Size: 1,672 sq kms
Province: Rift Valley
District: Narok
Geographical Location: South - Western Kenya bordering Serengeti National Park, on
the Tanzania border.
 Altitude: 1,500-2,170m
Vegetation: Open grasslands with patches of acacia woodland, thickets, and riverine
forests.
Fauna: In the dry season July-October) the reserve is a major concentration area of
migratory herbivores including approximately 250,000 zebra and 1.3 million wildebeest.
There are also gazelle, elephant, topi, buffalo, lion (Kenya's largest population), black
rhino, hippo, hyena, giraffe, leopard, and mongoose.
Bird Life: Prolific, including 53 birds of prey.
Visitor Facilities: Several lodges and campsites. Transport:The
main route into the Reserve is via Narok, on the main B3 road which leaves the old Nairobi
- Naivasha road at Maai-mahiu. At Ewaso Ngiro, 15 kms beyond Narok, are a crossroads where
the left branch forms the C12 to Keekorok via Sekenani Gate, tarred for a further
40 kms.The right branch forms the B3/C13 to Kichwa Tembo Lodge and Oloololo Gate.
At Aitong, another track (the E177) branches off towards Keekorok via Talek Gate.
It is also possible to approach the
park from Migori (on the main A1 Kisii - Tanzania road) via Lolgorien. The last section of
this route is very steep and the road is seldom used. When driving in the park remember
that only two bridges cross the Mara River which effectively divides the park into two:
the northern Mara River bridge is near Kichwa Tembo lodge; the southern Mara bridge is on
the E176 main park track between Oloololo Gate and Keekorok.
In terms of public transport, buses
from Nairobi go as far as Narok, and private transport from there will have to be
arranged. Arriving from the west, there are occasional buses to Lolgorien from Migori or
Kisii.
Camping:
Approximately 25 campsites are located in the Masai Mara Reserve area, but no
single map produced by the Reserve or elsewhere marks them all. Officially, all campsite
reservations have to made at the National Parks headquarters at the main (Langata Road )
Gate of Nairobi National Park, but in practice you can arrive at any public site without
prior booking. If you require a special campsite, check with the Nairobi Headquarters
first or contact the warden at the park directly at P.O. Box 60, Narok.
An effective government plan allows for
the Masaai to earn income from campers who stay at campsites within the Reserve. Campers
usually pay at one of the gates for the number of nights staying at a campsite while they
pay local Masaai for the costs of a guard, firewood and any other requirements at the
sites themselves.
A non-exhaustive list of the campsites
in and around the reserve include: Crocodile Camp, a private campsite just outside the
reserve; the Oloololo Gate Campsite near the gate of the same name; the Mara
Serena Lodge Campsite, located west of the Mara River near the lodge; the Talek
River Campsites (10 of them), near the Talek River just outside of the Reserve
boundary; the Mara River Campsites (4 of them), in a Masaai concession outside the
Reserve; the Musiara Gate Campsite, next to the gate of the same name; the Talek
Gate Campsite on the nort bank of the Talek River; the Sekenani Gate Campsites
(4), about 0.5 kms before the Gate; the Naunerri Campsite, 3 kms from Sand River
Gate; the Sand River Gate Campsite; and the Fig Tree Campsite, west of the
Talek Gate Campsite. |
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