7-Day Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Mara + Serengeti
Two countries, one ecosystem: Mara, Serengeti and crater.
From $3,250
Kenya & Tanzania | 9 days | combo
9-day Kenya & Tanzania safari
Elephants added: Tarangire joins Mara, Serengeti and crater.
Duration9 days
Stylecombo
StartsNairobi
EndsNairobi
Green season from$4,150 pp
Peak season from$5,050 pp
Two-country East Africa: Mara plus Serengeti with Isebania/Namanga border handling, crater included from seven days, Amboseli and Zanzibar on longer formats. Grand-tour depth: two regions or bush-plus-beach without rushing. Route: Masai Mara - Tarangire - Ngorongoro Crater - Central Serengeti over 9 days. Season logic:
Highlights
- Private throughout - own vehicle and guide, departing on your dates, with no group to join.
- Parks covered - Masai Mara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Central Serengeti.
- Season-smart routing - camp zone set by your month, not by a fixed template.
- Honest pricing - park and concession fees line-itemed on every quote.
- Masai Mara - the July to October migration and year-round big-cat density.
- 4 nights in Central Serengeti - overnight inside the park means the first and last hour of light are yours, and those are when the cats move.
- Two countries, one route - the border is crossed once, in the direction the wildlife is already moving.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Nairobi
Morning: Land at Nairobi; meet your private guide for a full safari briefing.
Midday: Lunch and gear check; rest after the flight.
Afternoon: Introductory game drive in Masai Mara where routing allows, else lodge pool and early rest.
Evening: Dinner and overnight near Nairobi. (Add a pre-night after long-haul arrivals.)
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel in Nairobi.
Day 2 - Masai Mara
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Masai Mara: Marsh Pride lions, river crossings in season and big-cat density at its peak.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Tented camp or lodge in the Masai Mara.
Day 3 - Tarangire
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Tarangire: Elephant herds along the Tarangire River, ancient baobabs and 500-plus bird species. Transfer from Masai Mara (a scenic road transfer).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp on the Tarangire boundary.
Day 4 - Ngorongoro Crater
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Ngorongoro Crater: Gate-open descent for lions, black rhino, hyena clans and flamingo lakes on the crater floor. Transfer from Tarangire (3-hr drive via Karatu).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Crater-rim lodge or permanent camp in the Ngorongoro highlands.
Day 5 - Central Serengeti
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Afternoon game drive in Central Serengeti: Resident big cats around Seronera - lions, leopards and cheetahs at close range. Transfer from Ngorongoro Crater (4-5 hr game drive via Olduvai).
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Permanent tented camp in the Central Serengeti.
Day 6 - Central Serengeti
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Resident big cats around Seronera - lions, leopards and cheetahs at close range.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Permanent tented camp in the Central Serengeti.
Day 7 - Central Serengeti
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Resident big cats around Seronera - lions, leopards and cheetahs at close range.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Permanent tented camp in the Central Serengeti.
Day 8 - Central Serengeti
Morning: Early departure for a dawn game drive when predators are still active, returning for brunch.
Midday: Picnic lunch at a designated site or lodge lunch, then rest through the midday heat while wildlife dozes.
Afternoon: Second full day for deeper territories with picnic lunch out: Resident big cats around Seronera - lions, leopards and cheetahs at close range.
Evening: Sundowner at a scenic stop, dinner and overnight at the lodge or camp.
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: Permanent tented camp in the Central Serengeti.
Day 9 - Depart
Morning: Final sunrise activity around Central Serengeti with bush breakfast.
Midday: Brunch, then transfer to Nairobi for onward connections.
Afternoon: Day rooms available on late flights; souvenir stop if time allows.
Evening: End of safari services at Nairobi airport.
Meals: Breakfast and brunch.
Accommodation: Departure day - no overnight stay.
Why this 9-day Kenya and Tanzania safari itinerary
9 days on the Kenya and Tanzania circuit: Masai Mara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Central Serengeti. Every day below is a real day on the ground, not a transfer with a game drive attached.
