Masai Mara vs Serengeti compared: size, Great Migration timing, cost, crowds and access from Nairobi or Arusha. Which to choose, or how to do both.
The Masai Mara (Kenya) and the Serengeti (Tanzania) are one ecosystem. The Mara is smaller, closer to Nairobi, cheaper for short trips and best from July to October. The Serengeti is about 10 times larger, has the migration all year somewhere in the park, including calving in January–March, and suits longer trips. A 10-day combined safari visits both.
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| Masai Mara | Serengeti | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Kenya | Tanzania |
| Size | About 1,500 km² | About 14,750 km² |
| Migration | July – October | Somewhere in the park all year; calving January – March |
| Access | 5–6 hours by road or a 45–60 minute flight from Nairobi | Long drive or flight from Arusha |
| Short trips | Excellent (3 days) | Better with 4+ days |
| Typical cost | Lower for short trips | Higher fees and longer transfers |
Choose the Mara for a short, good-value safari from Nairobi, especially from July to October. Choose the Serengeti for a longer trip, for calving season, or to combine with Ngorongoro Crater and Zanzibar.
Yes. Our 10-day Kenya and Tanzania safari visits the Masai Mara, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Yes, ecologically. The Mara is the northern extension of the Serengeti ecosystem, split by the Kenya–Tanzania border.
The 3-day Masai Mara group joining safari is the most affordable way to see the Mara: you share a pop-up roof vehicle with up to 6 other travellers, leave Nairobi daily, stay two nights in a budget tented camp and get a full day of game driving in search of the Big Five.
The 10-day Kenya and Tanzania budget camping safari crosses the Namanga border to combine the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Amboseli with Tanzania's Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara: two countries and six parks on one shared camping trip.
The 4-day Masai Mara budget safari gives you two full days in the reserve instead of one, which doubles your chances of seeing leopard, cheetah and a Mara River crossing in migration season.
Written by the Seemore Tours & Travels team in Nairobi. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will update it.
