9-Day Kenya and Tanzania Budget Safari with Maasai Mara and Serengeti

Pick up from your hotel in the morning at 7:30 am and head west to Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Arrive for lunch at your tented camp, followed by an afternoon game drive in the game reserve, Kenya's finest wildlife sanctuary. Including migrants, well over 450 species of animals have been recorded here. Although July, August, and September are the months when the Mara plains are filled with migrating wildebeest and zebra, there is also resident wildlife year round. The famous Maasai tribesmen live within the dispersal area of the game reserve. Dinner and overnight at the Masai Mara Camp.

After breakfast, spend a full day game viewing across the rich, tree-studded grassland and rolling hills. The famous Mara is renowned for its great herds of plain game, black-maned lions, leopard, and cheetah, but it also contains numerous elephants and virtually every type of wildlife to be found in Kenya. Lunch is served in the park at the Mara River, the border of Kenya and Tanzania and the scene for the yearly wildebeest migration. After lunch, continue with your game drive covering different sections of the park, then return to the camp for dinner and overnight.

Enjoy a pre-breakfast game drive, then return to the campsite for a late breakfast. Afterward, leave your campsite and proceed to Lake Nakuru, arriving in the late afternoon for dinner and overnight in Nakuru.

After an early morning breakfast, proceed for an extensive game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park. The park is known as a bird sanctuary and is called the pink lake because the entire surface of the lake is covered by both the lesser and greater flamingoes. This park is also known for its Big Five experience excluding elephants, and it is the only park in Kenya where you are assured of seeing both the white and the black rhinos. Leave Lake Nakuru after lunch for Nairobi, arriving in the late afternoon for an overnight stay at a hotel on a full-board basis.

Pick up from your hotel in Nairobi at 5:00 am for an early drive to Arusha, with a stopover at the Namanga border post for immigration formalities. Arrive in Arusha around 9:00 am and proceed to Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive. A good network of tracks and roads in the park allows excellent game-viewing opportunities. Animals seen include buffalo and elephant. Other animals present that can be seen with luck are the tree-climbing lions, leopard, and black rhino. Lesser flamingos and Egyptian geese are some of the birds seen here. All meals and overnight at the camp.

After a hearty breakfast, you'll drive to Serengeti National Park, passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The four-hour journey brings you to the main gate of Serengeti, where you'll enjoy a packed lunch before embarking on an exciting game drive in central Serengeti. This region is a prime spot for witnessing the annual wildebeest migration, except in October, and spotting lions, leopards, and other wildlife.

Start your day early to maximize game-viewing opportunities. Your guide will take you to the best locations for wildlife sightings. Spend time at the Hippo Pool, observing these massive creatures and their crocodile neighbors. You'll also witness lions, wildebeest, zebras, and other animals navigating the diverse landscape. You will experience unforgettable views and a wide variety of animals, including elephants, giraffes, and, if you're lucky, leopards and cheetahs.

Wake up early for a sunrise game drive, catching the Serengeti's wildlife at its most active time. Afterward, return to camp for brunch before heading to Ngorongoro Crater. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to nearly all of East Africa's wildlife, including the elusive black rhino, and you will be able to spot the rhino here. Spend the night near the crater, preparing for tomorrow's descent.

After an early breakfast at your lodge in Karatu, proceed to Tarangire National Park, arriving in time for a hot lunch. An afternoon game drive gives you a chance to see different types of wildlife that inhabit this small but beautiful park. The park is named after the Tarangire River, which is the only source of water for the animals during the dry season, hence attracting lots of wildlife. Its many river circuit game-driving loops will give you a chance to see plenty of animals on the river banks in search of water. After experiencing the African wild at its best, you'll be transferred to your lodge in Arusha for a warm shower, a hot meal, and an evening of relaxation.