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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
a rich variety of
wildlife in a natural and untouched state.
Masai Mara has a rolling savannah landscape dotted with 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 !
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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, S. W Kenya and
S.E of Lake Victoria. |
| Animals:
Prolific wildlife , including the "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:
Rich variety ,
including birds of prey such
as vultures commonly found in Masai Mara and other Kenya parks. Other parks in Kenya such as Lake Nakuru however have a more diverse birdlife than the Mara. |
| Accomodation
: Several
lodges, ranging from luxury to budget as well as campsites
within the
reserve. |
| Safari
Attractions: 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 for 2008 |
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Masai Mara
Safari
There are several Masai Mara safari
options . These
start
from Nairobi, and include a scenic 5 - 6 hour drive into the
Great Rift Valley and to the main Sekenani entry point of the Mara.
Accomodation is in lodges or tented campswhich offer quality
service, rooms,
& meals on
a full board basis. Safaris are usually for a minimum
of 3 days, although it is possible to have
a quick 1night safari here as well, though
this is considered too short
for a proper travel experience.
Flying Safaris to Mara are also available.
See our road safaris below with current prices.
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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 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
demand for land,
with the increasing population ever searching
for more space to live and cultivate on. The Mara has it's share
of human-animal conflict.
This is an issue
being taken up by government, conservation bodies
and NGOs. Funds
are a major problem when it comes to conservation
and often, organisations
involved in conservation bodies depend on charities and donor funding. |
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