Since it is protected as a reserve and not as a national park (like Tsavo or Amboseli in Kenya), Masai Mara is designated the Masai Mara National Reserve. Masai Mara National Reserve is about 1500 km2.

The Masai Mara National Reserve is not managed by Kenya Wildlife Service like national parks are but by the local authorities, namely District Councils.

The administrative divisions are defined by the Mara river. The eastern sector belongs to Narok District, whereas the western side lies in Transmara District.

Kilima Camp is bordering the Mara Triangle, the western part of the Masai Mara Nationonal Reserve. There are 2 main entrance to visit the Mara Triangle : Oloololo Gate which is the north west entrance to the park and Mara Bridge which is the South east entrance. Oloololo Gate is just at 15 minutes away from Kilima Camp. The Mara triangle is the most preserved and less visited by tourists (as far away from Nairobi.)

In the middle of the last century after eradication of rinderpest , numbers of both cattle and wildlife began to expand. The 197-square-mile / 520 km2 Mara Triangle was gazetted as a Game Reserve in 1948. In 1968 the Narok County Council added 386 square miles / 1010 km2 to the east of the Mara River, forming the Masai Mara National Game Reserve. From 1968 to 1994, Narok County Council managed the entire area of 1500 km2. In 1994, Narok District was divided to create the additional Trans Mara District. The Trans Mara District managed the Mara Triangle. Only one-third of the Mara Triangle was secure, with the remainder subject to poaching and illegal grazing; thousands of animals were being killed every year. Hence, concerned local leaders formed the Mara Conservancy in January 2001, a non-profit management company in charge of managing the Mara Triangle. There have been positive changes in the level of poaching activity within the Mara triangle, in the motivation and professionalism in the rangers and in the condition of the roads.

The Mara Conservancy is now collecting the entry fees that each client who visit the Mara Triangle has to pay. Currently the Park Fees are $ 60 per person per day and $30 for people below 17 years old for non residents.