A Safari to Maasai Mara National Reserve
A Safari to Maasai Mara National Reserve : If you had to imagine the ideal safari adventure in Kenya, you would definitely picture a vacation to Kenya’s Masai Mara. This renowned national reserve is not only the source of great pride for Kenya but is also among the most breath taking locations on earth. Expect to see huge meadows with over a million zebras and wildebeest roaming around freely, herds of elephants sipping water next to water buffalos, and, if you’re persistent enough, lions, cheetahs, and leopards quietly looking for a hunt. It has so much to offer including the most sought after animals including the big five, majority of the big cats and other common animals in plenty.
Maasai Mara National reserve with so many wild experiences to search for, ways to get about the park, and costs ranging from only a few hundred dollars to many thousands per day, visiting Kenya without visiting Masai Mara means losing out on something spectacular. Nevertheless, it’s critical to comprehend what makes Masai Mara unique and how to maximise your time and money. This is how to organise the ideal trip to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve.
The Maasai Mara composition
The Mara Triangle and Masai Mara National Reserve are two natural reservoirs that make up what is known as the greater Masai Mara ecosystem, together with a number of smaller private conservancies and some Masai settlements that are situated close to the parks. They are situated close to the Tanzania-Kenya border, 255 kilometres which is approximately around 5–6 hours drive by road south-west of Nairobi. In reality, the Serengeti National Park is bordered by the Masai Mara, and you could argue that despite being in different countries, they share the same habitat.
Consider how many days you want to spend in the national reserve, where you want to stay, and the kinds of activities you want to engage in before you travel to Masai Mara. Your vacation to Masai Mara will cost much more as a result of these choices.
However, it is great to be aware of your alternatives whether you are doing a group trip, a private safari, or travelling alone and self-driving.
The Masai Mara’s largest part is where the park’s greatest number of animals are found. It is essentially a must-stop if you want to see the best of Masai Mara, and no matter when you visit, it will never disappoint. Large herds of wildebeest, zebras, elephants, and lions are to be expected.
Private conservancies
Private luxury resorts are frequently found inside the private conservancies. Unfortunately, you cannot just walk in and out of these locations; you must make reservations in advance to visit any of the conservancies or stay at the lodges.
On the one hand, going to a private conservancy can be highly rewarding because they typically know where to find large cats, but it can also be very pricey. It is the ideal safari choice for individuals who want to treat themselves to a great and memorable safari vacation.
Remember that going to a conservancy does not guarantee that you will see more species than you would in a national park. This is because the animals move freely within the park and the entire wildlife ecosystem.
Safari accommodations in Mara
Since transportation costs are already fairly fixed and Masai Mara admission fees are your biggest outlay, your choice of accommodations will determine whether your safari is more opulent or more affordable.
It is true that lodges inside the Masai Mara National Reserve start at hundreds of dollars if you book from its numerous available options. But do not fret. The majority of these lodging options come with some sort of activity that you could potentially acquire on a private trip or plan on your own safari.
One of the best national parks in Africa for obtaining lodging within your preferred budget is Masai Mara. There are many options, and the quality of the safari experience will be nearly the same whether you travel on a tight budget or stay in a villa with a private pool.
Public campsites are only found on the Mara Triangle side of the park and are only three possibilities, with rates beginning at $30 USD per night. Additionally, there are 5 private campsites inside the Mara triangle. Prices for these camps are typically higher, but the amenities and services are far superior. You may plan game drives or walking safaris around the national park from private campsites.
Staying outside the national park is a fantastic way to remain within that budget. Uninvolved in the action does not mean sleeping outside the park, so don’t worry. Near the Masai Mara gates are the communities of Talek, Keekorok, and Kawai, where lodging costs more than a third less than it would outside the national reserve.
What drawbacks are there? Nothing is more thrilling and terrifying at the same time than hearing lions scream in the middle of the night, which you can only experience if you remain inside the national reserve’s gates.
The Great Migration
The Great Migration safaris is the most alluring activity to look up to on a wildlife safari in Kenya. The wildebeest migrate from Serengeti National Park to Maasai Mara National Reserve during the months of July and October. Maasai Mara National Reserve is where the huge migration takes place and the park’s most sought after natural phenomenon.
The Great Migration, is annual movement of approximately 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebras, thousands of Thomson’s gazelles, and elands from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park across the Mara River to Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. This is known as one of the world’s most famous natural phenomena. In quest of lush pastures, the wildebeest do migrate to the Masai Mara national reserve.
The wildebeest’s migration is disrupted by several predators along the route they are taking, some fall to prey while others are strong enough to persevere and complete the process from Tanzania to Kenya and back.
The calving season
The Masai Mara birth growth starts after a plentiful wet season, which results in an excess of food and water. When the plains are teeming with life and new born wildebeest, zebra, and other herbivore calves can be seen racing through the plains, along come the big cats. Life has a circle to it. The ‘Lion season’ is referred to be the period from January through March. The abundance of grasses decreases once the rains stop, and it is simpler to observe wildlife. The best time of year to see a lone lion or perhaps a pride of lions out and about is now.
