Ten days is enough to see the Masai Mara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater in a single trip, as long as you plan around two things: where the Great Migration is in the month you travel, and how you get across the border. The two parks share a boundary but there is no crossing between them, so you either fly across in about half a day or drive around in a full one.

The best 10-day Kenya and Tanzania safari itinerary runs Nairobi, Masai Mara (3 nights), Serengeti (3 nights), Ngorongoro Crater (2 nights) and Lake Manyara (1 night), finishing at Kilimanjaro Airport. On Gotukio this route is bookable as the Cross-Border Migration trip, from $3,300 per person for 9 nights. A mid-range version in peak season costs $4,500 to $7,000 per person.

This guide is based on Gotukio's experience booking cross-border safaris with our local operator partners in both countries. It covers the route day by day, what it costs in 2027, and how the plan changes with the time of year, because the migration is in a different place every month. One thing a lot of travel guides skip is where your Serengeti camp should be. The mobile migration camps sit in Ndutu from roughly December to March and in the northern Serengeti from roughly July to October, and booking the wrong area can put you a full day's drive from the herds.

Ten days is the minimum we recommend if you want to cover both countries. With 7 or 8 days you spend too much of the trip in transit, and with 12 to 14 days you can add Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli or Zanzibar. All of those variations are covered below, along with a step-by-step walkthrough of how to build and book the trip on trip.gotukio.com.

Why This Is the Best 10-Day Kenya and Tanzania Safari Itinerary

This route follows the migration ecosystem from north to south, so every day moves you forward and you only cross the border once. You start in Nairobi, finish at Kilimanjaro Airport near Arusha.

The sequence also makes sense for the wildlife. The Masai Mara and the Serengeti are one continuous ecosystem split by a border, so three nights on each side gives you two very different takes on the same herds. The Mara is compact and dense with predators. The Serengeti is about ten times larger and feels emptier in the best way. The Ngorongoro Crater then gives you the highest odds of black rhino on the whole trip, and Lake Manyara breaks up the drive back to Arusha with a gentle final game drive.

An open-jaw flight plan is what makes 10 days work. Fly into Nairobi (NBO) and out of Kilimanjaro (JRO), and you save a full day of driving compared with a round trip.

Pros

• The Masai Mara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater in one trip

• More chances at the Great Migration between July and October

• One border crossing, no backtracking

• Works by road, by air or as a mix of both

• Easy to extend with the Kenyan lakes, Amboseli or Zanzibar

Cons

• One long transfer day in the middle of the trip (Day 4)

• Two sets of visas and entry fees

• July to October is the most expensive and busiest time in both parks

• Your guide and vehicle change at the border, because Kenyan safari vehicles cannot operate in Tanzania and vice versa

If you are still deciding between the two countries instead of combining them, read Kenya vs Tanzania Safari 2027: Which Destination Should You Choose? first.

Kenya and Tanzania Safari Itinerary Map and 10-Day Overview

The route covers roughly 1,100 km by road over 10 days and 9 nights. Here is each day in one line.

If your international flight lands in Nairobi after midday, add a night in the city before Day 1. Our Nairobi Safari Guide covers where to stay and what to do with a spare afternoon.

Where Is the Great Migration Each Month, and Where Are the Serengeti Migration Camps?

The herds spend about nine months of the year in Tanzania and about three in Kenya, so the Tanzanian half of this itinerary has to move with them. The Serengeti is nearly 15,000 square km. A camp in the wrong part of it can leave you four to six hours by road from the wildebeest.

That is why Serengeti Migration Camps is its own destination on Gotukio, separate from the standard Serengeti listing. These are seasonal camps that follow the herds and operate in two locations:

• Ndutu season (roughly December to March): the camps are in the Ndutu area, on the short-grass plains where the southern Serengeti meets the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This is calving season.

• Northern Serengeti season (roughly July to October): the camps are in the far north near Kogatende and the Mara River, where the river crossings happen.

