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

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.


Which place is cheaper, Kruger National Park 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.

  • Masai Mara Prices
    Kenya Prices
    Kruger National Park Prices
    South Africa Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Masai Mara $134
    Kruger National Park $86

The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $134, while the average daily cost in Kruger National Park is $86. 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
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Masai Mara $37
    Kruger National Park $51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Masai Mara $74
    Kruger National Park $102
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.

Hotels in Masai Mara


Hotels in Kruger National Park


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
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Masai Mara $48
    Kruger National Park $26

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Masai Mara

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Masai Mara:

  • Airport Transfers: $40

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kruger National Park

Also for Kruger National Park, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Shuttle Transfer from Greater Kruger to Gauteng: $62
  • Transfer - Skukuza Airport to Southern Sabi Sand Reserve: $195

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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Masai Mara $57
    Kruger National Park $17

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Masai Mara

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

  • Carnivore Resturant Dinner Experience : $68
  • Nairobi Private Carnivore Dinner Experience: $125

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Masai Mara $61
    Kruger National Park $22

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: $50
  • 5 hours Nairobi national park Private tour: $150
  • 3-Days Maasai Mara Camping Safari on 4x4 Land Cruiser Jeep: $285
  • 5 Hour Private Tour Nairobi National Park Or Evening Game Drive: $100
  • 6 Hour Tour to Nairobi National by Jeep: $194
  • 6 Hours Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center Tour: $65
  • Airport Layover Tour to Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center: $225
  • Amboseli National Park Day Tour from Nairobi: $135
  • Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $75
  • Day Tour Nairobi National Park Giraffe Center and Karen Blixen: $245
  • Day Tour To Mt. Kenya : $285
  • Day Tour at Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Centre: $78

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: $61
  • Full Day Kruger National Park Tour: $102
  • Sabie Game Reserve Sunset Safari Tour with Sundowners: $163
  • Kruger National Park Sunrise Half-Day Safari Tour: $189
  • 3-Day Safari Tour and Treehouse Stay: $731

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Masai Mara $27
    Kruger National Park $4.39


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?.