The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most sought-after locations for a Kenya Safari because of the variety of activities it offers. The park is connected to Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and is situated on Kenya’s northern border with that country. The park is roughly 1510 square kilometers in size. The greatest places in the area to see wildlife are Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. In search of greener pastures, around 1.5 million wildebeest migrate from the arid plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park to Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve.. This is during the dry season, which runs from July to September. This system allows the animals to travel over 800 miles, which is what makes for an amazing show.
Several significant natural and wildlife attractions can be found inside Masai Mara National Reserve:
Ol Choro Oirouwa Conservancy
Some of the first conservancies in East Africa were created by this one. It was created as a trust in 1991. Since the Masai elders founded this conservancy on his suggestion, the late Willy Roberts had a significant role in its formation. The white rhinos were said to benefit from this location, according to the elders. After that, they imported white rhinos from South Africa’s natal region. Ol Choro is a model conservancy that is now the only one in Mara guarding two southern white rhinos under the watchful eyes of Kenya Wildlife Service officers and rangers.
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.
More than one-third of the Mara game reserve’s total size, or roughly 510 square kilometers, is comprised of the Mara triangle. Once a popular location for poachers, this region has developed into a great place to observe wildlife as poaching has become illegal over time. These leaders’ cooperation resulted in the founding of the nonprofit Mara Conservancy. It was the beginning of an innovative collaboration between the public and commercial sectors, between experts in conservation and the nearby Maasai people, to effectively manage and protect one of the world’s most abundant wildlife habitats.
The Mara River
The Mara River originates in Narok County, southern Kenya, and flows through the Masai Mara before entering the Mara region in northern Tanzania. The river flows through Kenya’s highlands. After there, it winds across Kenya’s Masai Mara plains before arriving at the Serengeti National Park. Afterwards, the river empties its water into the world’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Victoria. The river’s total length is around 395 kilometers, and the size of its basin is roughly 13,504 square kilometers. The river is well known for its role in the wildebeest migration. Over 2 millions of these animals cross this river in the dry season to move from Serengeti National park to the Masai Mara game reserve.
Mara North Conservancy
This conservancy, which spans over 72,080 acres, is a private wilderness conservation area. This conservancy makes up the northwest section of the Masai Mara National Reserve, which is a very significant portion of the reserve. Kenya’s southern area is home to the Masai Mara. In 2009, this establishment was launched. It collaborates with two other travel companies and roughly ten camps. Approximately 783 landowners collaborate with conservancies. This conservancy’s mission is to establish a world-class, best-practice conservancy with enduring connections to the local community, wildlife, and environment.
River crossings during the Great Migration
Between the Masai Mara National Reserve and the Serengeti National Park, there is the big migration. During the dry season, approximately a million wildebeest cross the Mara River between Tanzania and Kenya. To cross to the other bank of the Mara River and reach the Masai Mara, wildebeest and other animals plunge into its waters. It’s always intriguing to see how they survive, even if they are crossing a river where crocodiles are rife and they also create traps to hunt these animals down.
The patterns of the rainy and dry seasons vary annually. So it is unknown when the wildebeests will cross the river. As a result, there is no assurance that you will witness these creatures crossing. Arrange your travel, spend some additional time along the Mara River. Watch the animals to see if you can spot them crossing.
It is normally ideal to witness the wildebeest migration in July through October. You will have the opportunity to witness the wildebeests crossing throughout these months.
Musiara swamp in Masai Mara.
Situated along the Mara River in the northern portion of this national reserve, this swamp is the largest marshy area. Because this is a wetland location, wildlife can be observed here as they come here to cool off after feeding. The predators will set traps here to capture their prey. There are a lot of hippos in this area.
Some of the other wildlife here are: herds of elephants, leopards, buffalos, hyenas, cheetahs, as well as bird sightings like ostriches
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