CROSS BORDER // TWO COUNTRIES
7 Days Kenya and Tanzania
Cross from the Masai Mara into the Serengeti and down into the Ngorongoro Crater. One ecosystem, two countries, seven days.
7 Days / 6 Nights
DURATION
$1,590
FROM, PER PERSON
Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro
DESTINATIONS
2 to 6
GROUP SIZE
ABOUT THIS SAFARI
About This 7 Day Kenya and Tanzania Safari
This Kenya and Tanzania safari follows the great migration ecosystem across a border. You start with two nights in the Masai Mara National Reserve, cross into Tanzania at Isebania for two nights in the Serengeti National Park, then finish with two nights on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater before ending in Arusha.
The Mara and the Serengeti are one landscape divided by a border, so you see the same herds and big cats from two sides. The Ngorongoro Crater adds the best chance on the route of black rhino, with lion, elephant and buffalo on the crater floor. From July to October the wildebeest migration is usually in the Mara and the northern Serengeti.
You travel in a private 4×4 Land Cruiser with a Kenyan driver guide, then change to a Tanzanian vehicle and guide at the border, as vehicles cannot cross between the two park systems. Full board, all park and crater fees and border assistance are included. Compare the two countries in Kenya or Tanzania: which safari is right for you.
AT A GLANCE
Trip Summary
| Detail | This safari |
|---|---|
| Price from | USD 1,590 per person |
| Duration | 7 days / 6 nights |
| Safari style | Migration, Wildlife |
| Countries | Kenya, Tanzania |
| Parks visited | Masai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater |
| Starts | Nairobi |
| Ends | Arusha |
| Group size | Private departure. Typically 2 to 6 guests per vehicle |
| Best time to go | Jul to Oct for the river crossings |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Your Route, Day By Day
| Day | Route | Overnight | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nairobi to Masai Mara | Tented camp, Masai Mara | L, D |
| 2 | Full Day in the Masai Mara | Tented camp, Masai Mara | B, L, D |
| 3 | Mara to Serengeti | Tented camp, Serengeti | B, L, D |
| 4 | Serengeti National Park | Tented camp, Serengeti | B, L, D |
| 5 | Serengeti to Ngorongoro | Lodge, Ngorongoro rim | B, L, D |
| 6 | Ngorongoro Crater Floor | Lodge, Ngorongoro rim | B, L, D |
| 7 | Ngorongoro to Arusha | Departure | B |
B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner. Accommodation is shown by type and area. We confirm the exact camp or lodge in writing with your quote.
DAY BY DAY
The Full Itinerary
Your driver guide collects you from your Nairobi hotel or the airport after breakfast. The road climbs down the Rift Valley escarpment and runs through Narok to the Masai Mara National Reserve, about five to six hours, arriving at camp for lunch.
Your first game drive starts in the late afternoon as the lion prides wake and cheetah hunt on the open plains.
Activities: Drive to the Masai Mara, afternoon game drive
Meals: Lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, Masai Mara
A full day in the Mara with a picnic lunch, following the Mara River where hippo and Nile crocodile gather. From July to October the herds cross the river here.
A balloon flight at sunrise and a Maasai village visit can be added at an extra cost.
Activities: Full day game drive with picnic lunch, Mara River, optional balloon flight and Maasai village visit
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, Masai Mara
An early breakfast, then the drive west to the Isebania border, about three to four hours. Our team helps with Kenyan exit and Tanzanian entry at the one stop border post at Isebania and Sirari, and you change to a Tanzanian vehicle and guide.
You continue through Tarime and Mugumu and enter the Serengeti National Park from the west, with a game drive on the way to your camp in the central Serengeti. It is a full travel day, and you arrive in the late afternoon.
Activities: Drive to the Isebania border, change of vehicle and guide, game drive into the Serengeti
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, Serengeti
A full day in the Serengeti with morning and afternoon game drives across the Seronera valley, one of the best areas in Africa for leopard and cheetah.
Your guide plans the route around the season. Lion prides, elephant and giraffe are here all year, and you rest at camp through the heat of the day.
Activities: Morning and afternoon game drives in the central Serengeti
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Tented camp, Serengeti
A morning game drive as you head south east out of the park, with an optional stop at the Olduvai Gorge museum.
You climb onto the Ngorongoro highlands and check in at your lodge on the crater rim, with views down into the caldera at sunset.
Activities: Morning game drive out of the Serengeti, optional Olduvai Gorge stop, drive to the Ngorongoro rim
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Lodge, Ngorongoro rim
After an early breakfast you descend 600 metres to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater for a full day game drive. This is the best chance on the route to see black rhino, along with lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo on the soda lake.
You have a picnic lunch by the hippo pool and climb back to the rim in the late afternoon.
Activities: Full day crater floor game drive with picnic lunch
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner · Overnight: Lodge, Ngorongoro rim
A relaxed breakfast on the rim, then the drive down through the coffee farms of Karatu to Arusha, about three to four hours.
You arrive in the early afternoon for a drop off at your hotel or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward flight.
Activities: Drive to Arusha or Kilimanjaro International Airport
Meals: Breakfast · Overnight: Departure day
THE ROUTE
Where This Safari Takes You
Nairobi → Masai Mara → Isebania and Sirari border → Serengeti → Ngorongoro → Arusha. We handle the border formalities and the vehicle change.
How To Get There
This safari starts in Nairobi and ends in Arusha. Fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) and fly home from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), about one hour from Arusha.
You cross from Kenya into Tanzania by road at the Isebania and Sirari one stop border post, about three to four hours from the Mara camps. Allow one to two hours for the formalities. The Sand River crossing inside the reserve is not open to visitors. Kenyan safari vehicles cannot enter Tanzanian parks, so you change vehicle and guide at the border.
You need a Kenya eTA and a Tanzania e-visa, applied for online before travel, plus a yellow fever certificate, which Tanzania asks for when you arrive from Kenya. From 1 October 2026 Tanzania also requires its own inbound travel insurance, $44 per adult and $22 per child, best bought online before you travel. Your own travel insurance does not replace it. See our visa requirements page or ask about it in your free quote.
WHAT IS COVERED
Included and Not Included
Included
- All park, reserve and crater fees in both countries
- Professional guides in Kenya and Tanzania
- 4×4 Land Cruisers with pop-up roofs
- Full board accommodation as specified
- Border crossing assistance and vehicle change
- Bottled drinking water throughout
- Airport transfers both ends
Not included
- International flights
- Kenya eTA and Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Balloon safari and optional excursions
- Soft and alcoholic drinks
- Tips and gratuities
GOOD TO KNOW
Kenya and Tanzania Safari FAQs
By road at the Isebania and Sirari border post, west of the Mara. There is no open crossing inside the reserve, so the drive takes most of a day. Our team helps with immigration and you change to a Tanzanian vehicle and guide.
Most visitors need a Kenya eTA and a separate Tanzania e-visa, both applied for online before travel. The East Africa Tourist Visa does not cover Tanzania. See our visa requirements page.
Yes. Tanzania asks for a yellow fever certificate from travellers arriving from Kenya, so carry the original card. The vaccine must be given at least ten days before you travel.
From July to October the herds are usually in the Masai Mara and the northern Serengeti. Read about the Serengeti and the best months for each area.
This safari starts from $1,590 per person. The price depends on the season, the camps and your group size. Request a free quote for your dates.
Yes. There is no direct flight between the two parks, but you can fly from the Mara to Nairobi, on to Kilimanjaro and into a Serengeti airstrip. It saves the long drive but costs more, and we can price both options for you.
NO OBLIGATION
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