A 10-Day East African Safari Itinerary: Kenya and Tanzania by Road

Ten days is the shortest East African safari itinerary that does Kenya and Tanzania justice by road. It gives you the Maasai Mara's big cats, Amboseli's elephants under Kilimanjaro, the endless plains of the Serengeti and a morning inside the Ngorongoro Crater, with enough nights in each place to enjoy them.

The route below is a sample. Every day can be stretched, shortened or swapped for your dates, budget and pace.

The route at a glance

Drive times below are typical and depend on roads, weather and how often you stop for animals along the way.

Day by day

Day 1: Nairobi to the Maasai Mara

Leave Nairobi in the morning and drive through the Great Rift Valley, with a stop at the escarpment viewpoint. The drive takes around five to six hours. Check in, have lunch and head out on your first afternoon game drive.

Day 2: Full day in the Maasai Mara

Spend the whole day in the reserve with a packed lunch. This is the best chance of lion, cheetah and leopard on the trip, and from about July to October, the Great Migration herds. Mara tickets are valid for 12 hours, so a full day inside is the best use of each entry.

Day 3: Maasai Mara to Lake Nakuru

An early game drive on the way out, then around five to six hours to Lake Nakuru National Park. An afternoon drive here often turns up black and white rhinos, Rothschild's giraffes and, depending on water levels, flamingos along the shore.

Day 4: Lake Nakuru to Amboseli

This is the long day of the trip: roughly six to seven hours via the outskirts of Nairobi. Arrive in time for a short evening drive with Kilimanjaro on the horizon if the clouds lift.

Day 5: Full day in Amboseli

Amboseli is known for its big elephant herds and the classic view of Kilimanjaro behind them, usually clearest at dawn. Observation Hill gives you a view over the swamps where elephants come to feed.

Day 6: Into Tanzania via Namanga

Drive to the Namanga border crossing, complete exit and entry formalities, and continue through Arusha towards Lake Manyara. Expect most of the day on the road. In most cases your Kenyan guide hands you over to a Tanzanian guide and vehicle at the border.

Day 7: Lake Manyara to the Serengeti

An optional morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, then up through the Ngorongoro highlands and down onto the Serengeti plains, around five to six hours with stops. You'll often see wildlife before you reach your camp.

Day 8: Full day in the Serengeti

The central Serengeti around Seronera is known for big cats and has wildlife all year. Where the migration herds are depends on the month, and your guide will plan the day around the latest sightings.

Day 9: Serengeti to the Ngorongoro highlands

A morning game drive on the way out, then a stop at Olduvai Gorge if you'd like to see the famous archaeological site. Overnight on the crater rim or in Karatu.

Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater and departure

Descend into the crater at first light for a half-day game drive on the crater floor, home to lions, buffaloes, hippos and one of the best chances of black rhino in Tanzania. Then drive to Arusha, about three to four hours, for a flight home from Kilimanjaro International Airport, or continue back to Nairobi.

Crossing the border at Namanga

• Tanzania visa: Tanzania requires its own visa. Apply online before you travel.
• Kenya eTA: Kenya's eTA is valid for a single entry. If you fly home from Nairobi after Tanzania, you need a second eTA to re-enter Kenya.
• Vehicle and guide change: most trips switch to a Tanzanian-registered vehicle and guide at the border. Your operator arranges the handover.
• Time: allow an hour or more for formalities, longer on busy days.

The migration-season version (July to October)

If you're travelling between July and October and want the Mara River crossings, spend more time in the Maasai Mara and the northern Serengeti instead of Amboseli and Lake Manyara.

There is no direct road between the two. The Sand River–Bologonja crossing inside the parks has been closed for decades, so the overland route goes around through the Isebania–Sirari border and takes most of a day. Flying is far easier: light aircraft connect the Mara with the northern Serengeti via the Migori and Tarime airstrips, or via Nairobi and Kilimanjaro. Our Mara–Serengeti fly-in safari is built around this route. The Great Migration guide explains where the herds are each month.

What a 10-day East Africa safari costs

The total depends on season, accommodation and whether you drive or fly any legs. Park fees are a big, fixed part of it. For non-resident adults in 2026, expect:

Tanzanian fees are charged per 24 hours, which is why lodge location and border timing affect the total. Our Kenya safari cost guide explains the rest of the price.

Ways to adjust this itinerary

• Less driving: drop Lake Nakuru and go straight from the Mara to Nairobi, or fly one long leg.
• Kenya only: a 10-day Kenya safari covers the Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha and Amboseli at an easier pace. Our 8-day Mara, Nakuru, Naivasha and Amboseli safari is a good base to extend.
• Add a beach: finish with a few nights in Zanzibar or Diani after the Ngorongoro Crater.
• Private vehicle: worth it on a trip this long, so you control the pace and the stops.

Plan your Kenya and Tanzania safari package

Tell us your dates, group size and which parks matter most, and we'll adapt this route into a Kenya and Tanzania safari package with a full price. Request a free quote.