In the months in between, the herds are on the move through the central and western Serengeti. For those dates, choose the standard Serengeti destination and stay centrally around Seronera, which has strong resident wildlife all year. The standard Serengeti also serves as a good mid-way stop between the northern Serengeti migration camps and the Ngorongoro crater.

Timing shifts by a few weeks each year with the rains, so treat the edges of each season as approximate.

How the Seasons Change This Itinerary

July to October: run the route exactly as written. The herds straddle the border, so you can see them in the Mara on Days 1 to 3 and again in the northern Serengeti on Days 4 to 6. The Isebania border post is also the closest crossing to the northern Serengeti, so the Day 4 transfer is at its shortest. Book Serengeti Migration Camps for your Tanzanian nights. The northern Serengeti is a long way from the Ngorongoro Crater, so you can add a stop in the central Serengeti on the way south to break the distance: two or three nights in the north, then one night around Seronera.

December to March: go to Ndutu via the central Serengeti. The herds are at the southern end of the ecosystem, about as far from the Masai Mara as they get. The Mara still has excellent resident lions, cheetahs and leopards, and park fees are half the peak rate, but you will not see the migration there. The route to Ndutu runs through the middle of the park, so the Ndutu version always includes a stop in the central Serengeti first: one night around Seronera, then two nights at the migration camps in Ndutu. The stop splits a journey that is too long for one day, and Seronera has some of the best resident leopard and lion viewing in Tanzania. A bonus of Ndutu season is that Ndutu is only two to three hours from the Ngorongoro Crater, so Day 7 becomes an easy drive. If you would prefer a simpler border crossing at this time of year, swap the Mara for Amboseli and cross at Namanga (see the Amboseli variation below).

April to June and November: stay central. Base yourself around Seronera in the central Serengeti and let your guide drive out to wherever the columns are. April and May bring the long rains, lower prices and some muddy roads. June and November are good-value shoulder months with fewer vehicles.

Here is how the three Serengeti nights split in each season.

For a deeper look at the full annual loop, see The Great Migration Circuit: Your Complete Guide to Kenya & Tanzania.

Best Time for a Kenya and Tanzania Safari in 2027

July to September is the best time for this exact route, because the migration is in the Masai Mara and the northern Serengeti at the same time. February is the best month for the Ndutu version, when calving peaks. April is the only month we would steer you away from this itinerary as the long rains can make the roads very muddy.

The two halves of the trip also run on different price calendars. The Masai Mara charges double park fees from July to December. Tanzania's lodges price their peak season from roughly July to October and again over Christmas and February. A February trip therefore gets low-season rates in Kenya and peak wildlife in Tanzania, which makes it the best-value month for seeing the migration.

For the Kenyan side in more detail, read Kenya Safari Seasons Explained.

How Much Does a 10-Day Kenya and Tanzania Safari Cost in 2027?

A 10-day Kenya and Tanzania safari costs $3,300 to $4,500 per person on a budget, $4,500 to $7,000 mid-range and $9,000 to $15,000 or more in luxury camps, based on two people sharing a private vehicle. Gotukio's Cross-Border Migration trip starts from $3,300 per person for 9 nights.

These figures are indicative, exclude international flights and move with season, group size and how many legs you fly. Travelling as four instead of two typically cuts the per-person price by 15 to 25 percent, because the vehicle and guide costs are shared.

What Are the Park Fees in Kenya and Tanzania?

Park fees are the biggest fixed cost on this route, at roughly $1,100 to $1,400 per person across the 10 days. They are normally included in your package price, so use this table to understand your quote, not to add on top of it.

Rates are the 2026 published tariffs. Neither country had confirmed changes for 2027 at the time of writing, and both have raised fees at short notice before.

Visa and Entry Costs for Both Countries

Budget about $125 to $130 per person for entry paperwork, or about $180 for US passport holders.

• Kenya eTA: $30, around $34 with processing charges. Apply online at least three days before you travel. There is no visa on arrival.

• Tanzania visa: $50 for most nationalities and $100 for US citizens, online or on arrival.

