Things to do in  Maasai Mara National Reserve

Arguably the most popular nature park in Kenya, the Masai Mara National Reserve (Maasai Mara National Park) centers on the Mara River, which sustains life on the sometimes brutal plains of the Serengeti, supporting a range of mammals such as wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, lions, cheetahs, and elephants. During the dry season’s epic Great Migration, impressive numbers of animals flock here.

During the Great Migration, Africa’s Mara River hosts one of nature’s greatest spectacles, as vast herds of wildebeest surge through the murky waters in quest of fresh territory—with crocodiles and lions waiting to snap up any stragglers. Even outside that perilous period, it’s a popular safari stop—some river stretches are alive with both hippos and crocodiles.

One of two administrative divisions of Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Triangle covers roughly one-third of the park. Home to elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos, hippos, buffalo, and more, it’s harder to reach and, therefore, less visited than the park’s southern sections. The Mara River on its border sees spectacular wildebeest crossings during the annual Great Migration.

Bordering Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, Nashulai Maasai Conservancy is a truly sustainable safari destination that protects elephants, lions, giraffes, cheetahs, and more—without conflicting with the Indigenous Maasai people. Local Maasai own and run Nashulai, working to restore the ecosystem, sequester carbon, reduce poverty, preserve tradition, and enhance women’s rights.