The Masai Mara National Reserve, in southwestern Kenya, is the northern extension of Tanzania’s Serengeti. It is known for its big cats and for the wildebeest migration, which generally arrives around June–July and continues until November according to the Mara Conservancy, which manages the western sector (Mara Triangle). The entry fee is paid cashless, with a 12-hour ticket valid from 6 am to 6 pm. Both the UK FCDO and the U.S. State Department tell visitors to follow park regulations and rangers’ advice. This page details the official park rules, the migration season, light for safaris and how to choose a safari.
To place the reserve in your trip, see our guide to visiting Kenya, our page on the best time to visit Kenya, our guide to safari in Africa and our comparison Kenya or Tanzania.
Our travel deals for Masai Mara
Affiliate links: we earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
FlightsKiwi.comCompare flights and airline combinations to Masai Mara.Compare flights- eSIMAiraloData plan to install before you leave (eSIM-compatible phone).See plans
Masai Mara: key facts
- Entry ticket: 12-hour ticket, valid from 6 am to 6 pm whatever your arrival time, not carried over to the night (Mara Triangle) — checked on 27 October 2026 on maratriangle.org
- Payment: no cash at the Mara Triangle (« We do not accept cash »): M-Pesa or card; passport required, otherwise the non-resident rate applies
- Children: child rate for ages 9 to 17; free at age 8 and under
- Migration: generally starts around June–July and continues until November (Mara Conservancy)
- Safety: follow park regulations and rangers’ advice; the FCDO advises arriving in daylight and avoiding night driving if possible
- Entry requirements: see entry requirements for Kenya
Why visit the Masai Mara?
Together with the Serengeti, the Masai Mara forms the ecosystem where the great migration takes place. The Mara Conservancy describes the spectacle as much more than river crossings: by its figures, around 1,245,000 wildebeest, 200,000 Burchell’s zebra, 18,000 eland and 500,000 Thomson’s gazelle fill the landscape at that time. Outside the migration, the reserve remains one of East Africa’s great safari grounds.
The reserve has several sectors. The Mara Triangle, west of the Mara River, is managed by the Mara Conservancy; its boundaries are the Mara River, the crest of the Oloololo Escarpment and the Tanzanian border, marked by white beacons. None of the boundaries is fenced: wildlife moves into neighboring areas, including private conservancies.
National reserve, Mara Triangle or conservancy?
Around the national reserve, conservancies (conservation areas bordering the reserve) also host camps and safaris. They have their own rules and access fees, which are not those of the reserve: ask your camp or agency. Activities offered as options by camps (hot-air balloon, village visit) are run by private providers; check who operates them and what is included.
Entry fees: how they work
Fees are paid according to where you stay: if you sleep in the Mara Triangle and arrive through the Sekenani Gate (Narok side), you pay only when entering the Triangle at the Purungat Bridge. Tickets are bought online (KAPS, Visa card), in Nairobi or on arrival from an authorized point. The amounts are published by the Mara Conservancy as fee tables: consult them directly, as they depend on status (non-resident, East African resident, citizen) and age.
- ID: passport compulsory; a driver’s license is not accepted.
- Resident rate: reserved for residents of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, with proof.
- Vehicle: fee valid for 12 hours, with unlimited exits and entries into the Triangle; two hours of transit tolerated.
- Camping: two rangers are compulsory for night-time security.
Choosing and booking your safari
Most travelers use an organized safari (lodge or camp with game drives) or a 4×4 tour with a driver-guide from Nairobi; others fly into the reserve. Before booking, check: whether park fees are included (and for how many days), the sector visited (national reserve, Mara Triangle, conservancy), the number of seats per vehicle and whether a window seat is guaranteed, and the cancellation policy. The FCDO advises using reputable tour operators and not buying safari tours from touts; the U.S. State Department notes that the Kenya Wildlife Service requires all tour operators and safari lodges to carry nationally mandated insurance, and suggests asking whether a camp or operator complies.
Getting there: road or air
- By road: the road is paved from Narok to the Sekenani Gate; for camps outside the park on the west side, the Mara Conservancy recommends the route via Aitong. A 4×4 is essential.
- By air: several airlines operate scheduled daily flights to the Mara airstrips, including Air Kenya, Safarilink and Fly540, according to the Mara Conservancy.
- Night driving: the UK FCDO says to avoid driving at night if possible and to arrive at your destination in daylight; the U.S. State Department says inter-city night road travel should be avoided because of poor roads and streetlights and the threat of banditry (GOV.UK, updated 16 October 2026; travel.state.gov, read 26 October 2026).
