Masai Warriors Spring into the Air at Masai Mara
The Masai Mara National Reserve is another must on any serious African Photography Safari. This reserve, also spelled Maasai Mara, is named for the Maasai people and the Mara River that divides the area. The reserve is located in Southwestern Kenya and covers about 950 square miles. It is effectively the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Much of the reserve is open grassland with areas containing clumps of the distinctive acacia tree.
The Masai Mara National Reserve is famous for its diverse population of wildlife including the annual migration of zebra and wildebeest from the Serengeti. This migration is so immense that it is called the Great Migration. Over 1,300,000 wildebeest, 400,000 gazelle and 200,000 zebra make this annual migration.
Apart from the seasonal migration, wildlife viewing and photography is excellent year round. Wildlife including cape buffalo, elephant, hartebeest, zebra, giraffe and big cats are in abundance. In fact all of Africa’s “Five Big” – the rhino, elephant, cape buffalo, leopard, and lion can be photographed on the reserve. Please note that the Black Rhino is severely threatened, with a population of only 37 recorded in 2000 on the Masai Mara. The rivers are home to large numbers of hippos and crocodiles. Bird photographers will be thrilled by 452 species of birds including 53 raptors.
Sign up for our next African Photo Safari
Related posts:
[...] more than 40,000 sq miles. The lake itself is not a park or reserve. Being only 3-4 hours from the Maasai Mara in Kenya it’s a good place to stop off before continuing on to the [...]
[...] Safari will be. The animals that trek around the Serengeti National Park plains migrate from Kenya’s Masai Mara National Park area in August and arrive here just south of Serengeti National Park in February. This is where [...]