Maasai Mara National Reserve is an area of preserved savannah wilderness in southwestern Kenya, along the Tanzanian border. Its animals include lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and hippos. Wildebeest traverse its plains during their annual migration.The area was once dominated by acacia brush, which also houses the tsetse fly, the carrier of “sleeping sickness” disease. However, management efforts aimed at reducing incidence of the disease have led to government workers and indigenous communities clearing major tracts of acacia over the last half century (Lamprey and Reid 2004). Pressure from elephants (Walpole et al. 2003), as well as fire and cattle grazing, have also reduced the extent of acacia and other woody plants (Salvatori et al. 2001; Dublin 1991).

The Masai Mara is fabulous for seeing big cats, their prey and all the Big Five. It is also the stage for the greatest show on Earth – the wildebeest migration. From around July to October grunting herds of wildebeest and zebra cover the plains, often crossing the river between Tanzania and Kenya, attended by crocodile, lion and cheetah. Guests can meet the Maasai people in their distinctive dark red clothing. The people have retained their age-old customs and welcome visits to their villages to experience their culture, traditions and lifestyle.