Which place is cheaper, Kruger National Park or Masai Mara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Masai Mara or Kruger National Park?
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 Kruger National Park. 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 Kruger National Park?
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.
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park, in northeast South Africa hugs the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the Crocodile River to the south. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometers, it hosts a variety of habitats with a thriving population of wildlife and indigenous plant species, making it a safari destination like no other.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in South Africa, and The Best 10-Day Tours in South Africa.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $111Kruger National Park $80
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $111, while the average daily cost in Kruger National Park is $80. 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 Kruger National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $38Kruger National Park $47
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $76Kruger National Park $94
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Kruger National Park
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Kruger National Park? 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 Kruger National Park Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $48Kruger National Park $24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:
- Private One-Way Nairobi Airport Transfer: $29
- Airport Transfers: $40
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Kruger National Park?
Prices for flights to both Kruger National Park 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 $34Kruger National Park $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 Kruger National Park
For Kruger National Park, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Sabi Game Reserve Sunset Safari Tour with Dinner: $135
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $61Kruger National Park $21
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
- Amboseli Day Tour from Nairobi: $168
- 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 Private Tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe center: $39
- 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: $38
- Half Day Tour Elephant Orphanage,Giraffe CenterKobe Beads Factory: $38
- Karen Blixen Museum & Giraffe Centre Half day tour: $90
Tours and Activities in Kruger National Park
For Kruger National Park, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Kruger Safari Tour - Morning Half Day: $51
- Kruger National Park Sunrise Half-Day Safari Tour: $175
- 3-Day Safari Tour and Treehouse Stay: $684
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $27Kruger National Park $4.10
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Kruger National Park, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Kruger National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kruger National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kruger National Park 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 Kruger National Park.
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 Kruger National Park 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.