A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Masai Mara vs. Hofn for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Masai Mara or Hofn?

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 Hofn. 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 Hofn?

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.

Hofn

Hofn is a very small fishing town on the southeast of Iceland, measuring just over half a mile across. It is best known for being located in the beautiful Vatnajokull Region, where the largest glacier in Europe is located. Hofn, and the surrounding area, is full of breathtaking natural scenery including lagoons, icefalls, and mountains.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Northern Lights Tours in Iceland, and The Best Luxury Tours to Iceland.


Which place is cheaper, Hofn 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.

The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $132, while the average daily cost in Hofn is $207. 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 Hofn in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Masai Mara $37
    Hofn $113
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Masai Mara $74
    Hofn $226
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Hofn

Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Hofn? 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.

Hotels in Masai Mara


Hotels in Hofn


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: Hofn Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Masai Mara $47
    Hofn $31

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:

  • Nairobi National Park Game Drive Tour With Transfer: $95

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hofn

Also for Hofn, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Hofn Airport Hotel Transfer: $78

Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Hofn?

Prices for flights to both Hofn 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 day
    Masai Mara $57
    Hofn $73

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Masai Mara.

  • Nairobi Nightlife and Safari Park Hotel Dinner with Pick Up: $125
  • Kibera Slums Bomas of Kenya and Dinner at Carnivore Tour: $225
  • Nairobi National Museum and Carnivore Restaurant Food Tour: $275

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Masai Mara $60
    Hofn $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
  • Crescent Island Walking Safari and Boat Riding Tour: $295
  • David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage & Giraffe Center Guided Day Tour: $95
  • David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Half-Day Tour in Nairobi: $75
  • Day Tour Nairobi National Park Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen: $275
  • Day tour to Giraffe center and Karen Blixen Nairobi: $135
  • Fairview Coffee Farm Day Tour in Nairobi: $120
  • Giraffe Center and David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage Tour: $95
  • Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage and Cultural Dance Guided Tour: $175
  • Guided "Matatu" Experience Half Day Tour Within Nairobi.: $60

Tours and Activities in Hofn

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Hofn.

  • Ice Exploration Tour from the Glacier Lagoon: $149
  • Ice Cave Tour in the National Park of Vatnajökull: $157
  • Blue Ice Cave Exploration from Jökulsárlón (Small Group Tour): $165
  • Crystal Ice Cave & Super Jeep Tour from Jökulsárlón: $172
  • Glacier Kayak Adventure: $183
  • The Original Ice Cave Tour in Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon: $195
  • Full Day Blue Ice Cave Experience: $291

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Masai Mara $26
    Hofn $13


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Hofn, we can see that Hofn is more expensive. And not only is Masai Mara much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Masai Mara is in Africa and Hofn is in Europe, 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 Masai Mara would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Masai Mara 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 Hofn would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hofn than you might in Masai Mara.

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 Hofn Expensive?.