![Maasai Mara National Reserve](/images/background-image/d308f619e9ff49ac8a38213a0603fe43-400-lq.jpg)
![Maasai Mara National Reserve](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
![Maasai Mara National Reserve](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
![Maasai Mara National Reserve](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
![Maasai Mara National Reserve](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
This area is well known for its memorable hot-air ballooning safaris.
Most of the Maasai Mara National Reserve consists of short-grass plains...
...cut through by the meandering Mara and Talek rivers.
Many safari camps are set in stunning landscapes.
...with Maasai guides and staff.
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Land of Big Cat Diary and Disney’s African Cats, the Maasai Mara is at the top of many safari wish lists.
The location of the ’Great Migration’ – one of the natural wonders of the world – is a gloriously beautiful, wildlife-rich savannah landscape, once described by the eminent biologist Julian Huxley as 'the only easily accessible and readily studied remaining portion of the world’s pre-human climax community at its tropical richest.'
It’s also a region where traditionally dressed Maasai still herd their cattle and goats in a lifestyle that in some respects hasn’t changed much since they first arrived here 350 years ago.
And equally, today, the Maasai Mara is where herds of minibuses jostle for the best photo opportunity amid a panorama of African wildlife. We’re not going to pretend otherwise: 'The Mara' is one of the busiest of Kenya’s safari regions. Happily, there are strategies for avoiding the crowds – and we have lots of experience in doing just that.
Nowhere in Kenya has captured the world’s imagination quite like the Maasai Mara. On the short-grass savannahs of the Mara River basin, between the Loita Hills in the east and the Oloololo Escarpment in the west, hundreds of big-maned lions, large numbers of cheetah and leopards, spotted hyenas and jackals, some 1,500 elephants, tens of thousands of antelope of more than a dozen species from the tiny dik-dik to the huge eland, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, herds of buffalo, Maasai giraffe, and migratory Burchell’s zebras and wildebeest in their hundreds of thousands make the region a magnet for safaris of every stripe.
Safaris visiting Maasai Mara
Just ideas, we'll always tailor-make a trip for you
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/2ae7d0162e7e420caa20fcac82b7cb2c.jpg)
Gorillas and Maasai Mara Safari
9 days • 3 locations
KIGALI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
This trip combines two of Africa's most unforgettable wildlife experiences – Rwanda's mountain gorillas and Kenya's Maasai Mara.
US$10,600 - US$13,500 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/69e095daab054875933cf54be03730d9.jpg)
Steppe Eagle Fly-in Safari
7 days • 2 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
Two comfortable tented camps overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro and Mara River put you at the heart of the action. Experience spectacular diversity in species and habitat with safari in Samburu and the Masaai Mara National Reserve.
US$5,680 - US$8,620 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/b267f8e634a645ada6aabe031efda18b.jpg)
Greater Kudu Fly-In Safari
7 days • 2 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
Experience a truly authentic bush experience on this safari at two classic tented camps, in Laikipia and the Maasai Mara. These are some of the best places to spot wild dogs and big cats.
US$7,170 - US$8,410 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/afb62d0f0e534376b736132e56e7bd8c.jpg)
Rothschild Giraffe Safari
8 days • 3 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
A example of a luxury Kenyan safari, starting at the iconic Giraffe Manor before fabulous stays on the spectacular Solio Reserve and Sala’s Camp in a remote corner of the Maasai Mara.
US$11,720 - US$16,510 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/108b41a3cb324258b86e34b6bffaa1ec.jpg)
Big Cat Fly-in Safari
8 days • 2 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
Combining two of Kenya’s best wildlife-viewing areas, this slow-paced safari to the Lewa Conservancy and Maasai Mara guarantees iconic wildlife. The long-established, well-rated camps are great value, too.
US$5,010 - US$8,190 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/617d1fc0a34140b18c0377cac1a292e7.jpg)
Golden Jackal Fly-in Safari
8 days • 2 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
A contrasting safari of a lodge and a tented camp, with action-packed activities in Laikipia and wildlife-filled game drives in the Maasai Mara, offers a consistently high-quality experience.
