Maasai Mara Vs Serengeti : Which is Better for an African Safari: the Serengeti or the Masai Mara? Maasai Mara national reserve and Serengeti national park are both famous and known to be best safari parks in Africa for wildlife safaris. They share the same ecosystem and great wildebeest migration. When it comes to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, there is no better or worse. These two world-famous safari sites are part of the same cross-border ecosystem, and their scenery and fauna are strikingly similar. However, there are some distinctions.
Masai Mara or Serengeti? Either is the simple answer. Both of these national parks provide year-round African safari experiences with breathtaking scenery, a sense of space, and plenty of animals. Kenya and Tanzania are both fantastic African safari locations. In this guide, we compare and contrast the Serengeti and Masai Mara in order to help you determine which is ideal for your African safari. The following are 10 differences and similarities of Serengeti and Maasai Mara national reserve:
- Habitats and landscapes (Masai Mara Vs Serengeti)
While the Masai Mara and Serengeti are both important parts of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, their landscapes are distinct, Maasai Mara Vs Serengeti : Which is Better for an African Safari. To start with their sizes, The Serengeti, at 14,760km2 is enormous/ big than Masai Mara, at 1,510km2. Although open grassland dominates the Serengeti, it also preserves a diverse range of habitats, including kopjes (rocky outcrops), evergreen riverine forest, and deciduous woodland. The Serengeti’s vistas alter as you travel north to south. As you approach the Northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara, the terrain gets increasingly mountainous and wooded.
- Wildlife/ fauna ( Masai Mara Vs Serengeti)
Both the Masai Mara and the Serengeti offer fantastic wildlife watching opportunities. They are most known for the annual wildebeest migration that takes place between Tanzania and Kenya. There are, nevertheless, lots of local animals. Both parks are Big Five locations with lion, leopard, buffalo, and elephant sightings, as well as cheetah, giraffe, and a variety of other animals. Rhinos are rare across the environment, but the Masai Mara is significantly more likely to witness them. Especially in the western section, known as the Mara Triangle, where you have a good chance of encountering one of these behemoths.
Masai Mara is great for game watching due of its higher species density. Despite the fact that Serengeti has a considerably larger wildlife population than Masai Mara, the wildlife is spread out over a much larger region.
- All-year game viewing (Masai Mara Vs Serengeti)
Which national park offers the best year-round game viewing? Will you see more animals on a Masai Mara or Serengeti safari? Due to its small in size than Serengeti, The Masai Mara National Reserve has a high concentration of wildlife throughout the year, making it easier to see more species in less time. The Serengeti National Park is also home to a plethora of African species, making for excellent game viewing all year round but due to its larger in size wildlife are distributed all over the big parts of the park making it not better sighting them compared to Masai Mara. Serengeti also is noted for its fantastic big cat sightings and enormous lion prides.
The ideal time of year for general game watching in both the Masai Mara and the Serengeti is between June and July. Animals converge around limited water sources during the dry season. However, because the Masai Mara contains so much resident wildlife, game viewing is not as seasonal as it is in the Serengeti. Although wildlife populations swell from July to October, game watching in Mara is great all year since rainfall is not as seasonal as it is further south.
- The Great Migration (Masai Mara Vs Serengeti)
One of Africa’s most magnificent wildlife spectacles is the annual migration of more than 2 million grazers (mainly wildebeest, but also zebras, gazelles and some predators like lions), Maasai Mara Vs Serengeti : Which is Better for an African Safari. It’s no surprise that many tourists plan their trips to East Africa around it. Because the Serengeti is larger than the Masai Mara, the great migration takes place there for longer and making it better option to go for your migration safari.
Safaris in the Southern Serengeti are best in January and February. The wildebeest come here to give birth. Thousands of calves are born here every day during the calving season, which attracts a lot of predators. The wildebeest and their companions begin travelling north in long, raucous columns around the end of April, when the calves are strong enough to begin their first migration.
They cross the Grumeti River in the Serengeti’s Western Corridor around June to July — another migration highlight. Around August, the survivors go north to the Mara River. The Serengeti and Masai Mara ecosystems may both witness this river crossing, which is possibly the most exciting moment of the great migration. Once all of the wildebeest have passed over, they stay in the Mara for roughly two months before migrating back south to the Southern Serengeti.
- Big 5 Safari (Masai Mara Vs Serengeti)
Which safari destination is better for spotting Africa’s Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo)? Serengeti National Park is excellent for a Big 5 Safari since you have a better chance of seeing all five safari animals. Because the chances of encountering leopards in the Serengeti are higher than in the Masai Mara, Especially in Serengeti Park’s center region (Seronera Valley). Rhinos are sparse in the Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem, but both national parks have them. In the Masai Mara, look for them in the Mara Triangle zone, while in the Serengeti look for them in the Central Seronera Valley region (also best place for spotting leopards).
