Masai Mara National Reserve

Masai Mara is the Park of parks in Kenya. The wildlife is abundant and the gentle rolling grassland ensures that animals are never out of sight. Masai Mara is Kenya's finest wildlife sanctuary and is a natural extension of the Serengeti plains in Tanzania. Mara offers great herds of elephants, giraffes, baboons,Thompson's and Grant's gazelle, topi, eland and many more. Species of plain' game offer a rich choice of food for the dominant predators; lion, leopard and cheetah which hunt in this wilderness. So it´s possible to see the Big Five here, even if the rhino is hard to spot due to a small population. Apart from the better known species, there are also other rare ones that can be added to the visitor's checklist. These include the roan antelope, the bat-eared foxes and honey badger. With more than 450 bird species, including migrant birds and 57 species of birds of prey it also a paradise for birdwatchers. The climate is gentle, rarely too hot and well spread rainfall year round. When it rains, its is almost always in the late afternoon or night. Between July and October is the great event and attraction, when the great wildebeest migration is in the Mara. More than one million wildebeests, and 200,000 zebras, move in for the best pastures. Driving in the midst of these great herds is an unimaginable experience.

The combination of a gentle climate (altitude above 1,500 m), scenic splendour and untold numbers of wildlife makes the Masai Mara National Reserve Kenya's most popular inland destination. Since it is protected as a reserve and not as a national park, Masai Mara is not managed by Kenya Wildlife Service, but by the local authorities namely District Councils. When the reserve was established, in 1961, it was done so as to protect animals in a deserted and wild country, in which wildlife was coming to an end due to massive killings committed by hunters. The protection of this area, among other factors, favored re-population of the territory by the Masai tribe. Though land conflicts are still about, the chosen formula for preserving this natural space attempts to render some reward to the Masai people by means of trade with tourists, mainly through campsite management, handicraft selling and visits to villages.

Place to stay:
Lodging options in the reserve itself is the Mara Sarova Camp with 150 beds

the Mara Serena Lodge with 152 beds;

JK's Leleshwa Camp
Location
JK s Leleshwa Camp is situated on the Siana Group Ranch Conservation Area, on the edge of the world famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Set amongst picturesque hills and rolling plains in prime game-viewing country, the camp is just over 10 km from the park gate.

Accommodation
A tented camp is the original and most traditional safari, perfectly suited to small groups looking for an authentic 'Out of Africa' experience Off the beaten track, our beautiful, secluded campsite is situated to give you maximum privacy and exclusivity with comfort and style, where you might least expect to find it
Six well-appointed tents of 20 x 14 ft with an en-suite bathroom, flushing toilet and shower can accommodate either 2 single or 1 king sized bed and, if required, an extra canvas cot bed for children. A wardrobe, luggage rack and dressing table is provided to make your stay comfortable. Each tent is situated to ensure privacy where you can relax on your private verandah, enjoying nature and letting the world go by.