What You Need to Know: This 13-day private luxury safari runs from Nairobi to Arusha through Amboseli, the Maasai Mara, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire, crossing into Tanzania by road. It costs from US$11,050 per person for 2 travelers at luxury lodges, with park fees included, and suits travelers who want the full circuit without rushing.
Is the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari Right for You?
It is the most complete route we run in East Africa: six parks, two or three nights in the main ones, and the best lodge in each area that has space for your dates.
| This trip suits you if… | Consider another trip if… |
|---|---|
| You want Kenya and Tanzania's best parks in one trip | You have under 10 days: see the 9-day Mara and Serengeti safari |
| You want luxury lodges and tented camps | You want to keep the budget lower: ask for mid-range lodges on the same route |
| You like a slower pace, with full days in each park | You want gorillas: see our Kenya and Rwanda gorilla safari |
The 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari Route at a Glance
Amboseli and the Mara in Kenya, then the Serengeti, the crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire in Tanzania.
| Day | Route | Travel | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival in Nairobi | Airport transfer, 30–60 minutes | Nairobi |
| 2 | Nairobi to Amboseli | Drive 4–5 hours | Amboseli |
| 3 | Amboseli National Park | Full-day game drive | Amboseli |
| 4 | Amboseli to the Maasai Mara | Drive 9–10 hours, or about 3 hours by air | Maasai Mara |
| 5 | Full day in the Maasai Mara | Full-day game drive | Maasai Mara |
| 6 | Maasai Mara, second full day | Full-day game drive | Maasai Mara |
| 7 | Maasai Mara to the Serengeti | Drive 7–8 hours, border crossing | Northern Serengeti |
| 8 | Serengeti National Park | Full-day game drive | Central Serengeti |
| 9 | Serengeti to the Ngorongoro crater rim | Drive 5–6 hours with game viewing | Ngorongoro crater rim |
| 10 | Ngorongoro Crater to Lake Manyara | Crater game drive, then 1.5 hours' drive | Lake Manyara area |
| 11 | Lake Manyara to Tarangire | Game drive, then 1.5 hours' drive | Tarangire |
| 12 | Tarangire National Park | Full-day game drive | Tarangire |
| 13 | Tarangire to Arusha and departure | Drive 2–3 hours, airport transfer | — |
13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari Itinerary, Day by Day
Each park gets at least one full day. The Amboseli-to-Mara leg is long by road, so many guests take the light aircraft via Nairobi, which we quote as an option.
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Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi
Your driver-guide meets you at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and takes you to your hotel. If you land in the morning, there is time for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's orphaned baby elephants (late morning visiting hour) and the Giraffe Centre in Karen, where you can feed endangered Rothschild's giraffes from a raised platform.
In the evening your guide runs through the days ahead, checks your passports and visas, and answers last questions.
Airport transfer, 30–60 minutesNairobiDinner -
Day 2: Nairobi to Amboseli
Drive south-east from Nairobi to Amboseli, arriving for lunch at your lodge. The afternoon game drive goes out to the swamps, where elephant families come to drink and feed with Kilimanjaro behind them, often clearest in the late afternoon.
Drive 4–5 hoursAmboseliBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 3: Amboseli National Park
Sunrise is the best time for Kilimanjaro views, before clouds build. Spend the day around the Enkongo Narok and Longinye swamps and climb Observation Hill for the view over the plains and the lake bed.
Amboseli's elephants are among the most studied in Africa, and big-tusked bulls are still seen here.
Full-day game driveAmboseliBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 4: Amboseli to the Maasai Mara
The road route goes back through Nairobi and down into the Rift Valley to the Mara, a long day. The alternative is a light aircraft from Amboseli's airstrip to the Mara via Nairobi's Wilson Airport, arriving in time for an afternoon game drive.
Drive 9–10 hours, or about 3 hours by airMaasai MaraBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 5: Full day in the Maasai Mara
Leave after an early breakfast with a packed lunch and spend the whole day on the plains, so you can follow lions, cheetahs and leopards without heading back at midday. From July to October the wildebeest and zebra herds are here, and crossings of the Mara River are possible if the herds are near the water.
Optional extras: a sunrise balloon flight (US$460 per person) or a visit to a Maasai village near the reserve.
