This is the only itinerary on our site that leaves Kenya. It’s a private two-country trip from $3,500pp that takes the Rift Valley and Masai Mara you’d get on our Kenya-only routes, then crosses the border into Tanzania for the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, widely considered the single best game-viewing spot on Earth. The core loop is 9 days, Nairobi back to Nairobi, with two flexible extension days at the end. Here’s exactly how it runs.
Last updated September 2026.
Day 1: Nairobi to Lake Nakuru National Park
Pick-up from your Nairobi hotel or the airport, then a drive northwest to Lake Nakuru, around 2.5 hours. An afternoon game drive looks for flamingos on the alkaline lake when conditions are right, rhino in the forest, and Rothschild’s giraffe on the hills. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Lodge.
Day 2: Full Day at Lake Nakuru
A full day of game drives within the park: a morning drive along the lakeshore, then an afternoon in the forested areas for leopard and rhino. Nakuru’s rhino sanctuary protects both black and white rhino. Overnight at the lodge.
Day 3: Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara
The drive west to the Masai Mara is the longest single leg of the Kenya portion. Our own listing quotes around 3 hours, but based on independent route data and the time we’ve seen quoted on comparable legs elsewhere on our site, 5 to 6 hours is the more realistic figure once you’re on the Narok road, so plan your day around that rather than the shorter estimate. You arrive with a packed lunch and head straight into an afternoon game drive, the sheer density of wildlife in the Mara is immediately obvious. Dinner and overnight at your Mara camp.
Day 4: Full Day in the Masai Mara
A full day in the Mara, with morning and afternoon drives. Look for lion prides on the move, cheetah hunting on the plains, leopard in the fig trees, and large elephant herds. Visit between July and October and you may witness the Great Migration, thousands of wildebeest crossing the Mara River. Dinner and overnight at camp.
Day 5: Masai Mara, Cross into Tanzania, Serengeti
A morning game drive in the Mara, then after brunch you drive to the Tanzania border at Isebania. Once you’re through, it’s roughly 3 hours on to Serengeti National Park, arriving in time for an afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at your Serengeti camp.
Day 6: Full Day in the Serengeti
A full day exploring the Serengeti, home to the world’s largest lion population. You’ll cover different zones: the Seronera area is known for predator sightings, while the north holds the famous river-crossing sites. Dinner and overnight at camp.
Day 7: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater
A morning game drive in the Serengeti before the roughly 3-hour drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. En route you stop at Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind,” where some of the world’s oldest human fossils were discovered. You arrive at the crater rim in time for sunset views. Dinner and overnight at a crater rim lodge.
Day 8: Descent into Ngorongoro Crater
You descend 600 metres onto the crater floor for a full day of game drives. Ngorongoro is arguably the single best game-viewing destination on Earth: roughly 25,000 large animals inside a 260 km² enclosed ecosystem, with lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, black rhino and flamingos on the soda lake all close to guaranteed. You ascend back to the rim at sunset. Dinner at the crater rim lodge.
Day 9: Ngorongoro to Arusha, Return to Nairobi
A morning at leisure, or an optional nature walk with a Maasai guide, then the drive to Arusha (about 1.5 hours) and on to the Kenya border at Namanga. Once you’re back across, it’s roughly 3 hours to Nairobi. This is where the core 9-day loop ends: overnight in a Nairobi hotel at your own cost, or straight to the airport if you’re flying out that evening.
Days 10 to 11: Optional Extension or Return
These two days aren’t a fixed itinerary, they’re flexible add-on time in Nairobi. Options include the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, the Giraffe Centre, the Karen Blixen Museum, or a day trip to Hell’s Gate National Park for cycling and hiking. Or you can simply depart from Nairobi at the end of Day 9 and skip the extension entirely. The PMK team helps arrange whichever you choose.
How Long Are the Drives?
This trip covers two countries, so a few legs are worth planning around, especially the Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara drive, which we’ve priced more conservatively here than our own package listing does.
| Leg | Approx. drive time |
|---|---|
| Nairobi → Lake Nakuru | ~2.5 hrs |
| Lake Nakuru → Masai Mara | 5–6 hrs |
| Masai Mara → Isebania border → Serengeti | ~3 hrs from the border |
| Serengeti → Ngorongoro Crater (via Olduvai Gorge) | ~3 hrs |
| Ngorongoro → Arusha | ~1.5 hrs |
| Arusha → Namanga border → Nairobi | ~3 hrs from the border |
If crossing into Tanzania is more than you’re after, our 10-day Kenya safari covers six Kenyan destinations without leaving the country.
What’s Included
- Private 4×4 vehicle with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking guide
- All Kenya and Tanzania park fees
- 10 nights accommodation, full board
- Border crossing assistance
- Nairobi airport transfers
- Drinking water throughout
- PMK 24/7 support
What’s Excluded
- International flights
- Kenya and Tanzania visa fees (see our Kenya visa guide for the Kenya side; Tanzania requires its own separate visa or eVisa)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Tips for guides and staff
- Hot air balloon safari (optional add-on)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Personal expenses
Best Time to Go
The Masai Mara and Serengeti portions of this trip are both strongest from July to October, when the Great Migration is typically moving between the two, and river crossings on the Mara or Grumeti are possible depending on exactly where the herds are. The Ngorongoro Crater’s wildlife density holds up year-round, since its resident population doesn’t migrate. For the Kenya side specifically, see our best time to visit the Masai Mara guide. You’ll cross a wide range of altitudes on this trip, from the Rift Valley floor to the Ngorongoro highlands, so pack layers, our what to wear on a Kenya safari guide covers it, and note that Ngorongoro’s crater rim gets genuinely cold at night.
Ready to Book?
This is our only itinerary that crosses into Tanzania, and it runs on private dates with the flexible Nairobi extension days at the end. See full pricing and get a quote on the 11-Day Kenya & Tanzania Safari page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the only PMK itinerary that visits Tanzania?
Yes. All of our other itineraries stay within Kenya. This is the only route that crosses the border, adding the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater to a Kenya safari built around Lake Nakuru and the Masai Mara.
How long is the drive from Lake Nakuru to the Masai Mara?
Budget 5 to 6 hours. Our own package listing quotes around 3 hours, but that’s optimistic based on independent route data and comparable legs on our other itineraries, so we’ve used the more realistic figure here.
Do I need a second visa for Tanzania?
Yes. Kenya and Tanzania each require their own visa or eVisa, applied for separately before you travel. Neither is included in the safari price.
What are Days 10 and 11 for?
They’re optional, flexible days in Nairobi at the end of the core 9-day loop, not a fixed itinerary. Options include the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, the Giraffe Centre, the Karen Blixen Museum, or a Hell’s Gate day trip. You can also skip them and depart straight from Nairobi after Day 9.
Will I see the Great Migration on this safari?
It depends on timing. Between roughly July and October, the migration is typically moving between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, so river crossings are possible on either side depending on where the herds are when you visit.
Is the Ngorongoro Crater worth the extra two days?
Most travellers who’ve done both say yes. Its roughly 25,000 resident animals inside a 260 km² caldera make it one of the most reliable Big Five sightings anywhere, and unlike the Mara or Serengeti, its wildlife doesn’t migrate away, so density holds up whenever you visit.
How cold does it get at the Ngorongoro crater rim?
Genuinely cold at night, since the rim sits at high altitude. Pack warm layers for the crater rim lodge nights even though you’ll be sweating in the Mara and Serengeti heat during the day.
Can this itinerary be customised?
Yes — dates, accommodation tier and the Days 10–11 extension are all adjustable. Get in touch with your travel dates for a tailored quote.
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