Which place is cheaper, Flores 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.
Jump to 
Should you visit Masai Mara or Flores?
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 Flores. 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 Flores?
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.
Flores
The town of Flores is located in Peten, Guatemala. The main hub is located on an island on Lago Peten Itza, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. On the other side of the causeway are the towns of Santa Elena and San Benito, however, all three are often referred to as Flores. Most people visit the area for its proximity to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal, though the town itself is also charming with colonial buildings and historic churches lining the cobbled streets.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Tours for Seniors to Guatemala, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Guatemala.
-
Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesFlores Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Flores $43
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Flores is $43. 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 Flores in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Flores $8.78
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Flores $18
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Flores
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Flores? 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 Flores Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Flores $8.01
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 Flores
Also for Flores, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Transfer : Mayan World Airport to Flores Island Hotels: $10
- Bus transfer from Flores, Guatemala to Belize City: $20
- Tikal Transfer and Tour Guide From Flores: $90
- Same day Round-Trip VIP Exclusive Transfer to Tikal from Flores: $160
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Flores?
Prices for flights to both Flores 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
-
Food Meals for one dayMasai Mara $57Flores $23
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
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Flores $20
Tours and Activities in Masai Mara
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Masai Mara are as follows:
- Amboseli N Park Day tour with optional Maasai village visit: $200
- Amboseli national park full day tour: $160
- Bomas of Kenya cultural Dance and Acrobatic Show Tour: $64
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $51
- David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $55
- Day Tour to Amboseli National Park: $300
- Day Tour to Maasai Mara Reserve From Nairobi: $225
- Day tour to Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen Museum: $95
- Day tour to Giraffe center and Karen Blixen Nairobi: $95
- Full day Crescent Island and Hell's Gate Park Cycling Tour: $295
- Full-Day Bird Watching Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $195
- Giraffe Center Guided Tour from Nairobi: $65
Typical Entertainment Prices in Flores
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Flores's activities, tours, and tickets:
-
Tikal Entrance (for 2)$39
-
Map of Tikal$3.28
Tours and Activities in Flores
For Flores, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Basic Tour to Tikal Includes Transportation and Guide Service: $25
- From Flowers Sunset Tour in Tikal: $25
- Shared Guided Sunset Tour in Yaxhá from Flores: $25
- Shared tour to Tikal from Flores Island: $30
- Tikal Ruins Day Tour from Flores: $31
- Full Day Tikal Sunrise Tour from Flores and Archaeological Tour: $38
- Tikal National Park Full-Day Guided Tour from Flores: $65
- From Flowers Eco Tour to Blue Crater All Inclusive: $70
- All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores or Mayan World Airport: $78
- Tikal Sunset Tour from Flores: $85
- Tour to Tikal (Awesome): $85
- Tikal Sunset Tour from Flores with tickets included: $95
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Flores $21
Typical Alcohol Prices in Flores
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Flores are as follows:
-
Two Margaritas$2.62
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Flores, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Flores much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Flores is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Flores would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flores 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 Flores.
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 Flores 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.