My Wishlist
1.800.557.2841or Contact Your Travel Advisor
Sunrise over the Masai Mara, with a pair of low-flying hot air balloons and a herd of wildebeest below in the typical red oat grass of the region
Home/Destinations/Africa/Kenya/Masai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara National Reserve Tours and Vacation Packages

Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Overview

Take a trip to Masai Mara National Reserve on your Kenya Vacation

Known simply as “The Mara” to locals, Masai Mara National Reserve is a large reserve located in south-western Kenya. The area was named after the Maasai people who were the traditional inhabitants of the land to be discovered on a Kenya safari.

The reserve was established in 1948 as a wildlife sanctuary that covered 520 square kilometres/200 square miles. Today, the reserve covers an area of 1,510 square kilometres/583 square miles and is bordered by the Serengeti Park of Tanzania to the south, the Siria escarpment to the west and Maasai pastoral ranches to the north, east and west. Unlike other national parks in Kenya, Masai Mara is not administered by the Kenya Wildlife Service but rather by local authorities and the Maasai people.

Masai Mara is not the largest conservation area on a Kenya vacation but it is certainly the most famous. This is due to the annual Great Migration which is one of the most impressive natural events in the world. Each July approximately 1,300,000 wildebeest, 500,000 Thomson’s gazelles, 200,000 zebras, 97,000 topi and 18,000 elands migrate north from the Serengeti plains to the Masai Mara in search of fresh pasture. These animals then return to the Serengeti in October.

Whether witnessing the Great Migration on a Kenyan safari or experiencing the traditional semi-nomadic pastoralist lifestyles of neighbouring Maasai tribes, the reserve is a must-see on any visit to Kenya. 

At a Glance

Languages

English, Swahili

Currency

Kenyan Shilling (KES)

What do the experts say?

David Wong

David Wong

Team Lead
Learn More About This Expert
Goway guests can enjoy unforgettable moments like bush breakfasts, night game drives, and personalized safaris in luxury tented camps
David Wong

David Wong

Team Lead
Learn More About This Expert
The Samburu Reserve is one of the most colourful game-viewing areas in the country, home to species found nowhere else—like the reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra
David Wong

David Wong

Team Lead
Learn More About This Expert
In peak months like August, the migration draws huge crowds to the river crossings. But conservancies around the Mara limit vehicle numbers, so you still get intimate wildlife moments
David Wong

David Wong

Team Lead
Learn More About This Expert
Kenya offers the best wildlife viewing with the world-renowned Masai Mara, plus unique species only found in places like Samburu.
Bijal Kana

Bijal Kana

Destination Specialist
Learn More About This Expert
I wouldn’t recommend self-driving as Kenya’s roads can be tricky, and they drive on the left side, which can confuse visitors used to North American systems

The Great Migration

The Great Migration is the name for the movement of over 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle during the dry season on the East African savanna. The herds move around 2,000 kilometres/125,000 miles from the southern expanse of the Serengeti Plains and Ngorongoro Crater to the Masai Mara National Reserve and back down to the southern Serengeti again in search of food and water. Many visitors come for the Wildebeest Migration and the best time to visit the Masai Mara for this famous spectacle is between July/early August and the end of November although due to varying rainfall patterns, the exact timing varies from year to year.

Witnessing the Great Migration is one of the greatest experiences a person can have on their African vacation. Everyone who has the chance to stand up in their jeep and gaze out on thousands of animals moving across the plains should take that opportunity. 

Travel Stories

Get Inspired About Your Trip to Kenya

Unlock more by subscribing to our newsletter.