- Accommodations/ lodging options (Serengeti Vs Masai Mara)
Both the Serengeti and the Masai Mara provide a wide range of lodging options to suit different types of travelers. Tented camps (both budget and high-end exclusive), rustic tiny lodges, and larger chain hotels/resorts are all options for lodging in both parks. Camping in tents is particularly popular. These can range from completely equipped quarters with canvas walls to simple standing tents with twin beds and little else. Many great lodges strive to blend in with their surroundings and are surprisingly approachable. They might not have a lot of modern conveniences. Instead, they strive to be environmentally conscious, providing an exclusive experience complete with excellent service, cuisine, and coaching, Maasai Mara Vs Serengeti : Which is Better for an African Safari.
Mobile camps are even simpler but extremely exclusive. These makeshift camps track the migration without leaving any trace. Although both parks include accommodations for any budget, the Serengeti has the largest selection of modest premium hotels. There are a few more mid-range options in the Masai Mara, as well as a multitude of inexpensive options just outside the reserve. Budget camping tours to the Masai Mara normally stay outside the reserve, but Serengeti camping trips usually stay inside the park.
- Birding safari (Serengeti vs Masai Mara)
With almost 500 bird species documented, Serengeti National Park in Tanzania outperforms Masai Mara in terms of birdwatching. The Serengeti is regarded as one of the world’s top birding sites. In both the Serengeti and the Masai Mara, the rainy season, which runs from November to April, is the best time to go birding. This is the time of year when resident bird populations are nesting and migratory species from Europe and North Africa arrive.
- Tourist Activities and Experiences (Masai Mara vs. Serengeti)
Both Serengeti and Masai Mara provide many and unique option of tourist activities to enjoy in your African safari holiday. Whether you visit the Serengeti or the Masai Mara, you will have a memorable safari and receive a taste of authentic Africa due to their beauty, animals, and hospitality.
Wildlife safari activities in Masai Mara and Serengeti Park are comparable/similar. Morning and afternoon game drives in safari vehicles are used to see the animals in both Masai Mara and Serengeti. Both offer limited night drives and walking safaris in private game reserves, wildlife conservancies, and concession areas rather than in national parks. In the Masai Mara National Reserve, you can go on a hot-air balloon safari. Hot-air balloon safaris are available in the Serengeti National Park but not in the private reserves and concession areas.
- Safari cost (Masai Mara vs Serengeti)
The Masai Mara safari is often less expensive than the Serengeti safari. Despite Serengeti having many accommodations options than Masai Mara, The Masai Mara has more affordable lodging alternatives than the Serengeti, with many of them located outside the reserve. Staying outside the Serengeti and entering the park for day visits is not a practical option due to the park’s immensity and the fact that the main entry point is through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maasai Mara Vs Serengeti : Which is Better for an African Safari.
The Masai Mara’s affordable lodging options are largely concentrated on the reserve’s eastern side, which can make the experience extremely crowded, especially during high season. When staying on the Masai Mara’s quieter western side and central plains, expect to pay a little extra. Staying in one of the private conservancies north of the national reserve is a great opportunity to get away from the throng. A safari in the Mara and the Serengeti are both equivalent in price when comparing these two options.
- Getting there (Masai Mara vs Serengeti)
Both national park are easy accessible by different kind of transport such as by road transport and air transport. The Masai Mara is commonly visited from Nairobi, one of Africa’s most important transportation hubs. There are numerous low-cost flights to Nairobi from Europe and North America, from where a scheduled trip to the Masai Mara takes less than an hour. The Masai Mara is also accessible by air from Mombasa and most other Kenyan safari sites. The journey from Nairobi takes roughly five to six hours by vehicle.
Arusha is the Serengeti’s main entry point. Kilimanjaro International Airport (all international and some domestic flights) and the smaller Arusha Airport both serve this area (domestic flights only). Although flights to and from Arusha are available, car safaris covering the northern safari circuit are very popular.
The drive from Arusha passes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, offering the opportunity to view the Ngorongoro Crater. Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Areas are two other parks that can be visited on the same route.
In conclusion, Masai Mara is (usually) less expensive than Serengeti National Park if you are on a tight budget. Masai Mara is likewise (usually) more crowded than Serengeti Park, despite the fact that Serengeti Park is more visited/ receives a bigger number of visitors all year than Masai Mara and all other east African safari parks.
For the greatest African safari vacation, we recommend seeing/ visiting both the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. They are, after all, connected and part of the same ecosystem. If time and/or money are constraints, choose based on the season and your personal tastes. If you need help planning a budget safari to the Masai Mara and/or Serengeti Park, and beyond, contact one of our Focus East Africa Tour consultants.