• Tanzania mandatory travel insurance: $44 per adult. This is new. Since 1 October 2026, foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania must buy the government inbound policy, even if they already hold private travel insurance.

• Zanzibar insurance: a separate $44 if you add the islands.

The East Africa Tourist Visa does not help here. It covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, not Tanzania. Our East Africa entry requirements guide has the full visa and vaccination detail for both countries.

Day-by-Day Breakdown: 10 Days in Kenya and Tanzania

This is the July to October version of the route, with notes where Ndutu season changes the plan.

Day 1: Nairobi to the Masai Mara

Your guide collects you from your Nairobi hotel around 7am for the drive to the Masai Mara. It takes five to six hours, dropping down the Rift Valley escarpment and through Narok, the last proper town before the reserve. The final stretch is rough, and that is normal.

You reach camp in time for a late lunch, then head out for your first game drive around 4pm when the light softens and the cats start to move. If you would sooner skip the road, a 45-minute flight from Wilson Airport lands you on a Mara airstrip by mid-morning and buys you an extra half day of wildlife. The trade-off is a 15 kg soft-bag luggage limit and a higher price.

Day 2: Full Day in the Masai Mara

Today is your first full day, and the best use of it is to leave camp at dawn with a packed breakfast and stay out. Predators are most active before 9am, and the Mara has one of the highest lion densities in Africa, so the early start usually pays off within the first hour.

By late morning most vehicles head back for lunch. Stay out with a picnic and you will have sightings to yourself through the quiet middle of the day. Between July and October, ask your guide to work the plains between the Talek and Mara rivers, where the herds tend to mass before a crossing.

Day 3: Mara River, Balloon Flight or a Maasai Village Visit

Your third day is the flexible one. In migration season, spend it at the Mara River. Crossings are unpredictable and can mean hours of waiting for a few minutes of chaos, so bring patience, water and a long lens.

Outside migration season, this is the day for an optional hot-air balloon flight at sunrise (around $450 to $500 per person) or a visit to a Maasai village in the afternoon. If you want the village visit to benefit the community directly, read How Does Safari Tourism Support Local Communities in East Africa? before you go. Pack tonight, because tomorrow starts early.

Day 4: Masai Mara to the Serengeti via the Isebania Border

This is the big transfer day, and it is the reason the route needs 10 days. The two parks touch on the map, but there is no tourist border crossing between them. You have to leave the Mara, cross at Isebania, and enter the Serengeti from the Tanzanian side.

By road, expect a full day. You drive from the Mara to Isebania, clear Kenyan and Tanzanian immigration, say goodbye to your Kenyan guide and meet your Tanzanian guide and vehicle on the other side. From there you continue through Tarime to the northern Serengeti. In northern Serengeti season your camp is close to this entry point, so you can arrive in time for sundowners.

The faster option is the fly-drive connection. You fly from the Mara to Migori, transfer by road across the border to Tarime, and fly on to a Serengeti airstrip. It takes about half a day and saves your back. In Ndutu season, tonight's stop is the central Serengeti around Seronera, not Ndutu itself. Ndutu is at the far southern end of the park, so the central stop comes first whether you fly or drive.

Day 5: Northern Serengeti with the Herds

You wake up in the middle of the migration. From July to October that means the Kogatende area and the Tanzanian side of the Mara River, where there are noticeably fewer vehicles at crossing points than on the Kenyan side. Your guide will check the known crossing points early and decide where to wait.

In Ndutu season, from December to March, the day runs differently. You wake up in the central Serengeti, spend the morning looking for leopards along the Seronera River, and then drive south for two to three hours to the Ndutu plains with game viewing on the way. There are no rivers to cross here. The draw is hundreds of thousands of wildebeest spread across open grassland, newborn calves on their feet within minutes, and cheetahs and hyenas that know exactly what season it is. Off-road driving is permitted in parts of the Ndutu area, which lets your guide get closer than park rules allow elsewhere.

Day 6: A Second Full Day in the Serengeti

A second day matters because the Serengeti rewards time. Use the morning to follow up on whatever you missed yesterday, whether that is a crossing, a leopard or a cheetah hunt.

