Maasai Mara National Reserve
Maasai Mara (Masai Mara) is situated in south-west Kenya and is one of Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Reserves. Together with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania it forms Africa’s most diverse, incredible and most spectacular eco-systems and possibly the world’s top safari big game viewing eco-system.
Wildebeest migration: Make sure you have your safari book planned out that includes the Maasai Mara. I am sure you have heard the wildebeest migration is nothing short of amazing. It is one of the things you have do add to your bucket list. Best time to be in Kenya July – September
Maasai Mara National Reserve stretches 1,510 sq km (580 sq miles) and raises 1,500-2,170 meters above sea level. Add the conservancies and the area is at least twice the size. It hosts over 95 species of mammals and over 570 recorded species of birds. This is the World Cup of Wildlife, and together with the Serengeti National Park there is no better place to witness the best wildlife viewing in the world!
Distance from the Capital Nairobi
It’s about 270 km from the capital Nairobi City and takes about 4-5 hours by road or 40-45 minutes by flight. The road is great for the most part. There is a section from Narok town to Sekenani Gate that is dirt road but fairly good. The other road through Lemek and Aitong town is not good at all and very bumpy.
Best Time To Visit
With the wildebeest migration in July through to October, this is the best time to see this incredible movement of animals. Although it is not guaranteed that the wildebeest get to Maasai Mara, it has yet to let us down. Also, December to February are great times as it is dryer and good for the Big Cats.
NOTE: The Maasai Mara is an all year-round destination with the big cats, and all the big game still in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem.
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park is located in Loitoktok District, Rift Valley Province of Kenya.The park is 39,206 hectares (392 km2; 151 sq. mi) in size at the core of an 8,000 square kilometres (3,100 sq. mi) ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border.
The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants among other wildlife species. Other attraction of the park includes opportunities to meet the Maasai people and also offers spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
In Amboseli’s case it is big skies and far horizons combined with swampy springs and dry and dusty earth trampled by hundreds of animals.
Amboseli has an endless underground water supply filtered through thousands of feet of volcanic rock from Kilimanjaro’s ice cap, which funnel into two clear water springs in the heart of the park.
However, the climatic pendulum can swing from drought to flood, and in the early 1990’s ceaseless rain changed Amboseli into a swamp. A few years later the rains failed and the grass-covered plains turned to dust.
Tsavo National Parks
Tsavo is made up of two separate parks, Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park. Located in Coast Province of Kenya in between Nairobi City and Mombasa.
Tsavo is nearly 22,000km2, being the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world. The park was split into two due to the railway going from Mombasa to the interior of Kenya.
Accommodation: There are plenty of places to stay in the two parks. These range greatly and most of them have a water hole close to the property making game viewing easier.
Deals: Have a look through these, we are always adding more or updating them. These specials are for both Tsavo East and Tsavo West.
Size
Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest parks in Kenya, located South East of Kenya near the Town of Voi in the Taita-Taveta District of Coast Province, inland from the Coast, it is 13,747 sq.km.
While the Tsavo West National Park is also located in the Coast Province of Kenya covering an area of 9,065 sq.km. The park was opened in April 1948.
Tsavo East Features
The slightly larger Tsavo East is generally flat, with dry plains across which the Galana River flows. Other features include the Yatta Plateau and Lugard Falls.
Tsavo West Features
Tsavo West National Park is more mountainous and wetter than its counterpart, with swamps, Lake Jipe and the Mzima Springs. It is known for bird life and for its large mammal’s e.g. black rhino, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, hippo and Masai lion. There are also other smaller animals that can be spotted in the park, such as the bush baby, hartebeest, lesser kudu and Maasai giraffe.
Access
The parks can be accessed through several gates. Tsavo East can be accessed trough Manyani Gate, Voi Gate, Buchuma Gate and Sala Gate.
Tsavo West can be aaccessed through Mtito Gate, Man Eaters Gate, Chyulu Gate and one other near Maktau.
