Maasai Mara vs. Serengeti: Which park should you choose?
When planning an African safari, deciding between the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is one of the most significant and exciting decisions you face. Maasai Mara and Serengeti are two of the best-known parks in the world and comprise a single unobstructed ecosystem hosted across two countries with no fences separating the parks and the remarkable wildlife that moves freely across the two parks.
While the parks are all part of the same ecosystem, the overall safari experience is designed based on each park’s geography, culture and price point, and a clear understanding of this allows you to decide on which park is right for your dream safari holiday.
Size, Landscape, and Animal Density.
A remarkable difference between the two parks is their size. In general, the Serengeti is a huge park, about 14,763 km2, or about ten times the size of the Maasai Mara, which is 1,510 km2.
The word “Serengeti” comes from the Maasai word that means “the place where the land runs on forever,” which describes the area perfectly, as the park is full of wide, open plains without end. The Mara, on the other hand, is smaller and has rolling plains with acacia trees.
This has an effect on your game viewing. Because the Maasai Mara is smaller, there is a much higher density of animal life year-round. This makes forgiving wildlife sightings easier and faster, giving it a reputation as a more action-packed safari, especially for guests who are experiencing a safari for the first time. The Serengeti, while there may be a higher absolute number of animals, is less dense; therefore, it requires a bit more of your patience and driving to spot wildlife and has a real sense of unspoiled wilderness.
Great Migration and Best Time to Visit.
Both parks are central to the spectacle of the Great Migration, where over 2 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelles travel in an ever-repeating loop searching for fresh grazing. To see this event, the timing of your travel is critical. The Serengeti is the best place to experience the calving season in its southern plains, from January to March. This is a time of considerable drama as predators are now following the herds drawn by the idea of newborn prey. The herds spend the longest duration of their journey in Tanzania.
Maasai Mara is the best place to experience the famed and dramatic stands of the Mara River, roughly from July to October. During this time, you can witness the herds face crocodiles, the strongest of rivers and the daunting task of successfully traversing its banks. If your primary goal is to see the river crossing, the Mara is your best bet; however, if your goal is to follow the migration through its various phases, the vast expanse of the Serengeti can truly accommodate visits almost year-round.
Cost and Safari Experience.
In general, a safari in Maasai Mara is typically less expensive than a comparably priced safari in the Serengeti, and for a number of reasons. First, park entry costs are higher in the Serengeti as a rule, and for people staying inside the park, there is usually a daily concession fee charged, meaning a 24-hour stay in the Serengeti is more expensive than a single entry fee in the Mara.
Second, the Maasai Mara is more easily accessible by road from Nairobi, which tends to be cheaper than the flights that are often necessary to get around the vast Serengeti. Players also come into play regarding the accommodations. Both the Mara and Serengeti offer high-end options but the Mara offers a significant advantage for those looking for mid-range, more affordable camping and lodging options (and many of the lodges are just outside the reserve). In the larger picture, the safari experience is substantially different.
The Mara will often be more crowded and have more vehicles on the way, but it does offer a distinct cultural experience and some options to interact with the local Maasai communities. The Serengeti is known as a large place, and in large part because of that larger size, but possibly because of the number of vehicles and camps, the Serengeti offers a more enclosed experience that is more private and secluded—the sense of being out alone in an infinite landscape will attract a certain level of safari clientele that is possibly more experienced safari clientele or landscape photographers.
In conclusion, your preference for the Maasai Mara vs. the Serengeti will depend on your values. The Maasai Mara may be your best choice if you’re a first-time safari visitor, if you’re limited on time, if you want to see a lot of animals easily, if you want to see animals crossing the river (between July and October), and if you’re looking for a lower price.
Serengeti may be your best option if you want a more immersive experience in a much larger, more diverse, and less crowded wilderness; want to see different phases of the Great Migration (like the calving season); and are able to spend more on your overall budget. Both parks are amazing, with world-class wildlife viewing, and by comparing the aspects of size (the Mara is technically a small part of the Serengeti), timing, and expenses, you can find the avenue to create an unforgettable East African adventure.
