Which place is cheaper, Aswan or Masai Mara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Masai Mara or Aswan?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Masai Mara and Aswan. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Masai Mara or Aswan?
Masai Mara
Masai Mara National Reserve is a beautiful, scenic, nature reserve in southwest Kenya, just west of the capital city, Nairobi. The reserve belongs to the Masai people and was created in order to protect the land and the people and animals living on it. Masai Mara is considered to be one of the best reserves in all of Africa, offering the quintessential African safari experience.
Aswan
Lounging along the Nile like Egyptian royalty is a fantasy for most world travelers. If you want to do it without the hustle and bustle of Cairo, there's always Aswan. This city in the south of Egypt is the smallest of the three major cities on the Nile. Located just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, Aswan's 275,00 people include a large portion of Nubians – mostly resettled from their flooded homeland.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best 10-Day Tours in Egypt, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Egypt.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesAswan Prices
Egypt Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Aswan $28
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Aswan is $28. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Masai Mara and Aswan in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Aswan $9.45
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Aswan $19
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Aswan
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Aswan? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Masai Mara Hotel Prices and Aswan Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Aswan $5.18
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Nairobi Airport (NBO) Private Transfer to Nairobi City/Hotels: $17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aswan
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Aswan:
- Private Airport Arrival/Departure One Way Transfer: $7.00
- Airport Arrival/Departure One Way Private Transfer: $7.00
- Private transfer from/to Aswan train station: $7.00
- Transfer from Aswan Airport to Hotels or Nile Cruise in Aswan: $8.00
- Private transfer from Aswan to Aswan Airport: $8.00
- Private Transfer from Aswan Airport to Aswan: $13
- luxor Airport Private Transfer: $14
- Private Transfer Service From Hotel To Aswan Airport: $14
- Private Transfer From Aswan Airport Transfer To Hotel: $15
- Aswan Airport Private Transfer – Fixed Group Price: $15
- Private Transfer from Aswan Airport to Anywhere in Aswan: $15
- Aswan Airport Transfer: $16
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Aswan?
Prices for flights to both Aswan and Masai Mara change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayMasai Mara $57Aswan $14
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.
- Nairobi Private Carnivore Dinner Experience: $125
- Chiyo Japanese and Korean Restaurant Dinner with Cat Dance Show: $155
- Nairobi National Museum and Carnivore Restaurant Food Tour: $275
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Aswan
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Aswan.
- Nubian Dinner in Nubian Village Of Aswan: $40
- Night Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $42
- Dinner on board a cruise on the Nile: $59
- Private Evening Dinner Cruise in Cairo: $75
- Your Grandmothers Cooking Class In Aswan: $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Aswan $8.88
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- Half Day Giraffe Center,Baby Elephant&Karen Blixxen Guided Tour: $38
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $51
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $55
- Guided "Matatu" Experience Half Day Tour Within Nairobi.: $60
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Nairobi full day shopping tour: $65
- Giraffe Center Guided Tour from Nairobi: $65
- Giraffe Center and David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Tour: $72
- Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
- Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
- Nairobi Souvenir Shopping and Historical Half day Tour: $95
- Day tour to Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen Museum: $95
Typical Entertainment Prices in Aswan
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Aswan are as follows:
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Temple Kom Ombo for Two$1.15
Tours and Activities in Aswan
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Aswan are as follows:
- Shared Half-Day tour of The Nubian Village: $10
- Day Trip to Nubian Village with Camel Tour: $15
- Private Tour in Aswan : Felucca and Nubian village: $18
- 2 Hours Tour in Philae Temple: $19
- Day Trip to Nubian Village with Camel Tour from Aswan: $20
- Philae Temple and Aswan High-Dam Half-day tour: $20
- Private Day tour to High Dam&Unfinished Obelisk&Philae From Aswan: $20
- Felucca Nile Cruise in Aswan: $20
- Private Guided Tour to Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk: $20
- Private Tour in Aswan : Felucca and Nubian village: $23
- Philae Temple Guided Half-Day Group Tour: $25
- 3 or 2 or 1 Nights Mighty Nile Felucca Adventure: $25
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Aswan $1.01
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Aswan, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Aswan much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Aswan would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aswan and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Masai Mara would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Masai Mara than you might in Aswan.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Masai Mara Expensive? and Is Aswan Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.