10 Days Kenya Tanzania Safari: The Honest 2026 Guide
A 10 Days Kenya Tanzania Safari covers the Masai Mara, the Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater in one cross-border trip, with a Nairobi arrival day and departure through Kilimanjaro Airport. For the 2026/2027 season, all-inclusive rates for two people sharing range from KES 1,125,000 ($8,650) to KES 2,450,000 ($18,850) per person. This covers private 4×4 Land Cruisers in both countries, Masai Mara park fee charges ($200 in peak), Tanzanian TANAPA and NCAA fees, AMREF Flying Doctors evacuation insurance, and internal flights. You need separate visas for each country. The East Africa Tourist Visa does not cover Tanzania.
10 Days Kenya Tanzania Safari Costs (2026/2027)
This trip crosses an international border and visits parks managed by three different authorities. The pricing includes all fees, two separate 4×4 vehicles with guides, border logistics, AMREF evacuation insurance, and internal flights. These are all-inclusive prices for two people traveling together.
For the general cross-border overview, see our Kenya Tanzania Safari main page. For Serengeti-specific versions, see the Masai Mara and Serengeti Safari.
10-Day All-Inclusive Rates (Per Person Sharing)
Package Tier | Suggested Hotels | Regular (KES) | Peak (KES) |
Budget | Talek Bush Camp + Tukaone Camp + Rhino Lodge | KES 1,125,000 | KES 1,320,000 |
Mid-Range | Ashnil Mara + Kubu Kubu + Ngorongoro Serena | KES 1,480,000 | KES 1,750,000 |
Luxury | Mara Serena + Serengeti Serena + Ngorongoro Crater Lodge | KES 1,980,000 | KES 2,250,000 |
Luxury Plus | Angama Mara + Sasakwa Lodge + Lemala Ngorongoro | KES 2,350,000 | KES 2,450,000 |
Book Now | Current Rates |
Note: Peak season is July–October for the wildebeest migration. Solo travellers pay a single supplement of 30–50% on top of the per-person rate. For a luxury safari upgrade, request a custom quote.
What’s Covered in the Price?
- Vehicles. Private 4×4 Safari Land Cruiser in Kenya and a separate 4×4 in Tanzania.
- Flights. Internal flights via Masai Mara flying packages.
- Guides. TRA-licensed guide for the Kenya leg. Tanzanian guide for the Serengeti and crater.
- Park Fees. Kenya fees via eCitizen. Tanzania fees via TANAPA and NCAA.
- Evacuation. AMREF Flying Doctors emergency air evacuation insurance.
- Accommodation. Full board throughout, 9 nights.
- Water. Bottled water during all game drives.
Excluded. Kenya eTA ($30–$50), Tanzania eVisa ($50–$100), tips ($25/day Kenya, $20–$30/day Tanzania), hot air balloon ($450–$600 depending on which park), Masai village visit (KES 4,500), international flights.
I’ve been guiding for ten years. A 10 Days Kenya Tanzania Safari is the version where nothing gets cut. You get the Mara with conservancy night drives and walking safaris that Tanzania doesn’t allow. You get 3 full days in the Serengeti reaching zones that shorter trips can’t. You get Ngorongoro Crater for the most reliable black rhino viewing in East Africa. And you start with a Nairobi day at the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, which sets the tone for everything that follows.
The 10-Day Itinerary
One Nairobi day, three Mara nights, one transit day, three Serengeti nights, one Ngorongoro night, and departure through Tarangire or Manyara.
Day 1: Nairobi Arrival
Stay near Wilson Airport in the Karen area. Visit the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage at 11 AM for baby elephant feeding and the Giraffe Centre in Langata to hand-feed Rothschild’s giraffes. Both are a 20-minute drive from the airport.
Day 2: Fly to Masai Mara
Morning flight from Wilson. Arrive by 10 AM. Your Mara park ticket runs on a strict 12-hour calendar day (6 AM – 6 PM), so if you arrive mid-afternoon, do a Masai village visit or a conservancy drive outside the reserve instead of paying the full day rate for a few hours.
Day 3–4: Full Days in the Mara
Morning and afternoon game drives tracking lions, leopards, and the migration if it’s in the Mara (July–October). Do your night drive and walking safari during the Mara leg. The Serengeti and Ngorongoro don’t allow either.
