Kenya and Tanzania: The Classic Safari in Africa
The Masai Mara, the Serengeti and the Great Migration, and how to choose between the two countries.
Get a Free Safari QuoteKenya and Tanzania: The Classic Safari in Africa
For many people, the phrase safari in Africa means the plains of East Africa: lions on termite mounds, giraffes against flat-topped acacias and herds of wildebeest stretching to the horizon. Kenya’s Masai Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti are one continuous ecosystem split by the border, and together they host the Great Migration, the year-round circuit of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles following the rains.
Kenya: the Masai Mara and beyond
The Masai Mara National Reserve is a short hop by light aircraft or a long drive from Nairobi. Around it lie private conservancies leased from Maasai landowners, where camps limit the number of vehicles and can offer guided walks and night drives that are not allowed in the reserve itself. Beyond the Mara, Kenya offers Amboseli, with elephants beneath Mount Kilimanjaro; Samburu in the arid north, with species not found in the south; and Laikipia’s conservancies, known for rhino protection. National parks are managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service.
Tanzania: the Serengeti and the Northern Circuit
The Serengeti National Park is vast, and where you stay should follow the season. In the southern plains and the neighboring Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the herds gather to give birth roughly from January to March, drawing predators. Around the middle of the year they move west and north, and from about July to October many are in the northern Serengeti and the Mara. Mobile tented camps move with them.
The Ngorongoro Crater, a collapsed volcano with a permanent population of wildlife, is one of the few places where a single day can include black rhino. Tarangire is known for elephants and baobabs in the dry season, and Lake Manyara for its forest and lake. Park information is published by Tanzania National Parks and the Tanzania Tourist Board. Many travelers end with a few days on the beaches of Zanzibar.
Choosing Between Kenya and Tanzania
| Kenya | Tanzania | |
|---|---|---|
| Migration months (usual) | About July to October in the Mara | Most of the year somewhere in the Serengeti, including calving in the south early in the year |
| Getting around | Short flights from Nairobi; easy to combine with Amboseli and Samburu | Longer distances on the northern circuit; light aircraft save time |
| Conservancies | Private conservancies around the Mara with walks and night drives | Fewer, but private concessions exist on the Serengeti’s edges |
| Add-ons | Coast, Laikipia, Lake Naivasha | Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro climbs, Ngorongoro Crater |
A hot-air balloon flight at dawn over the Mara or the Serengeti is a popular extra. If you would also like to see Victoria Falls or gorillas, see the Rwanda page; visas, health and flights for both countries are covered on Plan It Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Masai Mara better than the Serengeti?
They are the same ecosystem divided by a border. The Serengeti is far larger and hosts the migration for most of the year; the Mara is smaller, easy to reach from Nairobi and spectacular when the herds are there, roughly July to October. Many travelers choose by month and by which country fits the rest of their trip.
When do the river crossings happen?
The famous Mara River crossings usually happen between about July and October, but the herds follow the rain, so timing shifts from year to year. Plan a few days in the area to improve your chances.
Follow the Herds in Kenya or Tanzania
Tell us your travel month and we will suggest where the migration is likely to be. Free, no-obligation safari quotes.
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