38
MASAI MARA
Masai Mara Ecosystem
One of the most popular destinations in Kenya is the Masai Mara Ecosystem which offers amazing scenery
and an abundance of wildlife including the ‘big five’. The 370,00 acre ecosystem is an extension of
Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and, being unfenced, wildlife can roam freely between the two countries.
There are lots of opportunities to spot a variety of wildlife all year round, but an amazing natural
spectacle that many visitors are fortunate enough to see is the Great Migration. Thousands of wildebeest
and zebras make the annual journey across the Kenya and Tanzania border, to cross the Mara River. More
information on the Great Migration can be found on pages 44 and 45.
The Masai Mara Ecosystem is divided into several areas which include:
The Masai Mara National Reserve
The Reserve borders with Tanzania and is the key place to view the world-famous wildebeest migration. The Mara River running north to south through the
reserve separates the west area of the reserve, known as the Mara Triangle, from the east. These two areas have separate entrance fees and are administered
differently, so if you want to visit both areas you may be required to pay an additional entrance fee. The area has an amazing concentration of wildlife, particularly
when the migratory wildebeest and zebras are grazing on the lush plains from June to October (exact timings are dependent on rainfall). There are a number of
lodges and camps to choose from when staying in the Mara, with some in key locations along the Mara River, close to known migration crossing points.
