The Maasai Mara is like no other place in Africa; the density of wildlife in the Maasai Mara is a photographer’s dream. The safari will concentrate on the migrating wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, antelope, hippo, elephant, and of course the Maasai Mara’s famous big cats. We might even see a lion kill, a cheetah chase, or a black rhino. All in all, these safari produces life-long memories and the images often framed by the Mara’s famous sunrises, sunsets, and dramatic vistas. This safari offers so many picture taking opportunities you won’t want to put your camera down.
The Maasai Mara is a large game reserve in Narok County, Kenya, named in honor of the Maasai people who live in the region. The national park covers some 1,510 km2 (583 sq. mi) and is mostly open grassland with seasonal river lets. Every year millions of wildebeest, zebras and Thomson’s gazelles migrate from the Serengeti Plains to the Mara reserve.
This exceptional Kenya Photo Safari takes you to the heart of the all the action when the plains are packed with migrating animals. The sight of up to 1.9 million wildebeest accompanied by herds of zebra, aiming steadfastly to their new destination in search of water and food will create a never to be forgotten memory. We co-inside our tour around the time when these huge herds congregate around the Mara River to cross this treacherous river. Driven by instinct these animals cross this crocodile invested river as part of their survival. Predators can be spotted all around, keeping your camera very busy indeed. Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Hyena, scavengers are everywhere making the most of the migrating animals that are in the area.
The Mara section receives the highest rainfall in the ecosystem, therefore during the drier season, nourishing grasses that have been exhausted further south, draw in more than a million wildebeest and two hundred thousand zebras. On our Maasai Mara Photo Safari, these amazing creatures can be seen crossing the Mara River, which is the greatest obstacle they have to face. Steep banks and strong currents are one thing, but the biggest menace is, without a doubt, the enormous Nile crocodiles that has been preying on the migrating herds crossing this river for thousands of years.
The Mara’s abundant herbivores make it a paradise for predators. The large carnivores include the big cats – lion, leopard and cheetah as featured on the BBC’s Big Cat Diary, and the spotted hyena. The famous black-maned Mara lions are possibly the stars of the Mara show, but other species such as wildebeest, topi, Kongoni, Thompson’s & Grant’s gazelle, water buck and primates are all here too, providing one of the most holistic Maasai Mara Photo Safari experiences in Africa. In particular, the phenomenal cheetah of the Mara offers exceptional photographic opportunities, arguably the finest viewing of these felines anywhere!
