National reserve · Maasai Mara, Kenya
Maasai Mara National Reserve
The protected heart of the wider Mara, in south-western Kenya, managed by Narok County Government.
The destination
The reserve, not the whole Mara.
The national reserve is one part of a much wider landscape. Around it lie community conservancies such as Mara Naboisho, which are separate destinations with their own camps, rules and fees. Many Mara safaris combine the two.
The reserve is managed by Narok County Government. Its north-western sector, the Mara Triangle, is about a third of the reserve and has been run by the not-for-profit Mara Conservancy since 2001.
At a glance
- Type
- National reserve
- Mara Triangle
- North-western sector, run by the Mara Conservancy
- By road
- Tarmac from Narok to Sekenani Gate
- Boundary
- Unfenced
In the reserve
The reserve sets the rhythm.
Photo: The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari CampYour guide follows the season, the light and what wildlife reveals. Animals move freely, so sightings can never be promised.
Game drives
By day, in a vehicle with your guide. Drives in the reserve end by early evening.
Migration season
The wildebeest migration is usually on the Kenyan side between July and October, though its timing varies.
Rules that protect it
There are no night drives or walking safaris inside the reserve, and off-road driving is restricted. For those, guests stay in a neighbouring conservancy.
When to go
The reserve through the year.
Usually the migration months on the Kenyan side, and the busiest time in the reserve.
The long rains. Some roads need four-wheel drive.
Kenya Wildlife Service also names December to March as a high season. We help you choose the right months for what you hope to see.
Source: Kenya Wildlife Service.
Where to stay in Maasai Mara National Reserve
Our selection of camps and lodges.
Photo: The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari CampThe Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp
View the propertyTwenty tented suites with plunge pools, raised among the trees on the Sand River.
Photo: KinaraKinara
View the propertyTwenty tented suites and a private villa above a bend of the Mara River, each with its own plunge pool.
Photo: JW Marriott Masai Mara LodgeJW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge
View the propertyTwenty-four tented suites on the Talek River, looking over the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Photo: AngamaAngama Safari Camp
View the propertyA private camp of four tents inside the Mara Triangle, with its own guides, chef and vehicles.
Photo: WildernessWilderness Mara
View the propertyTwelve tents beside the Mara River in the Mara Triangle, rebuilt in 2026 on the site of Little Governors' Camp.
Related destinations
In the Maasai Mara.
Africa, Private & Personal
Planning time in the Mara?
Tell us when you hope to travel and how you like to explore, and we will plan the right balance of reserve and conservancy.
- Phone & WhatsApp
- +254 795 887765
- Office
- The Piano Building, Brookside Drive, Nairobi