Open plains, the highest big-cat densities in Africa, and the river crossings of the Great Migration.
Open short-grass plains let you follow a lion hunt from start to finish, watch a cheetah stalk for ten unbroken minutes, and see a leopard descend a fever tree in full view — the kind of wildlife watching the Mara is famous for.
From July to October, two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle move through on the Great Migration, with the Mara River crossings at their most dramatic in August and September.
Short grass and wide horizons mean sightings play out in full view — a hunt, a chase, a pride at rest — with nothing to obscure the action.
Two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle move north from the Serengeti — the largest overland migration left on Earth, and the Mara's stage for it.
There is not a single day when the Mara fails to produce something extraordinary.
Tell us your dates and what you most want to see. Alex designs the route, the conservancy and the camp — personally.
The Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli and Tsavo in one sweeping journey.
Explore →Shaba, Ol Pejeta and Lake Naivasha, closing on the Mara plains.
Explore →Five ecosystems from the Mara plains to the Indian Ocean.
Explore →The Mara and Amboseli, then the Crater and the Serengeti.
Explore →The ecosystem, the difference between the national reserve and the private conservancies, and a month-by-month wildlife calendar — the practical knowledge that shapes a great Mara safari.
It is the single most important thing to understand before booking a Mara safari, and the question we answer most. The wildlife is the same. The experience is not.
Kenya's most visited wildlife area — open to all operators and tour vehicles, with no vehicle limits outside crossing sites.
Mara North, Olare Motorogi, Naboisho, Ol Kinyei and others — leased from Maasai landowners, with access restricted to each conservancy's own camps.
Our recommendation: for most travellers — and almost always for a first Mara visit — the conservancies produce a qualitatively superior experience to the main reserve, particularly for photography. We recommend conservancy access for first-time visitors.
The Migration's location is the primary variable. Use this guide to choose the best window for your safari.
The Mara rewards a visit in any season, but the Great Migration follows rainfall in Kenya and Tanzania and cannot be pinned to exact dates. Use this guide to choose the best window for your safari.
Short dry season, fewer visitors and a peak in predator activity around wildebeest calves.
The long rains bring vivid landscapes, newborn animals and exceptional birdwatching.
Dry season builds and the leading herds cross into the Mara from mid-July.
River crossings at their most frequent and dramatic, with resident big cats excellent throughout.
The herds return to Tanzania, but resident lion, leopard and cheetah remain excellent.
Migration timing varies year to year with rainfall in Tanzania and Kenya — the windows above reflect the typical annual pattern, and crossing activity can begin earlier or later. We monitor conditions throughout the season and advise all Migration-focused travellers before they travel.
Plan Your Safari →The Big Five, the greatest wildlife spectacle on Earth, and open plains that reward every drive.
Two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle move through on the Great Migration, with Mara River crossings at their most dramatic from July to October — one of the most dramatic wildlife spectacles on Earth.
Plan Your Safari →Some of the highest lion densities in Africa, a resident leopard population and open grassland ideal for cheetah — all three regularly sighted. Read our full big cats guide →
The lilac-breasted roller, martial eagle and secretary bird, plus migrant species from Europe and Asia between November and April.
A substantial resident population, with breeding herds regularly encountered on the open plains and at evening water sources.
Mara North, Naboisho and others — controlled vehicle numbers, off-road access and walking safaris unavailable in the main reserve.
Home to the Maasai people, whose traditions, cattle-herding way of life and deep knowledge of the land endure across the ecosystem.
A glimpse of what a week on the plains looks like. Tap any image to view it full-screen.
Each image is a moment. Each moment is the Mara.
River crossings, with August the peak. Book conservancy camps 9–12 months ahead.
An underrated short dry season — excellent predators, fewer vehicles, better rates.
Migrant species present and breeding plumage at its most vivid across the ecosystem.
The long rains bring dramatic green landscapes, solitude and the year's lowest rates.
A considered selection of lodges and camps across the reserve and the private conservancies — chosen for location, guiding and access, not just comfort.
An award-winning luxury tented camp in the heart of the Maasai Mara, combining locally inspired comfort with exceptional wildlife access.
Perched high on a bush-covered hill within the Mara Triangle, offering sweeping views across the savannah and Mara River.
A classic tented camp below Oldonyo Oloip Ridge, overlooking wildlife-rich open plains and a natural seasonal waterhole.
A peaceful tented retreat near Sekenani Gate, offering convenient access to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Alex put us exactly where the action was, every single morning. We watched a crossing for two hours with no other vehicle in sight. It changed how we think about travel.
The Harrisons — United Kingdom · 7-night Mara & Amboseli safari
Alex King'oo is KPSGA-certified and has guided the Mara since 1995. You travel with the person who designs your safari.
No fixed departures. The right conservancy, the right camp and the right week — built around your dates and interests.
Relationships with the community conservancies mean low vehicle density, walking safaris and night drives — not just the public reserve.
The Migration passes through the Mara from approximately July to October, with the Mara River crossings concentrated in August and September. Timing shifts year to year with rainfall, so we monitor conditions throughout the season and advise Migration-focused travellers before they travel.
The national reserve is public, with no vehicle limits outside crossing sites. The private conservancies are leased from Maasai communities, restrict access to their own camps' guests, and control vehicle numbers — so you get the same wildlife with far fewer vehicles, plus walking safaris, night drives and off-road access. For most first-time visitors we recommend conservancy access.
The Mara is excellent year-round. July to October is best for the Migration; January to February is an underrated short dry season with excellent big cats and good value; November to April is best for birdwatching; and the long rains from March to June bring green landscapes, solitude and lower rates.
For the peak Migration window — particularly August — book conservancy camps 9 to 12 months ahead. July and the shoulder months are best booked 6 to 9 months out. The best small camps hold limited capacity and fill early.
Year-round populations of lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant and buffalo, plus over 470 bird species. Lion densities are among the highest in Africa, and the open grassland makes extended observation of predator behaviour genuinely possible. July to October adds two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle.
Tell me your dates and what you most want to see — I'll build the Mara around them.