For thousands of people, the highlight of the Great Wildebeest Migration is witnessing thousands of animals plunge into the Mara River. They had to stay out of the way of the waiting crocodiles in order to reach the fertile ground on the other side.
The Masai Mara is home to the great migration. More than a million wildebeests migrate through the well-known Masai Mara in Kenya each year. They come from the Serengeti national park, in search of better grasses.
During the months of July to October, there are large herds of the wildebeests and other animals will fight to make their way into the Masai Mara game reserve plains as they run away from the dry Serengeti national park in Tanzania. The wildebeests have to cross the crocodile infested waters of the Mara River which makes this journey a lot more tricky and tedious. It’s rather amazing to watch how the wildebeests splash through the water to reach the other side and avoid getting eaten by crocodiles. Because of this fantastic opportunity to see animals, the Masai Mara National Reserve is the most popular national park in Kenya.
Because of these migratory occurrences, the Masai Mara contains the largest concentration of animals in all of East Africa. The African big five animals—which are much sought after by tourists on safari to the Masai Mara national reserve—and large cats, which are abundant in the park, are also there. You can see Giraffes and cheetahs in the acacia plains of the National park.
The Masai Mara National reserve is located in the south western region of Kenya. The reserve is bordered by the Serengeti National Park of Northern Tanzania to for m the great Serengeti Mara conservation area. The Reserve gets its name from the Masai people of the area. The Masai people inhabited this area before it was gazzetted as a national game reserve.
Another aspect of the Masai Mara that you should consider is their distinctive culture. You should investigate their life and see how they have lived and are currently living. Some ancient customs have persisted, and you’ll find it fascinating how they still apply to communal living, for instance.
The ideal months to visit if you want to see the huge migration of wildebeests are July through October. Also, if you go between October and April, you could get to view some migratory birds. The ideal warm months are December and March.
Mara Triangle
This is the best location where you can view the great migration during the river crossing stage. This area has a big concentration of wildlife. The area is still in its pristine condition and it’s very quiet which makes it a good get away to view wildlife.
The Mara triangle covers an area of about 510 square Kilometers. It covers more than a third of the total area of the Mara game reserve. This used to be good spot for poachers. The area has grown to be a good spot for wildlife viewing. The collaboration of these leaders led to the establishment of the non-profit Mara Conservancy. It was the first step towards a groundbreaking partnership between the public and private sector, between conservation professionals and the local Maasai community, to successfully conserve and manage one of the most animal-rich areas of the world.
Best time to visit Masai Mara
The Budget determines your time for visiting the Masai Mara. The time you have available and otherwise the area can be visited at any time of the year.
Rainy/Off season
The rains also come twice a year from March to mid-June and from October to November. This time usually has very few people and those who want the area to themselves use this timing. The grass is also green and good for those who want to take pictures. This does not mean that it is the rainy season, then it rains all day and all the time.
Peak/dry season
The season usually comes in the dry months of mid-June to September and December to February. However, the longer period from June to September also comes with the wildebeest migration. If that is your main interest then this is the perfect timing for you.
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