It is named after the ancestral inhabitants of the area known as the Maasai. It is run by the TransMara County Council and managed by the Mara Conservancy. Maasai Mara National Reserve is in the southwest of Kenya. The reserve is most popular for the annually great migration where millions of wildebeest cross the Mara River under the survival of the fittest besides the big Nile crocodiles, predators like Lions, leopards, and others. The Pokot, Tugen and Ilchamus inhabiting Baringo County have cultural practices that are unique to them and can influence tourism destination. Save big on a wide range of Masai Mara hotels! Others call it Maasai Mara or Maasai Mara National Reserve. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving some 1,300,000 blue wildebeest, 500,000 Thomson's gazelles, 97,000 Topi, 18,000 common elands, and 200,000 Grant's zebras.[8]. The Narok County Council (NCC) took over management of the reserve at this time. We follow the footsteps of the wildlife at the wilderness as the Explores did, experiencing the beauty of nature on foot. [9] Birds that call this area home for at least part of the year include: vultures, marabou storks, secretary birds, hornbills, crowned cranes, ostriches, long-crested eagles, African pygmy-falcons and the lilac-breasted roller, which is the national bird of Kenya. Have a great Eagle view of Masai Mara as you float on air seeing the aerial view of the wildlife and entire topography of the reserve. To further complicate but a good move that in 2001, another not-for-profit Mara Conservancy was formed and took over the management of the reserve. You enjoy the pink toques of the sunlight flicker that crosses the sky, observing the rays of the sun rise spread all over the balloon basket. Maasai Mara is undoubtedly one of the last frontiers for unadulterated wilderness experience in the country. Encountering the best of the bush while on top of the other animals is a unique experience. London: International Institute for Environment and Development. Three lions, four hyenas and an eland were found killed by deadly bush meat snares at Ol Chorro Conservancy near the Mara River in Narok West Sub-County on Monday evening. [5] The Maasai Mara is the only protected area in Kenya with an indigenous black rhino population, unaffected by translocations, and due to its size, is able to support one of the largest populations in Africa.[6]. Maasai Mara National Reserve is one of the famous and popular parks in Africa. Maasai Mara National Reserve (masai mara national reserve )is one of the key popular tourism points in Kenya, its located in South-western Kenya along the Great Rift Valley area in Norok county Kenya … 13,431 reviews. Wildebeest are the dominant inhabitants of the Maasai Mara, and their numbers are estimated in the millions. Human wildlife conflict is seen as a leading threat to the reserve as the population continues to grow. Hot Air Balloon in Masai mara is a unique experience that lasts for 1 hour or more depending on the weather of the day. The Maasai Mara hot air balloon takes you as close as possible to nature where you can make clear videos, take as many photos as you can. Maasai Mara Is Not Just About Mammals. Maasai Mara – the pride of Kenya The Maasai Mara National Reserve is located in the Narok County of Kenya, bordering Tanzania. In 1994, Trans Mara County Council was formed and this leads to the division of the management of the park between Narok County Council and the new council. About 60 species of birds in Maasai Mara are raptors.Some of the birds that inhabit Maasai Mara … The Mara triangle covers an area of 510 square kilometers, it’s situated next to Oloololo Escarpment. The Mara Triangle is another famous conservancy in Masai mara. [17] Collected over the years, photographic data allows the project team to trace kinship between generations and build Mara cheetah pedigree. Game drives are the key activity in all African wildlife protected areas. The gate is used by guests who do safaris in both Kenya and Tanzania. Camping. The vegetation of the park is mostly open savannah grassland with some seasonal rivulets, some doted acacia trees. The National Reserve is located near the Serengeti National Park in the Mara region that extends to Tanzania. Wildlife and People: Conflict and Conservation in Masai Mara, Kenya (PDF). ; Leader-Williams (2003). It covers an area of 1,510 square kilometres. Walpole, M.; Karanja, G.G. [18] Entry fees are currently US$ 70 for adult non-East African Residents per 24 hours (if staying at a property inside the Reserve) or US$ 80 if outside the reserve, and $40 for children. The #1 Best Value of 192 places to stay in Maasai Mara National Reserve. The more visited eastern part of the park known as the Maasai Mara National Reserve is managed by the Narok County Council. The county also wants to boost culture tourism with the Maasai culture as the core. The easternmost border