In the afternoon, ask to explore away from the herds. The kopjes, the granite outcrops scattered across the plains, are where lions rest and where you get the classic Serengeti photographs. This is also your best day for a bush breakfast or sundowner, which most camps will arrange if you ask the night before.

Day 7: Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Crater Rim

Today you drive south through the heart of the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro highlands, with game viewing all the way. From the northern Serengeti it is a long day of seven to eight hours, broken up by a picnic lunch near Seronera, where the resident leopards and lions are reliable year-round. Leave by 7am. If that sounds like too much, add a central Serengeti stop: move to a camp around Seronera for night 6, which splits the journey into two shorter drives and gives you a different part of the park.

You exit the park at Naabi Hill Gate and climb into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, passing Olduvai Gorge on the way. From Ndutu the same journey takes only two to three hours, which leaves time for a relaxed morning drive first. If the long drive does not appeal, you can fly from Kogatende to Manyara airstrip and be at your lodge by lunch.

Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater Descent

Be at the crater gate when it opens at 6am. The crater floor is about 260 square km and holds an estimated 25,000 large animals, so wildlife is dense from the moment you reach the bottom of the descent road. This is your best chance of the trip to see black rhino, usually at a distance in the open grassland.

Visits to the crater floor are limited to around six hours, which is enough. Most people are back on the rim by early afternoon, cold drink in hand, looking down at where they have just been. For the full picture, including rim versus Karatu accommodation, see our Ngorongoro Crater guide.

Day 9: Ngorongoro to Lake Manyara

After a slower breakfast, it is a drive of about an hour and a half down the escarpment to Lake Manyara. The park is small and very different from the last week: groundwater forest, baboon troops in the hundreds, elephants in the trees and, when water levels suit them, flamingos along the lakeshore.

An afternoon game drive is enough to see it. Manyara is known for tree-climbing lions, but sightings are occasional, so treat them as a bonus. Think of today as a gentle wind-down after the intensity of the crater and the Serengeti.

Day 10: Lake Manyara to Kilimanjaro Airport

Your last morning is a drive of two to two and a half hours to Arusha, with time for lunch and a final coffee stop. Kilimanjaro Airport is another hour beyond the city, so book an evening international departure if you can.

If you are heading to the beach, daily flights connect Arusha and Kilimanjaro with Zanzibar in about an hour and a half. Our Zanzibar guide covers where to stay and how many nights to add.

Itinerary Variations: Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Amboseli and More

The core route is a starting point. These are the six changes travellers ask us for most, and each one can be built on Gotukio by adding, removing or reordering destinations.

Variation 1: Add Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru on the Kenyan Side

The two Rift Valley lakes sit on the way from Nairobi to the Mara, so adding them costs you very little extra driving. Lake Naivasha is about two hours from Nairobi and is the place to stretch your legs after a long flight: a boat ride among hippos and fish eagles, a walk among giraffe and zebra on Crescent Island, or cycling through the gorges of Hell's Gate National Park ($50 entry). Lake Nakuru, another hour and a half north, is a compact fenced park and one of the most reliable places in Kenya to see both black and white rhino ($90 entry).

To stay within 10 days, spend one night at each lake and trim the Mara and Ngorongoro to two nights and one night:

• Day 1: Nairobi to Lake Naivasha

• Day 2: Lake Naivasha to Lake Nakuru

• Days 3 to 4: Masai Mara

• Days 5 to 7: Serengeti

• Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater

• Day 9: Lake Manyara

• Day 10: Kilimanjaro Airport

If you have 12 days, keep the full three nights in the Mara and two at Ngorongoro, which we think is the better trip. The Nakuru to Mara drive is five to six hours, so start early. On Gotukio, the Kenyan Lakes & Masai Mara trip (4 nights, from $1,410 per person) is a ready-made Kenyan half you can extend into Tanzania.

