The Serengeti or the Mara National Reserve

Which one should I visit to see the great migration?

The African continent is home to some of the world’s most breathtaking natural wonders and unparalleled wildlife spectacles. Among the premier safari destinations, the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya stand out as iconic landscapes teeming with life. While both offer exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities and play a crucial role in the Great Migration, a closer examination reveals why the Serengeti National Park ultimately provides a superior and more profound African safari experience.

In fact, they are part of the same eco-system, divided by a border. The Mara can be divided further, with the Kenyan goverment-run Mara National Reserve (MNR) and the community run adjacent conservancies. The Great Migration doesn’t venture into the conservancies, but that is part of their indisputable charm (to find out more, please read this article). While the Serengeti and the MNR offer exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities and play a crucial role in the Great Migration, a closer examination reveals why the Serengeti National Park ultimately provides a superior and more profound migration safari experience compared to the MNR.

Sheer Scale and Untamed Wilderness

One of the most significant distinctions lies in their sheer size. The Serengeti covers a staggering 14,750 square kilometres (5,700 square miles), dwarfing the Masai Mara National Reserve’s 1,510 square kilometres (583 square miles). This vastness translates into a profound sense of untamed wilderness and offers a more immersive and remote safari adventure. In the Serengeti, the seemingly endless plains stretch to the horizon, punctuated by iconic acacia trees and rocky kopjes. This immense scale allows for a greater diversity of landscapes, including savannah grasslands, riverine forests, and woodlands, each supporting unique ecosystems and wildlife.

The Masai Mara National Reserve, while beautiful and replete with wildlife, feels way more crowded and concentrated due to its smaller size and the plethora of lodges, hotels and camps. The Masai Mara National Park has over 140 tourist properties with 5,000 beds available. While this can lead to more frequent sightings in certain areas, it comes at the cost of a truly wild and solitary experience. The Serengeti, approximately 10 times larger than the MNR, has a hosting capacity of 1700 beds.

The Unmatched Spectacle of the Great Migration

The Serengeti and the Masai Mara National Reserve are integral to the Great Migration, the annual movement of millions of wildebeest, zebras, and other ungulates searching for fresh grazing. However, the Serengeti plays host to the majority of this awe-inspiring event. The vast herds roam the Serengeti’s plains for most of the year, engaging in dramatic river crossings, particularly the Grumeti and Mara rivers. While the Mara River crossings are undoubtedly spectacular and often featured in wildlife documentaries, the sheer scale and duration of the migration within the Serengeti are unmatched.

From the calving season in the southern Serengeti (January-March), where thousands of wildebeest are born daily, attracting a multitude of predators, to the dramatic Grumeti River crossings (June-July) and the eventual movement towards the Mara River (July-August), the Serengeti offers a more comprehensive and extended opportunity to witness the various stages of this natural wonder. The sheer number of animals involved and the vast distances they cover within the Serengeti create a spectacle of unparalleled magnitude.

Most people go to see the Mara River crossings as that is all they have heard about. The Gruneti River crossings in June and July, in the Seregeti’s Western Corridor, can be spectacular too, with far fewer people. When it comes to the Mara River, there are limited crossing points, 13 in Tanzania, and only six in the Mara National Reserve in Kenya. When you combine high tourist density in the MNR with the proximity of the properties to the handful of crossing points, the result is a huge number of vehicles hanging around waiting for the animals to cross. 80 to 100 vehicles at one crossing point in the MNR is not uncommon in peak Migration season.

Sometimes the animals cross, sometimes they don’t. Human attention spans being what they are, people start chattering, vehicles come and go, and then if something does happen, the sound of camera shutters going off is like a volley of silenced machine guns, followed by whooping and jubilation. Not our favourite wilderness experience, and one we no longer arrange for clients.

Greater Biodiversity and Predator Density

While the Masai Mara boasts impressive wildlife densities, the Serengeti’s larger size and diverse habitats support a greater overall biodiversity. The Serengeti is home to the “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo) in significant numbers, often with better chances of spotting the elusive leopard and endangered rhino. Furthermore, the Serengeti boasts a higher diversity of antelope species, as well as other unique wildlife such as the African wild dog.

The predator dynamics in the Serengeti are also particularly captivating. With the largest lion population in Africa, along with substantial numbers of cheetahs and hyenas, the interactions between predator and prey are frequently observed and often more dramatic due to the sheer volume of herbivores. The vastness of the Serengeti allows these predator populations to thrive and maintain their natural behaviours on a grand scale.

Nearby Attractions

The Serengeti can be visited as a stand-alone destination on a fly-in fly-out safari, often combined with some beach time on Zanzibar, Pemba, or Mafia islands, or incorporated into "Northern Circuit" itinerary, visiting the excellent, totally different Tarangire National Park, and the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest volcanic caldera on the planet, home to many hooved mammals and many predators. For cultural enlightenment, there are the fascinating Hadzabe and Dagtoga tribeson the shores of Lake Nyasi, the flamingos of Lake Natron, and the active volcano OI Doiny Lengai to summit. And if you like a challenging hike, there is Mt Meru at 4566 metres above sea level, and of course the highest point of the continent, Uhuru peak, atop Mt Kilimanjaro, to be conquered.

Enhanced Exclusivity and Diverse Safari Options

The Serengeti generally offers a more exclusive safari experience. Due to its size and the distribution of lodges and camps, there are often fewer vehicles in any given area compared to the more concentrated Masai Mara. This contributes to a more intimate and less crowded wildlife viewing experience.
Furthermore, the Serengeti offers a wider range of safari options to cater to different preferences. From classic game drives and walking safaris to hot air balloon rides offering breathtaking aerial views of the plains, the Serengeti provides diverse ways to explore its wonders. The option to stay in remote and luxurious lodges or mobile camps further enhances the sense of wilderness and exclusivity.

Avoid the crowds.

A Deeper Connection to the Natural World

The sheer scale and untamed nature of the Serengeti foster a deeper connection to the natural world. The vast horizons, the sounds of the African bush stretching across immense distances, and the feeling of being a small part of a grand ecosystem create a truly transformative experience. While the Masai Mara offers incredible wildlife encounters, the Serengeti’s vastness allows for a more profound sense of immersion and solitude in nature.

Conclusion

While the Masai Mara National Reserve is a sought-after safari destination, certainly amongst the most well-known, the Serengeti National Park ultimately offers a superior Migration viewing and more comprehensive African safari experience. Its immense scale, the unparalleled spectacle of the Great Migration across its vast plains, greater biodiversity, enhanced exclusivity, and the profound sense of untamed wilderness combine to create an unforgettable journey into the heart of Africa’s natural wonders.