With our newsletter, you’ll get access to regular communications that inspire you and help you explore the world your way.
Exclusive Savings
Insider Benefits
Trending Stories
Newsletter signup visual
ExcellentBased on 5,130 Reviews
Verified
I want to personally thank my Travel Agent Alice Teramoto who organized two spectacular trips for me! One to Australia and most recently Vietnam and Cambodia. She nailed it! I can’t express my gratitude enough! Both trips were flawless and hassle free! Every experience exceeded my expectations! I spent my 60th Birthday in Vietnam on the Lunar New Year which was a complete thrill! I highly recommend Alice and will definitely book with her again soon! Thanks so much Alice ♥️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Avril
Verified
Mary G. was an absolute pleasure to work with. I partner with Goway often for Europe and typically have my go to rep, so stepping outside of that for a New Zealand itinerary had me a little unsure at first. That hesitation quickly disappeared. Mary stepped in with confidence, handled all of my moving pieces with ease, and truly understood the level of detail I needed to take care of my clients. She delivered a beautifully curated itinerary that exceeded expectations, and most importantly, my clients had an incredible experience in New Zealand. I’m so grateful to have her as a resource and look forward to working together again.Nichole Pierce
Verified
Joanna was amazing!!! She was able to set up a ten day trip for me in Sydney in a matter of a couple of weeks. All accommodation and tours were amazing and the 24 hour help center was great and where able to call up the tour company and have them come and still pick be up when I had a mixup with the reservation. Would definitely recommend Goway to any friends and family and will definitely be using them again.Erica Wolff
Verified
I cannot sing Erin’s praises enough! She planned an action-packed two-week New Zealand itinerary that hit every single stop on our bucket list. Every experience was truly first-class and luxurious. While I found myself being price-conscious initially, once I saw the incredible quality of the experiences she curated, I knew it was going to be the trip of a lifetime. A huge thank you to Erin and Go Way Travel for making my 50th birthday so epic. We’ll definitely be reaching out for our next big adventure!Michelle
Verified
Expertise, experience, great information and tailored to just what my client needed!Stephanie
Verified
This was my second time working with Taha Colombowala, Group Specialist. Our journey to Ghana was top notch! 🇬🇭 The accommodations, curated tours, and coordination with the team on the ground made the this trip quite amazing. Taha was very supportive throughout the entire process. Goway makes me look like a superstar with my clients!! I am already planning new itineraries. Denise Watkins
Verified
I booked this trip to Adelaide with Goway, after using them before when we explored the 'big' sites of Australia. This time, we went to Adelaide to go to three of the top wine growing areas for wine tastings. We were a small group of 4 people. It was made better as the vendor used Small Batch Wine Tours for all of our excursions. They were fantastic making us the only travelers on these tours. Matthew, the owner, even adjusted our wineries on the last day to go to different place. This place totally marked off everything we were looking for in wine. Ended up buying a couple of bottles. Between Goway setting it up and Small Batch Wine Tours running the actual tours we had a beautiful and seamless trip. not applicable
Verified
We had an Amazing trip. Melissa put together a completely seamless and epic journey, with ZERO issues, everything worked like clockwork and was Perfect!! Everything we set up and expected to happen worked out exactly as planned! Not a single aspect was left to chance and our itinerary was perfectly planned and executed! Donald N
Verified
Land Package booked was for Bora Bora. The Goway Agent priced out 3 different resorts in the same area. Before making a final decision, she even obtained the menus at the Resort so the clients could decide if they wanted to purchase the 1/2 board meal package. With extreme patience, the agent obtained answers to all of our questions. It was so nice to have this package inclusive of all taxes and resort fees and to have a local agent meet the clients upon their arrival in PPT. EMD
Verified
I had an absolutely wonderful experience working with Shalini. From the very first conversation, she was warm, welcoming, and genuinely invested in helping me plan the perfect trip. she took the time to understand what I was looking for, offered thoughtful suggestions, and shared incredibly helpful insights that only someone with deep knowledge and passion for travel could provide. What really stood out was how easy she made everything feel. Every question I had—big or small—was answered with patience and clarity. her recommendations were spot‑on, and I never felt rushed or pressured. Instead, I felt supported, informed, and excited about my plans. If you’re looking for someone who is friendly, attentive, and truly committed to creating a great travel experience, I can’t recommend Shalini highly enough. She turned what could have been a stressful process into something enjoyable and inspiring.enzo r reda
Follow Us On
instagramfacebook
Contact UsCustomer ServiceGeneral Inquiries
Featured in
Travel + LeisureAfarForbesSmithsonian
Accreditations & Memberships
USTOAASTA TOPASTATICOACTA
 
© Copyright 2026. Goway Travel