Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most iconic and visited wildlife destinations in Kenya—and indeed, all of Africa. Situated within the Great Rift Valley, the reserve is characterized by expansive open grasslands, with wildlife particularly concentrated along the western escarpment.
Often hailed as the crown jewel of Kenya’s safari circuit, the Masai Mara is world-renowned for its spectacular wildlife encounters. Its most famous event is the Great Migration, when over 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, thunder across the plains from July to November in one of nature’s greatest spectacles.
The reserve is home to around 95 species of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, along with more than 400 species of birds. Nowhere else in Africa is wildlife more abundant, making it one of the best places to spot the legendary Big Five: buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhino.
