Best Time to Visit the Mara?

While visiting Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve — and staying at the upcoming JW Marriott safari lodge — are awesome at any time of year, there are seasons and annual events that make the park even more extraordinary.

The Great Migration of more than two million animals — wildebeest, zebra and other grazers tailed by lions, hyenas and other predators — slowly makes its way through the Mara between July and October/November in search of fresh grass.

Rolling across the international border from the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania, the herds make spectacular, dangerous crossings of the Mara and Tarek rivers on their circuit through the park.

The Green Season between March and May means higher heat and humidity, and the possibility of daily showers. But the crisp air and verdant landscapes provide a lush backdrop for viewing or photographing the baby animals that are born at this time of year.

The span from January to March between the Mara’s two rainy periods is sometimes called the “Lion Season” because it’s considered the best time to observe Panthera leo in the wild.

With the migrating herds back in the Serengeti, the park’s 850 to 900 resident lions have to work harder and roam farther to track down their prey, which means they’re easier to spot on game drives.

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