Best of Kenya

• The Masai Mara plays host to the most spectacular array of wildlife. 1,500 square kilometers of broad, biscuit coloured savannah sprawls as home to huge numbers of birds (almost 600 species including many raptors) and animals and is contiguous with the enormous expanse of the Serengeti; the two combine as the most diverse ecosystem on the continent.
• The word ‘mara’ comes from the local dialect, Maa, as spoken by the Masai and means mottled.
• Every year the Mara witnesses the most incredible animal phenomenon on the planet – the wildebeest migration. This mammalian train moves north from the Serengeti in search of fresh pasture, and returns south around October, a heaving line of grunting, snorting life that stretches for miles.
• At the Mara River they mass together nervously on the banks before plunging frantically onwards; their quest for food overwhelming their fear of the crocodiles that lie in wait for their annual feast. This incredible spectacle involves the movement of over a million wildebeest and their groupies, half a million Thomson’s gazelle, half a million zebra as well as smaller herds of topi and eland. These herds are closely followed by the predators, primarily lions.

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL

• January to March are hot dry months with low water levels and short grass. The wildlife have to fight over resources and can easily be seen gathered around water sources.
• The rains arrive between April and May and are characterized by short, intense thunderstorms and beautiful rainbows. The landscape turns lush and wildflowers abound. This is also when there are the lowest visitor numbers ensuring an exclusive experience.
• Between June and October the migration arrives in the Masai Mara and there are numerous river crossings.
• The last two months of the year have less intrusive rain. Temperatures are still high, although the mornings can be rather chilly.

• Amboseli National Park, at the foot of snow-capped Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, lies 240 kms (145 miles) south-east of Nairobi.
• For centuries, it has been the home of the celebrated Maasai, a proud nomadic people, famed for their courage and traditions which endure today. More than any other community in Kenya, they have learned to live in harmony with their environment and its resident wildlife.
• Amboseli’s signature attraction is the sight of hundreds of big-tusked elephants set against the backdrop of Africa’s tallest peak – Mt Kilimanjaro.
• Kilimanjaro hangs as a mirage above the hot plains – as the ice melts it provides fresh water, feeding rivers and marshes and helps sustain the animals during the long dry season.

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL

• The rains between April and May bring renewed life to the plains, both in flora and fauna, transforming the landscape into lush green expanses. This is the best time to witness new life – from a brown-and-white striped zebra foal taking its first steps on wobbly legs to an elephant calf tenderly engaging with its mother.
• The dry season between June and October is generally considered the best time to see wildlife in Amboseli; with little rain falling wildlife retreats to the park’s swamps where underground water from Kilimanjaro wells up permanently year-round.
• The best time for an ornithological safari is between November and March, as the onset of winter in Europe brings migratory bird species to the park.