US$9,730 - US$13,080 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/79caef28aa434c1fa07dcb80f9432017.jpg)
The Highlights of Africa
17 days • 7 locations
CAPE TOWN AIRPORT TO KIGALI AIRPORT
An epic adventure taking in some of Africa’s most incredible sights and wildlife experiences, from Cape Town to the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls, the Maasai Mara and an encounter with mountain gorillas.
US$14,390 - US$18,260 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/a8b19e733e824f8faaec4d0e5e841a8b.jpg)
Martial Eagle Fly-in Safari
9 days • 3 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT
This stylish fly-in safari visits two of Africa’s most iconic parks, the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park.
US$10,740 - US$17,740 per person
Most recent reviews of our safaris to Maasai Mara
Click below to browse all 111 reviews from Maasai Mara National Reserve. All from our travellers; all are in full & unedited.
Arrived 11 Jun 2024, 12 nights
"My Jun 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 13 Mar 2024, 10 nights
"March 2024 - Lewa and Maasai Mara"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 19 Jan 2024, 10 nights
"My Jan 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Good
Arrived 23 Jan 2024, 13 nights
"My Jan 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 16 Sep 2023, 30 nights
"Our 2023 trip to Kenya"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 5 Sep 2023, 11 nights
"SARARI & ZANZIBAR 2023"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 14 Aug 2023, 32 nights
"Our Wonderful Trip to Kenya - Aug 2023"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 5 Sep 2023, 9 nights
"My Sep 2023 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 2 Sep 2023, 10 nights
"My Sep 2023 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 24 Aug 2023, 9 nights
"My Aug 2023 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Where to stay in Maasai Mara
Our suggestions for safari camps in Maasai Mara National Reserve
![Little Governors' Camp](/images/background-image/3ad9d37f0c7f4e38963ba9ac352f9a36.jpg)
Little Governors'
Little Governors’ Camp sits by a swamp (an old oxbow of the Mara River) in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It has its own balloon-launching site.
![Rekero](/images/background-image/19476e6afe084ef8bdcc49302b1c6fa8.jpg)
Rekero
Rekero is an unpretentious, high-end safari camp, for travellers who take their wildlife watching seriously and are prepared to pay for an exceptional location.
![Tangulia Mara](/images/background-image/e0d0f7ec1daf4b15abed30e2f5105c79.jpg)
Tangulia Mara
Tangulia Mara is a rustic and traditional safari camp on the border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve owned by Jackson Looseyia of Big Cat Diary fame.
![Governors' Camp](/images/background-image/a49d0f9ef7914f38acc7b3c8b7211a73.jpg)
Governors' Camp
Governors' Camp is a large tented camp on the Mara River and one of the oldest in the Mara region, dating from 1972. Although unfenced, and regularly visited by elephants, the whole compound is always busy with human activity.
![Serian Nkorombo](/images/background-image/99f570a962d24ab4bde2cf3fb5bf78de.jpg)
Serian Nkorombo
Serian Nkorombo is a luxury bush camp in the Musiara sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve on the east side of the Mara River.
![Sand River Camp](/images/background-image/a3cd0a24706c45ab853538c3a39dac61.jpg)
Sand River Camp
Luxury colonial-style tented camp on the banks of the Sand River close to the Tanzania border – a great spot to see the wildebeest migration.
![Sala's Camp](/images/background-image/573ef567127f4563b4629126d820731a.jpg)
Sala's Camp
Sala’s Camp is a comfortable and intimate tented camp, with seven tented rooms, located on the banks of the Sand River, in the far south of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Governors' Il Moran Camp](/images/background-image/50cffa5401fe4399b671f0d986fb278b.jpg)
Governors' Il Moran
The smallest and most expensive of the three camps in the Governors’ group, Governors’ Il Moran Camp hugs a meander of the Mara River just 1km north of the main Governors’ Camp.
![Angama Mara](/images/background-image/247be558affc4cf182d2401e508528a9.jpg)
Angama Mara
Angama Mara is a top-end luxury tented camp on the Siria-Oloololo escarpment of the Maasai Mara ecoystem, just above the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Mara Expedition Camp](/images/background-image/5aeae4ee09d54d649c3da8a9e892f061.jpg)
Mara Expedition Camp
Mara Expedition Camp is a small luxury camp located on the banks of the Ntiakitiak River inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Mara Ngenche Safari Camp](/images/background-image/5d31eee352b34bc7b6cc25b8f82fde6f.jpg)
Ngenche Safari Camp
Mara Ngenche is a non-hosted, luxury tented camp with an antique style, which is perfect if you're looking for private dining while staying somewhere small and personal.
