Kenya or Tanzania: which safari suits you?
Six questions on your dates, days, budget and what you most want to see. You'll get a country (or both), the parks to visit and a rough cost for your trip.
Updated 18 October 2026 · No sign up, no email
How many days on safari?
Why we ask: Kenya's Masai Mara is close to Nairobi. Tanzania's Serengeti is further from Arusha, so it needs more days.
How the quiz decides
Every answer adds points to Kenya, Tanzania or a combined trip, and the highest total wins. Two answers weigh most. The first is your number of days: the Masai Mara works on a 3 day safari, while the Serengeti needs 5 days or more. The second is your month, because the Great Migration spends January to March calving in Tanzania and July to October crossing into Kenya's Masai Mara.
Budget, add ons and what you most want to see decide the closer cases. Kenya is usually cheaper at the budget end, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro pull towards Tanzania, and gorilla trips are easiest from Nairobi.
Kenya and Tanzania side by side
| Kenya | Tanzania | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature parks | Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru | Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire |
| Great Migration | Masai Mara, usually July to October | Serengeti most of the year; calving January to March |
| Shortest sensible safari | 3 days | 5 days with the Serengeti |
| Typical mid range cost | About US$300 to 500 a day | About US$400 to 700 a day |
| Easy add ons | Diani beach, gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda | Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro |
From our guides to Kenya or Tanzania, Kenya safari costs and Tanzania safari costs.
Where the migration is, month by month
- January to March: southern Serengeti and Ndutu, Tanzania. Calving peaks in February.
- April and May: moving north through the central Serengeti, in the long rains.
- June: the Western Corridor, with the Grumeti River crossings.
- July to October: the northern Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara, with Mara River crossings.
- November and December: heading south through the Serengeti again.
See it on a map in our migration tracker.
What the quiz can't tell you
Both countries give superb game viewing, and a good guide matters more than the country. Check reviews, ask for a written quote that lists park fees, and be wary of prices below the fees themselves. Our guides to choosing a Kenya operator and a Tanzania operator have checklists.