Why Masai Mara comes first
It is the wildlife payoff of the Kenyan circuit, so the route builds toward it - and that is where the route opens.
Central Serengeti gets 4 nights
Central Serengeti holds 4 of the 9 days, and that is deliberate: overnight inside the park means the first and last hour of light are yours, and those are when the cats move.
What 9 days buys
9 days moves past the point of rushing: whole days rather than stops, and enough slack that weather or wildlife can bend the plan without breaking it.
Getting around Kenya and Tanzania
A cross-border circuit moves in one direction: the Kenyan parks south, then over the border into the northern Tanzania circuit, so the driving is spent once rather than twice. The Mara and the Serengeti are the same ecosystem split by a line, and the route is built to follow the wildlife across it.
Accommodation
Hand-picked lodges and tented camps matched to your tier - mid-range comfort or luxury suites, always positioned for short game-drive starts. Family rooms, honeymoon suites and triple options on request.
Safari vehicle and guide
Extended 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, fridge, charging ports and window seats for all. Your English-speaking driver-guide averages a decade in these parks and is assigned by specialty - Migration positioning, photography, birding or family pacing.
Who this safari is best for
Two-country travelers - one ecosystem, zero repeated parks.
Pricing
| Season | Per person (2 travelers) |
|---|---|
| Green season | from $4,150 |
| Peak season | from $5,050 |
| Tier | What you get |
|---|---|
| Budget | Camping and simple camps, with departures in the green season to hold the rate down. The private vehicle, your guide and the park fees stay exactly the same - the cut is beds and season, never guiding or positioning. |
| Mid-range | Comfortable lodges and tented camps with full board, positioned for short game-drive starts. This is the standard the from-price on this page assumes. |
| Luxury | Top-end suites and private villas in the best position in camp, private guiding throughout and flexible meal times. The highest season surcharge applies. |
Best time to book
Kenya and Tanzania runs on two seasons. The one you pick changes what you see, what the camps cost and how far ahead you need to commit.
Dry season
June to October is the shared dry window across both countries: comfortable days, thinning vegetation and wildlife concentrated on the remaining water. July to August is the busiest stretch, when the migration is in the Mara and northern Serengeti.
Green season
The short rains arrive in November and the long rains in March to May. The parks green up, rates fall and the crowds thin, and the January to March calving season in the southern Serengeti is the outstanding wildlife event of the green months.
What actually drives the timing
The migration does not recognise the border: it is in the Mara from July to October and in the southern Serengeti for calving from January. The itinerary positions camp on whichever side the herds are on for your dates.
How far ahead to book
June to August and the migration months want six to twelve months of notice across both countries, because you are booking two countries' camps at once. Green-season departures usually work on two to four months.
What is included and excluded
Every price on this page is a full-cost quote. Park and concession fees are line-itemed, so the total you compare against another operator is the total you pay.
Included
- Transport and guiding - private extended 4x4 safari vehicle with a dedicated driver-guide for your group only.
- Park and conservation fees - entry to Masai Mara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Central Serengeti, paid on your behalf and shown as line items on the quote.
- Accommodation - 8 nights in lodges, tented camps or seasonal camps matched to your tier.
- Meals - most meals as listed day by day: breakfast at camp, a picnic or lodge lunch, and dinner, with bottled water in the vehicle throughout.
- Transfers - every road transfer in the day-by-day, including airport pick-up and drop-off.
- Game drives - morning and afternoon drives in your own vehicle, on no schedule but yours.
- Taxes - government taxes and VAT on everything quoted.
Not included
- International flights - into Jomo Kenyatta International, Nairobi (NBO); we route the connections but do not issue tickets.
- Visas - One decision per country, and they differ: Kenya issues only the eTA since 2024 at US$32.50 online at least three days ahead, Tanzania sells visas on arrival at US$50 and US$100 for United States citizens. We confirm every rule for your nationality before you commit to flights.
- Travel insurance - required, and it must include medical evacuation.