![Basecamp Maasai Mara](/images/background-image/0d2878d0f5b44771b8e7a29565753733.jpg)
Basecamp Maasai Mara
Basecamp Maasai Mara is a family-friendly, award-winning eco-camp on a U-bend on the north bank of the Talek River, on the boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Tipilikwani Mara Camp](/images/background-image/fc6ba9a2d94740f9ab90dbae9d5b61aa.jpg)
Tipilikwani Camp
Tipilikwani Mara Camp is a larger, mid-range tented camp offering good value from its base on the Talek River just outside the Mara National Reserve.
![Ilkeliani Camp](/images/background-image/02de8d43b74343c39f9eef6a4c99b3f4.jpg)
Ilkeliani Camp
Ilkeliani Camp is a smart elegant camp overlooking the Talek River, on the edge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Entim Camp](/images/background-image/e42a3a4f7b764001bb32909169658259.jpg)
Entim Camp
Entim Camp is well located in the heart of the Mara National Reserve, offering traditionally styled tented accommodation.
![Naibor Camp](/images/background-image/b1442de1e6424e02a82909fe5c03daa4.jpg)
Naibor Camp
Naibor has a great location in the Mara reserve, and offers accommodation to suit different budgets, with stylish high-end tents and some simpler ones too.
![Governors' Private Camp](/images/background-image/be828cc83717459187ad734cffe22bae.jpg)
Governors' Private Camp
Located on a secluded bend of the Mara River, Governor’s Private Camp has just eight tents and is booked on an exclusive basis.
![Topi House](/images/background-image/d884718caee44b0c91679a9987695445.jpg)
Topi House
Topi House is a very good, three-bedroom fully staffed private house on the fringes of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Mara Serena Safari Lodge](/images/background-image/5e89ac13bc0b4f3d8854701169527c3e.jpg)
Mara Serena Safari Lodge
Mara Serena Safari Lodge is a large safari hotel with views of the Mara River, in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Mara Explorer Camp](/images/background-image/1632dbc9433545daa889255ca9dc456c.jpg)
Mara Explorer Camp
Mara Explorer is a smart tented camp is in a scenic location on a bend in the Talek River.
![Ishara](/images/background-image/6d04576c1dfa47339a0549b593bda46f.jpg)
Ishara
Ishara is a highly luxurious safari camp in the Maasai Mara, located on the Talek River, which is one of the best areas in Kenya for wildlife.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings in Maasai Mara
This is their success for sightings in Maasai Mara National Reserve. Click on a species for more detail. How we work this out.
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
100% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
100% success
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100% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
100% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
100% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
98% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
97% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
89% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
84% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
79% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
68% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
36% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
21% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
9% success
![](/assets/images/ui/pixel.png)
2% success
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0% success
When to go to Maasai Mara National Reserve
Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Maasai Mara in Kenya
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Kenya in January
Clear, hot days and warm nights make this high season a popular time for safaris and it’s also good for diving and snorkelling as water clarity is excellent and gets better as the dry season progresses. Most lodges and tented camps treat January after the New Year week is over, as mid-season, making it a good compromise in terms of value for money with reasonably reliable, dry weather and some greenery left in the landscape.
Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in January, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the weather and seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable.
- On average, January is the second driest month of the year
- Elephants dig waterholes in the dry riverbed in the Samburu reserve.
- Wildebeest and many antelope have their calving season, to February.
- Migrant birds are seen in huge numbers, especially in the Rift Valley.
- Sea water clarity around the coral reefs generally good.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in January
Kenya in February
With the short dry season well established, the grass grazed down and wildlife gathering close to water points, this is still a good time for a safari. Good water clarity in the Indian Ocean's coastal waters makes for excellent diving and snorkelling conditions.
Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in February, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the weather and seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable.
- On average, February is the driest month of the year.
- It’s sometimes possible to swim with whale sharks at Diani Beach.
- Migrant birds are still seen everywhere, especially near water.
- This is usually peak calving season for wildebeest and many antelopes.
- This month is often the hottest of the year, especially on the coast.
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in February
Kenya in March
Hot, increasingly humid weather – with good diving and snorkelling conditions at the start of the month – gives way to rains and lower accommodation costs. Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in March, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and predicting the seasons since the beginning of this century has been difficult.
March is the month when – traditionally – intensely hot conditions build up until a cloudburst finally happens at the end of the month or in early April, to relieve the humidity. As ever, regional variations across the country can greatly impact on visitors' experiences.
- Sea-water clarity is best for diving before the long rains start.
- Visitor numbers are low, though the Easter holidays can be busier.
- Night skies can be scintillatingly clear in early March.
- Cropped down savannah grasses can make it easier to see the wildlife.
- Temperartures climb high, especially at lower elevations.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in March
Kenya in April
April sees the full onset of the southeast monsoon wind or kusi, which heralds the long rains. Temperatures drop soon after the rains are established and you’ll often have facilities largely to yourself in this more affordable low season, sometimes known as the "green season". The bush quickly springs to life, with greenery sprouting almost before your eyes. While you're likely to get a fair number of heavy showers, the breaks in the rain can yield sparklingly clear conditions.
With the dust settled and bright sun piercing the clouds, conditions can be sublime for photography, especially first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon with another storm brewing. You may be lucky, or you may find conditions very wet and muddy.
- A wet month, the coast often gets more than 300mm (12in) of rain.
- Sunny spells can provide great light for photography.
- Buffalo and zebra calving season often happens in this month.
- Baby crocodiles hatch, for example on Central Island in Lake Turkana.
- Palearctic migrant birds gather to fly north to breeding grounds.
Our view
A time to avoid if possible
Weather in April
Kenya in May
While game viewing can be trickier as vegetation runs riot, between the cloudbursts the colours and light are great for photography at this time of year. Expert Africa bases its description of climate and weather in May, like the other months of the year, on the climate records of roughly the last 100 years, and while it's reasonable to expect heavy rains in many parts during this month, especially on the coast, the rains don't always come evenly or in some areas come at all.
In an El Niño year, the so-called long rains that normally are established across much of the country by May can be meagre, to the despair of farmers. On the other hand in a La Niña year, the long rains can bring floods. On the coast, the monsoon winds make the climate much more predictable, with heavy rains common throughout this month.
- Frogs breed in the ponds in the Arabuko Sokoke Forest near Watamu.
- Wildebeest, impala and other grazers are in rut (the breeding season).
- Kilimanjaro looks its best as heavy rain falls as snow on the summit.
- There's a sharp peek of rainfall on the coast with many rainy days.
- Accommodation prices are uniformly low, while some camps close.
Our view
A time to avoid if possible
Weather in May
Kenya in June
The rains give way to cloudy, cooler weather, often making for comfortable conditions by the end of the month, especially in the highlands. Starting from mid-June or the beginning of July and running until the end of October, this is the high season, and accordingly has higher accommodation rates and – at least until early September – higher numbers of visitors.
While the early part of June can often be rainy on the coast, it can be a great time to go on safari, with fresh greenery, many young animals and good photographic conditions with clear air.
- The Taru Desert, inland from the coast, is carpeted with flowers.
- The Lake Turkana Cultural Festival is held in Loiyangalani.
- Madaraka Day (commemorating self rule) is 1 June.
- The annual Lewa marathon runs a course through the wildlife.
- The Diani Rules "sports" event rips up the rulebook at Diani Beach.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in June
Kenya in July
Kenya’s “winter" season sets in (winter is a misnomer but locals feel the change), and the highlands can be rather grey. Skies are often cloudy and the days can be surprisingly cool, with an average daytime high in many highland safari areas of 15-20°C and night-time temperatures dropping below 10°C in Nairobi and the highlands. Lower parts of the country and the coast are usually warm and dry, typically reaching highs of around 25°C with lows in the high teens.
As this is the start of the high season, coinciding with the usual arrival of the wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara, July is a busy month. Ask your Expert Africa specialist to advise on how to avoid the crowds, which is not that difficult to do.
- The wildebeest migration usually reaches the Maasai Mara in July.
