Overview

The 10 Days Great Migration Safari – Maasai Mara & Serengeti is a once-in-a-lifetime journey following one of the greatest natural spectacles on Earth. This iconic cross-border safari tracks the annual movement of over 1.5 million wildebeest, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles, as they traverse the vast plains of Kenya and Tanzania in search of fresh grazing.

Designed for travelers who want to experience the migration at its most dramatic, this safari combines the legendary Maasai Mara National Reserve with Tanzania’s world-renowned Serengeti National Park and the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater. The itinerary is carefully paced to maximize wildlife encounters, minimize unnecessary travel, and place guests in prime migration corridors during the peak season.

This is a luxury-led safari experience, offering exceptional guiding, handpicked lodges and tented camps, and optional flying transfers. It is ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and discerning travelers seeking Africa at its most raw, powerful, and unforgettable.

Safari Highlights

• Witness the Great Wildebeest Migration across Kenya and Tanzania
• Dramatic Mara River and Grumeti River crossings (seasonal)
• Exceptional big cat sightings in the Maasai Mara and Serengeti
• Explore the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater
• Seamless cross-border safari experience
• Luxury tented camps in prime wildlife locations
• Optional hot air balloon safaris

Understanding the Great Migration

The Great Migration is a continuous, circular movement driven by rainfall and grazing patterns. While exact timings vary each year, the general movement places herds in:

• Maasai Mara (Kenya): July to October
• Northern Serengeti: July to September
• Central Serengeti: December to March (calving season)

This itinerary is best experienced between July and October, when river crossings and intense predator activity are most likely. However, the route can be adjusted seasonally to follow the migration’s location.

Detailed Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi – Welcome to East Africa

Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where you will be met by a representative of Safari Continents Travel. Transfer to your hotel in Nairobi for rest and recovery after your international flight.

In the evening, enjoy a full safari briefing covering migration patterns, border logistics, and what to expect during the journey ahead.

Accommodation: Luxury city hotel or safari lodge

Day 2: Nairobi – Fly to Maasai Mara

After breakfast, transfer to Wilson Airport for a scheduled flight to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Enjoy aerial views of the Great Rift Valley before landing at a remote Mara airstrip.

Upon arrival, meet your safari guide and enjoy a game drive en route to your camp. The afternoon is spent tracking resident prides of lions, cheetahs, and migration herds.

Accommodation: Luxury tented camp, Maasai Mara

Day 3: Maasai Mara – Full Day Migration Safari

Spend a full day exploring the Maasai Mara, focusing on key migration corridors and river crossing points along the Mara River. Depending on wildlife movement, enjoy either morning and afternoon game drives or a full-day safari with picnic lunch.

River crossings are unpredictable, raw, and intensely dramatic — a defining highlight of any migration safari.

Accommodation: Luxury tented camp, Maasai Mara

Day 4: Maasai Mara – Extended Game Viewing

Another full day in the Mara allows flexibility to follow the herds and predators. Your guide will adapt the day’s plan based on real-time wildlife movement, weather, and guest interests.

Optional activities include a hot air balloon safari at sunrise or a cultural visit to a Maasai village.

Accommodation: Luxury tented camp, Maasai Mara

Day 5: Maasai Mara – Cross to Serengeti (Isebania Border)

After breakfast, depart the Maasai Mara and travel south toward the Isebania border. After completing immigration formalities, continue into Tanzania and onward to the Northern Serengeti.

This remote region is famous for the Grumeti and Mara River crossings and offers a more exclusive safari experience with fewer vehicles.

Accommodation: Luxury tented camp, Northern Serengeti

Day 6: Northern Serengeti – Migration Focus

Enjoy a full day in the Northern Serengeti, tracking migration herds and predators that follow them. This area is particularly known for crocodile-filled rivers, open plains, and intense predator action.

With fewer camps and visitors, game viewing here feels wild and immersive.

Accommodation: Luxury tented camp, Northern Serengeti

Day 7: Northern Serengeti – Central Serengeti

After breakfast, travel south into the Central Serengeti (Seronera region). The journey itself is a game drive, passing through vast plains dotted with kopjes that serve as lookout points for lions and leopards.

Arrive at camp in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive in one of Africa’s most predator-rich regions.

Accommodation: Luxury tented camp, Central Serengeti

Day 8: Central Serengeti – Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Enjoy a morning game drive in the Serengeti before departing for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ascend the crater rim in the afternoon and enjoy breathtaking views over the caldera.

Accommodation: Lodge on the Ngorongoro Crater rim

Day 9: Ngorongoro Crater – Full Day Safari

Descend 600 meters into the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the most extraordinary wildlife areas in Africa. The crater floor supports an astonishing concentration of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, and a high chance of spotting the endangered black rhino.

Enjoy a full day of game viewing with a picnic lunch before returning to your lodge in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: Lodge on the Ngorongoro Crater rim

Day 10: Ngorongoro – Arusha – Departure

After breakfast, depart the Ngorongoro region and travel to Arusha. Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport for your onward flight, marking the end of your Great Migration safari.

Wildlife & Safari Experience

This safari offers some of the highest wildlife densities on the continent. In addition to the migration herds, expect exceptional sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and a remarkable diversity of birdlife.

Predator-prey interactions are frequent and intense, making this itinerary especially rewarding for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Accommodation Style

This safari is designed as a luxury tented camp experience, featuring:

• Prime locations near migration routes
• Spacious en-suite tents
• High-quality guiding and service
• Excellent photographic positioning

Mid-range alternatives can be arranged on request.

What’s Included

• Airport transfers in Nairobi and Arusha
• Scheduled flights within Kenya (where applicable)
• All ground transport in safari vehicles
• Professional driver-guides
• Park and conservation fees
• Accommodation on full-board basis
• Game drives as specified

What’s Not Included

• International flights
• Visa fees
• Travel insurance
• Optional activities (balloon safari, village visits)
• Personal expenses and gratuities

Best Time to Travel

The ideal period for this safari is July to October, when migration herds are typically present in the Maasai Mara and Northern Serengeti. Exact timing is adjusted annually based on rainfall patterns.

Who This Safari Is Perfect For

• Wildlife enthusiasts
• Photographers
• Luxury safari travelers
• Honeymooners
• Repeat safari-goers

Customization Options

• Fly-in transfers throughout
• Extended time in the Mara or Serengeti
• Private vehicle throughout
• Beach extensions to Zanzibar or the Kenyan coast

Enquire About This Safari

This Great Migration safari can be tailored to your travel dates, interests, and comfort level. Contact Safari Continents Travel to begin planning one of Africa’s most extraordinary wildlife experiences.

Category Mapping

Countries: Kenya & Tanzania
Core Categories:

• Migration Safaris
• Luxury Safaris
• Flying Safaris
  (with optional mid-range variant)