Kenya or Tanzania for a First Safari? An Honest Comparison

It is the most common question we are asked, and there is no wrong answer. Kenya and Tanzania share the same ecosystem, the same Great Migration and many of the same animals. The difference is in how a trip feels: the distances, the pace, the kind of places you stay and what each country does best.

At a glance

• Choose Kenya for a shorter trip, easy connections from Nairobi, the Maasai Mara, Amboseli’s elephants under Kilimanjaro, and private conservancies with night drives and walking.
• Choose Tanzania for sheer scale, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, the calving season from January to March, and an easy add-on to Zanzibar.
• Choose both if you have ten days or more. The two connect naturally, by road or by air.

Wildlife

Both countries offer the Big Five. Kenya’s Maasai Mara has some of the highest predator densities in Africa, Amboseli is famous for its large elephant herds, and Lake Nakuru is one of the best places to see rhino. Tanzania’s Serengeti is vast, and the Ngorongoro Crater holds an extraordinary concentration of animals in one bowl, including black rhino. Tarangire, in the dry season, has some of the largest elephant gatherings in the region.

The Great Migration

From July to October, the herds cross between the northern Serengeti and the Maasai Mara, so both countries are excellent. From December to May, the migration is in Tanzania, and the calving season in the southern Serengeti is one of the great wildlife spectacles on earth. Our month-by-month migration guide covers this in detail.

Getting around

Kenya’s main parks are closer together. The Maasai Mara is about five to six hours from Nairobi by road, or under an hour by light aircraft, and Amboseli and Lake Naivasha are within a few hours’ drive. That makes Kenya ideal for a safari of five to seven days.

Tanzania’s northern circuit, Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, flows well by road, but the distances inside the Serengeti are large. Many travellers fly one way to save a long drive back.

Cost

Kenya often works out slightly less expensive for the same standard of trip, largely because of shorter distances and a wider range of lodges. Tanzania’s park and concession fees are among the highest in Africa, which shows in the final price. You can compare real, published rates on our safaris page, from a 7-day Kenya safari from $931 per person to fully private luxury itineraries.

Crowds

At the height of the migration, the most famous river crossing points in both countries can be busy. Kenya’s answer is its private conservancies bordering the Maasai Mara, where vehicle numbers are limited and off-road driving, night drives and guided walks are allowed. Tanzania’s answer is size: in much of the Serengeti you can drive for an hour without seeing another vehicle.

Beach extensions

Both countries end well at the coast. Tanzania pairs naturally with Zanzibar. Kenya pairs with Diani and the south coast. Both work as a relaxed few days after the early starts of a safari.

Our honest recommendation

For a first safari of a week or less, Kenya is hard to beat for ease and variety. For ten days or more, or a trip between January and March, Tanzania, or a combination of both, gives you the fullest picture of East Africa.

See the 11-Day Spirit and Soul of Africa for a trip that combines both countries, or browse Kenya and Tanzania separately.

Still undecided? Tell us how long you have and what you most want to see, and a Volcan specialist will suggest the right country for your dates.