Park rules to know
The Mara Triangle’s rules aim to protect wildlife and the quality of sightings. Rangers can impose an immediate fine or exclude a vehicle.
| Rule | Official detail |
|---|---|
| Speed | 50 km/h (31 mph) on graded roads, 30 km/h (19 mph) on other tracks; automatic speed cameras |
| Off-road | Forbidden in « High-Use Zones »; allowed in the « Low-Use Zone » only to approach a lion, leopard or cheetah, at a minimum of 25 m (82 ft), then return by the same route |
| Sightings | Beyond five vehicles at a sighting, 10 minutes maximum; waiting vehicles stay 100 m (328 ft) away |
| Getting out of the vehicle | Forbidden, except at designated points; no climbing on the roof or sitting on the window |
| Wildebeest crossings | Stay in the vehicle, in silence, without approaching or blocking the animals’ passage |
| Animal on the road | Stop and give it priority |
The Mara Conservancy explains that wildebeest pushed by vehicles to cross at the wrong place have died by the hundreds, trampled or drowned on banks that are too steep: the distance rule is not a formality.
Best time to visit the Masai Mara
The Mara Conservancy places the migration « somewhere in June–July » through to November; river crossings are frequent but hard to predict. The rest of the year, resident wildlife can still be seen. Kenya’s two rainy seasons make some tracks more difficult: for month-by-month climate, see our page on the best time to visit Kenya. As no official normals are published for a station in the reserve, we show no temperature table.
Light for safaris
On the equator, sunrise and sunset barely move: the 12-hour ticket (6 am–6 pm) covers almost the whole solar day. Morning and late-afternoon game drives benefit from low light; compare with the table below.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length (h:min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:42 | 18:54 | 12:12 |
| February | 06:48 | 18:58 | 12:09 |
| March | 06:44 | 18:51 | 12:07 |
| April | 06:37 | 18:41 | 12:05 |
| May | 06:34 | 18:37 | 12:03 |
| June | 06:38 | 18:41 | 12:02 |
| July | 06:44 | 18:46 | 12:03 |
| August | 06:42 | 18:45 | 12:04 |
| September | 06:31 | 18:37 | 12:06 |
| October | 06:21 | 18:29 | 12:08 |
| November | 06:18 | 18:29 | 12:11 |
| December | 06:28 | 18:40 | 12:13 |
Destination de Voyage calculation: by this calculation, sunset falls between 6:29 pm and 6:58 pm depending on the month: the end of the ticket’s validity (6 pm) therefore comes before nightfall all year round, which is worth bearing in mind for an evening game drive outside a conservancy.
Safety and health
According to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 16 October 2026; read on 26 October 2026), travelers are advised against travel to the Kenya-Somalia border areas and the northern parts of the east coast (including Mandera County and parts of Lamu County); the Masai Mara, in Narok County, is not in the areas it lists. For game reserves and national parks the FCDO advises using reputable tour operators, arriving in daylight, always following park regulations and wardens’ advice, and notes the risks of viewing wildlife, particularly on foot or at close range. According to the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov), Kenya is Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory updated October 18, 2026), citing health, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest and traffic safety, with some areas at increased risk; its country page asks travelers to observe local or park regulations and exercise appropriate caution. Read both pages again before you leave.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Arriving at the gate without a passport: the non-resident rate will be applied, and a driver’s license is not accepted.
- Planning to pay cash at the Mara Triangle: it is refused.
- Pushing the driver to get closer: 25 m minimum from big cats, 10 minutes if there are more than five vehicles.
- Getting out of the vehicle to photograph a crossing: forbidden.
- Driving at night to save time: discouraged by both the FCDO and the State Department.
- Forgetting the entry paperwork: see entry requirements for Kenya before you book.
What to see nearby
Across the border, the Serengeti hosts the migration the rest of the year. Most itineraries go through Nairobi. For entry to Kenya, see entry requirements for Kenya.
Frequently asked questions
When can you see the migration in the Masai Mara?
According to the Mara Conservancy, the migration generally starts around June–July and continues until November; river crossings are frequent but unpredictable.
How do you pay the Masai Mara entry fee?
At the Mara Triangle, cashless: M-Pesa or card, online via KAPS or at the gate. The ticket is valid for 12 hours, from 6 am to 6 pm.
Is the Masai Mara safe?
It is not in the areas the UK FCDO advises against travel to (GOV.UK, updated 16 October 2026), but the U.S. State Department rates Kenya Level 3: Reconsider Travel (updated October 18, 2026). Both ask visitors to follow park regulations and rangers’ instructions.
Can you go on safari in your own car?
Yes in a 4×4, respecting the speed limits, the off-road zones and the viewing distances. The UK FCDO advises avoiding night driving if possible.
Do children pay the entry fee?
At the Mara Triangle, free at age 8 and under; child rate for ages 9 to 17.
Do you need a visa for Kenya?
Entry rules, including any electronic authorization, are set out on our Kenya page: see entry requirements for Kenya.
Our sources
- Mara Conservancy (maratriangle.org): Conservation Fees, Park Rules, Driving, Flying, Wildebeest Migration and About pages, consulted on 27 October 2026
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK), Kenya travel advice (updated 16 October 2026), read on 26 October 2026
- U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov): Kenya Travel Advisory, Level 3 (updated October 18, 2026) and Kenya Country Information, read on 26 October 2026
- Wikipedia article « Maasai Mara » (coordinates), consulted on 27 October 2026
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, applied by Destination de Voyage to the coordinates of the reserve (15th of each month, year 2027, clear horizon)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices, hours and access conditions may change: check the official website before you go.