Maasai Mara National Reserve (also "Masai Mara) is one of the world's most magnificent game reserves. Bordering Tanzania, the Mara is the northern extension of the Serengeti and forms a wildlife corridor between the two countries. It's named after the statuesque, red-cloaked Maasai people who live in the area for centuries. In their language, Mara means "mottled," perhaps a reference to the play of light and shadow from the acacia trees and cloud-studded skies on the vast grasslands. The park is famous for the Wildebeest Migration, when thousands of wildebeest, zebra, and Thomson's gazelle travel to and from the Serengeti, from July through October. In the Mara River, throngs of hippos and crocodiles lurk. The park is also known for providing excellent predator sightings (check Big Cat Diary on BBC), thanks to its relatively large populations of Big Five: Lion, Leopard, African Elephant, & Rhino plus many other flora & fauna.
