The Maasai Mara National Reserve (also known as Masai Mara and by the locals as The Mara) is a large game reserve in Narok County, Kenya; contiguous with the Serengeti National Park in Mara Region, Tanzania. It is named in honor of the Maasai people (the ancestral inhabitants of the area) and their description of the area when looked at from afar: "Mara," which is Maa (Maasai language) for "spotted," an apt description for the circles of trees, scrub, savanna, and cloud shadows that mark the area.
It is globally famous for its exceptional population of Masai lions, African leopards and Tanzanian cheetahs, and the annual migration of zebra, Thomson's gazelle, and wildebeest to and from the Serengeti every year from July to October, known as the Great Migration.
Natalie is nothing short of reliable, thorough and professional. Since 2009, she has organized my travels, assisting me in seeing over 15 countries. Most recently, she planned a Safari in Kenya and Tanzania for my Father and I. She is incredibly prompt with communications, and manages to anticipate my questions before I ask them. She's a wealth of knowledge, offering tips, tricks, do's and don'ts and ensures you have all prerequisites like vaccinations, VISAs, and all paperwork prior to departure. All things she diligently researches so that you can simply enjoy. My brother has used her to travel to Italy/Spain and most recently, a best friend for her destination wedding in 2019. They were so happy to have had her at the helm. I have future travel plans, and will without doubt make sure she's part of them. If you're planning on travelling in any capacity, and you're nervous or don't want to book things alone, get Natalie Schillberg on your speed dial. You will be thankful you have her.
