Maasai Mara
The migration, the big cats, and the densest large-mammal country in East Africa.
Photograph: · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Why people go
The Mara is the reason most people come. Between July and October the wildebeest herds cross from the Serengeti, and the plains that were empty in June hold more large animals per square kilometre than almost anywhere on earth.
It is also the most heavily visited park in Kenya, and the difference between a good Mara trip and a bad one is almost entirely about where you stay and when you move. We put families in the quieter conservancies to the north and east, where off-road driving is permitted and you will not queue six vehicles at a lion sighting.
Coming outside the migration window is not a compromise. January to March is green, cheap, uncrowded and excellent for cats.
What you will actually do
- River crossings at the Mara and Talek, July to October
- Big cat density — lion, cheetah and leopard in one drive
- Private conservancies with night drives and walking
- Maasai cultural visits, arranged through the community directly