West of Nairobi, the Masai Mara National Reserve, (Mara, as the veterans call it), Kenya's busiest wildlife park, teeming with wildlife, is a nature reserve (where the Masai tribes have the premise of working the land and hunting) that covers a not-at-all flat area of 320 square kilometers and occupies a large portion of the Serengeti.
Many tourists venture out to explore at least part of the vast grasslands, trying not to occupy the beaten track of wildlife during the annual mass migration.
On the western border of the park is the spectacular Esoit Oloololo Escarpment, while the highest concentration of animals occurs along the edges of the reserve.
Large herds of lions are visible everywhere, and with any luck you may see them busy hunting.
The park is also home to numerous elephants, buffalo, zebras and hippos. Nature reserve rather than national park.
Within the Mara also stands a Maasai village open to tourists.
The Masai Mara, linked to Nairobi by two daily flights, is home to a large number of hotels. The provincial town of Narok-a few hours' drive west of Nairobi-is the main entrance to the park