Day 5: Mara to Tanzania
Morning game drive. Then the Isebania border crossing. Your Kenyan guide drops you off, you cross on foot, and your Tanzanian guide meets you with a different vehicle. See the Masai Mara and Serengeti Safari page for full border details. While your paperwork is processed, walk to the Kuria tribe stalls just past the Tanzanian gate for Kitenge textiles at local prices. Overnight at Speke Bay Lodge on Lake Victoria if driving.
Day 6–8: Serengeti
Three full days. See the Serengeti section below for which zone to visit based on your travel dates.
Day 9: Ngorongoro Crater
Drive from the Serengeti to the crater rim. Stop at Olduvai Gorge for 30 minutes at the Leakey museum. Descend 600 metres to the crater floor for a half-day game drive. Vehicles are limited to 6 hours on the floor, so be at the gate when it opens at 6 AM. See the Masai Mara Serengeti Ngorongoro Safari page for detailed crater advice. Overnight on the rim.
Day 10: Departure
Morning game drive at Tarangire National Park for elephant herds and baobab trees, or Lake Manyara for tree-climbing lions. Fly out of Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO), not Dar es Salaam — JRO saves 9–12 hours of driving.
Making the Most of Your 3 Mara Nights
Unlocked Mara Experience | Why It Matters on This Route |
Night Game Drives | Only permitted in Kenya’s private conservancies; strictly illegal inside the Serengeti. |
Walking Safaris | Guided bush walks with traditional Maasai warriors; unavailable in Tanzania’s main parks. |
Off-Road Tracking | Allows closer, ethical wildlife viewing under a strict 5-vehicle-per-sighting cap. |
Hot Air Ballooning | Best scheduled during the Mara leg to protect your dedicated Serengeti transit days. |
Three nights in the Mara gives you 6 game drives. On a 10-day trip, you can afford the balloon, the walking safari, and the night drive without any of them replacing a standard game drive.
In May and June, the grass is tall and spotting predators is harder. Watch for Topi antelope standing on termite mounds. If a Topi is staring in one direction without moving, a predator is usually within 200 metres. Your guide will know what that posture means.
The Mara’s conservancies also give you off-road tracking and a 5-vehicle limit per sighting, which the Serengeti doesn’t have. Use your Mara nights for these experiences.
The Serengeti Zones
With 3 Serengeti nights, your operator should position you in the zone that matches your travel dates.
Central Seronera. Year-round resident wildlife. The Hippo Pool, the Simba Kopjes, and the densest concentration of big cats outside the Mara. Good for any month.
Northern Kogatende. August to October. The Mara River crossings on the Tanzania side. Fly into Kogatende airstrip, not Seronera, or you lose a day driving.
Gol Kopjes (eastern Serengeti). A complex of granite rock formations on flat plains with one of the highest concentrations of cheetahs in Africa. Best in the green season when the eastern plains are lush.
Namiri Plains. East of Seronera. Closed for 20 years for lion research, only recently reopened. The prides here are less habituated to vehicles.
Western Grumeti. June to July. The Grumeti River crossings. Same drama as the Mara crossings, far fewer vehicles.
Southern Ndutu. January to March. The calving grounds where roughly 8,000 wildebeest are born daily.
What to Know Before You Go
Bush Vector | Actionable Guide Rule |
Air Evacuation | Secure AMREF Flying Doctors coverage; this is separate from regular travel insurance. |
Malaria Protection | Consult a specialized travel clinic 6–8 weeks early; take pills with dinner to limit nausea. |
Luggage Caps | Keep total baggage under 15 kg for bush flights; leverage affordable lodge laundry services. |
Power Management | Bring a 20,000mAh power bank; local camp generators often shut down from 10 AM to 4 PM. |
Operator Security | Verify all credentials on the KATO and TATO directories before transferring deposits. |
- AMREF Flying Doctors. Emergency air evacuation insurance across East Africa. It costs very little and covers helicopter or plane transport from the bush to Nairobi Hospital. It’s separate from your regular travel insurance. Your operator can arrange it, or buy it directly at flydoc.org.
- Take malaria pills. Malarone is more expensive but has fewer side effects. Doxycycline is cheaper but causes sun sensitivity, which is a real problem when you’re in an open-roof vehicle for 6 hours a day. If you’re on doxycycline, wear SPF 50+ and a hat every day. Take either medication with dinner to reduce nausea on bumpy roads.