is 224 km (139.2 mi) from Nairobi, and hence it is the eastern regions which are most visited by tourists. The Masai Mara … The show followed the lives of the big cats living in the reserve. It’s the largest conservancy in Mara endorsed with a wide range of attractions from rolling Kopjes to the mighty great migration along the Mara River. [2], In 1994, the TransMara County Council (TMCC) was formed in the western part of the reserve, and control was divided between the new council and the existing Narok County Council. The Greater Mara ecosystem encompasses areas known as the Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Triangle, and several Maasai Conservancies, including Koiyaki, Lemek, Ol Chorro Oirowua, Mara North, Olkinyei, Siana, Maji Moto, Naikara, Ol Derkesi, Kerinkani, Oloirien, and Kimintet. Maasai Mara National Reserve. The large roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, rarely present elsewhere in Kenya, can be seen within the reserve borders. The natural reserve is called Masai Mara to honor the Maasai Tribe. This Maasai Mara ecosystem shares unfenced borders with Loita Plains to the north and east and the Serengeti to the south, in Tanzania. Maasai Mara University is a public university which is the only university in Narok County, Kenya. Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association | 491 followers on LinkedIn. Narok County comprises of six (6) sub-counties namely: Narok North, Narok West, Narok East, Narok South, Transmara East and Transmara West. It has emerged that President Kenyatta recently acquired a 1,000-acre ranch adjacent Maasai Mara Game Reserve, the world-famous tourist destination. Facts about Masai Mara tell you about a large game reserve located in Narok County, Kenya. Free parking. [11] Although there has been a rise in fencing on private land in recent years,[12] the wildlife roam freely across both the reserve and conservancies. Hot air Balloon in Masai Mara: Hot air Balloon in Masai Mara is one of the few unmissable experiences at the reserve. It is managed by the Trans-Mara county Council. Maasai Mara University Postal Address, Maasai Mara University is a public university which is the only university in Narok County, Kenya. The data collected helps to reveal parental relationship between individuals, survival rate of cubs, cheetah lifespan and personal reproductive history. info@maasaimarakenyapark.com. [22], A study funded by WWF and conducted by ILRI between 1989 and 2003 monitored hoofed species in the Mara on a monthly basis, and found that losses were as high as 75 percent for giraffes, 80 percent for common warthogs, 76 percent for hartebeest, and 67 percent for impala. The Maasai Mara is administered by the Narok County government. Maasai Mara University is a public university which is the only university in Narok County, Kenya. Mara Treetops Luxury Camp. It is named in honor of the Maasai people (the ancestral inhabitants of the area) and their description of the area when looked at from afar: “Mara,” which is Maa (Maasai … Ol Kinyei Conservancy is one of the key attractions in Masai Mara located in the center of the reserve along with the greater Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Contact us via osekimaasaimaracamp@gmail.com, hit our website, Facebook page or call via +2547714078970 It has a semi-arid climate with biannual rains and two distinct rainy seasons. You can explore these activities by car, foot or Horse and they can be done either by day time or at night. Happening annually is one of the memorial events in Maasai Mara National Park. The outer areas are conservancies that are administered by Group Ranch Trusts of the Maasai community, although this approach has been criticised for benefitting just a few powerful individuals rather than the majority of landowners. "[23], The rise of local populations in areas neighbouring the reserve has led to the formation of conservation organisations such as the Mara Elephant Project who aim to ensure the peaceful and prosperous co-existence of humans alongside wildlife. The locals leave along the Great Rift Valley which has a semi-desert climate. Herds of all three species are also resident in the reserve. The plains are also home to the distinctive Masai giraffe. Maasai Mara National Reserve. Maasai Mara National Reserve was established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary before it gained its national reserve status in 1974 after the expansion of the area from 520 square kilometres to1,510 square kilometres. The park has the Maasai Mara River and Talek River as key draining rivers for the park. In the south-east region are clumps of the distinctive acacia tree. Oseki Maasai Mara Camp Budget camps provider in Maasai mara national reserve. The Mara Predator Project also operates in the Maasai Mara, cataloging and monitoring lion populations throughout the region. Masai Mara Holidays is your home to