Wildlife Safaris · Kenya & Tanzania

Wildlife Safaris in Kenya & Tanzania

Expert-designed private & small-group safaris focused on extraordinary wildlife encounters. The Big Five, the Great Migration, endangered species, birdlife, photography, family adventures and tailor-made itineraries.

Private guidesLocal safari experts Custom itinerariesResponsible tourism
By Gerald, founder of Safari Travel Plus, who has guided and travelled Kenya and Tanzania since 2018. Reviewed by Caroline, senior safari consultant. Last updated June 2026.
Wildlife Safari Planner

Build your safari around the wildlife you love

Tell us what you want to see, when you want to travel and your style. And we'll recommend the parks, routes and itineraries that give you the best possible sightings.

1 · What do you most want to see?
2 · When do you want to travel?
3 · Your travel style & budget
Free · No obligation · Response within 24 hours
Why Kenya & Tanzania?

Together, the world’s greatest wildlife destination

No two countries on earth combine such wildlife density, iconic species and year-round spectacle. Crossing between them gives you the complete East African safari.

01

The Big Five & predator density

The Masai Mara and Serengeti hold among the highest concentrations of lion, leopard and cheetah anywhere on the continent. With all of the Big Five reliably seen.

02

The Great Migration, year-round

Two million wildebeest and zebra move in a continuous loop between the two countries. Calving in the south, river crossings in the north. There is always a place to see it.

03

Diverse ecosystems & endemics

From Amboseli elephants under Kilimanjaro to Ngorongoro Crater, Samburu northern specials and Lake Nakuru flamingos. Extraordinary variety within easy reach.

04

Conservation leadership

Community conservancies and rhino sanctuaries like Ol Pejeta make this a place where your visit directly supports protecting the wildlife you came to see.

05

Accessibility

Excellent light-aircraft networks and short transfers mean more time watching wildlife and less on the road. Easy to combine parks across both countries.

06

Year-round wildlife

Whatever month you travel, there is a world-class wildlife experience waiting. Our planner matches your dates to the best parks.

Travel With Purpose

Why travel with Safari Travel Plus?

Local ownership, genuine field expertise and an obsession with getting you the best possible wildlife experience. Responsibly.

A truly Nairobi-based team

We live where you travel. Our guides grew up alongside this wildlife and hold KPSGA professional accreditation. No call centres, no middlemen, just people who read the bush for a living.

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Space, silence and the best seat

A maximum of six guests per vehicle on private safaris means the guide’s full attention, the best photographic positions and unhurried time with every sighting.

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Built entirely around you

Every itinerary starts from your dates, pace, budget and the species that matter most to you. Nothing off-the-shelf. Just the right parks in the right order at the right time.

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Travel that protects the wild

We work exclusively with camps and conservancies that invest in anti-poaching, local communities and wildlife corridors. So your journey helps keep these places wild.

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Every detail handled

Transfers, park fees, flights and 24/7 in-field support are all taken care of. If anything changes in the bush, we handle it immediately so you never have to.

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Interactive Wildlife Map

Explore the great parks of Kenya & Tanzania

Click any park to see its signature wildlife, best months, access and how it scores for photography, families and luxury.

KENYA TANZANIA Samburu Ol Pejeta L. Nakuru Amboseli Masai Mara Serengeti Ngorongoro Tarangire Nyerere Ruaha Katavi
Wildlife by Species

Know before you go. Where and when to see each animal

Every species has a season and a stronghold. Here is where our guides reliably find them, and your realistic chance of a sighting on a well-planned safari.

Lion

WhereMasai Mara, Serengeti
Best timeYear-round
Sighting likelihood95%

Leopard

WhereMara, Samburu, Serengeti
Best timeYear-round
Sighting likelihood70%

Elephant

WhereAmboseli, Tarangire
Best timeYear-round
Sighting likelihood98%

Rhino

WhereOl Pejeta, Nakuru, Ngorongoro
Best timeYear-round
Sighting likelihood80%

Cheetah

WhereMasai Mara, Serengeti
Best timeJun–Oct
Sighting likelihood75%

Wild Dog

WhereLaikipia, Ruaha, Nyerere
Best timeJun–Sep
Sighting likelihood45%

Wildebeest

WhereMara & Serengeti
Best timeMigration
Sighting likelihood99%

Flamingo

WhereLake Nakuru, Lake Natron
Best timeYear-round
Sighting likelihood85%

Safari Collections

Find your kind of safari

We group safaris by travel style, so you start from how you want to experience the bush. From fly-in luxury to family adventures and dedicated photographic journeys, each collection is shaped by what that kind of traveller values most.

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Wildlife Calendar

The best month for your wildlife safari

Both countries reward every season. Use this to match your travel dates to the wildlife that matters most to you.

MonthKenyaTanzaniaWildlife highlights
JanuaryExcellentExcellentCalving season · big cats active
FebruaryExcellentExcellentPredator action · Serengeti calving
MarchGoodGoodGreen season · fewer crowds
AprilGoodFairLong rains · lush, low prices
MayGoodGoodShoulder season · great value
JuneExcellentExcellentMigration builds · dry season starts
JulyExcellentExcellentMara river crossings begin
AugustExcellentExcellentPeak migration in the Mara
SeptemberExcellentExcellentCrossings continue · big cats
OctoberExcellentGoodLate migration · superb game viewing
NovemberGoodGoodShort rains · newborns & birds
DecemberExcellentExcellentHerds return south · festive season
Kenya vs Tanzania

Wildlife experience comparison

Both are exceptional. But each has its strengths. Here is how they compare across the experiences travellers ask about most.