- Simbi Lake (Kisumu) and Crater Lake (Naivasha) can attract flamingoes.
- Watersports start to pick up and some surfing is possible at Malindi.
- Afternoon thunderstorms are a common feature in the Maasai Mara.
- The sea can be choppy along the coast, making diving difficult.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in July
Kenya in August
The Great Migration fills the plains of the Maasai Mara, and school’s out, so the park roads are full of tourists – ask your Expert Africa specialist for advice on crowd avoidance tactics. Choose a private conservancy rather than a public national park or national reserve for quieter conditions.
Like July, August is generally mild and relatively dry in the safari areas, but it can be very chilly in the highlands, even in the middle of the day, and hail occasionally falls above altitudes of around 2,400m (8,000ft). Nairobi can be disappointingly overcast, with low cloud.
- Apart from Christmas holidays, this is the busiest month of the year.
- Late August sees peak wildebeest drama at the Mara River crossings.
- Coastal winds are good for kite- and wind-surfing.
- Few mosquitoes are around at this generally dry time of year.
- The annual Camel Derby takes place in the Samburu capital, Maralal.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in August
Kenya in September
The skies clearing of cloud signals the start of hot, dry weather with little chance of rain – and, after the first few days of the month, far fewer visitors – making the latter part of September a good time for a quieter safari. While early September is often good for dramatic migration crossings along the Mara River, you might consider deliberately postponing your trip until later in the month, when the migration can still be very impressive and visitor numbers fewer.
If tourist surges are somewhat predictable, however, the patterns of the wildebeest migration are more volatile, and like all of Expert Africa's climate and weather assessments, they are based on accumulated years of experience rather than guaranteed certainty.
- This is still high season, with prices to match.
- Many river crossings take place on the Mara river in both directions.
- Natural bush fires flush out insects and small animals for predators.
- The Rift Valley Music Festival takes place by Lake Naivasha.
- With school holidays over by early September, late-month is quieter.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in September
Kenya in October
Still hot, mostly dry and not too busy, this is many people’s preferred month for a safari, and it’s also good for diving and snorkelling. The wildebeest and zebra herds of the great migration are often still to be seen, though in dwindling numbers. The swamps of Amboseli attract thirsty wildlife including large herds of elephants.
While we wouldn't expect much rain across most of the country this month, the climate has become so unpredictable that you can never say never, and the possibiity of the short rains – usually associated with November to mid-December, starting early, can't be discounted.
- This month sees the tail end of the great migration in the Mara.
- Palearctic migrant birds start to arrive, staying until March.
- Turtle nests hatch at Watamu, until November.
- Amboseli elephants focus on the swamps for their daily water.
- The Indian Ocean monsoon winds turn from southeast to northeast.
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in October
Kenya in November
The northeast monsoon wind or kaskazi heralds the start of the “short rains", usually some time in the second half of the month. From November to mid-December, this is the low season, and accordingly has lower accommodation rates and lower visitor numbers. Across most of the country you can expect warm, somewhat cloudy weather, with occasional heavy showers and localised flooding.
Expert Africa bases its description of the climate in November, like the other months of the year, on the records of roughly the last 100 years, and it's fair to say that the seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable: some years the short rains don't come at all, or don't reach every part of the country. In an El Niño year, the November short rains can be very heavy, but in a La Niña year, they can fail completely.
- Swimming with dolphins in Lamu can be done from now until April.
- Birders gather at Ngulia in Tsavo West to ring Palearctic migrants.
- The Lamu Cultural Festival takes over the town and Lamu Creek.
- Agricultural shows often take place regional market towns.
- This is low season, so camps can be great value, with special offers.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in November
Kenya in December
In a typical December, the rains usually finish by middle of the month, leaving the landscape looking its best, under clear blue skies, and heralding the start of the second peak tourist season from around 20 December to the first week of January. Our assessment of the likely weather in December, like the other months of the year, is based on climate records, and it's fair to say that the seasons since the beginning of this century have been highly irregular and unpredictable.
Christmas can sometimes be wet, but most years the rains have finished a week or two earlier, with the festive season ushering in the perfect combination of clear skies and sunshine by day and starry nights.
- Christmas and New Year are busy, with the lodges and camps full.
- Rates are highest after 24 Dec, with supplements on public holidays.
- Republic Day and Independence day are celebrated on 12 December.
- Good kite- and wind-surfing restarts, with strong northeasterly winds.
- Mango season begins, providing excitement for primates and elephants.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in December
Map of Maasai Mara National Reserve
Choices for where to stay in Maasai Mara National Reserve
![Reference map](/images/maps2008/86257ffe52874adba7ab0583e0cecf7c.jpg)
Maasai Mara National Reserve: Safaris
Kenya's best wildlife region is justly famous for its extraordinary annual wildebeest migration - when several hundred thousand wildebeest stream north across the plains from Tanzania into Kenya on the scent of better pasture. Our tented camps inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve will put you in the perfect location to experience this humbling natural phenomenon. We can't promise you'll have the plains to yourself during the migration season, but you will have your choice of some of the finest camps in Kenya, several of which have superb riverside settings.
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/79caef28aa434c1fa07dcb80f9432017.jpg)
The Highlights of Africa
17 days • 7 locations
CAPE TOWN AIRPORT TO KIGALI AIRPORT
An epic adventure taking in some of Africa’s most incredible sights and wildlife experiences, from Cape Town to the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls, the Maasai Mara and an encounter with mountain gorillas.
US$14,390 - US$18,260 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/2ae7d0162e7e420caa20fcac82b7cb2c.jpg)
Gorillas and Maasai Mara Safari
9 days • 3 locations
KIGALI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
This trip combines two of Africa's most unforgettable wildlife experiences – Rwanda's mountain gorillas and Kenya's Maasai Mara.
US$10,600 - US$13,500 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/a8b19e733e824f8faaec4d0e5e841a8b.jpg)
Martial Eagle Fly-in Safari
9 days • 3 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT
This stylish fly-in safari visits two of Africa’s most iconic parks, the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park.
US$10,740 - US$17,740 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/69e095daab054875933cf54be03730d9.jpg)
Steppe Eagle Fly-in Safari
7 days • 2 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
Two comfortable tented camps overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro and Mara River put you at the heart of the action. Experience spectacular diversity in species and habitat with safari in Samburu and the Masaai Mara National Reserve.
US$5,680 - US$8,620 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/b267f8e634a645ada6aabe031efda18b.jpg)
Greater Kudu Fly-In Safari
7 days • 2 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
Experience a truly authentic bush experience on this safari at two classic tented camps, in Laikipia and the Maasai Mara. These are some of the best places to spot wild dogs and big cats.
US$7,170 - US$8,410 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/afb62d0f0e534376b736132e56e7bd8c.jpg)
Rothschild Giraffe Safari
8 days • 3 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
A example of a luxury Kenyan safari, starting at the iconic Giraffe Manor before fabulous stays on the spectacular Solio Reserve and Sala’s Camp in a remote corner of the Maasai Mara.
US$11,720 - US$16,510 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/108b41a3cb324258b86e34b6bffaa1ec.jpg)
Big Cat Fly-in Safari
8 days • 2 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
Combining two of Kenya’s best wildlife-viewing areas, this slow-paced safari to the Lewa Conservancy and Maasai Mara guarantees iconic wildlife. The long-established, well-rated camps are great value, too.
US$5,010 - US$8,190 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/617d1fc0a34140b18c0377cac1a292e7.jpg)
Golden Jackal Fly-in Safari
8 days • 2 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
A contrasting safari of a lodge and a tented camp, with action-packed activities in Laikipia and wildlife-filled game drives in the Maasai Mara, offers a consistently high-quality experience.
US$9,730 - US$13,080 per person
![Itinerary image](/images/itinerary/71aecc397a8f4824a8b54dce4e366a3b.jpg)
De Brazza Monkey Fly-in Safari
9 days • 3 locations
NAIROBI AIRPORT TO NAIROBI AIRPORT
Enjoy a range of activities in the remote wilderness of northern Kenya before exploring the wildlife-rich plains of the Mara ecosystem. Private vehicles and guides heighten the personalisation of this highly immersive safari.
