Maasai Mara National Reserve

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a world-renowned wilderness area in southwestern Kenya, contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Named in honor of the Maasai people, the ancestral inhabitants of the area, the reserve is characterized by its rolling grasslands and iconic flat-topped acacia trees. It is best known for the Great Migration, an annual movement of over two million wildebeest, zebras, and Thompson's gazelles. This spectacular event is a highlight of the safari calendar, particularly the dramatic Mara River crossings. The 'Mara' is also one of the best places in Africa to see the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino. Predatory action is frequent here, with large prides of lions and elusive leopards stalking the plains. Cultural visits to local Maasai villages offer a glimpse into a traditional way of life that has coexisted with this wild landscape for centuries.