The Masai Mara National Reserve is probably the most famous and most visited reserve in Kenya. It offers breathtaking views (as seen in the film Out of Africa, much of which was filmed there), an extraordinary density of animals including "the Big Five" (lions, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros), many varieties of plains game, and a prolific bird life, including 53 birds of prey. Between July and September, the Masai Mara's main attraction is the annual migration of a million wildebeest and thousands of zebras from the Serengeti National Park.

The reserve is about 625 square miles at an altitude of 5,000 feet. It was opened in November 1974 because after fifty years of hunting by the white man, the lion population was down to nine. It's located 170 miles west of Nairobi in the southeastern tip of Kenya. It connects to the Serengeti National Park on the Tanzania border.

Its vegetation is open grasslands with patches of acacia woodland, thickets, and ravine forests. It's absolutely breathtaking! It looks just like it does on tv or in the movies. The only other observation to add to its character was the fact that there were a lot of Masai people walking around as there were many Masai villages just outside the park along the roads. They are very friendly people, and we always waved to them.

Kenya outlawed big game hunting in 1977 and ivory trade in 1989. The only pointing and shooting that takes place now is with a camera! To learn more about this game reserve, check out their web site:
Masai Mara Game Reserve.


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Copyright © 2002, Dawn M. Dalton.
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