Full-day game driveMaasai MaraBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 6: Maasai Mara, second full day
Another full day, exploring a different part of the reserve: the Mara River and its hippo pools, the Talek river area, or the open plains where cheetahs hunt in the morning. Your guide follows recent sightings.
Full-day game driveMaasai MaraBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 7: Maasai Mara to the Serengeti
Leave the Mara for the Isebania–Sirari border and Tanzania's exit and entry formalities, then continue to the Serengeti, entering through the north or west depending on where the herds are.
Drive 7–8 hours, border crossingNorthern SerengetiBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 8: Serengeti National Park
A full day in the Serengeti, choosing the area by season: the Mara River in the north from July to October, or the central Seronera valley for big cats at any time of year.
Full-day game driveCentral SerengetiBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 9: Serengeti to the Ngorongoro crater rim
A morning game drive on the way out of the Serengeti, past Naabi Hill, then up to the forested rim of the Ngorongoro Crater for a night at about 7,500 ft (2,300 m), cool and often misty.
Drive 5–6 hours with game viewingNgorongoro crater rimBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater to Lake Manyara
Descend into the crater at first light for a half-day on the floor: lions, hyenas, buffaloes, flamingos on the soda lake and the best chance in Tanzania of a black rhino. After a picnic lunch, drive down to Lake Manyara.
Crater game drive, then 1.5 hours' driveLake Manyara areaBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 11: Lake Manyara to Tarangire
A morning in Lake Manyara National Park: groundwater forest with baboon troops and blue monkeys, and elephants and buffaloes along the lake shore. Then a short drive to Tarangire for an afternoon game drive.
Game drive, then 1.5 hours' driveTarangireBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 12: Tarangire National Park
A full day in Tarangire, known for its large elephant herds along the river and its ancient baobab trees, with tree-climbing pythons, lions and more than 500 bird species.
Full-day game driveTarangireBreakfast, lunch, dinner -
Day 13: Tarangire to Arusha and departure
A last morning game drive, then the drive to Arusha for lunch and a transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your evening flight.
Drive 2–3 hours, airport transferDepartureBreakfast, lunch
What You Can See on the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari
Six parks means six very different landscapes, and the full range of East African wildlife:
- Amboseli: elephant families with Kilimanjaro behind them
- Maasai Mara: big cats, and the migration from July to October
- Serengeti: the largest lion population in Africa and endless plains
- Ngorongoro Crater: black rhinos and a crater floor full of game
- Lake Manyara: forest primates, flamingos and a shore full of birds
- Tarangire: elephants and baobabs, quietest in the morning
Where You Stay on the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari
The starting price uses luxury lodges; you can choose budget, mid-range or luxury and the route stays the same. Where a name is shown, it is a lodge we book there, or similar: the final lodges for your dates are named in your quotation. Luxury camps in the Mara and the Serengeti book up a year ahead for July to October.
| Nights | Area | Country | Example lodges (or similar) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nairobi | Kenya | Named in your quotation |
| 2 | Amboseli | Kenya | Named in your quotation |
| 3 | Maasai Mara | Kenya | Named in your quotation |
| 1 | Northern Serengeti | Tanzania | Malaika Mara River Luxury Camp |
| 1 | Central Serengeti | Tanzania | Serengeti Serena Lodge, Four Seasons Serengeti |
| 1 | Ngorongoro crater rim | Tanzania | Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Lion's Paw |
| 1 | Lake Manyara area | Tanzania | Lake Manyara Serena Lodge |
| 2 | Tarangire | Tanzania | Elephant Springs, Maramboi Tented Lodge |
How Much Does the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari Cost?
From US$11,050 per person, for 2 travelers sharing at luxury lodges, with the private vehicle and driver-guide, accommodation and meals as listed, park fees included. This is a starting price: your final price is the one in your written quotation, worked out for your dates, group size and lodge level.
