6-Day Masai Mara & Serengeti Budget Safari
Overview
Embark on the ultimate cross-border adventure on this 6-day budget safari, experiencing the best of Kenya and Tanzania. This journey takes you from the rolling plains of the famous Masai Mara across the border into the endless savannah of the Serengeti. Designed for the adventurous traveler, this itinerary maximizes wildlife viewing while minimizing costs. You will stay in public campsites under the African stars, with a professional crew handling all logistics and cooking hearty meals over an open fire. Witness the Great Migration (seasonal) and the Big Five in two of Africa’s most iconic reserves.
Safari Highlights
Detailed Itinerary
Nairobi to Masai Mara National Reserve
After an early morning pick-up from your hotel or airport in Nairobi, you will drive down the escarpment and into the Great Rift Valley. The journey to the Masai Mara takes approximately 5–6 hours. Upon arrival at the park gate, you will enjoy a hot lunch before entering the reserve for your first afternoon game drive. The Mara is renowned for its exceptional population of big cats and the annual migration of wildebeest. In the evening, you will head to the public campsite to set up camp. Enjoy dinner prepared by your private cook and an overnight stay in dome tents.
Full Day in Masai Mara
Wake up to the sounds of the wild and enjoy a hot breakfast. Today is dedicated to exploring the vast Masai Mara. You will have the option to go on a morning game drive before returning to camp for lunch, or take a full-day game drive with a packed picnic lunch to explore the Mara River area. Keep your eyes peeled for the Big Five and the numerous predators that call this reserve home. In the afternoon, visit a local Maasai village (optional extra) to learn about their ancient culture and traditions. Return to the campsite for dinner and overnight.
Masai Mara to Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)
Enjoy an early morning game drive in the Mara followed by breakfast. Today, you will embark on a journey across the border into Tanzania. Drive to the Isebania/Sirari border post to clear customs and immigration (ensure you have the necessary visas). After crossing, you will enter the Serengeti via the Ndabaka Gate. The landscape changes dramatically as you enter the vast plains. Enjoy a game drive en route to your designated public campsite inside the park (Seronera area). Arrive in time for dinner and set up camp under the Serengeti stars.
Full Day in Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, set out for a full day of game driving in the Serengeti. Depending on the season, you may head towards the Southern Plains (Dec–March) or the Northern Corridor (July–Oct) to catch the dramatic river crossings of the Great Migration. The Serengeti offers unparalleled game viewing with large prides of lions, cheetahs, and hyenas frequently seen. You will stop for a picnic lunch in the wilderness before continuing your exploration. In the late afternoon, return to the campsite for dinner and overnight.
Full Day in Serengeti National Park
Spend another day immersed in the Serengeti ecosystem. You can choose to do an early morning sunrise game drive to catch the predators hunting before the heat of the day. Return to the camp for brunch and a rest, or enjoy a full day out with a packed lunch to explore different valleys and kopjes (rock outcrops) where leopards often hide. This day allows for a relaxed pace to truly absorb the scale of the park. Dinner and overnight at the campsite.
Serengeti to Arusha
Rise early for a final morning game drive in the Serengeti to capture any last-minute photos. After breakfast, break camp and begin the drive to Arusha. You will exit the park and drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, enjoying views of the crater rim if time permits, and continue via the town of Karatu. You will arrive in Arusha in the afternoon, where you will be dropped off at your hotel or the airport, marking the end of your cross-border budget adventure.
What's Included & Excluded
Included
- Professional safari guide/driver & 4×4 Land Cruiser (with pop-up roof).
- Transport in both Kenya and Tanzania (vehicle may change at the border).
- All game drives & park entry fees (Masai Mara & Serengeti).
- Camping fees (Public campsites).
- Accommodation: 2-person dome tents, mattresses, and sleeping bags.
- Services of a professional cook.
- All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) prepared at the campsite.
- Drinking water (1.5L per person per day).
Excluded
- Visa fees (Kenya and Tanzania) – East African Tourist Visa recommended.
- Travel insurance.
- Tips for guide, cook, and driver.
- Personal items and toiletries.
- Optional activities (Balloon safari, Maasai Village visit).
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks.
- Lunch on the final day in Arusha.
