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Masai
Mara
Masai
Mara is the most famous wildlife conservation area
in Kenya and indeed the world. This game reserve is home to an amazing variety of wildlife in a natural and untouched state.
Masai Mara has a rolling savannah landscape dotted with
patchy shrubs and bush thickets,and is the Kenyan part of
the large ecosystem stretching south to Serengeti in Tanzania.
[See our Masai Mara Map].
The wildlife in Masai Mara is varied, ranging from the big cats to elephant, rhino and vast herds of herbivores such as wildebeest. A true animal kingdom if there
ever was one.
Browse our Masai Mara Safaris as well as other
Kenya Safaris and accomodation. |
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| Area:
1510
sq km
Altitude: 1500
to 2180m [4950-7195
ft] |
| Access
from Nairobi:
Road
:
270
kms
( 5.5-6.5 hours ) Air
: 60
minutes, daily flights. |
| Location:
Masai
Mara is in the Rift Valley Province, Southwest of Kenya and
S. East of Lake Victoria. |
| Animals:
Masai
Mara hosts prolific wildlife , including big 9 and many more
carnivores and plains herbivores. |
| Vegetation:
Open
savannah and light patches of bush, woodland. River forests
along the Mara river. |
| Birds:
Prolific,
including birds of prey such
as vultures commonly found in Masai Mara and other Kenya parks. |
| Accomodation
: Several
lodges, ranging from luxury to budget as well as campsites
within the
reserve. |
| Safari
Attractions: The
wildlife all year round, and the
annual wildebeest migration
between
July and September
makes Masai Mara a prime safari location.
Entry
Fee: Adults:
$40 per day: Children: $15
per day |
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Masai Mara
Safari
There are several safari
options by road to the Masai Mara. Usually, these start
from Nairobi, and include a scenic 5 to 6 hour drive down
to the Sekenani gate or to the North West part of the
reserve.
Accomodation is in lodges which offer quality
service, rooms, and usually excellent buffet meals on
a full board basis. Safaris are usually for a minimum
of 2 nights and 3 days, although it is possible to have
a quick one night safari here as well, although this is
too short to really sample the magic of the Masai Mara.
Flying Safaris to Mara are also available.
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 The
Maasai Tribe
This
warrior tribe of nomadic pastrolists are descendants of Nilotic
and Cushitic people originally from north of Lake Turkana over
10 centuries ago. Their life is dominated by their herds of their
cattle and livestock.
They often move hundreds of kilometers with
large herds of livestock in search of water and rich pastures.
The Masai diet is based on fresh curdled milk and meat from
their livestock.
Centuries ago the Maasai were feared as ruthless
conquerors and cattle rustlers who invaded other tribal areas
in search of bigger grazing land and more cattle. The Maasai are
also famous for drinking a mixture of cattle blood and milk during
ceremonial rites. An arrow is shot at close range to punture the
jugular vein of the cow...More... |
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 Conservation
in the Masai Mara
The
Masai Mara has a strong but vulnerable eco system with thousands
of tourists annually visiting the reserve , putting huge pressure
on the environment. Conservation in the Mara is of paramount
importance, and has been targetted at preservation of the wildlife and
environment.
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Like most third world countries, Kenya has growing
land pressure issues, with the increasing population ever searching
for more land to live and cultivate on. The Mara has it's share
of land-animal-population conflict.
This is an issue
being taken up by government, conservation bodies and NGO's. Funds
are a major problem when it comes to conservation and often, organisations
involved in conservation bodies..more
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