Variation 2: Amboseli and the Namanga Border for Ndutu Season

From December to March the migration is in Ndutu, so the Mara loses its main advantage. Swapping it for Amboseli gives you big elephant herds in front of Kilimanjaro and a much easier border crossing. Amboseli is about four hours from Nairobi, and the Namanga border is roughly an hour from the park, with Arusha two hours beyond it on a good tarmac road.

This is the route of Gotukio's Cross-Border Safari trip: Amboseli (2 nights), Lake Manyara (1), Serengeti (3) and Ngorongoro Crater (2), from $2,530 per person for 8 nights. Add a first night in Nairobi or a night in Tarangire to make it 10 days, and choose Serengeti Migration Camps for the Serengeti nights so that you are based in Ndutu.

Variation 3: Swap Lake Manyara for Tarangire

Between June and October, Tarangire is the stronger final stop. Thousands of elephants gather along the Tarangire River in the dry season, among baobab trees that are older than most countries. It adds about 45 minutes of driving compared with Manyara and costs the same in park fees. In the wetter months from November to May, Manyara is the better choice for birdlife and green scenery.

Variation 4: Stay in a Mara Conservancy Instead of the Main Reserve

The conservancies bordering the Masai Mara limit the number of camps and vehicles, and they allow night drives, walking safaris and off-road driving that the reserve does not. In August and September, when a river crossing in the main reserve can draw dozens of vehicles, that difference is significant. Conservancy fees of about $80 to $120 per day replace the $200 peak-season reserve fee, although the camps themselves tend to cost more. Our explainer on national parks vs game reserves vs conservancies sets out the differences.

Variation 5: The Fly-In Version

Flying the three longest legs (Nairobi to the Mara, the Mara to the Serengeti via Migori and Tarime, and the Serengeti to Arusha or Manyara) turns about 20 hours of driving into about four hours in the air. You gain roughly a day and a half of extra game viewing over the trip. Expect it to add $900 to $1,400 per person, and pack in soft bags of 15 kg or less.

Variation 6: Add Zanzibar at the End

Three or four nights on Zanzibar is the most popular way to finish this trip. Fly from Kilimanjaro or Arusha direct to the island, then home from Zanzibar's international airport. Remember the separate $44 Zanzibar insurance on top of the mainland policy.

The route also runs in reverse. Start at Kilimanjaro and finish in Nairobi if flight prices or availability work better that way, or if you want to end with the Mara in peak crossing season.

How to Build and Book This Itinerary on Gotukio

You can build this exact trip, or any variation above, on trip.gotukio.com in a few minutes and see a real price without waiting for a quote. There are two ways in: start from the ready-made trip if you want the classic route, or start from a blank search if you want a variation.

Option A: Start From the Cross-Border Migration Trip

This is the fastest route if you are happy with Masai Mara (3 nights), Serengeti (3), Ngorongoro Crater (2) and Lake Manyara (1).

1. Open the Cross-Border Migration trip page.

2. In the booking panel, choose your start date.

3. Pick a budget level. There are three, shown as one, two or three dollar signs for budget, mid-range and luxury.

4. Enter the number of adults, children (3 to 12 years) and infants, and how many rooms you need.

5. Add your email address and select Get the itinerary.

You receive the full itinerary with lodges, transport and a per-person price for your dates. From there you can edit any part of it before you book.

Option B: Build It From Scratch

Use this if you want to add the Kenyan lakes, swap in Amboseli or Tarangire, or change the number of nights.

1. Go to trip.gotukio.com.

2. Under Where, select your destinations in the order you will travel. For the classic route that is The Masai Mara, then your Serengeti stop, then Ngorongoro Crater, then Lake Manyara.

3. Choose the right Serengeti destination for your dates. Select Serengeti Migration Camps if you are travelling in Ndutu season (roughly December to March) or northern Serengeti season (roughly July to October). The camps offered will be in the area where the herds are for your dates. For April to June or November, select the standard Serengeti destination instead. In Ndutu season, also add the standard Serengeti destination as a one-night stop before Serengeti Migration Camps, because the route to Ndutu passes through the central Serengeti. In northern Serengeti season, you can add it after the migration camps to break up the drive south to Ngorongoro.

