Masai Mara

The reserve itself is surrounded by conservancies, that have been established as partnerships between private investors and local Maasai pastoralist landowners to ensure the conservation of the huge Mara-Serengeti ecosystem and the protection of the wildlife within it.

The gently rolling hills dotted with acacia and wide meandering rivers packed with hippos and crocodiles are the Africa of your imagination. This fertile and bountiful landscape is overflowing with life, from the statuesque giraffe that saunter across the horizon to the rainbow plumage of the lilac-breasted roller.

There is a wealth of accommodation available from small rustic tented camps to exclusive lodges with luxury spas and infinity pools. The Mara is a great first safari as there is so much to see.

The Mara is most famous for the Great Migration, when vast herds of wildebeest and zebra arrive from the Serengeti, usually between July and October, and cross the Mara River in one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles. Timing shifts with the rains, so see our month-by-month migration guide or explore a Great Migration safari.