Masai Mara Vs Serengeti Safaris, How to Choose
While this is not the first-time hearing this, the Masai Mara vs Serengeti debate carries a lot of considerations that are often overlooked. Perhaps we are right saying Masai Mara is better than Serengeti, but the real question is how did we arrive to this conclusion or rather you saying that Serengeti is better than Masai Mara, how do we even start comparing the two?
Luckily, we know Africa better than anyone else and we’re here to guide you on deciding between Masai Mara and Serengeti while planning an African safari trip. First, we understand that you are doing this comparison because you have less time to spare and only plan to stick with one country.
These Are Our 10 Best Reasons For Choosing Masai Mara Over Serengeti & Vice Versa
1. Safari Cost Wise:
Overall, Masai Mara is a cheaper option than Serengeti. When we look at the accommodation aspects and, Masai Mara comes out the winner with less priced safari lodges.
2. Exclusive Private Safaris
Once again, Masai Mara is preferred over Serengeti due to its existing number of private conservancies which offer private experiences far away from the crowds inside the Main Reserve. It is in these private conservancies that you can participate in night safari drives which are not allowed inside main parks. There are also a couple of private conservancies bordering Serengeti National Park, which offer a very exclusive experience, but these generally come with top levels of comfort and are priced accordingly.
3. Safari Destination Popularity
It is fair to say that Masai Mara is very popular than Serengeti. From across the web, you can see most international celebrities visiting Kenya far more than Tanzania. Global celebrities who have visited the Masai Mara include; professional footballers like Sergio Busquets, youtuber iShowSpeed, businessmen like Sir Richard Branson, music celebrities like Karol G, stars like Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, the tech billionaires like Bill Gates, and the list goes on and on. This inevitably places Masai Mara amongst the top wildlife safari destinations delivering year-round authentic experiences.
4. Wildlife In Serengeti and Masai Mara
It is fair to say that both Masai Mara and Serengeti offer numerous amounts of wildlife sightings enough to keep you thrilled during your stay. Away from the Migration River Crossings, both Serengeti and the Masai Mara boast an impressive diversity of resident game including elephant, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, a wide range of antelopes and predators including lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena and jackal.
5. Balloon Safaris
Talking about the parks that offer the best, I will tell you without doubt that both Masai Mara and the Serengeti have good balloon safari experiences.
6. Cultural Experiences
It remains and will always be a fact that a cultural safari in Masai Mara is way better than that in Serengeti, and if you doubt this, I dare you to try and see for yourself.
7. Which Park Is More Accessible?
Let’s continue speaking facts, and I will insist that Masai Mara remains easy to access by both road and flight safaris options because the road infrastructure is well maintained and the safari parks have good roads, but this does not rule out Serengeti completely because like wise you can still access Serengeti by both road and air safaris.
8. The Weather & Climate
Despite several differences between Masai Mara and Serengeti, both Serengeti and Masai Mara experience similar overall climatic conditions, as can be expected due their sharing of the expansive gently rolling grassy savannah plains that dominate the landscape from Southern Kenya to Northern Tanzania. In fact, East Africa shares the same weather patterns.
9. The Size & Animal Density
Serengeti Park is larger than Masai Mara Park, and so you might start thinking that this means more animals in Serengeti and yes, this is correct in terms of absolute numbers, these higher numbers are spread out over a much larger stretch inside Serengeti. The resulting animal densities are therefore thought to be better in Masai Mara. But remember this – how much wildlife you will see depends a lot more on the location of your safari camp in Serengeti than it does in Masai Mara. The reason is that driving further out from your camp in Masai Mara is ”doable” even to the extent of driving across the main reserve, while in Serengeti driving edge to edge of the park is not practically possible if you want to make it back to your camp by evening, due to it being a much larger area. Therefore, while Serengeti Park offers a sense of wilderness and solitude, the Mara provides more concentrated wildlife sightings and easier accessibility.
10. The Safari Activities:
The things to do in Masai Mara by far outweighs the safari activities in Serengeti. Masai Mara offers a lot of safari activities including night safaris thanks to the availability of private Masai Mara conservancies.
Awaken Your Senses
We can continue with the argument on the main reasons of visiting Serengeti instead of Masai Mara, but you might find it overwhelming. You might as well borrow the old trick of flipping a coin and see which one heads between Serengeti and Masai Mara.
Endless Scenery
Our Conclusion On Where To Go
We therefore recommend visiting both Masai Mara and Serengeti on a Kenya and Tanzania safari package. This is by far the best choice for travelers who wish to visit these two countries for the Great Migration Safari and the dense and diverse big five safari animals found here. Stop comparing Masai Mara and Serengeti, let us take you to the wild corners of undoubtedly the world’s most well-known safari destinations in one fully combined trip.
Best Kenya Safari & Beach Tours
Browse our favorite Kenyan beach holiday packages or simply get in touch with one of our Africa safari experts to help custom-make a Kenyan beach holiday that matches your travel wishes. You can enjoy safaris in Kenya national parks on the mainland, then follow it up with a relaxed beach holiday at Malindi or Diani. Get to know the coastal Kenya, and what’s possible on your trip to these Indian Ocean beaches, discover some of the best-loved experiences and safari routes that we’ve found working particularly well with our travelers.
