Best Time for a Masai Mara Safari

The main reason ten thousands of travelers visit Masai Mara National Reserve is to witness the world-famous Great Wildebeest Migration, so the best time to visit for a Masai Mara Safari is from about August to November. Due to the varying rainfall patterns, the exact timing varies year to year. In some years, the rains might be early and the herds will arrive and depart sooner, while other times the late rains mean the wildebeest arrive later and you will still find stragglers.

However, thanks to the reserve’s abundant resident wildlife and temperate climate, the Masai Mara is widely regarded as a fantastic year-round safari destination. Its wide and open plains mean there is virtually always something to see regardless of the time of year you visit.

Masai Mara Safari: High Season Vs Low Season

Travel Tip: Masai Mara National Reserve is also great between January and the end of March. Usually the weather is mild and dry, and most of the safari crowds are absent.

Month By Month Guide for Traveling to Masai Mara

Visiting Masai Mara from January to March

January is one of the warmest months of the year in Masai Mara National Reserve, this month is not as rainy as December, with an average of 15 days of rainfall throughout the month, and if it does rain it is usually just a short – burst shower in the afternoon. If you are a birding enthusiast, this is the best time to visit the Masai Mara as the migratory bird species from North Africa and Europe can be spotted frequenty in the Mara. January is also a calving (birthing season) and it is a time when new life is abundant.

In February – thousands of baby animals are born a day, and the birthing season carries on through until March. This is when to visit the Masai Mara. This is perfect time to visit Masai Mara National Reserve to avoid the crowds and to witness Africa’s bi cats stalking plains game. Also, it is a fantastic time for photographers because you will often have massive tracts of land and sightings all to yourself especially in the private conservancies of Masai Mara.

 Visiting Masai Mara During April and May

April is a low season month in Masai Mara with more rainfall than any other time of the year. It is lightly cooler than March but is still warm. This is the period of the long rains and some of the Masai Mara lodges and camp may close over this period to attend to general maintenance and refurbs, and to give their staff along and well- deserved break.

Slightly, there is less rainfall during May but it is still one of the wettest times of the year in the Masai Mara. This period does mark the start of some slightly cooler months in Kenya usually lasting until September. Dirt roads turn to sticky mud, river floods their banks, and the almost persistent drizzle never really allows for a sunny gap. However, predicting rain is the most inexact of sciences and you may find that one year May is washed out, while the next is dry.

Visiting Masai Mara from June to August

June marks the end of the long rains and the start of the busy season in Masai Mara. It is a much drier month, and the days are far cooler than any other time of the year. The vegetation is still lush and dense from all the rainfall and even though the animals can sometimes be hard to spot, it is still considered one of the best times to visit for a Masai Mara Safari.

In July – the wildebeest herd may start to arrive in the Mara after their journey from the Serengeti. The daytime conditions are very pleasant with warm weather, but it can get cold in the evenings and on early morning game drives. July is the driest month of the year which keeps the wildlife within reach of their watering holes. This is the best time for a Big 5 Safari in the Masai Mara, but it is one of the busiest months of the year. The prices go up and sightings can become crowded in the national reserve.

August – Is another dry month of the year in the Masai Mara but it experiences same cooler temperatures as July, especially at night. August is a popular month to witness the daily wildlife spectacle of the Great Migration as well as the famous Mara River Crossings. But these crossings cannot be predicted  as sometimes the herds stay put for weeks, other times they could cross four times a day.

Visiting Masai Mara During September and October

It is slightly warmer in the Masai Mara in September than in August with high daytime temperatures and cold nights. Still, it is the dry season which makes for exceptional game viewing and it is still a great month to see the Great Migration in full swing.

During October, things begin to heat up and it is one of the hottest months of year and the wildebeests are still in and around the Mara.

Visiting Masai Mara During November and December

The short summer rains in November trigger the last leg of the Great Wildebeest Migration, when the wildebeest move south to Serengeti Ndutu Plains for calving. The only downside can be the rain, but the thundershowers are usually short afternoon bursts followed by clear skies.

At the start of the month, December is less busy than during the peak season months, but it can get busy over the festive season period.