Kenya and Tanzania · Africa
Your destination at a glance
This route follows two halves of a single ecosystem. The grasslands of Kenya's Maasai Mara run without a break into Tanzania's Serengeti, and the wildebeest herds that define the region cross the border twice a year without regard for it. Adding Tanzania brings in the Ngorongoro Crater, a collapsed volcanic caldera holding a resident population of game on its floor, the baobab country of Tarangire, and the option of finishing on Zanzibar, where Stone Town's coral-rag lanes and spice plantations lie an hour's flight from the plains. It is a long trip with border formalities, light-aircraft hops and early starts, and it asks more in time and stamina than a single country. It suits committed wildlife travellers, photographers and couples who would rather go deep once than sample twice.
| Best time to visit | Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Dec, Jan, Feb (shoulder: Mar, Nov) |
|---|---|
| Suggested duration | 9–12 Days |
| Starting price | ₹4,70,000 per person — a starting figure, confirmed in your proposal |
| Region | Kenya and Tanzania · Africa |
| Trip style | Wildlife, beach |
Build the days around what matters
Kenya's flagship reserve, a mix of open grassland and riverine forest in the country's south-west. Morning and evening drives search for big cats, elephant and rhino, and the Mara River crossings draw crowds when migrating herds arrive. Conservancies bordering the reserve permit walking and night drives that the reserve itself does not.
A dry basin of alkaline flats and spring-fed swamps beneath Kilimanjaro, close to the Tanzanian border. Elephants gather in the marshes through the day and are unusually easy to watch at close range, and the mountain is generally clearest at dawn before cloud builds over its summit.
A soda lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, enclosed by a compact national park. Flamingo numbers fluctuate with water level and are no longer dependable, but the park is a stronghold for both black and white rhino and holds buffalo, giraffe and lions that rest in the acacias.
Tanzania's vast plains reserve, the southern extension of the same grassland system as the Maasai Mara. Game viewing shifts with the season as the herds move north and south, while the central Seronera valley holds resident predators year-round. Balloon flights over the plains launch before sunrise.
The floor of a collapsed volcanic caldera in northern Tanzania, reached by a steep descent road from the forested rim. The enclosed grassland, soda lake and swamp support a dense resident population of game, including some of the region's last black rhino. Drives on the floor are usually limited to part of a day.
An Indian Ocean island off the Tanzanian coast. Stone Town's narrow lanes hold carved doors, the former slave market site and a seafront night market, reflecting Omani, Indian and Swahili influence, while the east and north coasts offer white sand, reefs and tidal flats where seaweed is farmed.
A park along the Tarangire River in northern Tanzania, recognisable by its broad baobabs and tall termite mounds. In the dry months game concentrates along the river, with large elephant herds; birdlife is exceptional, and the park usually falls between Arusha and the crater on a northern circuit.
Stone Town's lanes, carved doors and trading history add an urban cultural chapter to a wildlife-led journey. It is usually sequenced after the mainland safari and paired with a beach stay on Zanzibar.
A starting point, not a fixed package
Visit Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Visit Amboseli National Park.
Visit Lake Nakuru.
Visit Serengeti National Park.
Visit Ngorongoro Crater.
Visit Zanzibar (Stone Town & beaches).
Visit Tarangire National Park.
Season by season
Getting there from India
Nairobi and Kilimanjaro are practical gateways, with Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam useful for coastal extensions. Flights from India may require a connection.
There is no practical rail route from India. Rail within East Africa does not replace the border and safari transfers required by this circuit.
The two-country route uses road border crossings and/or regional flights. Confirm the crossing, vehicle change and visa sequence before finalising the itinerary.
Know before you go
Kenya uses the Kenyan shilling and Tanzania the Tanzanian shilling. Cards work at larger lodges, while cash is useful for tips and curio markets.
Swahili is spoken across both countries and English is widely used in lodges, guiding and signage, so language is rarely a barrier.
Kenya and Tanzania are both 2 hours 30 minutes behind Indian Standard Time (IST).
Warm days and cool nights across the highland reserves and crater rim, with long rains around March to May and shorter rains falling in November.
Local SIMs are cheap in both countries and eSIMs are supported, though coverage thins inside the Serengeti and Mara, where lodges provide Wi-Fi.
Everyday meals across Kenya and Tanzania pair ugali with greens, beans or grilled meat; Zanzibar and the coast add coconut, tamarind, pilau and biryani. Vegetarian food is manageable with notice, and halal food is standard along the Swahili coast. Dress modestly in Stone Town and ask before photographing people.
Entry requirements
Ordinary Indian passport holders should obtain Kenya's approved Electronic Travel Authorisation before travel unless exempt. Tanzania permits eligible Indian passport holders to apply online and also lists visa-on-arrival access, but online completion is recommended; confirm the border sequence for both countries.
Kenya official eTA portal Checked 2026-08-30
Tanzania Immigration visa guidelines Checked 2026-08-30
Small details, smoother days
A closer look
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Useful answers
June to October is generally the strongest period for a combined Kenya and Tanzania safari, with drier conditions across many major parks. January and February are also attractive, particularly for parts of the Serengeti ecosystem. March to May brings the main long rains, while November can have shorter rains that affect road conditions.
9 to 12 days is ideal for a first combined Kenya and Tanzania safari. The itinerary crosses an international border and links large wildlife regions, so anything shorter can become transfer-heavy. Ten or more days allows several game-drive cycles and reduces pressure to chase sightings. Travellers with only a week should normally choose one country instead.
The Orbitz Holidays master-list starting price for Kenya + Tanzania is ₹4,70,000 per person. This is a starting figure rather than a guaranteed final trip total. The final amount can vary with travel dates, hotel category, occupancy, transport and confirmed inclusions. Any unconfirmed taxes, entry charges, activities or airfare should be confirmed before travel.
A Kenya and Tanzania itinerary requires travellers to satisfy the separate entry rules of both countries, plus any health and border requirements for the chosen routing. Border crossings, bush flights and park entry arrangements need coordination. Exact visas or authorisations, fees, processing times, vaccination rules and park charges should all be confirm before travel.
This trip suits serious wildlife travellers, photographers and couples prepared for long safari days. Maasai Mara provides Kenya’s classic savannah experience, Serengeti National Park extends the same wider ecosystem into Tanzania, and Ngorongoro Crater adds a concentrated volcanic-caldera wildlife setting. Combining them offers greater landscape and wildlife variety than a short single-park safari.
The published starting price is ₹4,70,000 per person. Exact hotel category, meals, transfers, sightseeing, permits, taxes and transport are included only when stated in the final proposal. Confirm the itemised inclusions before payment.
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