In this article, we look at a list of the Best Places to visit in Narok County. Located 142 kilometres from Nairobi, Narok Town is the headquarters of Narok County and home to a growing population of over 40,000 people. The Maasai, natives of Narok county, refer to Narok as Enkare Narok (meaning black water or dark water), named after Enkare Narok, the river flowing through Narok town.
Narok Town is popularly associated with The Maasai Mara Game Reserve. After all, the bulk of the Game Reserve is in Narok County. However, there’s more to Narok than just the Mara. Here are the Best Places to visit in Narok County other than going to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
Best Places To Visit In Narok County
1. Narok Library
If you enjoy reading, you must visit the Kenya Library National Services (KNLS) library. KNLS is the 2nd public library and 3rd library to exist in Narok town. The first library was government-funded. It lived until around the year 1998 and then it closed down. The building was later converted into a courtroom.
The second library, was the donor-funded Maasai Education Discovery, or MED, as we all called it. It existed from around the year 2002 until 2010, when it closed down. They had a thousand comic books and a basketball court. This brings us to the current library, which KNLS opened in 2016. KNLS is located on the Kaplong-Narok-Maai Road, a few metres from the Narok Stadium. It is a very Kenyan building, imposing yet drab. However, they have a wide selection of children’s books and Pace Setters.
2. Narok Museum
The Narok Museum, a Kenya National Museum entity, has been in existence since 1997. Located on the Kaplong-Narok-Maai Road, the Museum showcases the culture of the Maa people (Samburu, Maasai, and Okiek). They have a replica of the boma built within the space; crockery such as pots and gourds; weapons such as spears, rungus, and njoras; and photos of various subjects.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the Maasai had contraceptives for their sheep? During the drought, they’d tie the Enchoni Olmeregesh (mating protector) around the waist of male sheep to prevent them from mating.
3. Loita Hills
The Loita Hills, also known as the Loita Plains, is a stunning landscape of rolling hills and grasslands located 57.4 kilometres from Narok town. The hills are situated to the East of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The Loita Hills are home to the Maasai people, who have lived in the region for centuries and maintain a traditional way of life centred around their herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. Visitors to the Loita Hills can learn about Maasai culture and customs, including their distinctive clothing, jewellery, and rituals.
One of the most popular activities in the Loita Hills is hiking. The area is crisscrossed by a network of trails that offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape and wildlife. Visitors can also take part in guided nature walks, bird watching, and cultural tours of local villages. The Loita Hills are also home to a rich variety of wildlife, including giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and a variety of bird species. Visitors may even have the chance to see predators such as lions and leopards, as the Loita Hills are connected to the Maasai Mara ecosystem.
Beyond its natural and cultural attractions, the Loita Hills are also a great place to relax and unwind. Visitors can camp out in the bush or stay in one of the many traditional Maasai homesteads, known as manyattas, where they can experience the warmth and hospitality of Maasai life.
4. Mara Triangle
This is one-third of the Maasai Mara Nationa Reserve. The Mara Triangle is one of the areas where herds of the Great Migration enter. They also exit the Maasai Mara National Reserve from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. In addition, it makes it one of the prime viewing locations for this wildlife spectacle. The Mara River crossing is among the migration’s most dramatic events. Therefore, staying in the Mara Triangle will offer you front-row seats to the show.
The Mara Triangle is a part of the Maasai National Reserve, which is famous for camping and watching wildlife. You can also carry your camping gear and stay at a private or public campsite or just get it from a club there. Wildlife enthusiasts will just love what the Mara Triangle has to offer. Along with an exotic range of animals, there are various varieties of birds to watch as well. If you like camping and staying in a jungle, it is one of the most fantastic places to be. You can visit it whenever you please but since it is a jungle, it is better to settle there before dusk falls.
