Which place is cheaper, Merzouga 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.
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Should you visit Masai Mara or Merzouga?
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 Merzouga. 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 Merzouga?
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.
Merzouga
Let's say you want to truly get away. I don't mean putting your ear buds in on some beach with a stronger on the next chair over. I mean really get away, and find yourself deserted. Merzouga, Morocco lets you do just that. This land of sand dune after sand dune is ideal for anyone yearning to ride a camel to the ends of civilization. And you'll find plenty of options to get here with a tour, or even on your own.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Safaris in Kenya, The Best Luxury Tours to Kenya, The Best Budget Tours to Morocco, and The Best Luxury Tours to Morocco.
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Masai Mara Prices
Kenya PricesMerzouga Prices
Morocco Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $133Merzouga $23
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $133, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $23. 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 Merzouga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMasai Mara $37Merzouga $11
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $74Merzouga $22
Compare Hotels in Masai Mara and Merzouga
Looking for a hotel in Masai Mara or Merzouga? 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 Merzouga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Masai Mara $47Merzouga -
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
- Airport Transfers: $40
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way Errachidia airport transfer: $90
Is it cheaper to fly into Masai Mara or Merzouga?
Prices for flights to both Merzouga 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 $57Merzouga $11
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Merzouga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.
- Exclusive Merzouga Desert Safari: Camel Ride, Sandsurf & Dinner: $43
- Desert excursion with camel trek into the camp Dinner breakfast : $50
- 1-Night in Desert Camp With Dinner & camel ride: $56
- Overnight Stay in Luxury Desert Tent with Dinner: $61
- Sunset With Dinner And Berber Music in Merzouga Desert With 4WD : $64
- Berber Cooking Class in Merzouga Desert: $70
- Moroccan Berber Pizza Cooking Class in Khamelia: $73
- Day Trip By Camels In Erg Chebbi Dunes, Lunch With Berber Pizza: $81
- Overnight in Desert Camp Camel Ride, Dinner & Show: $83
- 1-Night in the luxury camp. camel ride & Dinner: $86
- Overnight in Luxury camp with camels dinner: $91
- Merzouga Desert Tour, Quad Sandboarding Camel Ride & Dinner: $141
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $60Merzouga -
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: $38
- Nairobi National Park and Giraffe Center Half Day Tour: $50
- Safari Walk Tour with Animal Orphanage in Nairobi: $50
- Day tour to Kiambethu tea Farm : $50
- Day tour to Hell's gate and optional boat ride at lake naivasha : $53
- Nairobi African Shopping Tour: $55
- Guided "Matatu" Experience Half Day Tour Within Nairobi.: $60
- Giraffe Centre and Animal Orphanage Guided Tour In Nairobi. : $60
- Nairobi City Tour: $68
- Cultural Day Tour to Bomas of Kenya Nairobi: $75
- Nairobi City Tour and Afternoon Visit to Bomas of Kenya: $80
- Half Day Private Tour to Lake Nakuru National Park: $80
Tours and Activities in Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- ATV Quad bikes experience & sandboarding : $35
- Private Quad Bike Adventure at Merzouga with Guide: $44
- Sahara Desert Fossil Hunting Experience : $45
- Merzouga 4x4 Desert Excursion - Sahara 4WD Adventure: $46
- Merzouga Desert Quad bike Adventure with Sand boarding: $46
- Camel ride experience : $46
- Merzouga Quad and Buggy Desert Tour: $46
- Merzouga Desert Excursion - Sahara 4x4 Adventure: $46
- Sanding Ball in Experience the sand dunes on a zorbing activity: $52
- Merzouga : Adventure Quad Bike Safari, & Sandboarding: $55
- Merzouga 4X4 Half-Day Tour with Lunch: $55
- Merzouga ATV Quad and Buggy Tours& sandboard: $56
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $26Merzouga -
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Masai Mara and Merzouga, we can see that Masai Mara is more expensive. And not only is Merzouga much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Merzouga would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Merzouga 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 Merzouga.
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 Merzouga 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.