What makes Maasai Mara National Reserve so important?
What makes Maasai Mara National Reserve so important? Maasai Mara is located in the Great Rift Valley, a fault line that stretches from Ethiopia’s Red Sea through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique, covering a distance of around 3,500 miles (5,600 km). A massive escarpment may be seen in the misty distance from this broad valley. The animals are free to roam in the vast ‘dispersal regions’ that lie outside the park. Outside the park, there may be just as much species as there is there. Numerous Maasai settlements are found in “dispersal areas,” and over the course of generations, they have forged a harmonious coexistence with the wildlife.
There are four main types of terrain in the Mara: Oloololo Escarpment, which forms the reserve’s western boundary and rises to a magnificent plateau; Mara Triangle, which borders Mara River and has lush grassland and acacia woodlands supporting large populations of game, especially migrating wildebeest; and the Central Plains, which make up the majority of the reserve and have scattered bushes and boulders on rolling grasslands.
Wildlife and Migration.
Great Migration safari, which takes place every year from July to October, is arguably the Mara’s most famous feature. More than 1.5 million wildebeest, zebra, and antelopes migrate from Serengeti to Mara during these months in search of food and water, dotting the yellow grassland in black spots.
The animal havens of Mara and Serengeti parks are interdependent. The largest multi-species migration in the history of the planet occurs here. The migration is centred on the wildebeest crossing great Mara River as they migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti to Masai Mara during the dry season. One of nature’s most amazing displays, Great Wildebeest Migration is well-deserving of its distinction. Great Migration is the only remaining multi-species migration on Earth, consisting of more than 1.5 million wildebeest, zebras, and antelopes.
The Great Migration Season.
Millions of recently arrived brown and black dots start to appear around the end of July, covering the vast grasslands of Masai Mara National Reserve and enhancing the beauty of this World Natural Wonder until their return in December. The wildebeest’s life cycle provides a glimpse into the cycle of all living things. The wildebeest spend their entire lives wandering, idly travelling from Maasai Mara in the north to the Serengeti in the south.
A wildebeest’s existence unfolds in harmony with Mother Earth in every step. The patterns of the rain determine their migratory paths as they are always on the lookout for water and new grass. Similar to how their calving instincts follow the moon’s phases, February in the Serengeti plains is a three-week birth festival as a result.
The movements of the wildebeest also influence the life of numerous other animals. The arrival of the wildebeest signals the start of a period of abundance and feasting for the predators of the Masai Mara. Particularly during the migration season, the Big Cats prosper. Due to the availability of accessible prey, lions, cheetahs, and leopards can develop into powerful adults and have healthy pups. The Great Migration Season is an especially breathtaking time to visit Basecamp Explorer Kenya because of the stark contrast between life and death that can be seen there.
Make the migration even greater.
Maasai are the actual specialists when it comes to the savannah; nothing else comes close. Maasai are a nomadic people that historically roamed the plains with their cattle, much like the migratory wildebeest. Maasai have been forced to learn new means of surviving in contemporary times, and for more than 16 years, their journey and Basecamp’s have been entwined. We are honored to have fought alongside them in order to protect their territory.
Witnessing this Natural Wonder of the World while participating in the Great Migration with Basecamp adds another dimension. You will gain a better, more profound grasp of the delicate aspects of the Masai Mara Ecosystem by going on a safari with one of our Maasai Guides. We are able to offer genuine safari experiences that leave our guests with lifelong memories, a sense of purpose, and a desire to engage because to our long-standing dedication to the Maasai community.
Our visitors can experience various aspects of different safaris while travelling the Basecamp Circuit. Our three camps were specifically created to provide various, yet complimentary experiences. Maasai Mara National Reserve borders our “mother-camp,” Basecamp Maasai Mara, making it the ideal location for welcoming the Great Migration as it departs from the Serengeti. Our Naboisho Camps, Eagle View and Wilderness Bush Camp, provide exclusive observation of the Northern Migration, the not-so-distant relative of the Great Migration, for a different but no less wonderful safari experience. The Basecamp Signature of exclusivity, authenticity, and sustainability persists wherever you are in our Circuit.
