kenya safari to Masai Mara national reserve, the Maasai are amongst the few tribe in Africa which traditions and culture which haven’t been affected by modernity and technology.
The Maasai tribe inhabits the Northern, Central and Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania, these people are part of the Nilotic ethnic group speaking the Maa language. The Maasai people are famous local populations internationally and this is due to their strategic residence near the many game parks and reserve (protected areas) of the Africa Great Lakes and their distinctive customs and local outfits.
The Maasai people are strongly patriarchal in nature and have played a major role in preserve the Great Maasai Mara region, socially in each Maasai group it is the duty of the elders to decide on the major matters in each group. In the Maasai community, their traditional lifestyle generally centers around cattle which is the main source of food and wealth, to the Masai wealth of a man is measured in terms of his cattle and children. The more children, the better and a herd of 50 cattle and more are respectable.
The Maasai believe and worship a single deity called Engai
- THE WILDLIFE DIVERSITY
Maasai Mara national reserve is well known for hosting an abundance of wildlife and one of the great wildlife events “The annual wildebeest migration”, the reserve is a home to all the 5 members of the big Five including lion, leopard, elephant, cape buffalo and rhinoceros.
The dominant wildlife in Maasai Mara national reserve are the wildebeests and are one of the major attractions, the wildebeests are estimated to be in millions and they arrive in the plains of Maasai Mara during the annual wildebeest migration , an annual movement taking place in Mara – Serengeti ecosystem shared Maasai Mara national reserve and Serengeti national park. Millions of wildebeests accompanied by Thompson’s gazelles, topis, elands and zebras migrating in search for greener pastures, other animals found in Maasai Mara national reserve include Impalas, duikers, coke’s hartebeests, hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, and the bat-eared foxes. Even in the rainy season running from March to May and November to Early January, animals in Maasai Mara national reserve are in abundance and can be seen during a Kenya safari to the reserve.
- THE FOUR DIFFERENT TOPOGRAPHIES
Masai Mara national reserve is divided into four different topographies known as the Ngama Hills, Oloololo Escarpment, Mara Triangle and the Central Plains.
NGAMA HILLS
Half of Maasai Mara national reserve is made up of the Eastern sector from the Mara and Talek Rivers to the Ngama Hill, the hills are rises above the main Sekanani entrance gate and are a prominent feature in the landscape visible from all the areas of the reserve. The hills are a useful landmark for travelers doing a self – drive safari and it is the closest part of the reserve to Nairobi and the most visited area of Masai Mara national reserve.
While on a game viewing safari in Ngama Hills expect to spot the big cats “lions, leopards and cheetahs”, gazelles, antelopes, elands, plenty of elephants and ostriches. The only crossing to do between the eastern and western sectors of Masai Mara national reserve is the Southern Mara Bridge which is perfect of views of a large pool of hippos.
THE MARA TRIANGLE
The Mara Triangle is a part of Maasai Mara national reserve, however it is managed separately by Mara Conservancy – the not-for-profit organization on behalf of the Trans-Mara County Council. The Mara Triangle is the southernmost part of the Maasai Mara national Reserve with an area of 510 square kilometers, the triangle is the one-third of the Maasai Mara national reserve boasting two natural borders. To the Southwest is the Tanzania/Serengeti border, to the East is the Mara River and to the Northwest is the Oldoinyo Escarpment. Maasai Mara national reserve is a heaven for abundance of wildlife including wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, cheetahs among others.
Mara Serena safari Lodge is the only safari lodge and Little Governors is the only camp found in Mara Triangle.
The Mara Triangle is reachable by road and easily accessed by plane with Serena and Kuchiwa Tembo airstrips.
THE SIRIA ESCARPMENT
The Siria Escarpment is an escarpment (T-Hypsographic) lieing in the Rift Valley province with region font code of Africa/Middle East, the escarpment is located at an elevation of 1,828 meters above the sea level.
The Siri Escarpment is a long line of steep slopes separating level surfaces above and below, the escarpment is also known as Doinya Escarpment, Istria Escarpment, Ololol Escarpment, or Soitolol, 4 Incredible things that make a Maasai mara safari experience a memorable one.
THE CENTRAL PLAINS
The central plains in Maasai Mara national reserve are situated between the Mara and Talek Rivers in the heart of the Masai Mara, the central plains boasts an exceptionally excellent game viewing most especially for big cats and because of this the region is frequented by many safari vehicles. In the central plains you will get to take excellent pictures of the cats as you drive away, the area is fed by the Mara River and the Talek River which are the only permanent water sources flowing through Masai Mara national reserve.
Mara River supports plenty of birdlife and aquatic life including hippos, crocodiles, otters, leopards, vervet monkeys, bushbucks residing in the lush forest that edges the river.
- THE PLENTIFUL BIRDLIFE
Maasai Mara national reserve is a bird haven with over 470 of avian species including almost 60 species being raptors, these bird species including Abdim’s Stork, African finfoot, African wood owl, Ayres’s hawk eagle, Cinnamon-breasted bunting, Denham’s bustard, Giant kingfisher, Grey-crested helmet-shrike, Grey penduline tit, Hildebrandt’s starling, Jackson’s widowbird, Lazy cisticola, Ostrich, Purple grenadier, Red-throated tit, Ross’s turaco, Rosy-throated longclaw, Rufous-bellied heron, Rufous-throated wryneck, Saddle-billed stork, Schalow’s turaco, Secretary bird, Silverbird, Southern ground hornbill, Swahili sparrow, Tabora cisticola, Temminck’s courser, Trilling cisticola, Usambiro barbet, White-bellied go-away bird, Woolly-necked stork, Yellow-mantled widowbird, Yellow-throated sandgrouse among others
If you are seeking to experience these four incredible attractions that make up the Maasai Mara experience, check out some of our Kenya safari tours packages and send us an inquiry on info@maasaimarakenyapark.com .
