10 Days Maasai Mara and Serengeti safari.
This 10-day itinerary represents a wonderful of East African safari travel, seamlessly linking Kenya’s legendary Maasai Mara National Reserve with Tanzania’s wonderful Serengeti National Park and the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. This safari is specifically designed to follow the movements of the Great Migration, providing unparalleled access to the world’s most dynamic wildlife spectacle. It is a dual national adventure across a shared ecosystem, offering both the intimate, tree-studded rivers of the Mara and the vast, infinite plains of Serengeti all while increasing the opportunity to witness the Big five and the region’s massive concentrations of big cats.
Tour Highlights.
Days 1-3: Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park.
Day 5-9: Tanzania’s endless plains and Ngorongoro Crater.
Day 9: Transfer to the dramatic Ngorongoro.
Day 10: Departure.
Detailed itinerary.
Days 1-3: Maasai Mara National Reserve.
On the first day of the safari your adventure begins with your pick up by your safari guide from African Vacation Safaris from your hotel in Nairobi or from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport he will welcome you and then start your scenic drive to Maasai Mara. Along the way you will have the thrilling views, and once you arrive you will check into your lodge, the next three days are dedicated to exploring this immense and then beautiful reserve.
Mara is famous for its gently rolling, grass-covered plains and the serpentine flow of the Mara River, which defines migration’s northern boundary. Game drives here are known of exhilarating predator encounters; the Mara is arguably the easiest place in Africa to spot cheetahs, often seen spotting in the plains from a top termite mound. You will spend extensive time in the Landcruiser 4x4vehicles, tracking resident lion prides, searching for exclusive leopards in the riverine thickets, and enjoying sundowners overlooking the vast, wild landscape. Depending on the season, these days may be spent focusing on the dramatic riverbanks, waiting for the frenetic spectacle of wildebeest attempting a high-rick crossing, or simply appreciating the volume of elephant and buffalo herds. After in the late evenings you will be transferred to your lodge for dinner, relaxation and overnight stay.
Day 4: Transfer to Serengeti National Park.
On the fourth day of the safari, wake up early in the morning and enjoy breakfast, after breakfast you will check out from your lodge and then meet your safari guide and cross the Isebania border to Serengeti, optional you will take a short flight from the Mara to a crossing point near the border (such as Migori or a direct charter into the northern Serengeti, depending on the itinerary’s luxury level). After completing immigration procedures, you will be met by your Tanzanian guide and vehicle. The journey is quickly resumed with game drive as you enter Serengeti national park. This perfect, day-long transfer is a fascinating experience in itself, allowing you to instantly compare the different landscapes, vegetation and then wildlife populations as you move from the river-fed plains of Kenya into the vast, unending of Serengeti. Later you will transfer to your lodge for dinner, relaxation and overnight stay.
Day 5-9: Tanzania’s endless plains and Ngorongoro crater.
Serengeti means ‘’endless plains’’ in the Maasai language, lives up to its name with the size and then the breathtaking horizons. Your five days here are crucial for experiencing the full breadth of the Tanzania’s wilderness. The itinerary is well flexible, with your accommodation often a mobile tented camp moving seasonally to keep you close to the migrating herds.
You will dedicate time to the central Seronera Valley, the ecological heart of Serengeti national park which offers year-around exceptional game viewing, particularly for its resident big cats, including the famous coalition of lions, days will be spent undertaking full-day game drives with packed lunches, moving into the plains, observing the unique social behaviours of the wonderful herds and then appreciating the incredible birdlife. In the late evenings you will be returning to your accommodation for dinner, relaxation and overnight stay.
Day 9: Transfer to the dramatic Ngorongoro.
On the ninth day of the safari, wake up early in the morning and enjoy breakfast. After breakfast, check out from your lodge and meet your safari guide and then get ready to transfer to the dramatic Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You will descend over 600 meters (2000 feet) in to the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater which is a unique UNESCO World Heritage Site. This vast natural experience acts as a self-contained ecosystem, providing a near guaranteed opportunity to complete your Big five checklist, particularly for the endangered black rhino, which is frequently sighted here. The geological beauty and then the density of life in the crater floor offer a memorable contrast to the open plains of Serengeti before you return to your lodge high on the rim.
Day 10: Departure.
On the tenth day of the safari, wake up and enjoy breakfast, to ensure the best sightings of the Great Migration, this itinerary is highly seasonal; travellers aiming to see the river crossings should book for July to October (Mara/North Serengeti) while those wishing to see the birthing season and massive herds on the short-grass plains should travel January to March (South Serengeti/Ndutu). On the Day, 10 you will depart from Ngorongoro Conservation Area, driving to Arusha (ARK) or Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your connecting flights home, having completed the ultimate East African safari circuit.
End of 10 Days Maasai Mara and Serengeti safari