These various habitats are home to a great variety of game including lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest (gnu), giraffe, buffalo, jackal, eland, gazelles, impala and elephant. This is the only place in Kenya where topi are common and you will see them standing sentinel on old termite mounds.
MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE
Although not Kenya’s largest park, the Masai Mara Game Reserve, is undoubtedly its best known and contains great concentrations of wildlife. Covering an area in excess of 1,800 sq km (almost 700 sq miles) it was established in 1961 and adjoins the Serengeti in Tanzania forming the northern end of the great migration ecosystem. This is the traditional land of the Masai people, nomadic herders who choose a traditional lifestyle and who are permitted to graze their cattle in the area.
The park’s habitats include the forests along the banks of the Mara and Talek Rivers, acacia forests and open savannah. These various habitats are home to a great variety of game including lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest (gnu), giraffe, buffalo, jackal, eland, gazelles, impala and elephant. This is the only place in Kenya where topi are common and you will see them standing sentinel on old termite mounds. Hippopotamuses and crocodiles are plentiful in the rivers and the bird life is also abundant. No less than 53 different species of birds of prey alone have been recorded, Masai Mara Tour Kenya
One of the best places to look for game is in the Mara Triangle in the western part of the Reserve, bounded by the Siria (Esoit Oloololo is the Masai name) Escarpment that rises about 305 mtrs (1000 ft) above the plains. On these open grasslands a multitude of savannah animals can be found. Cheetahs are often seen in this area, as are lions, though they are distributed throughout the Reserve. There are no rhino in the Mara Triangle however the particularly elusive and shy Black rhino are found in the Olmisigiyoi Region in the centre of the Reserve as well as in the north-west and extreme eastern parts. Only the very lucky will see Black rhino in the Mara. Masai Mara Safari Kenya
From June through October you may encounter the annual migration of wildebeest (1.4 million) and zebra (400,000) as they move through the area in search of fresh grass. The migration is dependent on the rain and so it varies from year to year but is usually at its peak from mid/late July through to mid/late September. At this time of year prides of up to 40 lion have been seen trailing the big herds and ambushes in gullies and bushy areas are frequently seen. Driven on, by those behind, the first animals ford the Mara River. This perilous crossing undertaken by hordes of beasts is truly dramatic – many of them drown, others are bogged down in the mud.
If you cannot travel at the migration time the Masai Mara teems with resident wildlife & game viewing is good all year round.