4. Under Dates, set your start and end dates. Ten days and nine nights matches this guide.

5. Under Budget, choose one of the three levels.

6. Under Who, set the number of travellers.

7. Select Let's Go. Gotukio puts together an itinerary with lodges, activities and transport for each stop.

Customise the Itinerary Before You Book

The first version is a draft that you can change. Before you pay, check these four things.

• Lodges: Swap any lodge for another at the same stop. In the Mara, this is where you choose between a camp in the main reserve and one in a conservancy.

• Transport: Switch individual legs between road and air. The Mara to Serengeti leg on Day 4 is the one most worth flying.

• Activities: Add extras such as a balloon flight in the Mara or a Maasai village visit.

• Variations: To add Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru, select them as extra destinations before The Masai Mara. To build the Ndutu season route, replace The Masai Mara with Amboseli National Park.

The price updates as you make changes, so you can see exactly what each upgrade or swap costs. When the itinerary looks right, you book and pay online and receive your confirmation by email. If you would like a second opinion first, you can book a call with the Gotukio team.

Ready to start planning? On Gotukio you can build your custom Kenya and Tanzania safari in minutes, with real itineraries, transparent pricing and no waiting for quotes. Start building your Kenya and Tanzania safari →

How Do You Cross the Border Between Kenya and Tanzania on Safari?

You cross at Isebania if you are travelling between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, or at Namanga if you are travelling between Amboseli or Nairobi and Arusha. There is no tourist crossing directly between the Mara and the Serengeti, even though the two parks share a boundary.

Flying vs Driving Across the Border: What It Means for Your Trip

How you cross decides how much of Day 4 is safari and how much is transit. Flying is quicker and more comfortable, and it lands you where you need to be. Driving is cheaper, but you have to exit one park, cross the border and re-enter the other, which can take the whole day.

Flying across 

There is no direct flight between the two parks. You take a short flight from the Mara to Migori on the Kenyan side, transfer by road through the Isebania border post, and board a second flight from Tarime into the Serengeti. The big advantage is that the second flight can drop you at the airstrip nearest your camp. In northern Serengeti season that is Kogatende. In Ndutu season it is Seronera, for your first stop in the central Serengeti. You are usually in camp for a late lunch and out on a game drive that afternoon. The cost is the extra fare and a strict luggage limit.

Driving across

A land crossing means leaving the Masai Mara through one of its gates, driving west to Isebania, completing exit and entry formalities, swapping to your Tanzanian vehicle and guide, and then driving on to a Serengeti gate. Nothing about it is difficult, but it is long, and waiting times at immigration vary. On a 10-day trip it effectively turns one of your ten days into a travel day. It works best from July to October, when your camp is in the northern Serengeti close to where you re-enter.

Which to choose

Fly if you have exactly 10 days, or if long drives wear you out. Drive if you are travelling in northern Serengeti season, want to keep costs down, or are happy to trade a day for the saving. Many travellers on this route drive everything else and fly only this leg. On Gotukio you make this choice in the transport options for the Masai Mara to Serengeti leg when you customise your itinerary.

Three things are the same at both borders

• Your vehicle and guide change. Kenyan-registered safari vehicles cannot run game drives in Tanzania, and Tanzanian vehicles cannot in Kenya. Your operators coordinate the handover so the new guide is waiting when you clear immigration.

• Have your paperwork ready before you arrive. That means your Kenya eTA, your Tanzania e-visa (or $50 in clean US dollar notes for a visa on arrival), proof of the $44 Tanzania travel insurance and your yellow fever certificate. Tanzania asks for proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers arriving from Kenya.

• One Tanzania visa is enough. The standard single-entry visa covers this route, because you only enter Tanzania once.

For safety on both sides of the border, see Is Kenya Safe to Visit? and Is Tanzania Safe to Visit?.

Tips for a 10-Day Kenya and Tanzania Safari

• Book your Serengeti camp by location first and by name second. In peak season the right area matters more than the thread count. If a camp you like is not where the herds will be, pick a different camp.