Africa’s adventure to the wild. +254-792-682-634 The higher human population density leads to an increased number of livestock grazing in the park and an increase in poaching. The animals will spend between two to three months in Masai Mara before they transfer again back to Serengeti national park. A herd of elephants in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok county on July 14, 2020. Accommodation in Masai Mara: For every remarkable safari experience, accommodation facility plays the greatest role. So get to know about the university and its … So get to know about the university and its programs through the other web links. The university provides high-class quality education for all. The journey attracts a lot of predators especially the big cats on land and big Nile Crocodiles on the water during crossing the mara River from Ngorongoro national park  to Serengeti national park and cross to Masai mara as its termed as Survival to the fittest. Numbers have been slowly increasing, but the population was still only up to an estimated 23 in 1999. Its recorded as the largest wildlife migration on planet earth that takes place annually. It is one of the best known and most popular reserves in Africa. Besides viewing wildebeest birders also enjoy the reserve as it’s a home of over 500 bird species both migratory and permanent residents. Masai Mara falls along the outskirt of Tanzania, close by Serengeti National Park (another acclaimed safari objective). So get to know about the university and … This conservancy area is also best known as the Maasai Mara National Reserve and it straddles in Southwestern Kenya on the mighty Rift Valley Region, Norok County of Kenya bordering Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park of Tanzania. The Maasai Mara is administered by the Narok County government. The core park itself is split into an Eastern side (Narok County) and Western side (Trans-Mara county) also known as Mara Conservancy. Other domestic flights connect from different domestic airstrips across East Africa. Around July of each year, these animals migrate north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October. Masai Mara National Reserve was established in 1961 as a wildlife sanctuary covering a small area of only 520 square kilometers of the current Mara Triangle. They are among the few tribes in Africa that have managed to conserve their traditions and cultures amidst modernization of the continent. Masai Mara national reserve is a must visit Kenya … [20] The inaugural winner was British photographer Anup Shah. The total area under conservation in the Greater Maasai Mara ecosystem amounts to almost 1,510 km2 (580 sq mi). The other great activity in Maasai mara National Park is the Hot Air Balloon which is once in lifetime experience recommended as an unmissable activity while in Maasai Mara. Activities in Maasai Mara National Reserve. The Mara Triangle on the western bank of the Mara River comprises one-third of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Show Prices. They are considered as the ancestors who inhabit the region. Maasai Mara Gates: It is easy to access Maasai Mara National Reserve through all the directions as the park gates are found in all the lead routes to the Reserve. The Maasai Mara is a major research center for the spotted hyena. The reserve is governed by the locals under Narok County. Local farmers have referred to these as the 'long rains' which last approximately six to eight weeks in April and May and the 'short rains' in November and December which last approximately four weeks. Maasai Mara is located in Narok County, Kenya. i was born and raised in the Maasai Mara, my late Dad was a warden of the Maasai Mara game reserve and most of my childhood i have lived in the Mara during our vacations when our mum would take us to visit after closing schools since she is a teacher. [19] There are a number of lodges and tented camps catering for tourists inside or bordering the Reserve and within the various separate Conservancies which border the main reserve. Hippopotami and crocodiles are found in large groups in the Mara and Talek rivers. Other gates are Talek Gate which is located on the North Western part of Maasai Mara, it’s one of the oldest and well developed gates in Masai mara. Other destination include Uganda safari, Copyright © 2021 Maasai Mara National Reserve, Attractions in Masai mara national Reserve, 5 Days Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Wildlife Safari, 5 Days Masai Mara Wildlife & Volcanoes Gorilla Trekking Safari, 11 Top Rated Tourist Attractions in Nairobi City, 4 incredible attractions in masai mara national reserve, Top 10 budget accommodation in masai mara national reserve, Bird list in masai mara north conservancy, There are 6 Maasai Mara National Reserve gates, Accommodation in Maasai Mara National Park. 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