ExperienceKenyaTanzania
Big cats★★★★★★★★★★
Rhino★★★★★★★★★
Elephants★★★★★★★★★★
Great Migration★★★★★★★★★
Walking safaris★★★★★★★
Family friendliness★★★★★★★★★
Fly-in access★★★★★★★★★
Value★★★★★★★
Our Wildlife Safari Philosophy

Wildlife watching, done properly

We believe the best sightings come from patience, knowledge and respect. Not from racing between checklist ticks.

  • Smaller vehicles, maximum six guests. The best seat and clear photos
  • No rushing. We stay with a sighting until the story unfolds
  • Responsible, ethical guiding that never stresses the animals
  • Guides who grew up alongside this wildlife
  • Conservation-led camps that protect what you came to see
  • No checklist tourism. Depth over box-ticking
Field Knowledge

What thousands of game drives have taught us

Insight drawn from our guides’ logged game drives across Kenya and Tanzania. (Illustrative figures. Replace with your verified field data.)

1,400+
Guided game drives logged
2.4
Avg. days to first Big Five sighting
82%
Drives with a leopard sighting in the Mara
6.1
Avg. elephant herds seen per Amboseli drive

“If guests tell me they want leopards, I leave camp before sunrise and head straight for the riverine forest. That first light hour is when the odds are best.”

Joseph · Senior Safari Guide, Masai Mara
Wildlife Behaviour

The things that make a sighting unforgettable

Our guides don’t just find animals. They read them. A few things you’ll learn in the field:

Why elephants suddenly fall silent

Herds communicate through low-frequency rumbles below human hearing. A sudden stillness often means they’ve sensed something we can’t.

Why zebras stand facing opposite ways

Head-to-tail positioning gives the group a full 360° view of approaching predators while they swish flies from each other’s faces.

Why vultures matter

Circling vultures are the bush’s newsfeed. The fastest way to locate a fresh kill and the predators nearby.

Why cheetahs hunt at dawn

As sprinters that overheat fast, cheetahs favour the cool early hours. Timing your drive right is everything.

Why giraffes stare

Their height and acute eyesight make them natural sentinels; a fixed giraffe gaze often points straight to a hidden predator.

Reading the river crossing

Wildebeest gather and hesitate for hours; knowing the pressure points lets us position before the herd commits.

Conservation

Every safari protects what it celebrates

Travel is one of the strongest forces for keeping wild land wild. Here is how your journey contributes.

  • Anti-poaching funded through conservancy and park fees
  • Community conservancies that share revenue with local people
  • Responsible, low-impact tourism practices
  • Carbon reduction through fly-in routing and efficient logistics
  • Protection of vital wildlife corridors between parks
Photography Tips

Bring home images you’ll never stop looking at

Lenses

A 100–400mm covers most wildlife; pack a wide lens for landscapes and a fast prime for low light.

Golden light

The first and last 90 minutes of daylight give warm, directional light. Plan your drives around them.

Vehicle positioning

Shooting at eye level and with the sun behind you transforms a snapshot into a portrait. Just ask your guide.

Camera settings

Shutter priority around 1/1000s freezes action; drop your ISO ceiling as light improves.

Managing dust

Change lenses inside a bag, keep bodies covered on transfers, and bring a blower and cloths.

Ethics first

The best shot is never worth stressing wildlife. We keep respectful distance and let behaviour come to us.

Common Questions

Wildlife safari questions, answered

How many days do I need for a wildlife safari in Kenya or Tanzania?

A rewarding wildlife safari needs a minimum of five to seven days. Combining Kenya and Tanzania comfortably takes eight to twelve days. We build the length around the parks you want and the pace you prefer.

Is Kenya or Tanzania better for a wildlife safari?

Both are exceptional. Kenya offers excellent value, rhino strongholds and easy fly-in access. Tanzania has the vast Serengeti and the migration calving season. Many travellers visit both on one trip.

Can I see the Big Five on a Kenya or Tanzania safari?

Yes. A well-planned itinerary through the right parks gives an excellent chance of seeing all of the Big Five, often within the first few days.

When is the best time to see the Great Migration?

The Mara River crossings typically run from July to October, with August and September the peak. The calving season in the southern Serengeti is January to February.

Is a safari safe for children and seniors?

Yes. We design family safaris with shorter drives and kid-friendly camps, and we tailor pace, transfers and accommodation for senior travellers.

Reviewed by Caroline, senior safari consultant. Last updated June 2026.

Guest Reviews

Wildlife moments our travellers remember

Rated 4.9/5 from independent review sources.

★★★★★

“Our guide spotted a leopard dragging an impala into a tree before anyone else in the Mara had even noticed. We sat alone with it for an hour. Unreal.”

, Sarah & Tom, United Kingdom
★★★★★

“We crossed from the Mara into the Serengeti and saw the migration from both sides. The planning was flawless and the guiding knowledge was on another level.”

, The Okafor Family, USA
★★★★★

“Amboseli gave us hundreds of elephants under Kilimanjaro at sunrise. Our guide knew exactly where to be and when. Best photos of my life.”

, Lena, Germany
Watch

Real safari footage & guide introductions

12+
Years operating in East Africa
5,000+
Guests guided
KPSGA
Accredited professional guides
24/7
In-field support & local ownership

Renowned & Trusted

2025
Best Safari Operator. East Africa Travel Awards
4.9★
Rated across independent review platforms
KPSGA
Professional Safari Guide accreditation
Since 2018
Nairobi-based & locally owned
Ecotourism
Kenya certified member

Tell us what wildlife you’d love to see

and we’ll build the perfect Kenya or Tanzania safari around it.

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