According to their oral history, the Maasai moved south from the Nile region into the Great Rift Valley around 300 years ago, living as nomadic pastoralists in what is today Kenya and Tanzania Despite challenges, the Maasai have retained their traditions and remain a proud and indomitable people: Their tall stature, red shukas and ornate beadwork are among their hallmarks The majority of the people at Thomsons Mara Lodge come from local Maasai communities — guides, naturalists, chefs — you’ll get to spend time with them in and around the lodge