What's on in Maasai Mara, Kenya through the year

Busy — Festive season peak, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Festive season peak (18 Dec – 5 Jan (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in February.

Quiet — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Season

  The long rains

  15 Mar – 31 May · usuallyMonsoonClosures

  The rains empty the reserve. Black-cotton tracks turn to grease, several camps close for repairs, and the resident game is spread across grass too high to see through.

Quiet — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: The long rains (15 Mar – 31 May (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: The long rains (15 Mar – 31 May (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Busy — Mara River crossings, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Mara River crossings

  1 Jul – 31 Oct · usuallyWildlife seasonCrowdedBook early

  The herds arrive from July and the crossings run through to October, thickest in August and September. A crossing is two hours of waiting and thirty seconds of chaos, with forty vehicles lined up on the bank for it.

• Rule

  Peak reserve fees

  1 Jul – 31 Dec · usually

  The reserve charges its peak conservation fee from July straight through December, at double the January-to-June rate, and it is billed per twenty-four hours rather than per entry. Conservancy beds carry their own nightly fee on top. Source ↗

Busy — Mara River crossings, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Mara River crossings (1 Jul – 31 Oct (usually)), Peak reserve fees (1 Jul – 31 Dec (usually))

Busy — Mara River crossings, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Mara River crossings (1 Jul – 31 Oct (usually)), Peak reserve fees (1 Jul – 31 Dec (usually))

Busy — Mara River crossings, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Mara River crossings (1 Jul – 31 Oct (usually)), Peak reserve fees (1 Jul – 31 Dec (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

• Season

  The short rains

  1 Nov – 10 Dec · usuallyMonsoon

  Short storms in the afternoon and new grass coming through after the herds have gone south. Camps drop their rates for a few weeks between the migration and the festive rush.

Still on: Peak reserve fees (1 Jul – 31 Dec (usually))

Peak crowds — travelers describe it as peak season, Festive season peak

• Holiday

  Festive season peak

  18 Dec – 5 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

  No crossings, but full camps and peak fees. The resident lion, cheetah and elephant are out on short green grass, which is easier viewing than August even without the herds. Source ↗

Still on: Peak reserve fees (1 Jul – 31 Dec (usually)), The short rains (1 Nov – 10 Dec (usually))