• Leave the Mara before 10am on Day 4. Visitors leaving the reserve by road after 10am are charged another day of park fees, which is $200 per person in peak season.

• Fly Day 4 if you can only afford one flight. It is the longest and least scenic leg of the trip, and flying it gives you an afternoon game drive in the Serengeti instead of an evening arrival.

• Travel in the first half of July or in October for crossings with fewer vehicles. August has the most reliable crossings and the most vehicles at each one.

• Fill the vehicle to cut costs. The $295 crater fee, the vehicle and the guide are all per vehicle, so four travellers pay much less per head than two.

• Buy the Tanzania insurance and apply for both visas at least two weeks ahead. The $44 policy is new and border staff will ask for proof.

• Pack for two climates. The Ngorongoro rim sits at about 2,300 metres and drops to single-digit temperatures at night, even when the Mara was 28°C. Bring a fleece and a windproof layer, and use soft bags if any leg is by light aircraft.

• Carry small US dollar notes printed after 2009. Older notes are often refused in both countries, and tips for two sets of guides add up to roughly $15 to $20 per traveller per day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 10 days enough for a Kenya and Tanzania safari?

Yes. Ten days is the minimum that works well for both countries. It gives you three nights each in the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, two at the Ngorongoro Crater and one at Lake Manyara, with one day used for the border crossing. With fewer than 10 days, pick one country.

How much does a 10-day Kenya and Tanzania safari cost?

Expect $3,300 to $4,500 per person on a budget, $4,500 to $7,000 mid-range and $9,000 to $15,000 or more for luxury, based on two people sharing. Park fees account for roughly $1,100 to $1,400 of that. International flights, visas and tips are extra.

Can you drive directly from the Masai Mara to the Serengeti?

No. The parks share a boundary but there is no tourist border post between them. You leave the Mara, cross at Isebania and enter the Serengeti from the Tanzanian side, which takes a full day by road. The fly-drive connection through Migori and Tarime takes about half a day.

What is the best month for a combined Kenya and Tanzania safari?

August and September are best for river crossings, because the herds are in the Masai Mara and the northern Serengeti at the same time. February is best for calving in Ndutu and has lower prices on the Kenyan side. Avoid April, when the long rains are heaviest.

Where should I stay in the Serengeti to see the migration?

Stay in Ndutu from roughly December to March and in the northern Serengeti around Kogatende from roughly July to October. From April to June and in November, stay in the central Serengeti around Seronera. On Gotukio, the Serengeti Migration Camps destination places you in Ndutu or the northern Serengeti according to the season.

Do I need separate visas for Kenya and Tanzania?

Yes. You need a Kenya eTA (30)andaTanzaniavisa(50, or $100 for US citizens). Since 1 October 2026 you also need Tanzania's mandatory $44 inbound travel insurance. The East Africa Tourist Visa covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, but not Tanzania.

Can I add Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha to this itinerary?

Yes. Both lakes are on the way from Nairobi to the Masai Mara. Add one night at each and either extend the trip to 12 days or trim one night from the Mara and one from Ngorongoro to stay within 10.

Should I start in Kenya or Tanzania?

Starting in Kenya is usually easier, because Nairobi has more international flight options and finishing in Tanzania sets you up for Zanzibar. The route works equally well in reverse if flights into Kilimanjaro are cheaper for your dates.

Planning a Kenya and Tanzania safari? Build your trip at gotukio.com, where you can browse verified itineraries, see transparent pricing and book online in minutes.

Read More

• Kenya vs Tanzania Safari 2027: Which Destination Should You Choose?

• The Great Migration Circuit: Your Complete Guide to Kenya & Tanzania

• Tukio's 2026 Guide to the Masai Mara: Areas, Seasons & Where to Stay

• Tukio's 2026 Guide to the Serengeti: Areas, Seasons & Where to Stay

• Ngorongoro Crater 2026: The Ultimate Safari Guide

• East Africa Safari Entry Requirements 2026