Which place is cheaper, Jinja or Masai Mara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Masai Mara or Jinja?
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 Jinja. 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 Jinja?
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.
Jinja
Jinja is a city located at the source of the Nile in Uganda, Africa. Many backpackers travel to Jinja, as it is known for its white water rafting. This city is the third largest economy in all of the East African Community. It has a population of about 72,000 people.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Wildlife Tours to Uganda, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Uganda.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $111Jinja $92
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $111, while the average daily cost in Jinja is $92. 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 Jinja in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $38Jinja $44
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $76Jinja $88
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Jinja
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Jinja? 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 Jinja Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $48Jinja $22
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Jinja?
Prices for flights to both Jinja 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 $34Jinja $28
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $61Jinja $29
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: $35
- Half Day Tour Elephant Orphanage,Giraffe CenterKobe Beads Factory: $38
- 1Day Tour Nairobi Park ,Giraffe Center,karen Blixxen Guided tour: $45
- A day tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $52
- Nairobi African Shopping Tour: $55
- Nairobi City Tour: $68
- Lake Nakuru National Park; Admission Ticket: $75
- Lake Nakuru National Park Day Tour from Nairobi: $75
- Karen Blixen Museum & Giraffe Centre Half day tour: $90
- Day tour to Hell's gate and optional boat ride at lake naivasha : $98
- Giraffe Center, Elephant Orphanage, Beads Center & Bomas of Kenya Tour Nairobi: $115
- Day trip - Lake Nakuru National Park Tour From Nairobi: $130
Tours and Activities in Jinja
Here are a few actual costs in Jinja for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Half-Day Banana Kayak Experience in Bubugo with Lunch: $25
- Half-Day Jinja Walking Tour: Source of Nile & Boat Ride Options: $31
- Guided Walking Tour with Optional Source of the Nile: $31
- David's Shared Walking Tour in Jinja with a Local Cultural Meal: $40
- Three days source of the nile & sipi falls tour: $760
- White Water Rafting & Source of the Nile Adventure: $760
- 3days jinja and sipi falls tour: $800
- Uganda: 4 Day Jinja City Tour Uganda: $1,655
- 18 Days African Jungle Safari Tour: $9,433
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $27Jinja $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Jinja, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Jinja much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Jinja would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jinja 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 Jinja.
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 Jinja 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.