What changes the price
- Group size: the vehicle and guide are shared, so the price per person falls as your group grows
- Lodge level: budget lodges lower it, and luxury lodges and tented camps raise it
- Season: lodges charge more from June to October and at Christmas; the Maasai Mara fee doubles from July to December
- Flights: a light aircraft from Amboseli to the Mara saves a long day on the road and is quoted as an option
Park fees and permits on this route
| Park, permit or fee | 2026 rate |
|---|---|
| Amboseli National Park (Kenya Wildlife Service) | US$90 per adult per 24 hours |
| Maasai Mara National Reserve (Narok County) | US$100 per adult per day January–June, US$200 July–December; children 9–17 US$50 |
| Serengeti National Park | US$82.60 per person per 24 hours |
| Ngorongoro Conservation Area (also charged when you drive through) | US$70.80 per person per 24 hours |
| Ngorongoro crater service fee | US$295 per vehicle per descent |
| Lake Manyara National Park | About US$59 per person per 24 hours |
| Tarangire National Park | About US$59 per person per 24 hours |
What the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari Price Includes
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle and English-speaking driver-guide in each country
- 12 nights' accommodation at the level you choose, with meals as listed in the itinerary
- All park entry and conservation fees, and government taxes
- Airport pickup and drop-off
- Drinking water in the vehicle
Not included
- International flights
- Optional flights, such as a fly-in instead of a long drive
- Visas and Kenya's eTA
- Tanzania's mandatory inbound travel insurance, US$44 per adult from October 1, 2026 (we can help you buy it)
- Travel insurance with medical evacuation
- Tips for your guides, rangers and porters
- Drinks, laundry and personal items
- Optional Maasai Mara balloon flight, US$460 per person
Borders, Flights and Visas on the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari
The trip crosses one border by road, at Isebania (Kenya) and Sirari (Tanzania), on day 7. You need the Kenya eTA for the first half and a Tanzania visa for the second. If you take the light aircraft from Amboseli to the Mara, it is quoted separately.
When Is the Best Time for the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari?
Come between July and October to catch the herds in the Mara and the northern Serengeti, or in January and February for dry weather and calving in the southern Serengeti (we move day 8 to Ndutu). Avoid April and May, when the long rains close some luxury camps.
How the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari Compares with Our Other Trips
Our Kenya and Tanzania routes compared:
| Trip | Days | From (per person) | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanzania and Kenya | 6 | US$2,892 | Serengeti and Mara |
| Mara and Serengeti | 9 | US$4,338 | Mara, Serengeti, crater |
| Luxury Kenya and Tanzania | 13 | US$11,050 | Six parks, luxury lodges |
The same 13-day route costs much less at mid-range lodges; ask us for both prices.
How to Book the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari
| When you cancel | Refund |
|---|---|
| 60 days or more before arrival | 100% |
| 30–59 days | 90% |
| 15–29 days | 60% |
| 10–14 days | 25% |
| Less than 10 days, or a no-show | No refund |
What Else to Read Before You Book
In Kenya this trip is run on the ground by trusted local partner operators. We plan and book it, send one written quotation, and stay your contact from arrival to departure.
This page covers what is particular to the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari. The parts that work the same way on our other trips are explained once, in these guides:
- Kenya safaris: how our partner operators run the trip and who your guide is.
- Tipping on safari: how much to give your driver-guide and lodge staff.
- Booking and cancellation terms: deposit, payment and refunds.
Common Questions About the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari
Which lodges are used?
Luxury lodges and tented camps in each park, such as Four Seasons Serengeti, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge and Elephant Springs, or similar. Your quotation names the lodges for your dates.
Can we fly between parks instead of driving?
Yes. Light aircraft link Amboseli, the Mara, the Serengeti and Arusha. Flights shorten the long days but add cost; we quote them as options.
Is this trip suitable for children?
Yes, from 2 years old on the Tanzanian side; some luxury camps set their own minimum ages, which we check when we book.
How much does the 13-Day Luxury Kenya and Tanzania Safari cost?
From US$11,050 per person for 2 travelers at luxury lodges, with park fees included. Your written quotation gives the final price for your dates, group and lodge level.
The Bottom Line
Thirteen days is enough to see the best of Kenya and northern Tanzania properly, at the best lodges in each park. Plan it for July to October, and book the camps early.
Send us your dates, the number of travelers and your lodge level through the booking form, on WhatsApp +255 678 992 599 or by email to jaynevytours@gmail.com, and we will reply with a written quotation.