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Maasai Mara
Not many people with extensive African safari experience will argue the fact that Kenya’s Maasai Mara is one of the best locations in Africa (at virtually any time of the year) to photograph and view big cats in their natural environment. It is also home to the Great Wildebeest migration – the largest animal migration in the world with up to 2 million animals – and the huge Wildebeest river crossings in the Maasai Mara are wildlife safari ‘Box Office’ for photographers and wildlife lovers alike. A Maasai Mara safari is particularly famous for the chance to see lions, leopards and cheetahs which hunt the large numbers of antelopes found inside the park and the neighbouring conservancies. It is not possible to take nighttime drives or safaris inside the Mara reserve itself, but there are many superb nearby conservancies, like the Mara Naboisho Conservancy, which are world-famous for the chance to see leopards and other nocturnal wildlife, such as Porcupine, Civet Cats, Hyenas, African Owl and Nightjars. All Masai Mara tours are conducted in specialist safari vehicles and there is such an amazing choice of Maasai Mara lodges and camps to choose from.
Popular Itineraries in kenya
A Kenya wildlife safari to Amboseli takes you to some of the most beautiful scenery in the entire country and many of our clients love to combine the Masai Mara and Amboseli as part of a longer Kenya wildlife tour. World famous for the huge Tuskers which rumble across the landscape, Amboseli is also important to include as part of a big cat safari in Kenya, with good chances for lions and cheetahs in the diverse landscape.
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The Masai Mara is one of those most special of wildlife places in the world which just keeps you wanting to come back for more and more. We know that from many regular clients who visit multiple times a year and it is one of those safari destinations which can deliver great wildlife encounters outside of the main high season, which runs from July to October. It is without doubt one of the best places in the world to see big cats and it is not unsual in the Mara to have regular sightings of the Big 3; Lion, Leopard and Cheetah. This June departure will see cheaper options available on international flights and less crowds in the park, so why not join us on this Big Cat safari at Mara Intrepids in June 2021.
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A good friend of Wildlife Trails and superb photographer, Chris Brunskill returned from Laikipia wilderness camp last spring, and his amazing images of Giza have been published all around the world. There are many reasons why a beautiful cat like Giza becomes less shy and is seen more regularly by the safari vehicles and of course this can also change rapidly, due to terrotorial fights or other factors which might lead to her moving away or keeping a lower profile.
Allan then went out with a group in September 2023 and enjoyed 4 stunning consecutive days with Giza, with everything from her at night in a tree on a kill, witnessing the start of a hunt as she ran flat out near the river, having her walk metres from our vehicle and two seperate river crossings right in front of us – it was hard to believe it was happening and we had to remind ourselves to breathe!
So now its time to do it all over again next year. Whose up for it?
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Join us on a Kenya wildlife holiday to remember in the beautiful Masai Mara during one of the peak months for river crossings and migration action. Wildlife Trails will be going BIG in Kenya this September, with back to back safaris running right through the month. First we start with a week at the beautiful Laikipia wilderness camp for the chance to photograph the legendary Black Panther, Giza. Allan will then fly to meet the group arriving into the Mara for 4 nights at the stunning Mara Legends Camp, which has a perfect location for our Big Cat safaris. Finally, he will head over to the Kicheche Mara North camp to finish off what will be an amazing combination of Kenya wildlife camps and wildlife experiences.
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June in Kenya is the last month of the shoulder season and a stunning time to visit on your Kenya wildlife holidays before the crowds of the high season arrive. By booking all accommodation through the famous Serena lodges we obtain an additional discount on your behalf, but we also retain our independance and privacy by booking an expert naturalist/driver, who will be your friendly, personal guide from the moment you touch down in Nairobi.
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When planning a Kenya wildlife safari it sometimes feels that the Masai Mara is the only wildlife reserve in Kenya, but that is far from the truth. There are many other national reserves and conservancies with abundant wildlife and far less visitors than the Mara, and here at Wildlife Trails we are keen to show them to you. So we bring you the best Kenya wildlife camps and guided private Samburu safaris. Come to Samburu national reserve and see the Big 5 of Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe and Gerenuk. Also enjoy magnificent views of Mount Kenya and visit the adjacent Buffalo Springs national reserve.
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kenya's Animals
Best time to visit the Maasai Mara
This really is an all year-round location and although many safari companies will try to sell you only the high season Maasai Mara camps from July to October, they are not providing you with a full picture of the seasonality of the reserve and the incredible Maasai Mara safaris which can be taken during the rainy season. There are short and long rains in ‘The Mara’ and the beauty of the safari period just after the rains is that you will be seeing all the Masai Mara animals at their best; both the prey species and the predators. They will have full bellies, shiny coats and they will simply ‘pop out’ of the green landscapes where they live. The early rains normally finish by around mid-December, so why not enjoy a Christmas holiday you will remember for the rest of your life by booking a Maasai Mara safari for late December.
Maasai Mara animals – what will you see during your visit?
There is a lot to see in the Mara and it is not just the abundant species like Elephants, Buffalo, Hippos and Giraffe which you will come across. You have a good chance to see rarer species like Leopard, Bat-eared Foxes and other nocturnal species as the night drives in the Mara conservancies are very productive. It is relatively easy to see 4 out of 5 of the Big 5 with a longer stay and there have been many very interesting ‘wild cats stories’ from the Maasai Mara, including the 5 male Cheetahs who came together to form a formidable hunting pack. African primates found here included the Copper tailed monkey and the adorable Bushbaby.
Best Maasai Mara lodges and camps to stay in
Because Kenya and in particular the Maasai Mara is such a long-established African safari destination, you do tend to enjoy the best wildlife lodges, most authentic camps, great food and most importantly, the top wildlife guides, in Africa and this all comes together seamlessly to produce Masai Mara safaris of the highest possible quality. We are huge fans of the Kicheche camps in the Masai Mara, as they provide you with the best wildlife safari experience in the Mara; as you can have both access to the main Mara reserve as well as wildlife-rich conservancies, like Olare Motorogi Conservancy and Mara North Conservancy. Another personal favourite Masai Mara camp is Entim Camp with its beautiful tents, friendly ambience and perfect location just a few hundred metres from the Mara river to observe the great Wildebeest migration in Kenya.
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The Black Panther – a mythical animal that connects us with our ancient past.
As I prepared to visit Laikipia wildlife sanctuary in September 2023 for another potential encounter with this stunning feline – this time a female known as Giza – I found myself asking what it is that draws humans towards these melanistic variants and how has it manifested in our behaviour towards them over the centuries and indeed, millennia?
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