Wondering when’s the best time to be in the Mara? We give you the lowdown on how it is in different times of the year to help you decide!
Masai Mara in November to January: Low Season
This is the time of short rains in Kenya. The earth in Masai Mara wears a plush coat of nice short grass. Short because all the wildebeests would have feasted on it – like natural lawn mowers – while migrating through this ecosystem.
While India invites the quiet of the winter, it’s summer in Kenya. And the earth-dust that’s provoked from the ungulates walking offers a possibility for surreal photographs of them looking dreamy in the dust. So at the end of the year or at the beginning of a new one, treat yourself to some fantastic beauty that only Masai Mara can promise you.
Masai Mara in February to May: Off Season
This is when Kenya soaks in heavy rains. The plains of Masai Mara are very wet especially in March and April. But May is when the savannahs look drop-dead gorgeous. The lovely lush grass sways like a dream for as long as you can see. The rains are sporadic and can set a dramatic stage for you to see the thriving wildlife enjoying their share of rain. The sky, weighty with clouds pregnant with rain, can render itself into spectacular frames as breathtaking backdrop when you photograph wildlife against it.
Because this time is generally considered off season, travel is relatively inexpensive in Kenya. So, for all the right reasons, we have planned our Harvest in the Savannah Wildlife Photography Tour to Kenya in May. Our Big Cat Week, a Photography Tour that makes the most of photographing the big cats of Africa, is another option for you if they’re your big obssession.
Masai Mara in June to October: Peak Season
One of the most sensational shows on the planet scripted by nature itself happens in Masai Mara in this season. ‘The Great Migration’ that is a round-the-year phenomenon, passes through Masai Mara. Animals like wildebeests, zebras and Thomson’s gazelles arrive in thousands. Season crossings can be seen during this time. If you are fortunate, you can even see those ungulates crossing rivers in the Mara.
In Masai Mara, migration is at its peak in August. It’s no overstatement when we say this is the time to attain salvation for a wildlife photographer. The stage is also set for play of rules of life and death that are beyond our grasp – all owing to a greater beauty that doesn’t conform to the constructs of human perception. Our Great Migration Tour is a plan chalked out to live moments of such intense beauty.
Contact us for a free quote for your Masai Mara trip!
This blog is part four of a series on Africa called ‘The Ultimate Guide to East African Safaris’. Read part one, part two, and part three as well.
