This is the most requested two-country combination in East Africa — the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti are the same ecosystem split by a border, and adding the Ngorongoro Crater gives first-time visitors the three sights people picture when they imagine an African safari.
Detailed Itinerary
DAY 1
Your driver-guide meets you at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for the drive south-west, dropping off the Rift Valley escarpment near Maai Mahiu with a photo stop at the viewpoint, then on through Narok town before the final stretch onto reserve land. Afternoon game drive on arrival.
Arrive Nairobi, Transfer to Maasai Mara
Accommodation Options
BudgetEnchoro Wildlife Camp
Mid-rangeSarova Mara Game Camp
LuxuryAngama Mara
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
DAY 2
A full day across the Mara’s plains for lion, leopard and, in season, migrating wildebeest herds, split by a picnic lunch wherever the morning’s sightings take you.
Full Day Maasai Mara Game Drives
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3
A genuinely rare direct option: a light aircraft crossing the Kenya-Tanzania border from the Mara straight onto one of the Serengeti’s northern airstrips, skipping Nairobi and Arusha entirely and cutting a full day of road transfers to under an hour in the air.
Fly to Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeSerengeti Serena Safari Lodge
LuxuryFour Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4
A full day across the Serengeti’s endless plains for lion, leopard and, seasonally, the Great Migration.
Full Day Serengeti Game Drives
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5
The drive to the crater rim via the Serengeti’s southern plains, arriving with dramatic views into the caldera below.
Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeNgorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
LuxuryNgorongoro Crater Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6
An early descent onto the crater floor for a full day among lion, elephant and black rhino, within a genuinely compact, easily covered area.
Ngorongoro Crater Floor Game Drive
Accommodation
As above
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7
A drive down to Arusha, with the afternoon free to relax or shop for curios.
Transfer to Arusha, Free Time
Accommodation Options
Mid-rangeHatari Lodge
LuxuryRivertrees Country Inn
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8
Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward international flight.
Departure
Meals: Breakfast
Permits & Costs
| Maasai Mara conservancy/reserve fees | ~$100 per person per day |
| Serengeti park entry | ~$82 per person per day |
| Ngorongoro Conservation Area fee | ~$70 per person per day, plus crater descent |
| Cross-border flight, Mara to Serengeti | Quoted separately |
Who This Itinerary Suits
First-time safari travellers who want the essential, most photographed East Africa experience in a manageable single week.Tour Includes
- All ground transport in 4×4 safari vehicles
- Cross-border flight, Mara to Serengeti
- Professional English-speaking driver-guides in each country
- All accommodation per itinerary
- Meals as specified
- Park entry & crater descent fees
Tour Excludes
- International flights
- Visas
- Tips & gratuities
- Travel insurance