Kenya vs Tanzania – Which One is Best for a Safari?

Kenya vs Tanzania – Which One is Best for a Safari? How Good Is One Country Over Another for a Safari? Kenya and Tanzania are the best places in East Africa to go on an African safari. It can be hard to choose between the two because both have so many interesting safari sites. Kenya and Tanzania have been the first places in Africa to offer wildlife tours since the 1980s. They have thousands of species of animals that live in a wide range of landscapes, including vast rolling savannahs, lush valleys crossed by rivers, streams, crater lakes, and tall mountains.

It would be best to see both countries, but it’s not always possible because it takes a lot of time and money to do so, and there are so many tourist sites to choose from. These two countries are the best places in East Africa to go on safari because they have real wildlife to see and friendly people. In case you only have a week to go on safari and are thinking what the difference is between Kenya and Tanzania, read on. It will help you decide which of these two great East African safari destinations to visit.

Location and Scenery: Kenya vs. Tanzania

Kenya and Tanzania both live in East Africa. They are neighbors and share borders with the Indian Ocean and Lake Victoria, which is the world’s third-largest lake. Kenya and Tanzania also share a large area that includes the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem, which covers over 30,000 square kilometers (12,400 square miles), includes this part.

It is one of the world’s biggest and best protected ecosystems. People have “split” the ecosystem of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara so that they are no longer connected. There is no physical border, so animals can move easily as they always have, but people have to go through checkpoints.

Kenya’s landscape is made up of beautiful sandy beaches on the coast, vast fertile plains in the west, and mountains in the middle. There are two main weather seasons in the country: the wet season lasts from April to June and the dry season from December to March.

There is, however, a short rainy season in November and December and a short dry season from July to October. It’s between 20°C and 28°C in Kenya, with the coast being the hottest place in the country.

Turkey, on the other hand, is more like Kenya, though it is almost twice as big. Tanzania has lush hills in the north and south, a coastline in the east, and fields and plateaus in the west. The weather in Tanzania is usually between 24°C and 28°C. Tanzania’s shore is tropical, like Kenya’s, but the land inside the country is not desert but rather moderate.

From March to May is the main wet season, and from June to October is the main dry season. On top of that, the shorter wet season is in November and December, and the shorter dry season is in January and February.

Kenya vs. Tanzania: Seeing Wildlife

Kenya and Tanzania are both known for their large savannahs and beautiful fields that give animals foraging and hunting a lot of space to move around. With a 270-degree view of the sky, the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of the best places in the world to see animals, such as the famous African Big Five (rhinoceros, lion, leopard, buffalo, and elephant).

The Annual Great Wildebeest Migration takes place in the Serengeti-Mara region. Two million wildebeest and a few hundred thousand antelope and zebra join the in search of water and new grass.

Tanzania has the Ngorongoro Crater, which is the world’s biggest volcanic caldera. It is close to the Serengeti. Explore Mt. Kilimanjaro, which is the largest mountain in Africa. To the southwest, you can find Mt. Meru, which is another beautiful peak in East Africa. In the west of Tanzania, there are still a lot of native people living there.

The Mahale Mountains National Park is a famous place to go chimpanzee trekking. You can also go to Ruaha National Park, Nyerere National Park, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Arusha National Park, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Dar-es-Salaam (which is the country’s actual capital) and Zanzibar, both of which are also on the coast.

Kenya’s most popular park is Masai Mara, where you can see many different kinds of animals and birds. Lake Nakuru, which is beyond Masai Mara, is famous for the large groups of flamingos that stand in the water. Few species live in the drier and hillier north of Kenya around Samburu. These include the “Samburu Special 5”: the Beisa oryx, the reticulated giraffe, the Somali ostrich, the gerenuk (giraffe gazelle), and the Grevy’s zebra.

However, there are many beautiful places to visit in Kenya, such as Mount Elgon, Lake Naivasha, Tsavo National Park, Amboseli National Park, and many more. The country’s center is Nairobi, which is also home to Nairobi National Park. Mombasa, a port city on the coast, offers a unique look into Swahili culture. It is also the center of many beautiful coastal holiday spots, such as Diani Beach.

