Tanzania vs Kenya: Which offers the best safari?

What an incredible question to answer for these two beautiful safari destinations. Kenya or Tanzania which offers the best safari?

Most of the time when we are asked about this question we find ourselves in a dilemma. Because each of these countries is the spearhead of the African safari experience.

Both of these countries are epic tour and safari destinations in East Africa. The wildlife, beautiful beaches, mountains, authentic cultures, and the big five.

The natural reserves and biggest national parks are the hallmarks of these countries. Think of Maasai Mara or Serengeti National Park are these parks not magical?

To connect the dots and help you make a wise decision on where to visit we should compare these two countries. This will help you to see which is the best destination based on your preference.

Tanzania Travel Facts

Wildlife density

Tanzania is the leader in this category. With 22 national parks, and game reserves like Selous which is the largest game reserve in Africa. 40% of its land is dedicated to the conservation

Great migration duration

Wildebeest spend 90% of their time migrating within the Serengeti National Park.  So visiting Tanzania offers a greater chance to experience migration than in Kenya.  See the wildebeest migration calendar

World-renowned destinations

Tanzania has more iconic destinations in Africa including Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Mount Kilimanjaro.

Accommodation expenses

There are few hotels, lodges, and camps in Tanzania compared with Kenya. Full booking during peak season is very common.  The cost of accommodation in Tanzania is a bit expensive compared with Kenya

Tourist traffic

Kenya receives a high number of visitors compared to Tanzania. Which is ideal for luxury safaris either in game parks or beaches.

Size of national parks

Tanzania has bigger national parks compared with Kenya. If your intention is to spot animals all the time may take a bit longer during game drives. Though it depends on the park you decide to visit.

Safety in Tanzania

Tanzania is a very peaceful country ranking 14th safe country on GPI. Global Peace Index studies 23 key metrics to determine the country’s position on the index.  All the indicators are grouped into three broad categories which are:

• Ongoing International and Domestic Conflict
• Societal Safety, and
• Security, and Militarization

These scores merged to create a GPI value for each country. The lower the score, the more peaceful and safe the country is. Read more about African safety countries to visit.

Safari Gears and Transport

This includes safari jeeps for game drives. Many cars used for game drives are closed cars with open roofs. However, it’s possible to request open-sided cars. The best safari cars are 4X4 WD Landcruisers and Land Rovers.

A certificate for Yellow fever and VISA is required for check-in to Tanzania.

Kenya Travel Facts

Developed infrastructures

The true fact is about Kenya’s economy is better than Tanzania’s. The tourism facilities are quite developed compared to Tanzania.

Safari expenses

Kenya offers less expensive options for accommodation than Tanzania.  Is it a budget-friendly country because of the high number of developed facilities? Lodges, resorts, camps, and hotels are available in large numbers compared to Tanzania.

Size of national parks

The size of game reserves and national parks is smaller in Kenya compared to Tanzania. It takes a short time to spot wildlife. This creates a difference between Kenya safari vs Tanzania safari.

Tourist destinations

Well-known attractions include Amboseli, Mount Kenya, Lake Nakuru, and Maasai Mara.

Kenya Tourist Arrivals

Kenya is leading in the number of tourist arrivals. The well-developed domestic travel is also the key factor to a high number of tourists. Learn more

Maasai Mara great migration

Kenya also hosts the migration of wildebeest from Serengeti in Tanzania. Maasai Mara is the hotspot to witness the Mara River crossing from August to October.

But also wildlife tourism in other parks is growing so fast. When comparing Kenya safari vs Tanzania safari. Learn more about the wildebeest migration

How to visit Kenya for Safari?

Nairobi as its capital city boost both local and international flight hub. Many flights to East Africa land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

When comparing the flight cost to Tanzania you will realize some differences.  Kenya Airways connects to 56 destinations across the globe with a direct flight to the USA.

Safety in Kenya

Kenya is a safe destination in Africa like other East African countries. A VISA and Yellow fever certificate are also required.

Tour Options available in Kenya

Optional tours like walking, cruises, and eco-tourism are available offers for visitors.

Which offers the best safari?

After going through the highlights let’s center this discussion around our key question Tanzania vs Kenya: which offers the best safari?

Both of these countries offer outstanding safari destinations in East Africa. Both are pride destinations for Big Five safaris.  The golden grasslands and savannah are the identity of these big safari destinations.

The countless number of grazers and predators are the wild magic you won’t afford to miss on an African trip. The pride of lions, leopards, and herds of wildebeest, big elephants, and birds.

Tanzania safari always will be more expensive than Kenya safari. The high number of lodges, resorts, and camps in Kenya was the main reason for the low prices.

Despite the budget variation when visiting these two countries.  But we should also focus on understanding the quality over quantity perspectives.

Kenya Safari is well known for being busier than Tanzania Safari.  The main focus is mass tourism in Kenya which helps us to see where the priority is for Kenya safari.  Quantity over quality is unvoidable to that extent delivery of low value.

On the other side, the Tanzania safari is a more conservative mode. Tanzania subscribes to high value with the low-impact tourism model.

The park fees are high compared to Kenya this could make you pay more but in return, you will enjoy the luxury. Most of the protected parks in Tanzania are less crowded throughout the year.

Sticking to the facts Kenya is more advanced than Tanzania.  Could be either in transport or accommodation facilities like lodges, camps, and resorts.

On the other side, Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa, 40 % of its land is dedicated to conservation. Thinking of the largest parks like Ruaha, Selous, Nyerere, and Serengeti. But also marine reserves and great lakes are the checklists you should not miss in Tanzania.

Now you have a clue of what it feels visit Africa for either Kenya Safari or Tanzania Safari.  To drive this topic home our vote should go to Tanzania. If you’re looking for serene, silent, remote, and luxurious places far from the crowd.

For the Kenya safari, we will cast our vote for people who are looking for vibrant destinations. Kenya is the father of eco-tourism in Africa. No wonder cultural experience is on-lit across East Africa.

Both Tanzania and Kenya are magical destinations for safari if you want to visit Africa. The generosity of its people. Beautiful culture and unique experiences are the hallmarks of these countries.

Combining safaris for wildlife and beach is very possible. You could spend time at Serengeti National Park and combine it with Zanzibar. Or you could visit Amboseli and rest on Diani beach in Mombasa.

You have endless options for combined trips. You can climb Mount Kilimanjaro and visit the Maasai people at Ngorongoro. Or you can do walking safaris at Oldonyo Lengai and rest along the shores of Lake Natron home to Flamingo.

Kenya Safari is proud of the county slogan “Magical Kenya”.  While Tanzania Safari stands firm with its slogan “Unforgettable Tanzania ”

Take away from this discussion is that, there is an opportunity to visit these countries at once.  In case you have any interest to do so, feel free to contact us.

We invite you to read more of our African safari articles

• The ultimate guide to a Serengeti safari 
• How to select a reliable tour operator in Tanzania 
• How much does the Tanzania safari cost?
• When is the best time to visit Tanzania?
• Why you should visit Tanzania

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