Kenya vs Tanzania safaris
Comparing Masai Mara
with Serengeti safarisBest safari reserve in each country
It's the Masai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in Tanzania.
Best overall
The Serengeti in Tanzania easily wins the contest.
The Masai Mara has become too crowded
Decades ago when I first visited the Masai Mara, it was a glorious experience because it attracted a relatively small number of safari-goers.
Nowadays, due to the Masai Mara's worldwide fame, the Masai Mara suffers from an excessive number of safari vehicles during its peak season.
In many popular Masai Mara spots, the safari landscape is sometimes dotted with minivans, which end up as unwanted background in your otherwise exciting African safari photos.
Thevehicular concentration of minivans and traditional safari vehicles diminishes your "in the wild" safari experience. (This is far less likely to occur in Tanzania's Serengeti because it has fewer visitors and is eight times larger than the Masai Mara.)
Besides offering a better safari experience, the Serengeti has exciting side-trip adventures
If you go to the Serengeti, you are only a half day by car from the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa's finest safari destinations. You are also relatively near Mt Kilimanjaro (climb it) and the Olduvai Gorge (see where our prehistoric ancestors lived). And exotic Zanzibar is easily reached by plane.
Neophyte vs. knowledgeable opinions
The two opinions are completely opposite of each other:
- First-time safari-goers
Most novice safari-goers automatically choose the Masai Mara instead of the Serengeti. This is not because Kenya has the most merit (it doesn't). One reason is Kenya is the world's most famous safari country and many people associate fame with being the best.
- Seasoned safari-goers
Most travelers who have visited both the Masai Mara and the Serengeti believe the latter offers a superior safari experience.
It's still worth visiting. My advice: If your first African safari trip will go to either Kenya or Tanzania but not both, then choose Tanzania. If your schedule allows both countries, definitely do both.
