Destinations · 15 April 2026
When to Visit the Mara
The migration is one factor. The conservancies, the rains, and the Mara River itself are the others. A practical month-by-month guide.
Mara plains in long evening light, single acacia, distant herds
The single biggest mistake first-time Mara visitors make is to time the trip exclusively around the migration. The migration is spectacular, but the Mara is exceptional all year round, and the conservancies — Olare Motorogi, Naboisho, Mara North — deliver Big Five density with a fraction of the vehicles in any month of the year.
That said, here is what we tell our guests month by month...
Tagged · Kenya · Maasai Mara · SJ4 · SJ8 · MG7 · planning