- Visit a travel clinic 6–8 weeks before departure, not your regular doctor. They have the vaccines on site, know the current malaria strains, and can prescribe the right prophylaxis for your medical history.
- Nairobi sits at 1,700 metres and is cooler than you expect. Pack a fleece for your first night and for the Ngorongoro rim.
- Some camps turn off generators between 10 AM and 4 PM. Bring a 20,000mAh power bank to charge camera batteries during the day.
- Pack 3 safari outfits and use lodge laundry every 3 days at $1–$3 per item. It’s the only way to stay under the 15 kg flight limit on a 10-day trip.
- Bring tissues, wet wipes, and hand sanitizer. Bathroom facilities range from flush toilets at Serengeti picnic areas to bush stops between parks.
- Only drink bottled water. Avoid ice in drinks at restaurants outside major hotels. Eat fruit you can peel yourself.
- If you want rhinos and northern species without crowds, ask about adding Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to the start of your trip. If you want total solitude, ask about Meru National Park, where Elsa the lioness lived.
- Masai Mara booking operator check: verify your Kenya operator on KATO and your Tanzania operator on TATO before paying any deposit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from the Kenya Tanzania Safari main page?
This is the specific 10-day itinerary with day-by-day detail. The Kenya Tanzania Safari main page covers the general cross-border overview including border options, park comparisons, and duration advice.
Do I need two visas?
Yes. Kenya eTA ($30–$50) and Tanzania eVisa ($50–$100). The East Africa Tourist Visa does not cover Tanzania. Apply for both at least 3 weeks before travel.
What is the best month?
August to September for Mara crossings and northern Serengeti crossings. January to March for Ndutu calving. The crater works in any month. Check our best time to visit Masai Mara guide and the Masai Mara vs Serengeti comparison.
Is a 4×4 mandatory?
Yes, in both countries. Every private safari we run uses a 4×4.
Is this trip safe?
Yes. Both parks have rangers and your guides carry radios. AMREF Flying Doctors provides emergency evacuation. More in our Masai Mara safety guide.
What 10 Days in Two Countries Feels Like
The first few days in the Mara feel concentrated. The cats are close, the conservancy gives you night drives and walking, and every drive produces something. Then you cross the border and the Serengeti opens up. The landscape flattens out and you go long stretches without seeing another vehicle. Day 9 takes you down into Ngorongoro Crater, which most guests don’t expect to be the highlight, and you spend a morning watching rhinos, lions, and flamingos inside a walled volcanic bowl. On your last morning, you’re standing under a baobab in Tarangire while elephants walk past at arm’s length. No two days on this trip feel the same.
If a Kenya-only trip suits you better, see our 5 days Masai Mara safari or 4 days Masai Mara safari. Want to add a beach? See the Masai Mara and Diani Beach Safari or the Masai Mara and Zanzibar Safari. Want a different Kenya circuit? See the Masai Mara Amboseli Nakuru Safari or the 6 days Masai Mara Amboseli safari. Browse everything on our Masai Mara packages page.
Ready to start? Fill out our booking form at Masaimara.co.ke below here and I’ll get both vehicles and the border logistics ready.
Related Reading:
- Kenya Tanzania Safari
- Masai Mara and Serengeti Safari
- Masai Mara Serengeti Ngorongoro Safari
- 7 Days Masai Mara Serengeti Safari
- 5 Days Masai Mara Serengeti Safari
- Masai Mara vs Serengeti
- Masai Mara and Zanzibar Safari
- Masai Mara and Diani Beach Safari
- Masai Mara Amboseli Nakuru Safari
- 6 Days Masai Mara Amboseli Safari
- 5 Days Masai Mara Safari
- 4 Days Masai Mara Safari
- Masai Mara Packages
- Luxury Safari Masai Mara
- Masai Mara Flying Packages
- Masai Mara Migration
- Masai Mara Booking
- Wildebeest Migration Kenya
- Masai Mara Entrance Gates
- Official KWS Park Fee Portal
- Kenya Wildlife Service
This guide was authored by David Njunge, a TRA-licensed safari guide with over 10 years of experience, and edited by Cecilia Wambui, a travel consultant with a degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Welcome to Masaimara.co.ke
Thank you for visiting us! We're excited to help you plan an unforgettable safari adventure across Kenya.