Great Migration (Maasai Mara)
Great Migration (Maasai Mara) takes place Jul - Oct 2026 (Mara River crossings peak Aug - Sep) in Maasai Mara, Kenya. The dress code is Safari neutrals, a warm fleece and hat for cold dawn game drives, light breathable clothing for midday. Nothing bright and nothing black or dark blue. Typical cost ranges from 1500 to 10000 EUR per person.
Over a million wildebeest and several hundred thousand zebra move north out of the Serengeti into the Maasai Mara between July and October, and the Mara River crossings - where crocodiles wait and herds pile in regardless - are the moment everyone comes for. Predator activity is at its year-round peak. Camps range from classic riverside tents to ultra-luxury private-conservancy lodges with dedicated guides.
- When
- Jul - Oct 2026 (Mara River crossings peak Aug - Sep)
- Where
- Maasai Mara, Kenya
- Dress code
- Safari neutrals, a warm fleece and hat for cold dawn game drives, light breathable clothing for midday. Nothing bright and nothing black or dark blue.
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 1500 to 10000 EUR per person.
- Weather
- Dry season: warm 25 - 27C days, cool mornings around 12C, minimal rain
- When to book
- Book 9 - 12 months ahead for August and September. Mobile camps and the best private-conservancy lodges take deposits more than a year out.
- Getting there
- NBO (Nairobi Wilson), about 45 min by light aircraft to a Mara airstrip
- Where to stay
- Angama Mara (clifftop suites above the Oloololo escarpment, the marquee stay), Governors' Camp (classic riverside tented camp, prime crossing access), Mara Plains Camp (small, design-led, in the Olare Motorogi conservancy)
- Official site
- https://magicalkenya.com/
How to attend
Book through a lodge or a specialist safari operator 9 to 12 months ahead; there are no tickets, and access is controlled by where you stay. Reserve entry fees or conservancy fees are charged on top, typically USD 100 - 200 per person per day. Anyone can go, but the private conservancies (Mara North, Olare Motorogi, Naboisho) cap vehicle numbers and are worth the premium. Fly in by light aircraft from Nairobi Wilson rather than driving.
There is no ticket for the migration - access comes with where you stay, so you book a lodge or a specialist safari operator and pay reserve or conservancy fees on arrival.
Insider tip
Stay in a private conservancy rather than the national reserve - vehicle numbers are capped, off-road driving and night drives are permitted, and you can still drive into the reserve for the river crossings without sharing a bank with sixty other cars.
Get inside Great Migration (Maasai Mara)
Booking matters here: book 9 - 12 months ahead for August and September. Mobile camps and the best private-conservancy lodges take deposits more than a year out. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
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