9 Day Masai Mara and Serengeti Safari Holiday

Day 1: Nairobi to Masai Mara - Kenya

Your adventure begins with a morning pickup from your Nairobi accommodation or the airport. Our journey to the Masai Mara follows the scenic Great Rift Valley, where we’ll descend the escarpment and travel across the valley floor offering magnificent views along the way.

Arriving at our accommodation near the Masai Mara in time for lunch, we’ll refresh before embarking on our first thrilling game drive in one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife sanctuaries. This afternoon introduction to the Masai Mara’s remarkable biodiversity sets the stage for the extraordinary wildlife encounters to come on your Masai Mara and Serengeti safari package.

Return to camp as the sun sets for dinner and an evening of relaxation in comfortable permanent tents featuring proper beds, mosquito nets, and en-suite bathrooms.

Day 2: Full Day in Masai Mara Game Reserve - Kenya

Today is dedicated entirely to exploring Kenya’s premier wildlife destination, the magnificent Masai Mara. Our Serengeti Masai Mara safari package includes morning and afternoon game drives that maximize wildlife viewing opportunities in different sectors of this vast ecosystem.

The Masai Mara’s 1,510 square kilometres of open savanna, acacia woodlands, and riverine forests support extraordinary concentrations of wildlife. Throughout the day, we’ll search for Africa’s iconic Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino) alongside abundant plains game including Masai giraffes, warthogs, bat-eared foxes, jackals, spotted hyenas, topis, impalas, hartebeests, and wildebeests.

If your visit coincides with the Great Migration (typically July-August), you’ll witness one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena as millions of wildebeest and zebra move north from Tanzania’s Serengeti in search of fresh grazing before returning south in October. This massive movement of grazers attracts hungry predators, creating extraordinary opportunities to observe hunting behavior and predator-prey interactions.

For those seeking an even more memorable experience, optional hot air balloon safaris (available at additional cost) offer a breathtaking perspective of the savanna teeming with wildlife below.

Day 3: Masai Mara to Hells Gate National Park - Kenya

Begin the day with a final morning game drive in the Masai Mara before breakfast back at camp. Our Masai Mara and Serengeti holiday package then takes us north to the Lake Naivasha region and the nearby Hells Gate National Park.

This unique national park features diverse geological formations alongside varied wildlife and excellent birdwatching opportunities. Unlike most Kenyan national parks, Hells Gate can be explored on foot or by bicycle due to the absence of large predators, offering a rare opportunity to experience the African wilderness at a more intimate level. Bicycle rentals are available at additional cost for those wishing to cycle through the park.

Whether hiking or cycling, this active exploration provides a refreshing change of pace from vehicle-based game drives and a chance to connect more directly with the African bush.

Day 4: Lake Naivasha to Amboseli National Park

Option to begin your day with a relaxing boat ride on Lake Naivasha (available at extra cost), where you can spot numerous bird species and watch for wildlife along the shoreline. Following this tranquil start, our Masai Mara and Serengeti safari package continues south to the beautiful Amboseli National Park in Kenya’s Rift Valley.

Arriving in time for lunch, we’ll set out on an afternoon game drive in this scenic park situated at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. The backdrop of Africa’s tallest mountain creates spectacular photographic opportunities as wildlife roams across the open plains—arguably providing some of Africa’s most iconic safari images.

Amboseli is renowned for its large elephant herds, particularly the impressive old bulls with massive tusks. The park is considered one of the best places in Africa to get close to free-roaming elephants. Beyond elephants, we’ll search for buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and predators including lions, hyenas, and cheetahs while enjoying the magnificent views of snow-capped Kilimanjaro (weather permitting).

Day 5: Amboseli National Park to Lake Manyara - Tanzania

Departing Amboseli after breakfast, we cross the Kenya-Tanzania border and make our way to Tanzania’s famous Northern Safari Circuit. This well-known collection of wildlife destinations includes the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire national parks.

Our first Tanzanian destination on this Masai Mara and Serengeti holiday package is the beautiful Lake Manyara National Park. This afternoon, we explore the diverse ecosystems surrounding the alkaline lake, from groundwater forests to acacia woodlands and open grasslands.

Lake Manyara is famous for its tree-climbing lions, a behavior rarely seen elsewhere, as well as its impressive concentrations of primates and abundant birdlife. The game drive provides an excellent introduction to Tanzania’s distinctive wildlife and landscapes as we adjust to our new country.

Day 6: Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park - Tanzania

After a morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, we journey to the legendary Serengeti—the crown jewel of our Serengeti Masai Mara safari package and one of the world’s most celebrated wildlife destinations.

The Serengeti’s vast plains represent the quintessential African safari landscape featured in countless films and documentaries. En route to our campsite, we enjoy our first game drive in this remarkable ecosystem, beginning to appreciate the extraordinary scale and wildlife density that make the Serengeti so special.

As the day concludes, we arrive at our comfortable camp for dinner and overnight stay, falling asleep to the authentic sounds of the African wilderness.

Day 7: Full Day in Serengeti National Park - Tanzania

Today is dedicated entirely to exploring the immense Serengeti, Tanzania’s largest national park covering approximately 14,736 square kilometers of prime wildlife habitat. Our Masai Mara and Serengeti safari package includes full-day game drives that allow us to venture into different sectors of this vast ecosystem.

The Serengeti offers world-class game viewing throughout the year, though the specific wildlife experiences vary with the seasons. Depending on when you visit, you might witness different aspects of the Great Migration—from the calving season in the southern plains (January-March) to the dramatic river crossings in the northern Serengeti (July-September).

Beyond the migration, the Serengeti supports extraordinary concentrations of resident wildlife including Africa’s highest density of lions, healthy cheetah and leopard populations, and diverse plains game. Throughout the day, we’ll search for these magnificent creatures while absorbing the timeless beauty of the Serengeti’s iconic landscapes.

Day 8: Serengeti Park to Ngorongoro Crater - Tanzania

This morning we drive southeast from the Serengeti plains to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, ascending to the crater rim where our campsite offers spectacular views into this remarkable natural wonder. Our Masai Mara and Serengeti holiday package includes an afternoon descent into the crater for an unforgettable wildlife experience.

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera at 8,300 square kilometers and hosts extraordinarily dense wildlife populations within its natural enclosure. Often described as a “natural zoo,” the crater floor supports approximately 30,000 animals including some of Africa’s largest populations of lions, elephants, buffaloes, and endangered black rhinos.

The afternoon game drive in this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers excellent opportunities to spot wildlife that might have eluded us thus far, completing our comprehensive East African wildlife experience.

Day 9: Ngorongoro to Arusha

After breakfast at our crater rim campsite, we begin our journey to Arusha, where our Masai Mara and Serengeti safari package concludes. Depending on your onward plans, we’ll transfer you either to the airport or your booked accommodation in Arusha.

As your remarkable East African adventure draws to a close, you’ll carry with you countless memories of extraordinary wildlife encounters, stunning landscapes, and authentic African experiences from two of the continent’s most celebrated wildlife destinations.

Contact us today to book your unforgettable 9 days Serengeti Masai Mara safari package and experience the magic of East Africa’s premier wildlife sanctuaries.