Best Tourist Places to Visit in Masai Mara, Narok, Kenya, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Masai Mara, Narok, Kenya, Africa

Masai Mara is a paramount game reserve coming under the Narok County in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is on the Kenya-Tanzania borderline, spread up in higher proportion in Tanzania, where it is called the Serengeti National Park and Maswa Game Reserve. The park got its name from the Maasai people, who were the indigenous people of the area. This park is internationally recognized for the affluent wildlife population, especially for lions, leopards and cheetahs as well as for zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and wildebeest migrating from Serengeti National Park.

The Masai Mara Game Reserve was established in 1961 and sprawls over an area of 1,510 square kilometers. Game parks are the important sources for Kenya’s economy, of which Masai Mara is the leading one and the entrance fee is US$80 for non-East African citizens (adults) and $30 for children. The geographical coordinates of the park are 1°29′24″ S 35°8′38″ E.

How to reach Masai Mara?

Masai Mara is served by the three airstrips Keekorok, Olkiombo and Musiara and generally one of which receives scheduled daily flights from either Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Generally flights take around 45 minutes.

Directly from Nairobi by bus takes around five hours. Also visitors can travel Masai Mara through safari trips conducted by travel agencies in Nairobi city.

Shopping and Food in Masai Mara:

Necklaces and other pieces of jewelry can be purchased at the shops at the entrance of the park.

Restaurants are dozens in number, both in inside and outside and Isokon Restaurant is one of the recommended options in the area.

Things to do in Masai Mara:

Game viewing
Hot Air Balloon rides
Bird Watching

Places of interest in Masai Mara:

Game viewing:

Game viewing is the most famous activity in Masai Mara, in which visitors can have a memorable experience of seeing all types of resident animals like leopard, elephant, zebra, giraffe, hyena, rhino, hippo as well as migrating wildebeest. Tours are conducted in the morning, afternoon and night as well.

Great Migration:

Great Migration is an animal migration event taking place in the months of July and August annually. It features the migration of the millions of zebra, wildebeest and other wild animals between the Serengeti National Park and Maasai Mara National Reserve. It shouldn’t be missed.

Maasai village:

The Maasai village is a native village to Maasai Mara National Reserve, located in the vicinity of the Oloolaimutiek gate of the park. To experience local culture and tradition and the locals relation with animals, visitors can visit the village.

Hot Air Balloon rides:

Hot Air Balloon rides at Masai Mara are preferred for adventure enthusiastic people. This embark ride last around one and half hour and while flying visitors can have the striking view of the entire park, including animals and birds.

Bird Watching:

As like the rest of the national parks in Kenya, Masai Mara is also famous for bird watching, which includes around 400 bird species of different colors and sizes including Bird of prey.

List of other places of interest in Masai Mara includes:

Ol Kinyei Conservancy
Mara Naboisho Conservancy
Mara Triangle
Mara River
Musiara Swamp
Olypunyata Swamp
Eluai Plain

Best time to visit Masai Mara:

From July to October is the best and most popular time to visit Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya while the weather in condition and supportive for outdoor activities.

Accommodation options in Masai Mara:

Being one of the top tourist destinations of Kenya, the Masai Mara Game Reserve is served by dozens of accommodation centres such hotels, BB and inns and special lodges and the number of latter crosses more than 100 with all basic and upgraded facilities. Some leading hotels in Masai Mara are listed below: