Serengeti vs Masai Mara: which to visit for the best safari in Africa?
In this guide, we compare the similarities and differences between Serengeti and Masai Mara to help you decide which is best for your African safari.
Find out where is best to see the Great Migration – Masai Mara or Serengeti? See when is better to go where and why. Compare different aspects of these two top national parks and start planning your ultimate budget wildlife safari in Kenya and/or Tanzania!
Serengeti vs Masai Mara Safari for the Best African Safari
Serengeti or Masai Mara? The easy answer is either. But, the ideal is both.
Both of these national parks offer fantastic African safari experiences, beautiful landscapes, a sense of space, and abundant wildlife year-round. And, both Kenya and Tanzania are amazing African safari destinations. The great news is there are plenty of Budget African Safaris that visit both Serengeti and Masai Mara on one affordable trip. See our affordable Serengeti and Masai Mara Safaris.
Deciding on Serengeti or Masai Mara for an African safari comes down to your preferences and the time of year you visit.
Before we go into the differences between Masai Mara and Serengeti, it helps to know that these national parks are part of the same ecosystem.
The Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem in Tanzania & Kenya
Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and Serengeti National Park in Tanzania together form the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem (aka the Serengeti Ecosystem).
Masai Mara is located in south-western Kenya and shares its southern border with Serengeti Park in northern Tanzania. Not only do these national parks neighbor each other but Masai Mara and Serengeti share an unfenced border. This unfenced border allows animals (but not people) to move freely between Masai Mara and Serengeti.
Mara & Serengeti Map
As expected, the vast array of habitats plays home to an equally vast array of animals, and in huge concentrations. The Serengeti Ecosystem has an incredible number of predators, including over 3 000 lions, about 8 000 hyenas, and 1 000 leopards. The predators follow the grazers as they travel each year on the circular route known as the Great Migration, but some populations of animals remain permanently in certain parts of the parks. Grazers include huge populations of wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, a variety of antelope, and warthogs.
The Greater Serengeti Ecosystem also includes private game reserves and wildlife conservancies along with Masai Mara Reserve and Serengeti Park. One of the largest protected ecosystems in the world, the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem covers an area of over 30 000 km² (almost 12 000 mi²). That’s almost twice the size of Hawaii or about the same size as Belgium.
Being part of the same massive ecosystem, Masai Mara and Serengeti share a number of similarities, but there are differences too. Let’s take a closer look.
For any other questions about Masai Mara vs Serengeti safaris, ask our Africa travel experts.
Best Place to see the Great Migration: Serengeti vs Masai Mara
Both Serengeti Park and Masai Mara are home to the Great Migration. Every year the Great Migration follows an ancient route between these two national parks. During this annual migration, over 2 million wildebeest and plains game (gazelles and zebras) migrate through Serengeti and Masai Mara.
The bulk of the Great Migration takes place in Serengeti National Park because it is much larger than Masai Mara. The window of time for seeing the Great Migration in Serengeti Park is thus longer. The Great Migration is only in Masai Mara for about two months.
Best Time to See the Great Migration in Masai Mara
From about August to October is the best time for a Great Migration Safari in Masai Mara. Sometimes the herds arrive in Masai Mara as early as July however, depending on the rains.
September is usually the best time to watch the Mara River crossing in Masai Mara. This river crossing is arguably the most thrilling stage of the Great Migration with large herds of grazers plunging into the crocodile-infested waters. The river crossing can be witnessed from northern Serengeti or Masai Mara.
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Best Time to See the Great Migration in Serengeti Park
From about November to July Serengeti is the best place to see the Great Migration in action. June is usually the best time to witness the Grumeti River crossing in the western corridor of Serengeti National Park. Some say this river crossing is as impressive as the Mara River crossing.
In northern Serengeti the Great Migration peaks in about late May and June. This is when you have the best chance of seeing the vast herds migrating across the Serengeti Plains.
In southern Serengeti, from about January to February is an optimal time to witness the Wildebeest Migration. This is when the vast herds move south to give birth. During this calving season in Serengeti, thousand wildebeest are born a day. The abundance of calves naturally attracts an array of hungry predators with their young cubs in tow. As a result, the wildlife sightings are spectacular and often brutal.
Comparing Size: Which is bigger Serengeti or Masai Mara?
If size matters, Serengeti beats Masai Mara hands down. Serengeti is much larger than Masai Mara. Serengeti National Park covers an area of about 5,700 mi² (14,763 km²) vs Masai Mara’s 585 mi² (1,510 km²) size.
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If you want to experience vast African savannahs at their best, then Serengeti is the better African safari destination for you.
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Which is better for year-round game viewing: Serengeti or Masai Mara?
Which national park is best for game viewing throughout the year? Will you see more animals on a Masai Mara or Serengeti safari?
In terms of wildlife density, Masai Mara is better for game viewing. Although Serengeti boasts massive wildlife populations the wildlife is spread across a far larger area because the park is so much bigger than Masai Mara.
Masai Mara National Reserve is home to a high concentration of wildlife year-round so it is easier to see more animals over a shorter time here. It is renowned for its exceptional big cat sightings. In particular, Masai Mara hosts large prides of lions and is rated as one of the best places to see cheetahs in the wild.
Serengeti National Park is also home to an abundance of African wildlife, offering outstanding game-viewing throughout the year. It is also known for its excellent big cat sightings and also hosts large lion prides.
For both Masai Mara and Serengeti safaris, the best time of year for general game viewing is between June/July and October. This is the dry season when animals congregate at dwindling water sources. But, Masai Mara has plenty of resident wildlife so the game viewing is not as seasonal as that in Serengeti. Certainly, the wildlife populations swell during July to October, but game viewing in Mara is excellent all year, due to its rainfall not being quite as seasonal as that further south.
The Ngorongoro Crater near Serengeti (in Tanzania) hosts all the large African animal species, all year, as the majority of them don’t migrate.
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Which offers the Best Big 5 Safari: Masai Mara or Serengeti?
If you have your heart set on seeing the Big 5 of Africa – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo – which is the better safari destination for you?
Serengeti National Park is better for a Big 5 Safari because you are more likely to see all five of the Big 5 safari animals. That’s because the chances of seeing leopards are higher in Serengeti than in Masai Mara. Especially in the central (Seronera Valley) region of Serengeti Park.
Rhinos are scarce in the Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem but they are found in both national parks. In Masai Mara, you are most likely to see them in the Mara Triangle region and in Serengeti head to the Central Seronera Valley region (also best for spotting leopards).
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Safari Costs: which is more affordable Masai Mara or Serengeti?
Masai Mara Safaris are generally cheaper than Serengeti Safaris. That said, there are still plenty of high-quality Budget Serengeti Safaris out there.
The reason Budget Masai Mara Safaris tend to cost less is that there are more well-priced safari lodges located close to the national reserve. For Serengeti Safaris, there are fewer budget safari lodges, and accommodation is located inside the national park. So, taking day safaris in Serengeti Park to save on costs isn’t really an option. Mainly because the national park is too vast and there aren’t cheap lodges close to the park.
The catch is that Masai Mara’s cheaper lodges and camps are mostly concentrated in the eastern part of the reserve so it gets crowded. Even more so in the high season (about June to October). To avoid the worst of the crowds in Masai Mara you’ll need to visit another region of the park and spend a bit more on accommodation/your safari. Or, visit in the low season (November to December) when you can get better safari deals. But then you may end up traveling in the wet season and missing the Great Migration. Talk to one of our budget safari experts for advice.
Many of our Budget Masai Mara Safaris stay in the private conservancies of Masai Mara. These private wildlife conservancies are less crowded and offer a more exclusive safari experience at affordable prices. On these budget safaris, you explore both Masai Mara National Reserve and the private wildlife areas you stay in. The private conservancies either border on Masai Mara or are close to the national…