5. Maasai Mara National Reserve
Maasai Mara is one of the most incredible game reserves in the world. Nestled on the border of Tanzania, Mara is the northern extension of the Serengeti. It makes for a wildlife corridor between the two countries, Tanzania and Kenya. Maasai Mara is named after the dignified and red-cloaked people of Maasai who reside here and graze their animals here. In the local language, Mara refers to mottled, which is perhaps a reference to the play of shadow and light from the acacia trees as well as the cloud-studded skies on the vast, spread grasslands. The park is mostly known for its Great Migration when several thousands of zebra, wildebeest, and Thomson’s gazelles travel to and fro from Serengeti in the months from July to October.
6. Mau Forest
The Mau Forest is the largest indigenous montane forest enclosure in all of East Africa. It is also a place that receives the highest rainfall in Kenya, so you must avoid going here during the monsoon. The forest is also the largest water catchment area in Kenya and due to all these facts, it has started attracting several people. You will find numerous plant and bird species in the forest, and for this reason, it is termed a heaven for bird watchers. You can also spot various local ethnic groups with whom you can interact during your visit. The Rift Valley is a must-visit place inside the Mau Forest complex. The place is open throughout the day and night.
7. Maji Moto Maasai Cultural Camp
Maji Moto Maasai cultural camp is home to some of the most authentic, breathtaking Maasai experiences. However, each year the goal of the cultural camp is to positively impact the lives of as many Maasai people as possible. In addition, the founder of the camp is Salaton Ole Ntutu, a community chief.
8. Mara Naboisho Conservancy
Mara Naboisho Conservancy lies adjacent to the Masai Mara National Reserve. The Mara Naboisho Conservancy is a private conservancy that is a groundbreaking project of tourism. Visitors come here for exploration and can encounter a lot of personal space, wildlife and freedom. Camping can be good fun here. You can set up camp on the plains of the African savannah and wake up to the sounds of the zebras right out of your tent. This conservancy is also home to big cats in vast numbers. A variety of wildebeests, elephants, and giraffes can also be spotted here. Unlike its neighbour, Masai Mara National Reserve, the Mara Naboisho Conservancy strictly keeps track of the number of tourists who visit the place.
9. Mount Suswa
Mount Suswa is a fascinating natural wonder located only 73.9 kilometres from Narok town. The mountain’s rugged terrain and diverse landscapes offer a range of outdoor activities for visitors, including hiking, mountain climbing, and bird watching. The area is also a popular destination for geologists and other scientists, as it provides a unique opportunity to study the geological processes that have shaped the Great Rift Valley over millions of years.
The area around Mount Suswa is also home to a range of wildlife species, including zebras, giraffes, hyenas, and a variety of bird species. Visitors can explore the mountain on foot or by vehicle, taking in the stunning vistas and diverse landscapes that make this area such a unique and captivating destination.
10. Mara River
The Mara River is a legendary waterway that runs through Kenya and Tanzania, providing a vital lifeline for the wildlife of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Spanning over 395 kilometres, the river starts in the Mau Escarpment in Kenya and flows through the Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Serengeti National Park before finally emptying into Lake Victoria.
The Mara River is perhaps best known for the annual Great Migration when millions of wildebeest, zebras, and other herbivores make the treacherous journey across the river in search of greener pastures. This incredible spectacle is a highlight of any African safari, as visitors can witness the awe-inspiring sight of thousands of animals crossing the river, while predators such as crocodiles and lions lie in wait.
Beyond the Great Migration, the Mara River is home to a diverse array of wildlife species, including hippos, elephants, buffalo, and a variety of bird species. Visitors can take a guided boat tour along the river, observing the wildlife and enjoying the stunning scenery along the way.
11. Elewana Sand River
Located on the banks of a river from which it takes its name, Sand River Masai Mara is located within the Masai Mara National Reserve, close to the Tanzanian border. Situated on a secluded and picturesque site, the camp replicates the heyday of exclusive permanent tented camps of the 1920s. The interior fixtures and furnishings mirror this period.
