What are you looking for?

Hello traveller!

It's in Cape Town now.

We're sorry. Our safari planners aren't available now. Our office hours are 08:00 - 19:00 (GMT+2).

Call us to speak to an experienced safari planner.


Alternatively, we recommend...

travel-form-icon

Complete our travel enquiry form to connect with a safari planner

ENQUIRE TODAY
Email us
(optional)

Wildlife in the Masai Mara

Africa's best authentic tailor-made safaris

cheetah and cubs masai mara wildlife safari Credit: Karen Blixen Camp

The Masai Mara has wildlife in abundance: the reserve is home to the Big Five, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to see lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant on any trip, although black rhinos are harder to spot. The reserve is particularly famous for its populations of big cats, with one of the highest concentrations of lion in the world, as well as large numbers of leopard and cheetah. Other predators include spotted hyena, black-backed jackal and bat-eared fox, while antelope species include topi, eland, reedbuck, impala and Thomson’s gazelle. Masai giraffe – the largest subspecies of giraffe found only in Kenya and Tanzania – is easily spotted.

lion hunt wildlife masai mara Credit: Mara Plains Camp

The Great Migration is the most famous wildlife spectacle in the world, and the reason that many people travel to the Masai Mara. Each year, millions of antelope move across the savanna from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara, crossing the Mara River and falling prey to predators along the way.

While the Masai Mara is more renowned for its wildlife than its birds, its varied habitats are still home to more than 500 species of birds, from kori bustards, ostriches and ground hornbills in the grasslands to saddle-billed storks and goliath herons in the swamps to Schalow’s turaco and Ross’s turaco in the riverine forest and seven species of kingfisher in the rivers. There’s an incredible diversity of raptor species – 57 recorded species – as well as seven species of vulture, while migratory birds arrive in the reserve in November and stay until April.

Ready to plan your tailor-made safari?

Andre Van Kets, Co-founder, Discover Africa

Free safari planning advice from destination experts

Help me plan

What Our Guests Have to Say?

Read recent reviews from travellers who have planned and booked their trips with us
Susan was amazing! Her itinerary was perfection and she was always available...

10 Day South Africa Safari Review

Elizabeth Brennan, United Arab Emirates
15 Jan 2025
Great customer service and on point communications.

A South African Honeymoon Review

De Zhang, United States
14 Jan 2025
We thought we would only do this once, but their services proved...

15 Day Southern Africa Safari Trip Review

Mike B, United States
28 Aug 2024
This was an exciting Safari experience.

12 Day Kenya and Tanzania Safari Experience Review

Joseph, United States
16 Jul 2024
The experience of a lifetime!

15 Day Safari To The Kruger And Botswana

Nick, United States
31 May 2024
Professionalism and helpfulness at the service of the customer

7 Day Panorama And Mala Mala Safari Review

Alessandra, Switzerland
06 Apr 2024