Maasai Mara or Serengeti
Should I go to the Maasai Mara or the Serengeti? This is a dilemma faced by many travelers looking to book their East Africa safari, especially for the first time. The 2 parks are the first to be considered for almost anyone looking to book a safari and are indeed some of the best Africa safari parks because of their diverse landscape and wildlife. If one is to choose between the two therefore, aspects that differentiate or even make them similar are a guiding factor in choosing.
Location of Maasai Mara and Serengeti
Maasai Mara National Reserve is located in southwestern Kenya and Serengeti National Park is in the northern circuit of Tanzania. Combined, the 2 conservation areas cover over 30,000 square kilometers of the most diverse and stunning African ecosystems, arguably the best big game viewing destination on earth.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park share an unfenced border. This allows animals to freely roam between the parks. Both parks have savannah habitats of open grasslands dotted with a variety of trees and thickets, kopjes and more. Kopjes are iconic outcrops that are a great animal habitat, especially for the lions.
Though similar, of the two parks, the Serengeti is much larger. Serengeti National Park derives its name from the Maasai word “Siringit,” which means “the land that moves forever,” reflecting the endless plains of the Serengeti.
Wildlife Expectation: Masai Mara or Serengeti?
Both the Masai Mara and Serengeti host an incredible array of wildlife with exceptional wildlife viewing all year round. All the Big Five animals can be spotted in both parks. In Masai Mara, you shall also find smaller predators like the black-backed jackals, bat-eared foxes and spotted hyenas. Elands, giraffes, topis, various antelopes, wildebeests, zebras, gazelles and so much more can be seen.
The Serengeti National Park, apart from all the big five animals and the over 1 million wildebeests, zebras and gazelles also inhabits kongoni, topis, impalas, elands, and different antelope species, with big cats like lions, cheetahs and leopards commonly sighted. Lions are abundant throughout the park, while cheetahs are mostly in the southeastern plains and leopards are usually near the Seronera River. The Seronera Area is a hub for easy animal viewing all year through. The rare klipspringers, fringe-eared oryx and dik-diks inhabit the Serengeti and can be seen on a Serengeti safari.
As you can see above, both parks have abundant wildlife. The smaller size of Masai Mara National Reserve, however, makes animal sightings a little easier. Nonetheless, the Serengeti’s diverse habitats provide greater variety of wildlife and higher chances of witnessing the predator action.
Best Time to Visit Masai Mara or Serengeti
You can visit both parks anytime of the year. The dry season is the best time to visit either park for game drives. Certain travel times, however, stand out depending on what you are really looking for, as seen below:
Masai Mara National Reserve
- The best time to visit Masai Mara is in the months of June to October, which are the dry season months, as well as January to February.
- The Masai Mara migration peaks in September to November. During this time, the migrating herds cross the Mara River back to the Serengeti
Serengeti National Park
- The dry season in Serengeti is the best time to visit. The dry season runs from June to September and December to early March. This is the perfect time for Serengeti safaris.
- If keen on the Grumeti River crossing of the migration, then the months of May and June are best to visit.
- For the iconic Mara River crossings, July to September is perfect
- For the calving season and predator action, the months of January and February are best in the southern Serengeti plains.
Accommodation Options—Masai Mara or Serengeti?
Masai Mara and Serengeti both offer a range of accommodations, right from tented camps to lodges. Both have budget-friendly options and luxury and ultra-luxury options, with costs depending on the season of travel and location.
In Masai Mara, the central and eastern parts of the reserve are busy during the wildebeest migration season. To secure your migration safari accommodation, booking well in advance is required. Travelers after exclusive safari accommodation options opt for camps in the northern area and private conservancies.
Serengeti National Park, on the other hand, has many mobile camps that follow the migration as it moves throughout the park. Booking in advance is also highly advised, especially for the July-September northern Serengeti migration safari period. The central Serengeti has more budget-friendly camps; accommodation in the migration hotspots is quite pricy, even for a budget. Travelers after luxury accommodation have options throughout the park.
Accommodation prices in Serengeti are generally higher than in the Masai Mara. Nonetheless, options are available.
Safari Cost Comparison: Masai Mara or Serengeti?
Masai Mara safaris are generally more cost-friendly than the Serengeti safaris. With a number of budget accommodations in and outside Masai Mara, safaris here are cheaper. The Serengeti safaris, however, are more private, with higher park fees (entrance, concession and transit fees); the Masai Mara park fees are just the standard entrance fees unless you are in a conservancy.
Shorter days of even 1- and 2-day safaris are possible in Masai Mara, while the minimum length for Serengeti is 3 days, which also is not really advised due to the drive distances if not combined with other Tanzania destinations. Serengeti’s proximity to other Tanzania destinations like Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Lake Natron and Tarangire lifts the value and diversity of safaris for travelers.
Accessibility: Masai Mara or Serengeti?
Getting to Masai Mara is more convenient with higher airline traffic to the NBO compared to Serengeti, which sees fewer direct flights to JRO. It is only about 5 hours to Masai Mara from Nairobi, while it is 7 hours or more to Serengeti from Arusha. Domestic flights to the different airstrips are possible for both parks.
In conclusion, both parks are excellent safari destinations. The question of which park to choose depends on so much, as elaborated above. You can visit either or both all year through. Choose Masai Mara if travel time and cost are your determining factors, and choose the Serengeti for exclusive diverse safaris, proximity to other parks and the vast endless plains. If your budget and time are open, combining both parks is surely an ultimate experience worth exploring. Get in touch with us for your Serengeti safaris, Masai Mara safaris, and beyond.