US$12,310 - US$16,320 per person
0ur top 21 lodges and safari camps inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve
When deciding where to stay in the Maasai Mara ecosystem, don’t be unduly swayed by whether a lodge or camp is inside the reserve proper: the conservancies and group ranches outside the reserve have excellent wildlife-viewing and their own special features, and are often much less crowded than the busiest parts of the reserve. Ask us for more details of which camps are where, and what is likely to suit you best.
![Little Governors' Camp](/images/background-image/3ad9d37f0c7f4e38963ba9ac352f9a36.jpg)
Little Governors'
Little Governors’ Camp sits by a swamp (an old oxbow of the Mara River) in the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It has its own balloon-launching site.
![Rekero](/images/background-image/19476e6afe084ef8bdcc49302b1c6fa8.jpg)
Rekero
Rekero is an unpretentious, high-end safari camp, for travellers who take their wildlife watching seriously and are prepared to pay for an exceptional location.
![Tangulia Mara](/images/background-image/e0d0f7ec1daf4b15abed30e2f5105c79.jpg)
Tangulia Mara
Tangulia Mara is a rustic and traditional safari camp on the border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve owned by Jackson Looseyia of Big Cat Diary fame.
![Governors' Camp](/images/background-image/a49d0f9ef7914f38acc7b3c8b7211a73.jpg)
Governors' Camp
Governors' Camp is a large tented camp on the Mara River and one of the oldest in the Mara region, dating from 1972. Although unfenced, and regularly visited by elephants, the whole compound is always busy with human activity.
![Serian Nkorombo](/images/background-image/99f570a962d24ab4bde2cf3fb5bf78de.jpg)
Serian Nkorombo
Serian Nkorombo is a luxury bush camp in the Musiara sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve on the east side of the Mara River.
![Sand River Camp](/images/background-image/a3cd0a24706c45ab853538c3a39dac61.jpg)
Sand River Camp
Luxury colonial-style tented camp on the banks of the Sand River close to the Tanzania border – a great spot to see the wildebeest migration.
![Sala's Camp](/images/background-image/573ef567127f4563b4629126d820731a.jpg)
Sala's Camp
Sala’s Camp is a comfortable and intimate tented camp, with seven tented rooms, located on the banks of the Sand River, in the far south of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Governors' Il Moran Camp](/images/background-image/50cffa5401fe4399b671f0d986fb278b.jpg)
Governors' Il Moran
The smallest and most expensive of the three camps in the Governors’ group, Governors’ Il Moran Camp hugs a meander of the Mara River just 1km north of the main Governors’ Camp.
![Angama Mara](/images/background-image/247be558affc4cf182d2401e508528a9.jpg)
Angama Mara
Angama Mara is a top-end luxury tented camp on the Siria-Oloololo escarpment of the Maasai Mara ecoystem, just above the Mara Triangle sector of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Basecamp Maasai Mara](/images/background-image/0d2878d0f5b44771b8e7a29565753733.jpg)
Basecamp Maasai Mara
Basecamp Maasai Mara is a family-friendly, award-winning eco-camp on a U-bend on the north bank of the Talek River, on the boundary of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
![Mara Ngenche Safari Camp](/images/background-image/5d31eee352b34bc7b6cc25b8f82fde6f.jpg)
Ngenche Safari Camp
Mara Ngenche is a non-hosted, luxury tented camp with an antique style, which is perfect if you're looking for private dining while staying somewhere small and personal.
![Mara Expedition Camp](/images/background-image/5aeae4ee09d54d649c3da8a9e892f061.jpg)
Mara Expedition Camp
Mara Expedition Camp is a small luxury camp located on the banks of the Ntiakitiak River inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Excursions in Maasai Mara National Reserve
Optional, extra day-trips and excursions that are possible while you’re staying in Maasai Mara National Reserve. Talk to us: these excursions are usually best arranged before you go.
![Balloon flight over the Mara](/images/excursion/bf02255c2250402cad3409b201ef6a98.jpg)
Balloon flight over the Mara
3 hours in total - morning only
With the sun rising over the Loita Hills, you scramble into the balloon basket for the start of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You’re about to go drifting with the breeze above the trees and plains of one of the world’s greatest wildlife regions.
More about Balloon Safari![Inspire me](/images/static-content/98cbe0d622a54f21be54e218d0ed0e18-2000.jpg)