Maasai Mara National Reserve Live Cam

Geographical and Geological Setting

The Maasai Mara National Reserve lies in southwest Kenya, occupying approximately 1,510 square kilometers of the Great Rift Valley ecosystem. Characterized by gently undulating plains, rolling hills, and meandering rivers, the reserve sits at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 2,200 meters above sea level. Underpinning this landscape is a complex geologic foundation of volcanic basalt flows interlayered with pyroclastic tuffs deposited during successive Rift Valley eruptions in the Pleistocene. These volcanic events produced nutrient-rich soils—predominantly Andosols and Cambisols—that, combined with well-defined wet and dry seasons, foster a productive savanna ecosystem.