Maasai Mara

Open grassland, the Big Five and river crossings during the wildebeest migration bring travelers to this national game reserve in southwestern Kenya.

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The Maasai Mara is a national game reserve in Narok County, southwestern Kenya. It forms the northern part of the Serengeti ecosystem, and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park lies along its southern border. The Mara Triangle in the west is run by the Mara Conservancy, and the eastern Narok Sector by the county government. The name comes from the Maa word for 'spotted', after the short bushy trees that dot the grassland. The Maasai people have lived in the area for generations, and many still keep cattle on the land around the reserve.

Wildlife is the main draw. All members of the Big Five can be seen here, lions are the most common large carnivores, and hippos gather in the Mara and Talek rivers. The migration usually reaches the reserve around July and heads south again around October, and those months draw the most visitors. Timing shifts with rainfall. Lodges and tented camps sit inside and near the reserve, and the eastern edge is about 224 km from Nairobi.

Maasai Mara in five

Budget for a daily fee that follows your campFees are charged per person per day, and the Mara Triangle sells its own ticket. Ask your camp which fee applies to your gate and dates before you book.Mara Triangle fees
Choose the Triangle or the Narok sideThe Mara Triangle covers 510 km², about a third of the reserve, bounded by the Mara River, the Oloololo Escarpment and the Tanzania border. The Sekenani Gate serves the Narok side, with tarmac from Narok.Mara Triangle guide
Pay Triangle fees without cashTickets cover 12 hours, 6 AM to 6 PM. The Mara Conservancy takes M-Pesa and cards, not cash, and asks for a passport or ID. A Triangle camp guest entering by Sekenani pays at Purungat Bridge.Mara Triangle fees
Compare the reserve and conservanciesPrivate conservancies sit on community land beside the reserve, and each camp sets its own rules and fees. Ask what your rate includes and whether drives enter the reserve.
Fly in on a scheduled service or drive via NarokThe Mara Triangle lists daily scheduled flights by Air Kenya, Safarilink, Fly540, Mombasa Air Services, Aeronav and Boskovic Air Charters. By road, the tarmac runs from Narok to Sekenani Gate.Nairobi guide

Things to do in Maasai Mara

See all attractions in Maasai Mara

Sight · Maasai MaraNarok Museum

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Need to know

Entrance: Per person per day; Triangle tickets cover 12 hours, 6 AM to 6 PM
Permits: Triangle: passport or ID at payment, M-Pesa or card, no cash Read more
Season: Year-round; migration usually Jul–Oct
Nearest town: Narok, on the tarmac road to Sekenani Gate
Getting there: Scheduled flights to Mara airstrips, or road via Narok

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryRain14 rainy daysHigh27°Low15°Dry, green
FebruaryClear8 rainy daysHigh29°Low15°Dry, calving south
MarchRain13 rainy daysHigh29°Low15°Rains start
AprilRain18 rainy daysHigh27°Low15°Long rains
MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh26°Low14°Wet, quiet
JunePartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh26°Low14°Drying out
JulyClear6 rainy daysHigh27°Low14°Herds arrive
AugustClear6 rainy daysHigh28°Low15°River crossings
SeptemberClear7 rainy daysHigh29°Low15°River crossings
OctoberClear9 rainy daysHigh29°Low16°Herds leave
NovemberRain13 rainy daysHigh28°Low16°Short rains
DecemberRain14 rainy daysHigh27°Low15°Warm, green

Average daily high and low in Maasai Mara, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Maasai Mara

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 22°
Humidity: 70%
Wind: 4 km/h
Chance of rain: 67%

Maasai Mara

11:07 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+3

Today29°16°67%Monday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 67%.
Tue29°17°73%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 73%.
Wed31°17°57%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 31°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 57%.
Thu30°17°55%Thursday: Rain. High 30°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 55%.
Fri29°17°45%Friday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 45%.
Sat30°18°63%Saturday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 63%.
Sun29°17°57%Sunday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 57%.

Updated 09:05 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 129.9 KES

Amount

Converted to

KES · Kenyan Shilling

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Before you go to Maasai Mara

Maasai Mara safarisFly-in and drive-in packagesCompare tours

Mara camps and lodgesReserve, Triangle and conservancy staysCheck availability

eSIM for KenyaCamp signal varies by locationRead the guide

Travel insurance for safarisMedical evacuation from the bushRead the guide

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Rules for Maasai Mara, checked

The Mara Triangle takes M-Pesa and card payments but no cash, and a 12-hour ticket runs from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM regardless of entry time.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
Mara Triangle gates open at 6:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM, and no vehicle is allowed entry after 6:30 PM.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
In the Mara Triangle, cats may be approached off-road to 25 meters only in low-use zones; with over five vehicles waiting, viewing is limited to 10 minutes.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
Mara Triangle speed limits are 50 km/h on graded roads and 30 km/h on other tracks, with automated speed cameras in the park.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
The UK says to ask a charter company about its aircraft and runways, and to find another firm if the crew has no qualified safety pilot.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source

Plan around Maasai Mara

Nairobi

Wilson Airport flights and the city before

Read the guide Lake Naivasha

A Rift Valley stop on the Nairobi road

Read the guide Lake Nakuru National Park

Rhinos and birds before or after the Mara

Read the guide Amboseli

Elephants under Kilimanjaro for a second park

Read the guide Serengeti

Where the migration goes next, in Tanzania

Read the guide Kenya eTA guide

Apply before you fly

Read the guide All of Kenya

Parks, the coast, entry rules and money

Read the guide

Maasai Mara FAQ

What is the Mara Triangle?

A 510 km² section about a third of the reserve's size, bounded by the Mara River, the Oloololo Escarpment and the Tanzania border. The Mara Conservancy runs it, sells 12-hour tickets and takes M-Pesa or cards, not cash.

Is it Maasai Mara or Masai Mara?

Both spellings name the same reserve. Fee rules differ by side: the Mara Triangle sells its own 12-hour ticket, and elsewhere your camp or operator explains how fees are paid. Carry a passport or ID either way.

Is a conservancy better than the main reserve?

It depends on the camp. Each conservancy camp sets its own rules and fees, so ask what the rate includes. The Mara Triangle and the Narok side have published gate arrangements and are reached through the reserve gates.

How many days do I need in the Maasai Mara?

Three nights gives you several full game drives and a spare day for weather. It is not a Nairobi day trip: a flight lands late for a full drive, and the road is long each way. Add a night if you split time between sides.

When can I see the river crossings?

Usually between late July and October, but the herds move with the rain. The Mara Triangle says the migration season starts around June or July and runs to November, and crossings are hard to predict on a given day.