17-day Kenya Tanzania wildlife safari is a comprehensive East Africa adventure for travelers who want extended time at each destination rather than a rushed pace. Spend three full nights in Samburu National Reserve tracking the rare “Samburu Special Five,” two nights at the treehouse-style Ark Lodge overlooking a floodlit waterhole in the Aberdares, and two nights at Lake Nakuru National Park among its rhino sanctuary and flamingo-lined shores. Continue to the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve for three full nights of Big Five game drives, cross into Tanzania for two nights in the Serengeti National Park, descend into the wildlife-dense Ngorongoro Crater, spend a day in elephant-rich Tarangire National Park, and finish with two nights in Amboseli National Park beneath the postcard backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Itinerary

Cost

Practical Notes

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

Practical Notes

14-Day Kenya Tanzania Wildlife Safari - Overview

This 17-day Kenya Tanzania Wildlife Safari Spans two countries and eight national parks, reserves, and conservation areas, this safari covers Kenya’s classic northern and southern circuits, crosses into Tanzania’s northern safari circuit via the Isebania border, and returns to Nairobi via a second border crossing at Namanga. Along the way you’ll track the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino), witness (season permitting) the Great Wildebeest Migration between the Masai Mara and Serengeti, and stay in a curated mix of lodges and tented camps chosen for comfort, location, and authentic safari atmosphere.

Best time to travel: This route can be done year-round, but July–October offers the best odds of witnessing the wildebeest migration crossing between the Masai Mara and Serengeti, while January–February is calving season in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu area. Dry seasons (June–October and December–March) generally offer the easiest game viewing across all parks.

Highlights

Northern Kenya's rare Samburu Special Five species along the Ewaso Nyiro River
The Ark Lodge's floodlit waterhole game viewing in the Aberdares
Rhino, tree-climbing lions, and flamingo-lined shores at Lake Nakuru National Park
Big Five game drives across the world-famous Masai Mara National Reserve
Cross-border safari into Tanzania's Serengeti National Park
Great Wildebeest Migration river crossings (seasonal, roughly July–October)
Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and rhino stronghold
Tarangire National Park's ancient baobabs and dense elephant herds
Mount Kilimanjaro views and elephant herds in Amboseli National Park

Day 01 :

Nairobi – Samburu National Reserve

Your Kenya Tanzania wildlife safari begins in Nairobi with an early morning departure north to Samburu National Reserve, driving through the fertile highlands and past Mount Kenya's foothills before descending into the semi-arid landscape of northern Kenya. Samburu is famed for its "Samburu Special Five": Grevy's Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe, Somali Ostrich, Gerenuk, and Beisa Oryx — species found almost nowhere else on a standard Kenya safari itinerary. Arrive in time for lunch and an afternoon game drive along the Ewaso Nyiro River, home to healthy populations of elephant, lion, and leopard.

Overnight: Samburu Simba Lodge

Day 02 :

Samburu National Reserve

A full day dedicated to game drives in Samburu National Reserve. Morning and afternoon drives give you the best chance to spot the reserve's resident lion prides, leopards resting in riverine acacia trees, and large elephant herds coming to drink at the river. Birdlife is exceptional here too, with over 350 recorded species.

Overnight: Samburu Simba Lodge

Day 03 :

Samburu National Reserve

A second full day of game drives in Samburu, giving extra time to search out the reserve's specialty species and enjoy repeat sightings of elephant, lion, and leopard along the Ewaso Nyiro River.

Overnight: Elephant Bedroom Camp

Day 04 :

Samburu National Reserve – Aberdare National Park

Depart Samburu after breakfast and drive south to Aberdare National Park, a dramatic highland forest reserve known for its waterfalls, bamboo forests, and moorlands. Check in at the famous Ark Lodge, a treehouse-style lodge built directly overlooking a floodlit waterhole and salt lick. Spend the evening watching a steady procession of elephant, buffalo, bushbuck, and — if you're fortunate — the rare bongo antelope, all visible from the lodge's viewing decks without needing to leave your seat.

Overnight: The Ark Lodge

Day 05 :

Aberdare National Park

A full day to further explore the Aberdares' forest, bamboo zone, and open moorland, with more time to enjoy the floodlit waterhole viewing that makes The Ark one of Kenya's most distinctive safari lodges.

