Which place is cheaper, Durban or Masai Mara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Masai Mara or Durban?
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 Durban. 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 Durban?
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.
Durban
The third largest city in South Africa, Durban sits on the east coast of the country in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The city also has the country's most active port. The city's comfortable weather and vast beaches make it one of the country's major tourist centers. There's a population of about 3.5 million in the entire metropolitan area that spreads over 2,295 square kilometers.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Overlanding Trips in South Africa, and The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $111Durban $52
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $111, while the average daily cost in Durban is $52. 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 Durban in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $38Durban $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $76Durban $48
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Durban
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Durban? 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 Durban Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $48Durban $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Airport Transfers: $40
- Private One-Way Nairobi Airport Transfer: $29
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Durban
Also for Durban, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Durban Airport (DUR) to Durban - Arrival Private Transfer: $27
- Durban to Durban King Airport (DUR) - Departure Private Transfer: $27
- Private Transfers - Minibus - Durban Arrivals and Departures: $32
- Private Sedan Transfers - Durban King Shaka: $35
- Durban Cruise Ship Transfers : $39
- 1-3 Passenger Private Durban - Airport Transfer: $46
- Durban King Airport (DUR) to Durban - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $55
- Departure Private Transfer: Durban City to Durban Airport DUR by Business Car: $76
- Arrival Private Transfer from Durban Airport DUR to Durban City by Business Car: $78
- Arrival Private Transfer from Durban Airport DUR to Durban City by Minivan: $84
- Private transfers from King Shaka Airport: $107
- From Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Overnight Safari w/ Transfer: $500
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Durban?
Prices for flights to both Durban 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 $34Durban $16
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.
- Safari Park Dinner with Safari Cats Dance Show: $91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Durban
For Durban, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Half Day Guided Taste of Africa Food Tour in Durban: $41
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $61Durban $16
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- 1Day Tour Nairobi Park ,Giraffe Center,karen Blixxen Guided tour: $45
- 3-Days Maasai Mara Camping Safari on 4x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $285
- A day tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $52
- Amboseli Day Tour from Nairobi: $220
- Day Tour To Mt. Kenya : $285
- Day tour to Hell's gate and optional boat ride at lake naivasha : $98
- Day trip - Lake Nakuru National Park Tour From Nairobi: $130
- Full Day Tour Nairobi National Park, Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Center: $275
- Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage, Beads Center & Bomas of Kenya Tour Nairobi: $115
- Half Day Giraffe Center,Baby Elephant&Karen Blixxen Guided Tour: $35
- Half Day Tour Elephant Orphanage,Giraffe CenterKobe Beads Factory: $38
- Karen Blixen Museum & Giraffe Centre Half day tour: $90
Tours and Activities in Durban
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Durban.
- 30-Minute Harbor Boat Cruise: $5.33
- Durban Point Waterfront: Luxury Canal Boat Cruise: $8.00
- 1-Hour Boat Cruise from Wilson's Wharf: $8.00
- Luxury Canal Boat Cruise - Fun Things Durban Ushaka: $8.41
- Magical Gondola Night Boat Cruise in Durban: $8.68
- Pontoon Boat Harbor Cruise: $10
- Luxury Harbour Ocean Boat Cruise: $11
- Durban Walking Tour: $26
- Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Tour: $40
- Durban Half-Day City Tour - Golden Mile, Botanical Gardens: $42
- Durban City Sightseeing Tour: $43
- Durban:Culture Walking Tour of Durban: $51
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $27Durban $13
Sample the Local Flavors in Durban
Also in Durban, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bar Crawl in Durban : $36
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Durban, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Durban much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Durban would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Durban 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 Durban.
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 Durban 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.