Musiara Marsh

The Musiara Marsh, in the northern sector of the Masai Mara near the Oloololo Escarpment, is one of the most reliably productive wildlife areas in the reserve. A permanent water source year-round, it attracts elephants, hippos, buffalo, and a year-round population of lions and big cats. During the migration season (July to October), the Mara River crossing points near Musiara are among the best in the ecosystem.

The marsh is also associated with the legendary "Marsh Pride" of lions made famous by the BBC wildlife documentaries filmed here in the 1990s and 2000s. The area remains exceptionally good for lion, leopard, and cheetah sightings. The Governor's Camp private conservancy borders the marsh and provides access with fewer vehicles than the main public reserve.

things to do sight wildlife
A story
The Musiara lion prides were made famous by the naturalist Jonathan Scott, who spent years documenting them for the BBC series "Big Cat Diary." The filming brought the Mara to international attention in the 1990s and 2000s and established the reserve's reputation as the best place in Africa to see lions reliably. The same prides — or their descendants — are still resident today, which means some Mara lions are among the most observed and studied in the world.