9-Day Great Migration Safari: Masai Mara & Serengeti from Nairobi

Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights

Route: Nairobi • Masai Mara • Serengeti • Ngorongoro Crater • Arusha

Best for: Wildlife photographers and migration chasers travelling July to October

Accommodation: Comfortable lodges and tented camps

Price: Request a quote

Every year, huge herds of wildebeest and zebra move between Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara in search of fresh grass. This safari is planned around that movement. Three nights in each ecosystem give you time to search for the herds and the predators that follow them, and Ngorongoro Crater adds a very different landscape to finish.

Why Choose This Safari

•     Time on the ground: three nights in the Mara and three in the Serengeti, instead of a quick pass through each.

•     Follow the herds: your driver-guide adjusts the daily plan to where the animals are reported to be.

•     Photographer friendly: long, unhurried game drives and vehicles with pop-up roofs for clear shooting angles.

•     Both sides of the border: see the herds in Kenya and in Tanzania on one itinerary.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Nairobi

Stay: The Boma Nairobi   |   Meals: Bed & Breakfast

You are met at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and taken to your hotel. Your guide will brief you on the safari ahead, including how the migration is moving and what to pack for early starts. Rest well before the road to the Mara.

Day 2: Nairobi to the Masai Mara

Stay: Ntulele Camp, Masai Mara   |   Meals: Full Board

After breakfast, travel west from Nairobi to the Masai Mara, arriving at camp for lunch. Late in the afternoon, set out on your first game drive across the plains that host the migration each year.

Day 3: The Mara River and Its Crossings

Stay: Ntulele Camp, Masai Mara   |   Meals: Full Board

Leave camp early with a packed picnic and head for the Mara River, where the herds often gather on the banks before deciding to cross. Crossings cannot be timed or guaranteed, so your guide is patient and positions the vehicle for the best view. Between waits, look for crocodiles, hippos and lions.

Day 4: Big Cats and Open Plains

Stay: Ntulele Camp, Masai Mara   |   Meals: Full Board

Today you explore a different part of the reserve, away from the river. Predators such as lions and cheetahs are often found near the herds, and the wide plains suit photography. A hot-air balloon safari can be added at extra cost for a sunrise view of the grasslands.

Day 5: Cross to the Serengeti

Stay: Serengeti House of Nature   |   Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch & Dinner

Say goodbye to Kenya and drive to the Isebania border. Our team helps with immigration and customs, and a Tanzanian driver-guide meets you on the other side. Continue into the Serengeti, watching for wildlife on the way to your lodge.

Day 6: Serengeti Full Day

Stay: Serengeti House of Nature   |   Meals: Full Board

Your guide follows the latest herd reports and predator sightings. The central Serengeti is well known for lions and leopards, while the northern part is where river crossings are typically seen between July and October, depending on the herds.

Day 7: More Time in the Serengeti

Stay: Serengeti House of Nature   |   Meals: Full Board

A second full day means no rush. Return to a productive area at a better hour of the day, follow a sighting for longer, or simply sit and watch the plains. Your guide uses the extra time to look for the moments most visitors miss.

Day 8: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

Stay: Hhando Coffee Lodge, Karatu   |   Meals: Full Board

Leave the Serengeti after breakfast and climb to the Ngorongoro highlands. The crater is a huge caldera with its own year-round wildlife, quite different from the open plains you have been watching. Spend the night in Karatu.

Day 9: Crater Descent and Departure

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Descend into the crater floor for a morning game drive, then continue to Arusha for your onward transfer to the airport. You finish the safari having seen the migration ecosystem from both countries.

End of safari.

Best Time for This Safari

The Great Migration is typically in the Masai Mara between July and October, and this itinerary is best travelled in those months. River crossings are seasonal and unpredictable, and sightings depend on the movement of the herds. Travel outside the season is still rewarding for big cats and general wildlife.

What's Included

•     Eight nights of accommodation as listed

•     Meals as stated

•     4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and English-speaking driver-guide

•     Park and conservation fees in Kenya and Tanzania

•     Full-day game drives with picnic lunches

•     Airport and road transfers, plus Isebania border assistance

•     Bottled drinking water

What's Not Included

•     International flights

•     Kenya ETA and Tanzania visa fees

•     Travel insurance

•     Tips, drinks and personal expenses

•     Optional hot-air balloon safari in the Masai Mara (extra cost)