A Safari Tour to Maasai Mara National Park and its wonders

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Maasai Mara stands as Africa’s most significant and renowned wildlife reserve, captivating the hearts of countless visitors.

This sprawling expanse boasts an open savannah, where rolling grasslands extend endlessly towards the horizon, interspersed with pockets of enchanting woodlands.

The awe-inspiring Mara River meanders gracefully through the reserve, its banks adorned with lush riverside forests, further enhancing the park’s allure.

Established in 1961, Maasai Mara was born out of a noble mission: to safeguard precious wildlife from the threats posed by hunters and poachers. Today, it remains an unparalleled sanctuary, preserving the rich biodiversity of the region for generations to come.

The Masai Mara is a natural wonder, a clear depiction of a balanced ecosystem, a place where Maasai warriors share the plains with hunting lions and leopards, a place of mighty herds and timeless cycles of life, death, and regeneration.

Recommended for you: National parks you must visit in Kenya

On my next visit to Kenya-Africa, I dare to visit Mara Reserve, and with its diverse and abundant population of wild animals, I bet you will not be disappointed. The thrill of waking up in the morning to go and witness a lion or a leopard going after its prey is fantastic.

The Great wildebeest migration

Every year around May-June, Masai Mara plays host to the greatest spectacle on earth, “wildebeest migration,”; a migration where millions of animal band together and trek the Kenyan savannah in one accord in search of greener pasture. The sheer number of wild animals is breathtaking, all moving together, covering the entire Mara grassland from one end to another.

The wildebeest migration in Mara attracts Africa’s largest concentrations of predators. From the biggest to the most minor, Lions to hyenas and all types of birds of prey. Maasai Mara is a great place to see the BIG FIVE Lion, leopard, Elephant, Rhino, and buffalo.

Related: The Great Wildebeest Migration

The great Wildebeest migration is one of the greatest animal migrations annually. This great migration involves over 1.5 million herbivores in the Maasai Mara. These animals desperately cross the Crocodile haunted Mara River in a daring move to search for pasture on the other side of the park.

Due to the many animals involved in this migration, the Wildebeest migration is one of the greatest migrations on earth. A migration for survival where only the strong will survive.

A migration where millions of wildebeest (African Gnu) and other herbivorous animals band together for survival against many predators; while trekking the open African wilderness in Masai Mara national park and to Serengeti in search of greener pasture and ideal breeding grounds.

The Wildebeest migration declared a wonder.

In 2006, a prominent American television channel(ABC) declared the annual Wildebeest migration one of the world’s seven new wonders. Citing the migration complexity and its sheer size.

Read Also: Where to stay in the Maasai Mara

The view of the migrating animals is staggering. A continuous charging mass that stretches from horizon to horizon. It’s an endless grey river of life, mottled with patches of black and white. Zebras, gazelles, and other hooved animals enjoin the match to survive.

Migration is challenging for a man to predict. But the spectacular northward migration searching for greener pastures usually occurs in May or June. The journey begins in the south and heads towards the northern end of the circuit in the Masai Mara Triangle. After the wildebeest birthing season in February, the herd moves northwest, chasing rain and abundant ripening grasses.

The beginning of The Wildebeest migration

Wildebeest migration has no real beginning or end. It’s a life of an endless pilgrimage, one driven by instinct. A constant search for pasture and water, trying to stay alive. The only beginning known by the Gnu is the moment of birth, as the animals will follow this cycle year after year.

The wildebeest migration is a matter of life and death. The migration draws concentrations of predators looking for a perfect opportunity for easy hunting. Lions and Leopards are frequently seen attacking and dragging down straggling individuals. Packs of Hyena freely weave throughout the herds, singling out and separating the young and the weak.

Besides all the Predators that the wildebeest faces, the raging torrents of the Mara River are the most dangerous. The herds gather at the banks in preparation for the most challenging stretch of their pilgrim.

As sheer pressure builds, the herds finally surge into the river. Many are drowned or swept away by strong currents. Others suffer their fate in the jaws of the massive crocodiles who each year await this season of bounty.

Maasai Mara offers a wide range of safari experiences, including;

  1. Hot air balloon – This, to me, is the most spectacular one where you get to fly over the herds of animals in a hot air balloon. The experience is priceless. You simply want to do it over and over.
  2. Game drive – A safari where you ride in custom-made, 4×4 safari jeep; this gives someone that surreal feeling of a discovery channel show but in real life, where you get really close to the wild animals.
  3. Walking Safaris – If you want to get really close to the animals, a safari walk with a Maasai guide is the most Ideal,. Still, if you are scared of wild animals, I would advise you to leave the experience to the harsh and thrill-seeking people, the safari is just excellent and scary at the same time, its an experience unlike any other.

Plan and make sure you take a look at these places to stay in the Maasai Mara.

Philemon Shisia
Philemon Shisia
Philemon is a talented published author who contributes to the LUYA blog, showcasing their passion for content creation through writing articles. Their enthusiasm spans across a wide spectrum of topics, demonstrating their versatility and dedication to delivering engaging and informative content. With their expertise in crafting articles, Philemon captivates readers with well-crafted and thought-provoking pieces.

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