Trip Highlights
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi
Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Transfer to your hotel in the Karen suburb. Relax and prepare for the adventure ahead.
Activities
- Airport transfer
- Welcome dinner and safari briefing
- Optional visit to David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage
Visit the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage at 11am for the public feeding — it's free and unforgettable.
Day 2: Nairobi to Masai Mara
Fly or drive to the Masai Mara National Reserve. Afternoon game drive through the golden grasslands rich with lion prides and grazing herds.
Activities
- Transfer to Masai Mara (fly 45 min or drive 5 hrs)
- Afternoon game drive
- Sundowner drinks in the bush
The bush flight into the Mara is worth the extra cost — aerial views of the migration herds are spectacular.
Day 3: Full Day in Masai Mara
Spend the full day exploring the Mara with sunrise and afternoon drives. Focus on the Mara River crossings if herds are near, or track big cats across the plains.
Activities
- Sunrise game drive
- Mara River crossing watch point
- Picnic lunch in the savanna
- Afternoon game drive through Mara Triangle
Migration crossings are unpredictable — your guide will have intelligence from other drivers on herd movements.
Day 4: Masai Mara Exploration
Another full day in the Mara exploring different sectors. Optional hot air balloon ride at sunrise or visit a Maasai manyatta (homestead).
Activities
- Optional balloon safari at dawn
- Morning game drive to Oloololo Escarpment
- Visit a Maasai village
- Afternoon game drive
Negotiate the Maasai village visit fee through your guide — they'll ensure a fair price and authentic experience.
Day 5: Masai Mara to Isebania Border & Serengeti
Cross the Kenya-Tanzania border and enter the northern Serengeti. The landscape transforms as you enter one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries on Earth.
Activities
- Border crossing at Isebania/Sirari
- Drive through northern Serengeti
- Afternoon game drive in the Serengeti
Border crossings can take 1-2 hours — carry printed copies of your visa and yellow fever certificate.
Day 6: Central Serengeti — Seronera Valley
Explore the Seronera Valley, the Serengeti's wildlife hub. The kopjes (rocky outcrops) here are prime leopard territory, and the river attracts massive herds.
Activities
- Sunrise game drive to Seronera River
- Search for leopards on the kopjes
- Afternoon drive to the hippo pools
- Sunset views from a kopje lookout
The Seronera kopjes are some of the best leopard habitat in Africa — scan every rock and tree carefully.
Day 7: Serengeti Full Day
A full day tracking the migration herds across the vast Serengeti plains. The sheer scale of wildlife here is unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Activities
- Full-day game drive following the migration
- Bush picnic lunch
- Visit the Retima Hippo Pool
- Golden hour photography session
Ask your guide to stop the engine and just listen — the sounds of the Serengeti are profoundly moving.
Day 8: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Drive south through the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Stop at Olduvai Gorge, the "Cradle of Mankind," before ascending to the crater rim.
Activities
- Scenic drive through the Serengeti shortgrass plains
- Visit Olduvai Gorge museum
- Arrive at Ngorongoro crater rim for sunset views
The crater rim sits at 2,300m — temperatures drop sharply after dark, so have your warm jacket ready.
Day 9: Ngorongoro Crater Descent
Descend 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full-day game drive. This collapsed volcano floor hosts 25,000+ animals including black rhino, lion, and flamingo-fringed lakes.
Activities
- Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater at dawn
- Track black rhinos on the crater floor
- Picnic lunch at the hippo pool
- Spot flamingos at Lake Magadi
- Ascend crater rim at sunset
The crater floor can only be visited for 6 hours — enter early to make the most of the cool morning light.
Day 10: Ngorongoro to Lake Manyara
Drive down the Rift Valley escarpment to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions and vast flocks of flamingos.
Activities
- Morning drive along the crater rim
- Descend into the Rift Valley
- Afternoon game drive at Lake Manyara
- Search for tree-climbing lions
Lake Manyara's groundwater forest is home to troops of baboons and blue monkeys — a completely different ecosystem from the savanna.
Day 11: Lake Manyara to Tarangire National Park
Transfer to Tarangire National Park, where baobab-studded landscapes host the densest elephant populations in Tanzania during the dry season.
Activities
- Drive to Tarangire (2 hours)
- Game drive through baobab forests
- Watch elephant herds at the Tarangire River
- Look for python in sausage trees
Tarangire in the dry season (Jul-Oct) can have 300+ elephants along the river — it's a photographer's paradise.
Day 12: Full Day in Tarangire
A full day exploring Tarangire's diverse habitats, from swamps to kopjes. The park is less visited than the Serengeti, offering a more intimate safari experience.
Activities
- Sunrise game drive to Silale Swamp
- Search for rare fringe-eared oryx
- Afternoon drive through the southern circuit
- Sundowner with baobab views
Tarangire has over 550 bird species — even if you're not a birder, the yellow-collared lovebirds and lilac-breasted rollers are stunning.
Day 13: Tarangire to Arusha
Final morning game drive in Tarangire, then drive to Arusha. Visit the Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre or relax at your hotel before the farewell dinner.
Activities
- Morning game drive in Tarangire
- Drive to Arusha (2.5 hours)
- Visit Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre
- Farewell dinner
The Cultural Heritage Centre has an excellent gemstone gallery and Tingatinga art — perfect for last-minute souvenirs.
Day 14: Departure from Kilimanjaro Airport
Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight. Alternatively, extend your trip with a Zanzibar beach add-on.
Activities
- Airport transfer to Kilimanjaro (KIA)
- Optional Zanzibar extension
Consider a 3-day Zanzibar add-on for pristine beaches after two weeks of dusty safari roads — you've earned it.
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Learn more about this destination: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania