Masai Mara Question
 

Hello,

For those of you that have been to the Mara,

what would be your pick (regards) time of the year - say, 10-14 nights in the Mara.

Options

1.) Jan/Feb/March - I guess dry and just prior to the short rains.

2.) end June - early July (prior to main migration)

3.) October/November - I guess the tail end of the migration and not too crowded?

Migration is out of the question, as I have no desire to deal with the vehicle traffic.

Any suggestions?

Considerations would be a combination of Serian and Rekero.

Thanks in advance,
Hari

Sorry - that's probably prior to the main long rains?

Hari, you've been to the Mara several times, yes? Have your visits mainly been in Aug/Sept.?

Curious because of course some day I'd like to return. I'm <i>very</i> easily pleased and really enjoyed third week of June. However it's hard to see cheetahs in tall grass. But with 10-14 night I don't think it'd be a problem.

Hi Leely,

My three visits have been - August (twice) and June (this was the year of the Kenyan elections - so not an atypical situation as most of the Mara was empty then).

I'm really keen on large prides of Lions, believe it or not - ofcourse, cheetahs too....

Hari, as you know I went in January this year, previously it was late June. Neither time had great crowds. Jan this year was unusual in that there had been good rains in late Dec and everything was green but the only high grass was over in the triangle. As you know we had great cheetah and lion sightings (8 and 50+- individuals respectively) and I'm pretty sure that I could have increased both species with some small effort but was disinclined to. January is excellent for cubs and young of all species. The lion and cheetah cubs are all coming out in the open. We saw 2 prides with really small cubs and one pride with slightly older cubs. We just missed the birth of a buffalo and saw quite a few new born antelope and zebra and giraffe. Photographically it was ideal as far as subject matter. In our June visit we saw no young of any species.
I'm going back in January next year so it will be interesting to see whether it is a dust bowl or not. We barely saw a vehicle in the triangle this year (Jan) and only a few more in the Narok side. Of course, in the MNC we saw only 1 or 2.
Serian and Rekero would be a combination I would like.

Hari, just a thought. I don't believe Spencer guides at either Rekero or Serian! :D

Thanks, Twaffle ........ :) :) :)

The babies would tip the scales for me. That's interesting information, twaffle. Thanks.
Perhaps if you timed it well, you could do a Mara-Ndutu combo, Hari. Babies everywhere.

You've seen the web site describing many of the Mara lion prides, and their territories, Hari?

Only things learned around the campfire that I can think of to add to what I'm pretty sure you know already (and even these you could guess putting two and two together) are...

(i) Some camps are closed in November to get refreshed after the migration madness, and so it can be even less crowded than usual - and the time between the middle of October and the middle of December is usually very quiet anyway (same goes for most of January after the weekend after New Year of course, but November is the peak of the low season and there is not really a wildlife-relevant reason for this).
(ii) Rains are even more unpredicatable than elsewhere. There is higher rainfall than in some other Kenyan parks overall, but the lion's share can actually come in any one or more of the months October to January and April to June.
(iii) If the heavier rain does fall, it restricts off-road driving to some extent and, combined with the smaller number of game drives going on, makes it harder to keep track of the big cats.... but "harder" is relative.

Thanks for the pointers, Sangeeta and Kimburu. The info on the rainfall patterns in the Mara is much appreciated -

Though I am going in Sept this time and have always gone in Aug in the past, Nov is looking attractive to me in the future for these reasons:

fewer people, as mentioned above
short grass after a whole dry season of grazing
better pricing, including airfares
not the heavy rains
wildes crossing back to Tanzania

downsides are:
could be some rain
hotter than other times
if coordinated with gorillas, I'd prefer earlier in season with less chance of rain for gorillas

Kimburu's point of restricted game drives would be another negative.

The baby boom of January or Feb, as Twaffle pointed out, would be a good incentive too, especially if combining Mara and Serengeti.

Jan-Mar - are quiet in the Mara, can be hot as it is "summer", but nights/mornings are cool. Most camp prices are at "mid" season. Grasses in some areas maybe high in Jan if the "short" rains of Nov/Dec were late; by Feb/Mar lower as the heat just kills the stuff.

end-Jun/Jul - can be prior "migration" but this year, small portion of the herds arrived as early as early-June, but as many also returned to Serengeti and then back again. For those visiting this year, this was a pleasant surprise. Generally, the herds arrive from mid-July staying thru late-Sep (some years they've been till Nov and even Dec). Rates at most properties increase to "peak" by 15th Jun, definitely 1st Jul. Grasses on the northern conservancies are almost always low, though once into the reserve/triangle many areas can be high till the zebra arrive to eat the higher, so the wildies can get to the lower grasses.

Oct-Nov - start of the "short" rains and some seasonal camps close, as Rekero (Nov); Serian though is open year-round. Some camps go into "mid" season rates by Oct, others as Nov thru mid-Dec. Grasses are low most everywhere as the wildies, zebra and Tommies have eaten them down to nibs.

I wouldn't consider any of these periods crowded. And, besides the known "wet" periods, which are never a guarantee, it's been known to shower even in the dry seasons.

HHari,

I have been in the Mara in August ( just return ), September 2 years ago and April.

I asked my 2 guides about January-February and also October-November and both agree those a perfect times to be in the Mara.
They advice me to avoid first week of January and first 2 weeks of October to be sure to skip crowds.

My last 2 visits have been August and September and in both there where female cheetah with very small cubs . I am not sure this is the norm but if it is , that means in October - November those cubs would be 2 to 5 months ( if they can make it ) and for a cheetah lover like you that may be irresistible.

Paco.

My 2 cents:


1.) Jan/Feb/March - I guess dry and just prior to the short rains.

CAN BE DRY BUT NOT NECESSARILY! WE SPOKE ABOUT THE WEATHER PATTERN EARLIER ;-) WE SPENT A MORE THAN A WEEK IN THE MARA LAST FEB AND HAD RAIN ALMOST EVERY DAY!
A FRIEND OF OURS SPENT !$ DAYS AT THE MARA IN FEB - DIFFERENT WEEKS - AND HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE!

2.) end June - early July (prior to main migration)

LONG GRASS AND SIHGTINGS ARE MORE DIFFICULT OF COURSE AND NAVIGATING IN THE BLACK COTOON SOIL BECOMES HARDER.

3.) October/November - I guess the tail end of the migration and not too crowded?

VERY GOOD TIME OF YEAR: MIGRATION WILL BE AROUND IN OCT - STILL BIG PATCHES OF ANIMALS
ONE OF MY FAV SEASONS FROM MID OCT UP UNTIL MID NOV

PAUL KIRUI HAS A VERY GOOD BLOG PROVIDING NEWS ON ANIMALS AND WEATHER
http://paul-kirui.blogspot.com/

GOVERNORS CAMPS AS WELL
www.governorscamp.com

JACKSON FROM REKERO TENTED AS WELL
http://jacksonlooseyia.blogspot.com/

The above provide you with a long term info on weather and sightings.

((@))

Just lurking about before leaving in two weeks for the Mara and No. Kenya.

Thanks for the links, SV; they are interesting to read and quite helpful,giving me hope that we will see some of the migration no less!

Moneyburns

Pleasure moneyburns - sounds you do what your name says you can do best ;-)

Happy landings!

((@))

Appreciate all of your feedback and links etc etc., from all the posts. Thank you!!!