Self-Launched Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Masai Mara to the Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater
6 days · Kenya & Tanzania
Afrishare Trekking And Safaris charges £2,100
No-markup version: ~£1,160 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, budget-savvy version of the classic 6-day Nairobi-to-Arusha combined safari: Masai Mara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Rather than a fully guided private-vehicle group tour, you'll join scheduled shared-camping safaris booked directly with local Nairobi and Arusha operators (or getyourguide.com / local WhatsApp bookings), cross the Isebania border by public shuttle and matatu, and stay in budget tented camps, bandas and hostels. You still get the game drives, the Big Five and the crater — for roughly half the price.
Day-by-day
Nairobi to Masai Mara — Great Rift Valley & evening game drive
Masai Mara, Kenya
Get an early start from Nairobi (Nairobi Backpackers or similar in Kilimani, ~£10/night) — your shared safari minibus picks you up around 06:00-07:00. The drive south through Narok climbs into the Great Rift Valley escarpment with a photo stop at the viewpoint, arriving at a budget tented camp on the edge of the reserve by mid-afternoon. Book this leg as a 3-day/2-night Masai Mara shared camping safari direct with a Nairobi operator (Kenya Budget Safaris, Mara Explorers, or via GetYourGuide) — roughly £260-£310 pp including meals, camping and park fees. Head out for a late-afternoon game drive into the reserve with your shared group.
🚌Shared 4x4/minibus safari vehicle from Nairobi, ~5-6 hrs incl. stops (included in safari package)
🛏Budget tented camp on the reserve boundary (shared safari tent, meals included)
- →Rift Valley escarpment photo stop
- →Evening game drive in Masai Mara National Reserve
Full day in the Masai Mara
Masai Mara, Kenya
Classic safari day: morning game drive as the animals are most active, back to camp for lunch and a siesta, then an afternoon drive. July-October you're in prime wildebeest migration country. Optional extras bookable on-site or in advance: a Maasai village visit (~£15-20) or the famous hot-air balloon flight at dawn (~£380-450 via Governors' Balloon Safaris or a GetYourGuide reseller — skip it if you want to protect the savings).
🚌Safari vehicle within the reserve
🛏Budget tented camp, Masai Mara
- →Morning game drive
- →Afternoon game drive
- →Optional Maasai village visit (~£18)
- →Optional hot air balloon safari (~£400)
Masai Mara to the Serengeti via the Isebania border
Serengeti, Tanzania
Long transfer day. Check out of your Mara camp and take the shared vehicle to the Isebania/Sirari border crossing (~2.5-3 hrs) — budget operators usually include the drop, otherwise a shared shuttle is ~£15-20. Cross on foot (have your Kenya eTA and Tanzania e-visa printed), then pick up a Tanzanian pre-arranged pickup or shared transfer to Seronera. From the gate, break the drive with an introductory game drive into the Serengeti. Book a 3-day Tanzania camping safari (Serengeti + Ngorongoro) direct with an Arusha operator like Tanzania Budget Camping Safaris or Kilimanjaro Budget Safaris — ~£330-£380 pp for camping, meals, park and crater fees. Overnight in a public campsite at Seronera (bring a headtorch; the camps are simple but the night sounds are superb).
🚌Shared safari vehicle to border + Tanzanian safari vehicle from Isebania to Seronera, ~5-6 hrs
🛏Public campsite, Seronera (own tent or simple bandas, meals included)
- →Guided introductory game drive in Serengeti National Park
- →Border crossing at Isebania
Full day in the Serengeti
Serengeti, Tanzania
Dawn game drive — the best light and the best odds of leopard and lion — then back to camp for a hot lunch and an afternoon drive across the plains toward the central Serengeti. If it's a Serengeti balloon you want, book direct with Mirambo/Senapa or via GetYourGuide a few weeks out (~£420); otherwise spend the money on a night game drive (~£25) instead.
🚌Safari vehicle within the park
🛏Public campsite, Seronera
- →Morning game drive in the Serengeti
- →Afternoon game drive
- →Optional Serengeti balloon safari (~£420)
- →Optional night game drive (~£25)
Serengeti to Ngorongoro — Olduvai Gorge & crater rim
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
Drive out of the Serengeti with a packed lunch box, stopping at Olduvai (Olduvai) Gorge Museum — a small but fascinating palaeoanthropology site where the Leakeys found early hominid remains (~£5 entry). Continue up to the Ngorongoro Crater rim for sunset over the caldera. Overnight at a budget campsite or guesthouse just outside the conservation area (Simba Camp or a Karatu guesthouse, ~£20-25 pp) to keep costs down versus rim lodges.
🚌Safari vehicle Serengeti → Ngorongoro, ~4 hrs
🛏Simba Camp or Karatu budget guesthouse (meals included)
- →Olduvai Gorge Museum visit
- →Crater rim viewpoint at sunset
Ngorongoro Crater game drive, then on to Arusha
Arusha, Tanzania
Early descent into the crater (have your permits sorted by your operator — crater fees are the priciest part of the trip, ~£55-65). The caldera is your best single shot at black rhino and huge elephant and lion concentrations. Climb out around lunchtime and drive to Arusha, arriving late afternoon (~17:00-19:00). Budget option: skip the operator transfer and take a shared shuttle/dalla-dalla from Karatu to Arusha (~£7-10). Overnight at a hostel such as Arusha Backpackers or Masai Camp (~£12), or head straight on — there's a Kilimanjaro or Zanzibar flight/coach route from here.
🚌Safari vehicle to crater + shared shuttle/dalla-dalla Karatu → Arusha, ~3 hrs
🛏Arusha Backpackers or Masai Camp, Arusha (~£12)
- →Half-day Ngorongoro Crater game drive
- →Optional Mto wa Mbu village tour (~£12)
Self-launched vs. Afrishare Trekking And Safaris
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Afrishare Trekking And Safaris | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,160 | £2,100 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £940 per person (45%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Afrishare Trekking And Safaris-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,160
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Masai Mara to the Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,160 per person for 6 days in Kenya & Tanzania. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Afrishare Trekking And Safaris?+
Yes — Afrishare Trekking And Safaris charges around £2,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,160 — a saving of roughly £940 (45%) per person.
How long is the Kenya & Tanzania trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Kenya & Tanzania.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, budget trip through Kenya & Tanzania, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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