Kicheche Bush Olare, Masai Mara, Kenya
Location Masai Mara
Home of the Great Migration and wild predator action
Home of the Great Migration and wild predator action
The Masai Mara is one of Africa's most famous reserves, and it delivers thrilling wildlife viewing all year round. Abundant vegetation and regular rainfall support enormous numbers of herbivores, which in turn draw the predators. It is a paradise for wildlife watchers and cat-lovers in particular: all three big cats are seen here with remarkable ease.
The Mara offers lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, buffalo, topi, jackal, eland, gazelle, impala and elephant, with hippo and crocodile crowding the rivers. Some 450 bird species have been recorded. Each year the migrating wildebeest pass through the reserve, creating one of the world's most extraordinary wildlife spectacles.
The Mara is a little cooler and wetter than you might expect this close to the Equator, thanks to its altitude - temperatures drop roughly 6.5°C for every 1,000 m above sea level. Days are pleasant, in the mid to upper twenties, while nights cool off considerably.
Park fees are included in every Chalo Africa itinerary.
Beyond the national reserve lies a ring of private conservancies - Maasai-owned land where vehicle numbers are capped, off-road driving and night drives are permitted, and walking safaris are possible. They offer the same wildlife as the Mara with a fraction of the crowds.