15 Day Kenya Tanzania Safari – Big Cats and Great Migration

Your Kenya Tanzania safari begins with a private welcome at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Meet your Wild Compass Africa guide and transfer to your hotel.

Depending on your arrival time, the remainder of the day is free to rest after your journey or begin exploring Nairobi at your own pace.

After breakfast, leave Nairobi and travel southwest toward the Maasai Mara. The landscape gradually changes from the city and cultivated highlands to open grasslands as you approach the Mara ecosystem.

Arrive in time for lunch and settle into your lodge or tented camp before heading out for your first afternoon game drive.

The Maasai Mara is renowned for its abundance of large predators, and the first drive offers an exciting introduction to the reserve. Lions, cheetahs and leopards may be encountered alongside elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, topi and other plains wildlife.

As the afternoon light softens, continue exploring the plains before returning to camp for dinner.

Spend the entire day exploring the Maasai Mara with your private guide, taking the time to follow wildlife rather than rushing between sightings.

The Mara is particularly rewarding for travellers interested in big cats. Lions can often be found resting or moving across the open plains, while cheetahs may be encountered hunting in the shorter grass. Leopards are more elusive and require patience, careful observation and knowledge of the area.

Your day can be shaped around the wildlife activity you encounter. Stop for a picnic lunch in the reserve and continue into the afternoon, exploring different parts of the Mara ecosystem.

For photographers, the open landscape, wildlife behaviour and changing light provide opportunities throughout the day.

Another full day gives you the freedom to explore the Maasai Mara beyond the most obvious wildlife sightings.

Follow the movements of resident wildlife across the grasslands, search for predators and spend time observing elephant herds, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and other plains species. During the Great Migration period, the concentration and movement of wildebeest can add another dimension to the experience, although wildlife movements naturally vary with the season.

Rather than following a fixed schedule, your guide can adjust the day according to wildlife activity, photography opportunities and your interests.

Return to camp in the late afternoon and enjoy a relaxed evening in the Mara.

Enjoy an early morning game drive in the Maasai Mara before breakfast or begin the journey after breakfast, depending on your preference.

Continue toward Lake Nakuru in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. The scenery changes considerably as you leave the Mara behind, with agricultural landscapes and escarpments gradually giving way to the lake and surrounding woodland.

After lunch, head into Lake Nakuru National Park for an afternoon game drive. The park offers a different wildlife experience from the Mara, with opportunities to look for rhinos, buffalo, giraffes, waterbuck, lions and a variety of bird species.

As the afternoon comes to an end, return to your lodge for a relaxed evening.

After breakfast, leave the Rift Valley and continue south toward Amboseli National Park.

This is a longer travel day, but it provides an opportunity to watch Kenya’s landscape change as you move toward the Tanzanian border. Arrive in the Amboseli area and settle in before heading out for an afternoon game drive.

Amboseli is especially known for its large elephant herds and wide views toward Mount Kilimanjaro. On clear days, the mountain forms an impressive backdrop to the open plains and wetlands.

Spend the evening at your lodge, with time to relax after the day's journey.

The park's combination of open plains, seasonal wetlands and dry country creates a distinctive safari environment. Elephant herds are one of the highlights, while the wider ecosystem supports buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and numerous bird species.

Early morning is often a rewarding time to be out, particularly when wildlife is active and Mount Kilimanjaro may be visible beyond the plains. Return to the lodge during the hotter part of the day for lunch and relaxation before heading out again in the afternoon.

The second game drive provides another opportunity to explore the park at a slower pace before returning for your final evening in Kenya.

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before departing Amboseli and travelling toward the Kenya–Tanzania border at Namanga.

Complete the border formalities before continuing into Tanzania and onward to Arusha, the gateway to the northern Tanzania safari circuit.

The day is intentionally lighter after several days of game drives. Arrive in Arusha, check into your hotel and enjoy a relaxed evening before continuing into Tanzania's national parks.

After breakfast, leave Arusha and travel toward Tarangire National Park.

Enter the park and begin your first game drive as you make your way toward your accommodation. Tarangire has a character very different from the Serengeti, with large elephant herds, ancient baobabs, woodland and open grassland creating a varied landscape.

Depending on the season, wildlife can gather around the Tarangire River and other sources of water, creating excellent opportunities for observation and photography.

Continue exploring through the afternoon before settling into your lodge or camp.

Spend the day exploring Tarangire with your private guide.

Elephants are among the park's signature wildlife, and spending a full day here allows time to observe them moving through woodland, crossing open areas or gathering around water. The park is also home to lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and a rich variety of birdlife.

The distinctive baobab-studded landscape makes Tarangire particularly rewarding for photographers. Depending on the season, wildlife concentrations can change considerably, so your guide will choose areas to explore based on current conditions and sightings.

Return to camp in the late afternoon and enjoy a relaxed evening in the bush.

After breakfast, leave Tarangire and continue toward the Serengeti.

The journey takes you through the changing landscapes of northern Tanzania before reaching the vast Serengeti plains. Depending on the route and wildlife activity, the journey itself becomes part of the safari, with opportunities for game viewing as you approach your camp.

Arrive in the Serengeti and continue with an afternoon game drive.

The scale of the Serengeti is immediately apparent. Its open plains support enormous numbers of herbivores and provide habitat for some of Africa's most sought-after predators.

Continue exploring until late afternoon before heading to camp.

Spend a full day in the Serengeti, following the wildlife and exploring the surrounding plains.

The Serengeti is central to the annual wildebeest migration, but it is much more than a seasonal migration destination. Resident wildlife remains throughout the year, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, buffalo and large numbers of plains game.

Your guide will select areas based on the season, recent sightings and your interests. During migration periods, the location of the herds can influence where you spend the day, while predator activity provides another reason to explore away from the main concentrations.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the wilderness before continuing your game drive into the afternoon.

A second full day in the Serengeti gives you more time to experience the ecosystem without the pressure of moving on.

Set out early when wildlife is active and the plains are cooler. Search for lions, cheetahs and leopards while keeping an eye out for elephants, giraffes, buffalo, hyenas and the many species that form the wider Serengeti ecosystem.

If your travel dates coincide with the Great Migration, your guide will work with current wildlife movements to give you the best possible opportunity to encounter the herds. Migration is a natural process rather than a fixed event, so the experience varies according to location and season.

Spend another night surrounded by the sounds of the Serengeti.

Enjoy a final morning game drive in the Serengeti before travelling toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

As you leave the open plains behind, the landscape rises toward the cooler highlands around Ngorongoro. The change in elevation and vegetation creates a striking contrast with the Serengeti.

Depending on timing, there may be an opportunity to enjoy wildlife viewing along the way before arriving at your accommodation near the crater.

Spend the evening relaxing and preparing for the following day's journey back toward Arusha.