Which one is better, Masai Mara or Serengeti?

Which one is better, Masai Mara or Serengeti? Along with being home to many different wildlife species, flora, and fauna, Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and Serengeti National Park in Tanzania are perhaps the world’s greatest wildlife conservation areas. They are also the location of one of the greatest migratory movements of wildlife on Earth, the Great Wildebeest migration. It is unavoidable to wonder which of these two parks should be visited and which is better for a safari given that they are essentially joint entities but distinct entities nonetheless. Before outlining the distinctions, we shall first draw attention to their shared characteristics.

To put it simply, Masai Mara’s wildlife is regarded as one of the best collections of wild species on the planet. At an African safari, travellers from all over the world come to witness the rich, diversified array of wildlife that lives in Masai Mara and the neighbouring Great Mara eco system, which is home to about 90 species of mammals and numerous bird species. The fauna has been divided into two lists: the Big Nine, which also includes the cheetah, giraffe, hippo, and zebra, and the famed Big Five (Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Leopard, and Buffalo). It is also a great birding safari in kenya destination with over 500 birds observed in Masai Mara.

The Mara – Serengeti ecosystem

Despite being two separate parks, the Serengeti and Masai Mara are collectively regarded as a single, expansive eco system that spans from northern Tanzania to south-western Kenya. This contrasts with other national parks in Tanzania, for example, those found in the southern part of the nation, like the recently established Nyerere National Park, which is the biggest national park in both Tanzania and Africa. ecosystems. Another reason these two parks are considered to be part of a one wildlife eco system is that there are no physical barriers separating them, allowing wildlife to freely go from the Serengeti to Masai Mara and vice versa.

The Climate

The vastness of the Serengeti National Park allows for variations in weather patterns within its borders, but overall, the climates of the Serengeti and Masai Mara are similar. This is to be expected given that both areas share the vast, gently rolling grassy savannah plains that dominate the landscape from Southern Kenya to Northern Tanzania. Between, there are no appreciable variations in height that could alter the weather significantly, particularly with regard to temperature. (The average temperature in Masai Mara is approximately 12 to 30 °C (54–86 °F), whereas the average temperature in the Serengeti is approximately 15 to 25 °C (59 to 77 °F).

Their sizes and animal concentrations

Masai Mara National Reserve is roughly 1510 km² (580 square miles) smaller than Serengeti National Park, which is over 30,000 km² (12,000 square miles).Although in absolute terms this does indicate that there are more animals in the Serengeti, the greater numbers are dispersed over a far greater area of the Serengeti. As a result, it is believed that Masai Mara has superior animal densities. Remember that safari game drives typically occur within a certain radius of your lodging (we’re talking about long ranges, like 50–70 kilometres around your lodge or camp). As a result, the likelihood of seeing wildlife depends significantly more on where your camp is located in the Serengeti than it does in the Masai Mara ecosystem.

Since Serengeti National park is a much larger park, driving from edge to edge is not practically possible if you want to return to your camp by evening. While driving farther from your camp in Masai Mara is possible even to the extent of driving across the savannah.

The Landscape of Mara and Serengeti

There is great similarities between the Serengeti and Masai Mara landscapes with open grassland predominating and sporadically punctuated by randomly distributed outcrop of anthills and seasonal river lets. The altitude range of between 1500 and 2200 metres (4,950 to 7,200 feet) is the altitude range in Masai Mara and between 920 and 1850 metres (3,036 to 6,060 feet) altitude range in Serengeti.

The 1.5–2 million herds of wildebeest and other animals, including zebras, will have already completed a lengthy rotational trek across portions of the Serengeti before they migrate into Masai Mara in July. The factors influencing their migration include animal instinct, the timing of mating, the quality of the pasture, and current rainfall patterns. As a result, the Great Migration happens in the Masai Mara and Serengeti throughout the year. However, the large herds are mostly scattered throughout the Serengeti, and it isn’t until June, when the animals gradually move to the Grumeti or Western side of the Serengeti, that they begin to reassemble into larger herds, which are then visible crossing the river at various locations throughout the North Western Serengeti, sometime in the middle to late June. From July onwards, or thereabouts, these herds enter Masai Mara, although the exact dates depend on many factors. Both places provide a chance to witness portions of the migration, but in the Serengeti, you should wait until the animals reassemble, which usually happens in mid- to late-June.

The safari tour costs

When it comes to park entrance fees, Serengeti is more expensive than Masai Mara since visitors who stay there must also pay a daily concession fee. An adult’s 24-hour stay at Serengeti costs USD 140 when all fees are included. In contrast, if an adult stays inside the reserve in Masai Mara, the charge is only USD 70.You might think of the concession fee as a tax that the Tanzanian government imposes. This means that the price difference does not indicate the calibre of the encounter. When comparing equivalent class accommodations in Masai Mara, lodging in the Serengeti is typically more expensive. There are other explanations for this; for instance, Masai Mara offers cheaper rates than the Serengeti since it has more camps and lodges.

How to get there

For the best access to each of these parks, travel to the safari hubs in their respective nations—Arusha for the Serengeti and Nairobi for the Masai Mara. In general, travelling by road from Nairobi to the Masai Mara Reserve takes about 5 hours, but travelling from Arusha to the Serengeti takes closer to 6 hours. If you begin your journey from Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), which is located approximately 45 minutes outside of Arusha, it may take up to 7 hours. If you were to begin your journey from Arusha after lunchtime, your only choice would be to fly due to the additional time required to reach the Serengeti via car. For example, travellers doing a 3-day safari in the Serengeti would have more restricted schedules than those taking a similar 3-day trip to Masai Mara.