3D / 2NKilimanjaro views
Serengeti National Park · Tanzania
6-Day Maasai Mara & Serengeti Safari
Kenya's Maasai Mara and Tanzania's Serengeti in one realistic six-day route, crossing at Isebania, with game drives in both parks and the Migration in season.
- 6 days · 5 nights
- From Nairobi
- Two countries
Overview
The Maasai Mara and the Serengeti are one ecosystem split by a border, and the wildebeest ignore it. This safari follows their lead, starting in Kenya's Mara and continuing into the endless plains of Tanzania's Serengeti, so you see both halves of the greatest wildlife show in Africa in a single trip.
We've built it as six days because that is what the journey honestly takes. There is no tourist crossing inside the parks: the route runs out of the Mara to the Isebania–Sirari border post, where you clear immigration and switch to a Tanzanian vehicle and guide, then on to the Serengeti's Ikoma Gate. Coming home, you leave the Serengeti through the Ngorongoro highlands and return to Nairobi via Arusha and the Namanga border.
What you'll see
In the Mara, open grassland, big cats and the Mara River. In the central Serengeti, the Seronera valley, known for lion and leopard, and depending on the month, the Migration herds. You also stop at the Ngorongoro Crater rim, looking down into the caldera.
- 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof in both countries
- 5 nights' accommodation on full board
- Game drives in the Maasai Mara and Serengeti
- Park and conservation fees on the route
- A Maasai cultural visit
Bring your passport and yellow fever certificate: you'll cross two international borders.
- Game drives in both the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti
- The Great Migration, wherever the herds are that month
- Lion and leopard country in the Serengeti's Seronera valley
- Ngorongoro Crater rim viewpoint on the way out
- Maasai cultural visit in the Mara
- Realistic pacing with two nights in each park
Day by day
- Day 1
Nairobi → Maasai Mara
Pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or JKIA at around 07:00. Stop at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint, then continue through Narok to the Maasai Mara, arriving for lunch roughly five to six hours after leaving Nairobi. Your first game drive runs from about 16:00 until the reserve closes at dusk, with lion, elephant, giraffe and plains game on the open grassland. Dinner and overnight in the Mara.
- Day 2
Full day in the Maasai Mara
A full day in the reserve with a picnic lunch, heading towards the Mara River for hippo pools, crocodiles and, between roughly July and October, herds gathering at the crossing points. Your guide follows the sightings, so the route changes with the wildlife. In the late afternoon you visit a Maasai homestead to meet the community, see traditional dances and learn about daily life. Dinner and overnight in the Mara.
- Day 3
Maasai Mara → Isebania border → Serengeti
Breakfast and a 07:00 start for the drive west to the Isebania–Sirari border, about three and a half to four hours. After Kenyan and Tanzanian immigration you switch to a Tanzanian safari vehicle and guide, because Kenyan-registered tour vehicles do not operate in Tanzania's parks. Continue via Tarime and Mugumu to the Serengeti's Ikoma Gate, about four to five hours, with lunch on the way. Game drive to your camp in the central Serengeti. Dinner and overnight.
- Day 4
Full day in the Serengeti
Spend the whole day exploring the central Serengeti with a picnic lunch. The Seronera River valley is one of the best places in East Africa for lion and leopard, which often rest in the sausage trees along the water. Depending on the month, your guide may also head for the Migration herds, which spend the early months of the year in the south and move west and north as the dry season begins. Dinner and overnight.
- Day 5
Serengeti → Ngorongoro highlands
A morning game drive through the plains as you head south-east to leave the park at Naabi Hill Gate. The road then climbs into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where you stop at the crater rim viewpoint for the view down into the caldera, around 600 metres below. Continue to your overnight stop in the highlands around Karatu, arriving in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight.