- Premium drinks - premium wines, spirits and cocktails at lodges and camps.
- Tips - driver-guide and camp staff gratuities.
- Optional extras - balloon or scenic flights, extra nights, luxury camp tier, beach or trekking extensions.
Parks and guides
Masai Mara | Tarangire | Ngorongoro Crater | Central Serengeti
Back to hub | Style hub | Customize any itinerary
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FAQs
Can dietary needs be handled in bush camps?
Yes - vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and most allergies are routinely catered with advance notice. Remote camps need 30 days notice for specialist supplies; tell us at proposal stage.
Camps cook from scratch, so most requests are a kitchen question rather than a supply one. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are routine; halal and kosher products have to be imported in the remotest valleys, which is where the 30-day notice applies - Skeleton Coast, northern Uganda, the deeper Okavango camps. Menus are planned per group before the first grocery run, so tell us at proposal stage rather than on arrival. Guides carry your dietary notes on every drive, and camps refill filtered water wherever possible instead of trucking in bottles.
Can older travelers or limited mobility join?
Often yes: game drives are vehicle-based, many lodges have ground-floor rooms with walk-in showers, and we grade walking and trekking honestly. Tell us constraints and we design around them - except gorilla trekking, which demands real hill fitness.
What is included in the from-price?
Private 4x4 and driver-guide, accommodation, park and concession fees, listed transfers and most meals. International flights, visas, insurance and tips are excluded.
On our quotes the from-price covers the private 4x4 and driver-guide, accommodation, park and concession fees, listed transfers and most meals; it excludes international flights, visas, insurance, tips and premium drinks. Balloon flights, night drives and gorilla permits appear as optional line items you switch on.
Can we add a beach extension?
Yes - Zanzibar, Diani and Mozambique links are routine. Say the word and the flights slot into your proposal.
How do deposits and payments work?
A deposit of 20 to 30 percent confirms camps, permits and flights; the balance is due 60 days before travel. We accept bank transfer and major cards (card fees disclosed upfront). Full terms arrive in writing before you pay anything.
We accept bank transfer and Visa or Mastercard; card payments add the processor's 2-4 percent, disclosed line by line. Splitting the balance across two cards is possible at proposal stage, and paying early in green season occasionally unlocks camp flexibility worth a few percent - always against a written schedule, never against an informal promise.
Are your guides qualified?
Our driver-guides average a decade in their parks, hold national guiding licenses plus first-aid certification, and are assigned by specialty - Migration positioning, photography, birding or family pacing.
How do we get the best price without hurting the trip?
Travel green season, bring four or more travelers to split the vehicle, choose tented camps over lodges, and drive where flying saves little. Never cut guide quality, Migration-zone positioning or insurance.
The four levers that actually work: green season (published rates 20-40 percent below high season with fewer vehicles at sightings), four or more travelers splitting the vehicle, tented camps over permanent lodges of the same operator, and road transfers under two hours instead of flight sectors. The three that do not: cutting guide quality, cutting Migration-zone positioning, and dropping insurance - the last one being a false economy at US$100-300 for a multi-thousand-dollar trip.
What is the best month for this trip?
Dry-season months give the easiest wildlife viewing; green-season months cut cost 20 to 35 percent. Tell us your window and we confirm the wildlife logic.
What vaccinations and malaria prevention do we need?
Yellow fever certificates are required when arriving from endemic countries; malaria prophylaxis is recommended for most safari regions - discuss options with your doctor 6 to 8 weeks out. We brief every trip on water, sun and insect precautions.
CDC guidance for the region is precise. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for all safari travelers and becomes a certificate requirement when you arrive via an endemic country such as Rwanda or Uganda. Routine boosters, hepatitis A, typhoid and hepatitis B round out the travel clinic list. Malaria transmission covers every game park below roughly 2,500 meters, the parasite is chloroquine resistant, and the preventatives that work are atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine or tafenoquine, started before arrival and finished after. Book the clinic six to eight weeks out, and pack repellent with 20 percent DEET plus long sleeves for dusk.
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