Sand River Masai Mara is an ideal destination for those wishing to enjoy exceptional game viewing. The camp comprises 16 tents divided into two separate but adjoining campsites, with each area possessing its own designated dining and public areas, thus ensuring privacy and exclusivity. Be enthralled and entertained by the spectacular diversity of wildlife that surrounds Sand River, Masai Mara.
12. Enonkishu Conservancy
Enonkishu Conservancy is a pastoralist family cooperative on the outskirts of the Mara Ecosystem. The organisation, which has 6,000 acres, is dedicated to long-term rangeland management and balancing cattle and wildlife demands. To preserve cattle biodiversity, the conservancy promotes cattle breeding, husbandry, and grazing. Predator-proof mobile bomas have also been installed at the conservatory to reduce the number of lion retribution kills. Travellers benefit from livestock, wild animals, and natural beauty as a result. Enonkishu also houses the Mara Training Centre, which offers training to other conservation organisations, group ranches, and communities. They can learn about rangeland management, social cohesion, governance, and leadership, as well as lucrative animal husbandry procedures.
Located in both Kajiado and Narok counties and only about 50 km from Nairobi in the Great Rift Valley, Mount Suswa is a stunning location for you to do both hiking and caving. This extinct volcano is made up of a unique double crater system, featuring a spectacular sunken ‘crater within a crater.’ The summit of the inner volcano, Ol Doinyo Nyokie (the red mountain), rises to 2,356 m (7,730 ft), affording an awe-inspiring view.
Dotted with Masai manyattas, the outer crater (around 10 km in diameter) provides the Maasai with grazing for their livestock and freshwater through spouting steam from deep underground.
The inner crater (5km across) is covered by pristine tropical forest and home to leopards, hyenas, buffaloes, antelopes, baboons and other wildlife. Mt Suswa also has a vast network of obsidian caves, which are ideal for exploring. Made famous by a BBC documentary, these caves are home to the ‘baboon parliament’ and thousands of bats. This unique cave system is considered the world’s most complex braided system of lava tubes.
The Conservancy is entirely run by the Masai community, that lives inside Mount Suswa. This means that all camping fees go towards preserving, not just the park but also the lifestyle of those who live in it.
14. Ol Kinyei Conservancy
Covering approximately 65 km2, Ol Kinyei is a conservancy run by the local Maasai people. It was founded in 2005 when members of the Maasai community set aside some farming land to protect wildlife and natural habitats from being encroached on by human activities. Ol Kinyei has supported the community with a sustainable income source and helped locals protect their sacred lands.
Alongside Mara North, Naboisho and Olare Motorogi, it is considered one of Mara’s Big Four conservancies. Characterised by rolling hills, riverine forests, open savannah grasslands, and an abundance of water in the form of rivers, streams and springs, Ol Kinyei draws in plenty of wildlife, including The Great Migration, to its green pastures. Guided by expert Maasai guides, you’ll be able to find lions, elephants, cape buffalo, cheetahs and giraffes. There are two camps in Ol Kinyei, both of which are modest but offer guests spectacular views and great locations to explore the Mara.
15. Olare Motorogi Conservancy
The Olare Motorogi Conservancy (comprised of the former Olare Orok Conservancy and Motorogi Conservancy) is 33000 acres of outstanding natural beauty and ecological importance. The conservancy directly borders the Maasai Mara National Reserve, and it contains the lower valleys of the Olare Orok and Ntiakitiak rivers, riverine forest, the Ntiakitiak Gorge, and a 12-kilometre escarpment below which are large areas of acacia woodland.
The Olare Motorogi Conservancy is known for having some of Kenya’s most spectacular scenery and remarkably high concentrations of wildlife. It features endless wavy grasslands and beautiful dome-topped hills that give way to the dramatic sheer rock walls of the distant Oloololo Escarpment.
16. Mara Savannah Maasai Market
The market allows you to buy and view various Maasai African art, handcrafted beaded jewellery, souvenirs, gifts, and decorating materials.