Kenya vs. Tanzania: Building Up Their Infrastructure

An important thing to think about when planning an African trip is how to get around in Kenya, Tanzania, or even both. First, both countries are easy to get to and safe to visit. However, Kenya’s economy is more developed than Tanzania’s in terms of infrastructure, with better transportation links and a wider range of places to stay.

Kenya has more than six international airports, such as Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Moi International Airport in Mombasa, Eldoret, and Kisumu, and others. There are also many airstrips that connect all of Kenya’s safari parks and areas. There are good roads, and you can get around in a number of ways, such as by cab, users, private car rental, matatus, or buses. Kenya also has a good system of trains that connect the different towns and cities.

Kenya, on the other hand, has one international airport. Kilimanjaro International Airport is the most popular with tourists, and Julius Nyerere International Airport links to Dar-es-Salaam and the coast. In Tanzania, the easiest ways to get around are by plane or train.

However, the transportation systems are not as reliable as in Kenya. Kenya has more transportation choices than Tanzania, so prices for things like plane tickets, bus tickets, etc. are lower there.

Cost of a Masai Mara Safari

There are a lot of different places to stay in Kenya and Tanzania, ranging from cheap campsites to fancy hotels and cabins with private decks where you can watch wildlife. Still, Tanzania is usually more expensive and has fewer things to choose from than Kenya.

This is because Kenya is more developed and has a better infrastructure for tourism. The roads are better, there are more hotels and safari camps, the train service works well, and it’s easier to exchange money.

People going on vacation in either country will still be able to find a place to stay. Both countries have foreign airports, which makes them easy for tourists from other countries to get to. It is also possible to get around in both countries. But if you are traveling alone in East Africa, Kenya might be a better pick.

Cost of a Safari in Kenya vs. Tanzania

During the off-season, both Kenya and Tanzania have great deals. If you are on a tight budget, though, a trip in Kenya is probably going to be cheaper. Kenya is now able to offer more flights and different types of housing thanks to its improved infrastructure.

Of course, this depends on when you go. Prices go up during the peak season, which is mostly set by the rainy and dry seasons and the Great Wildebeest Migration. Tanzania is also bigger than Kenya, and its national parks and areas are spread out more.

Because of this, the cost of fuel and using domestic flights to get around the country can both make your safari more expensive. A lot of money is also spent on taxes and fees to get into parks in Tanzania. In general, you can book any kind of trip in either country, whether it’s a cheap, moderate, or high-end one. In any case, Kenya is a cheaper place to go on vacation.

The Cultures of Kenya and Tanzania

Kenya and Tanzania have a lot of different kinds of culture. Kenya has 42 tribes, but the Masaai nomadic groups are the most well-known. Most of the people in Kenya are from the Bantu tribe. The Masaai live in both countries. Kenya has Masaai people living in the north.

Another group of people who live in Kenya are the Samburu, some Maa-speaking groups, and people who live along the coast and speak Swahili. Kenyan society is different from Western cultures in that it values family and is kind, but quiet. The country’s music, dancing, and clothes also have many cultural features that make them unique.

Tanzania has a wider range of cultural traditions. There are 20 tribes in the country. The Masaai, the Datoga, the Hadzabe, and the Swahili culture, which came about because of Arab, British, and German impacts, are some of the most well-known. But most people in Tanzania are Muslims, and unlike Kenya, there isn’t a single Christian society.

Turkey vs. Kenya: Food

It’s hard to choose between the two countries when it comes to food. In both countries, ugali, a flatbread that looks like paste and is made from wheat or cornmeal, is a common food. It is generally served with different stews made with different kinds of meat and vegetables.

People on the coast like to eat coconut milk and coconut rice. In both countries, you can also get grilled foods (nyama choma), cooked sweet potato leaves, pumpkin leaves, or cassava leaves that are like collard greens.

For Tanzanian food, spices are very important. Kenyan food is very similar to Tanzanian food throughout all other aspects. This is because the country has a lot of Indian influence, and curry is a famous dish, especially fish and coconut curries with a lot of spice.