Overnight: The Ark Lodge

Day 06 :

Aberdare National Park – Lake Nakuru National Park

After an early wake-up call for late-night waterhole viewing, descend from the Aberdares into the Great Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park, one of Kenya's most celebrated birding destinations and historically famous for its dense flamingo flocks. The park is also a designated rhino sanctuary, home to both black and white rhino, along with healthy populations of lion, leopard, giraffe (including the endemic Rothschild's giraffe), and buffalo. An afternoon game drive around the lake shore and surrounding acacia woodland rounds out the day.

Overnight: Sarova Lion Hill

Day 07 :

Lake Nakuru National Park

A full day of game drives around Lake Nakuru, with excellent opportunities for both black and white rhino, tree-climbing lions, and prolific birdlife along the lake shore and surrounding escarpment.

Overnight: Sarova Lion Hill

Day 08 :

Lake Nakuru National Park – Masai Mara National Reserve

Journey across the Rift Valley escarpment and rolling Loita Hills to reach the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya's most famous safari destination and the northern extension of Tanzania's Serengeti ecosystem. Arrive in time for an afternoon game drive across the open savannah grasslands, home to massive lion prides, cheetah, and — depending on season — the Great Wildebeest Migration.

Overnight: Mara Serena Safari Lodg

Day 09 :

Masai Mara National Reserve

A full day of game drives across the Masai Mara's varied habitats, from open plains to the riverine forest along the Mara and Talek Rivers. Look for the Big Five, along with cheetah, hyena, and — during migration season (roughly July to October) — the dramatic river crossings as wildebeest and zebra cross the crocodile-infested Mara River. An optional early-morning hot air balloon safari over the plains can be arranged.Overnight: Mara Serena Safari Lodge

Day 10 :

Masai Mara National Reserve

A second full day exploring the Masai Mara, giving extra time to track down resident predators and, season permitting, witness more of the migration's river crossings and dramatic predator-prey interactions.
Overnight: Mara Serena Safari Lodge

Day 11 :

Masai Mara National Reserve – Serengeti National Park

Cross from Kenya into Tanzania via the Isebania border post, then continue south into the Serengeti National Park via the Ndabaka Gate, entering one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and the setting for the Great Migration. The Serengeti's endless plains support the largest concentration of plains game on Earth, including over two million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebra and gazelle, and healthy predator populations. Arrive in time for an afternoon game drive.

Overnight: Melia Serengeti Lodge

Day 12 :

Serengeti National Park

A full day exploring the Serengeti's central plains, renowned for year-round resident wildlife and some of the best leopard and lion sightings in Africa. Depending on the season, you may encounter the migration herds moving through the park, along with resident giraffe, topi, hartebeest, and elephant.

Overnight: Melia Serengeti Lodge

Day 13 :

Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Depart the Serengeti and climb up out of the plains to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, driving along the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater with sweeping views into the caldera below before settling in to your tented camp near the crater rim.

Overnight: Lion's Paw Tented Camp

Day 14 :

Ngorongoro Crater – Tarangire National Park

An early descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's largest intact volcanic caldera, packed with an estimated 25,000 large mammals within its 260-square-kilometer floor. This is one of the most reliable places in Africa to see the endangered black rhino alongside lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, and flamingo-lined soda lakes. After the crater game drive, continue to Tarangire National Park for an afternoon game drive among the park's famous baobab trees and dense elephant herds, returning to camp in the evening.

Overnight: Lion's Paw Tented Camp

Day 15 :

Tarangire National Park – Amboseli National Park

Enjoy a further morning game drive in Tarangire National Park, famous for its ancient baobab trees and Africa's highest concentration of elephants outside the Serengeti ecosystem, before crossing back into Kenya at the Namanga border post and driving to Amboseli National Park, world-renowned for its enormous elephant herds set against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest peak. Arrive in time for an afternoon game drive.

Overnight: Ol Tukai Lodge

Day 16 :

Amboseli National Park

A full day in Amboseli National Park with morning and afternoon game drives focused on the park's famous elephant families, along with buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and — on clear days — unobstructed views of snow-capped Kilimanjaro across the border in Tanzania. This is widely considered one of the best places in Africa for close-up elephant photography.
Overnight: Ol Tukai Lodge

Day 17 :

Amboseli National Park – Nairobi

After a final morning game drive, depart Amboseli National Park and drive back to Nairobi, arriving in the afternoon in time for onward international flights. This marks the end of your 17-day Kenya Tanzania wildlife safari.