- Day 6
Karatu → Arusha → Nairobi
An early breakfast and departure for Arusha, about two and a half hours away. From Arusha the road runs north to the Namanga border, where you clear immigration and a Kenyan vehicle meets you for the last stretch to Nairobi. Expect to reach Nairobi in the late afternoon or early evening, depending on the border queue and city traffic. Drop-off at your Nairobi hotel or JKIA. Mombasa guests can connect the next day.
What's included
Included
- Transport in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof (Kenyan vehicle in Kenya, Tanzanian vehicle in Tanzania)
- English-speaking driver-guides in both countries
- 5 nights' accommodation on full board
- Game drives in the Maasai Mara and Serengeti as per the itinerary
- Park, reserve, conservancy and conservation-area fees on the itinerary route
- Maasai cultural visit
- Drinking water during game drives
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Nairobi hotel or JKIA
Not included
- Visas (Tanzania visa for non-East African passports; Kenya re-entry where required)
- Ngorongoro Crater floor game drive (available as an extra day)
- Yellow fever vaccination
- Travel between Mombasa and Nairobi
- Hot-air balloon safaris, drinks, tips and personal expenses
- Travel insurance
Rates
| Option | Kenya resident (KES) | Non-resident (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 6D/5N budget camping/tented (6 pax) | 98,000 | 1,850 |
| 6D/5N mid-range tented camps/lodges | 145,000 | 2,600 |
Per person sharing a double or twin room. Mara: 8 and under free; Serengeti: under 5 free, EA citizen child TSh 2,000, non-resident child USD 20. 3-11 sharing 75%; 12+ adult. Passports required for the border.
Good to know
- Everyone needs a valid passport, including Kenyan citizens. Non-East African visitors need a Tanzania visa and should check whether their Kenya eTA covers re-entry.
- Carry your yellow fever certificate. Tanzanian border officials can ask for it from travellers arriving from Kenya.
- Days 3 and 6 are long road days with border formalities. Bring snacks, a neck pillow and patience.
- The Great Migration is seasonal: roughly July to October in the Mara and northern Serengeti, and December to March in the southern Serengeti. Tell us your dates and we'll explain what to expect.
- Want the crater floor? Add a day for a Ngorongoro Crater game drive before returning to Nairobi.
Questions about this trip
Why is this a six-day safari and not three days?
There is no tourist crossing between the parks. You leave the Mara, drive to the Isebania–Sirari border, clear two immigration posts, switch vehicles and drive on to the Serengeti, which takes most of a day. Getting back to Nairobi takes another full day. Six days leaves you two proper days in each park instead of a trip spent mostly in the vehicle.
Why do we change vehicles at the border?
Under the arrangements between Kenya and Tanzania, tour vehicles registered in one country do not run safaris inside the other country's parks. So your Kenyan driver-guide hands you over to a Tanzanian guide and Land Cruiser at Isebania, and the reverse happens at Namanga on the way home. We coordinate both handovers so you are never left waiting alone.
Will I see the Great Migration?
It depends on when you travel. The herds are usually in the Mara and northern Serengeti between about July and October, calve in the southern Serengeti around February, and spend the months in between moving through the central and western Serengeti. The rains decide the exact timing, so sightings of the herds and river crossings can never be guaranteed.
What documents do I need?
A passport valid for at least six months with blank pages, your yellow fever certificate and, if you are not an East African citizen, a Tanzania visa. Visitors who need a Kenya eTA should check that it covers returning to Kenya after the Tanzania leg. We'll send a document checklist when you book.
Can I fly back instead of driving on the last day?
Yes. Instead of the long drive from Karatu, you can take a scheduled light-aircraft flight out of the Serengeti to Arusha or Kilimanjaro and connect to Nairobi, or fly directly where schedules allow. It costs more but saves a full day on the road. Ask us for a quote when you enquire.
6-Day Maasai Mara & Serengeti Safari
Request to book
Tell us when and who's travelling. We check availability, then send a written quote with the total, the deposit and the due dates. Nothing to pay until you're happy with it.
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