Tarangire, Serengeti & Mara

Arusha

A gentle arrival in northern Tanzania

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfer by road to Kili Villas.

After the airport welcome, continue to your accommodation in the Arusha area. The first afternoon is reserved for settling in, with time to unpack only what you need for the night and enjoy the gardens or a quiet drink after your flight.

Your safari briefing covers tomorrow’s departure, luggage arrangements and the rhythm of the first wildlife days. Tell the team about any dietary needs or mobility considerations before setting off. If your flight arrives late, the priority is a comfortable transfer and rest; sightseeing is not squeezed into the evening.

Tarangire National Park

Into Tarangire’s elephant country

Travel by road from the Arusha area into Tarangire National Park and continue to Oliver’s Camp.

Continue by road into Tarangire, allowing the park journey to become your first game-viewing experience. Watch for the shift from settled farmland to protected habitat and the trees that give this landscape its character. Arrival time determines whether lunch comes before or after the first substantial drive.

Once at camp, settle in and discuss the next day with your guide. Rather than treating the afternoon as a race for sightings, use it to learn how the animals are using the surrounding woodland and water sources. Return before dinner for the camp’s safety briefing and an easy first evening.

Tarangire National Park

A full day exploring Tarangire

Set out early to explore the park’s woodland, open areas and seasonal water. Elephant behaviour often rewards a longer stop, while birds and smaller animals provide plenty to watch between larger sightings. The route is chosen for current conditions, not a promise that every part of the park can be covered.

A picnic lunch can extend the outing, or you may return to camp during the hotter hours before another drive. A guided walk is possible only if available, suitable and specifically arranged with the right staff; age and safety restrictions apply. End your stay with time to enjoy camp before tomorrow’s move.

Serengeti seasonal migration area

Join the seasonal safari route

Transfer to the departure airstrip for your confirmed Serengeti flight. The arrival airstrip follows Olakira’s seasonal location.

Travel to the airstrip serving the camp’s confirmed seasonal location, then continue with your guide. Migration camps change their operating position, so the final flight and transfer details must match your dates. Settle into camp and head out for an introductory drive if time permits.

During the briefing, ask where the herds have been seen and how the recent weather is influencing the area. The itinerary follows the camp’s base, not a guaranteed wildlife event. Your guide will plan the following days around the conditions on the ground and the habitats accessible from camp.

Serengeti seasonal migration area

Follow the movement of the herds

Leave camp with time to explore slowly and respond to fresh sightings. When the herds are nearby, their grazing, resting and movement can be absorbing in their own right. Predators and other resident animals add interest, but neither a hunt nor a dramatic crossing is a scheduled event.

A picnic can make sense if the best viewing is farther from camp; otherwise return for a break between drives. Discuss the afternoon with your guide instead of assuming the morning’s sightings will remain in the same place. This flexible approach keeps the day focused on real wildlife activity.

Serengeti seasonal migration area

One more day in migration country

Begin with a different angle on the same ecosystem, perhaps spending longer with a herd or looking at the smaller animals and birds around it. Your guide can explain how grazing, rainfall and predators interact without reducing the migration to a single moment.

Leave time for a final afternoon drive and a relaxed return to camp. If you are considering an optional balloon flight, it must be checked against the camp’s current location and available departure points. Pack for tomorrow’s transfer after dinner, with the next airstrip and flight routing reconfirmed by the team.

Maasai Mara

Arrive in the Mara

Cross into Kenya on the confirmed flight and border route, then continue to Rekero in the Mara. Allow time for immigration and connection procedures.

Meet your guide after the flight or road transfer and continue to camp, stopping for wildlife where practical. Following the camp welcome, enjoy time to settle before a first afternoon drive if the schedule allows. The open landscape makes a striking introduction even before a major sighting.

Discuss the available driving areas and your interests during the briefing. The Mara supports rewarding wildlife viewing beyond the migration period, so plans should follow current conditions rather than a fixed expectation of river crossings. Spend the first evening at camp ready for an early start tomorrow.

Maasai Mara

A full safari day in the Mara

Start with a morning drive through the habitats accessible from camp. Give your guide time to investigate tracks and listen to the landscape, and allow longer stops when animals are behaving naturally nearby. The aim is a rewarding sequence of encounters, not simply collecting names on a list.

Depending on the route, have a picnic or return for lunch and a rest. A second outing brings different light and fresh possibilities before dinner. Keep river crossings in perspective: they are seasonal, unpredictable events and are never promised as part of a particular day’s programme.

Maasai Mara

Explore further at your own pace

With another day available, choose a different focus with your guide: photographing the landscape, spending more time with a pride if encountered, or looking closely at the birds and smaller creatures often overlooked on a first drive. The route remains responsive to what the morning reveals.

A longer outing with lunch away from camp may be worthwhile, subject to the day’s arrangements. Optional ballooning or community experiences should be booked separately in advance and checked for additional costs. Return for your final evening in the Mara, allowing time to prepare for tomorrow’s transfer.

Nairobi

Your onward journey

Transfer to the airstrip for the flight back to Nairobi. Where the flight arrives at Wilson Airport, allow a separate road transfer and a generous traffic buffer for an international departure from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Enjoy breakfast and a final look at the setting before your collection, subject to the departure time. A last wildlife activity is only possible when the transfer schedule genuinely leaves enough room; it is not automatically included on a flying day. Keep passports, medication and valuables in your hand luggage.

Before confirming international flights, let us check the complete connection, including any airport change, baggage collection and immigration requirements. If the timings are too tight, an additional overnight stop should be arranged rather than relying on a rushed transfer. No accommodation is scheduled for tonight in this itinerary.