Which place is cheaper, Merzouga or Masai Mara?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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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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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMasai Mara $111Merzouga $17
The average daily cost (per person) in Masai Mara is $111, while the average daily cost in Merzouga is $17. 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 $38Merzouga $10
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMasai Mara $76Merzouga $20
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 $48Merzouga -
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
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Merzouga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Merzouga:
- 1 way transfer: $61
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 $34Merzouga $5.92
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 Merzouga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Merzouga.
- One Night in Private Camp in the Sahara Desert in Merzouga with Dinner: $65
- Sunset With Dinner And Berber Music in Merzouga Desert With 4WD : $65
- Day Trip By Camels In Erg Chebbi Dunes, Lunch With Berber Pizza: $76
- Merzouga Orange Dunes ATV Sandsurf Camels with 5 Stars Dinner: $85
- Camel trek with 1 Night in Luxury camp with Dinner+ Sundbording: $87
- 5 Hour Sunset Tour with Camel Ride and Dinner In Desert: $87
- Visit The Nomads, Gnawa Music, Rally In Dunes, Berber Pizza : $104
- Magical Dinner and Camel Trek with 1 Night In Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp: $105
- Overnight in Luxury Camp With camel Trek & Dinner: $107
- From Fes: 2-Day Merzouga Desert Trip w/Luxury Tent & Dinner: $115
- From Fes: 2-Day Merzouga Desert Trip(Luxury Tent & Dinner): $123
- 2 Nights Private Camp in Merzouga with Dinner and Camel Ride: $200
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Masai Mara $61Merzouga -
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 Merzouga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Merzouga are as follows:
- Camel Ride Experience: $27
- Merzouga Desert Quad bike Adventure with Sand boarding: $38
- Merzouga 4x4 Desert Excursion - Sahara 4WD Adventure: $43
- Merzouga 4x4 Desert Tours & Excursions: $46
- Extreme Adventure with Harness Zorbing in Merzouga dunes: $48
- Merzouga one hour Adventure Tour: $54
- Merzouga 4x4 tour - Excursion around dunes: $54
- Merzouga Experience -1.5h Quad buggy : $55
- Merzouga 4X4 Half-Day Tour with Lunch: $55
- 1 Night Camel Trekking Tour in Merzouga Desert Camp : $60
- One Hour Sahara Desert ATV Quad Biking Tour: $61
- From Quad bike tour to the peak of Erg Chebbi dune: $61
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMasai Mara $27Merzouga -
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.