10 Days Exploring the Heart of Mara and Serengeti

Your journey begins with an early morning pick-up from Nairobi and a scenic drive through the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park. Famous for its massive flamingo flocks and shimmering alkaline waters, the park is also a sanctuary for endangered rhinos. Over 100 rhinos, both black and white, roam these acacia-lined plains.

Arrive in time for lunch at your lodge, followed by an afternoon game drive where you might also spot lions, leopards, Rothschild giraffes, and massive buffalo herds.

Overnight: Lake Nakuru Lodge or similar
Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast, begin your cross-border adventure through the Isebania border into Tanzania’s western Serengeti. This is a travel and safari day, with game drives on both ends. You’ll leave the Mara with one last morning game drive, then proceed through customs and immigration at the border.

By afternoon, you’re driving through the remote and wildlife-rich regions of Ikorongo and Grumeti, where the migration often lingers between May and July. Watch for giraffes, elephants, and the stealthy movements of predators along the way.

Overnight: Enkirari Wilderness Camp or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Spend two incredible days immersed in the endless plains of the Serengeti. Your game drives take you deep into the park’s western corridor where the herds gather near the Grumeti River—one of the most dramatic river crossings in the migration.

• Visit hippo pools, lion rock outcrops, and leopard hotspots
• Watch for crocodiles lying in wait at the river
• Optional visit to Olduvai Gorge, the cradle of mankind (extra cost)
• Optional hot air balloon safari available

You’ll be tracking massive herds, but there’s more—resident wildlife includes big cats, elephants, hyenas, jackals, and elusive servals.

Overnight: Enkirari Wilderness Camp or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Wake up to an early morning game drive, when predators are most active and the sun paints golden hues over the plains. After brunch, begin your drive toward Ngorongoro Conservation Area, one of Africa’s most astounding natural wonders.

Check in at your lodge perched on the crater rim, offering stunning views of the caldera below. The crater is home to the densest population of large mammals in Africa, including black rhinos, massive tusked elephants, lions, and even hippos wallowing in freshwater pools.

Overnight: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Descend 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater for a thrilling safari on the crater floor. Watch lion prides hunt in broad daylight, hippos laze in pools, and flocks of flamingos turn soda lakes into pink sheets.

After a picnic lunch by a hippo pool, ascend the crater and proceed to your next overnight destination: either Lake Manyara or Tarangire National Park, depending on the season. Between June and September, Tarangire is recommended for its massive elephant herds and iconic baobab trees.

Overnight: Manyara Serena Lodge or Tarangire Safari Lodge (depending on location)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Enjoy a final morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions, colorful flamingos, and forested monkey habitats. Alternatively, in Tarangire, track the seasonal herds near the riverbanks and watch large elephant families.

After lunch, transfer back to Arusha for your flight or overnight stay. For travelers continuing to Kenya, you have the option to proceed to Amboseli National Park for 1–2 nights and finish the tour in Nairobi (optional extension).

Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch
Optional: Night game drive or biking tour in Manyara; Amboseli add-on

Optional Upgrades & Add-ons:

• Balloon safaris in Masai Mara or Serengeti
• Luxury accommodation upgrades (Serena, Melia, Lemala, etc.)
• Maasai cultural village visit
• Visit Olduvai Gorge archaeological site
• Amboseli National Park extension