Masai Mara National Reserve

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

By Anthony Ham

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

The Masai Mara is Kenya’s flagship park. Sightings of four of the Big Five are pretty much guaranteed. Black rhino is more elusive, but can sometimes be spotted in the Mara Triangle. The reserve is one of the best for big cats, but sightings of smaller predators like bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal and spotted hyena also tend to be rewarding. Antelope include impala, reedbuck, Thomson's gazelle, eland and topi, while buffalo, elephant and giraffe are relaxed and easily spotted.

ElephantCommon

GiraffeCommon

HippoCommon

BuffaloCommon

ZebraAbundant

WildebeestAbundant

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoRare

LionCommon

LeopardOccasional

CheetahCommon

HyenaCommon

Wild DogVery Rare

Wildlife Highlights

The legendary wildebeest migration is one of the world’s most amazing wildlife encounters. Sometime in July and August, millions of animals leave the Serengeti and head into the Masai Mara around September. The crossing of the Mara River along the way is the most spectacular part of the migration. Around October, the migration slowly heads back into the Serengeti again.

It should be noted that, although the pattern is well known, the exact timing of the migration is unpredictable as animals move with the rain looking for greener pastures.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife viewing in the Masai Mara is good throughout the year. The best months for the wildebeest migration are September and October. June to October is relatively dry, and offers the best general wildlife watching.