Maasai Mara National Reserve

　　   　    Highlights       Lions: When entering the Maasai Mara, what visitors most hope to see is the “king of beasts”—the lion. Lions gather in family groups, with one or two male lions as the leaders, and the rest being females or cubs. The lionesses take on all the family chores, including hunting. Lion prides can even hunt down formidable wild buffaloes together.     Maasai Women: Maasai women love wearing bright-colored clothes or long capes, and their necks, arms, and legs are adorned with colorful bead necklaces that are truly dazzling. These ornaments increase in number as the years of marriage go by and are never to be removed, staying on day and night. Most eye-catching, however, are their ears. Maasai girls get their ears pierced at birth and insert a small ornament. As they grow, the holes are gradually expanded using wooden plugs, softened with butter to increase flexibility, and the weight of the ornaments is increased over time to stretch the earlobes longer and longer until they hang down to the shoulders, revealing huge ear piercings.  

　　  　            Maasai Mara National Reserve is considered one of the world’s most famous wildlife sanctuaries. This animal paradise consists of 1,672 square kilometers of open plains, woodlands, and riverside forests. Established in 1961, it is the largest home to wild mammals in the world, hosting 95 species of mammals and 450 species of birds.     Endless grasslands are dotted with herds of zebras, giraffes, antelopes, and topi; acacia woodlands are alive with birds and monkeys; elephants and African buffaloes wallow in the vast Musiara Swamp; and the Mara River teems with hippos and crocodiles. All of this nature disconnects you from the hustle and bustle of the city.     The Mara is known as the kingdom of lions, where these majestic and powerful predators rule the plains. Cheetahs are also commonly seen here, along with hyenas and smaller predators such as jackals. The midday heat on the plains is intense, leaving all predators drowsy from the sun, so the best times to visit them are early morning or after sunset.

　　    Maasai Mara National Reserve is not only home to animals but also to the Maasai people. The Maasai are a renowned warrior tribe in East Africa who live a nomadic lifestyle. The warriors all have long hair and wear red or brown Maasai cloth, while the women shave their heads or keep their hair very short. The Maasai still practice polygamy. The outermost layer of their villages is made of thorny dry branches to keep out wild animals, with the middle consisting of small houses built from cow dung arranged in a circle with doors facing inward and walls outward, and with a few gaps for entry and exit. Houses made of dried cow dung are generally short but sturdy and solid, lasting for at least around seven years.

　　   　    Transportation        Safari (game drive) within Maasai Mara National Reserve is conducted in modified jeeps or vans, with no fixed routes—everything depends on experienced drivers who track animals, including relaying information to each other via walkie-talkies. Even the trails are not always clearly marked. Of course, you can trust these seasoned drivers not to get lost.    　    Entrance Fee/Opening Hours   

　　      The entrance fee is $40.     Opening hours: 6:00–18:00.  　

　　 Maasai Mara, Kenya