Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
This is leg 2 of 3.
Travel leg · Kenya & Tanzania Safari
Maasai Mara to Serengeti
Maasai Mara and Serengeti sit about 100 km (62 mi) apart in a straight line, with Serengeti to the south. It is leg 2 of 3 on our Kenya & Tanzania Safari itinerary, an 11-day trip. It crosses from Kenya into Tanzania. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 100 km · 62 mi
- Est. road distance
- 120–140 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min
- Direction
- Heading south
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Kenya & Tanzania Safari itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 120–140 km (74–87 mi) of road and 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Light aircraft link Nairobi's Wilson Airport with Mara airstrips and Arusha with Serengeti strips; there are no tourist crossings at the Mara–Serengeti border, so you fly between countries. Game drives are with your camp's guide or a licensed safari operator.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Serengeti
Tanzania's vast plains, with predators around Seronera and herds that move with the rains. Stay 3 to 4 nights.
Serengeti National Park
Tanzania's flagship park, 14,750 sq km of plains and kopjes supporting huge herds and predators.
Serengeti Visitor Centre
Seronera information center with an elevated walkway and displays on the ecosystem and migration.
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti
Lodge in the central Serengeti with an infinity pool above an elephant waterhole and a Discovery Centre.
Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge
Hilltop lodge styled like a Maasai village, with sundowners over the central plains.
Seronera Valley
River valley in the central Serengeti with year-round water and dense leopard, lion and cheetah sightings.
Moru Kopjes
Granite outcrops south of Seronera with rock paintings and the Maasai Gong Rock.
Before you leave Maasai Mara
Kenya's top reserve, famous for big cats and the Great Migration's river crossings. Stay 3 to 4 nights.
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Rolling grassland with lions, cheetahs, elephants and, from July to October, the wildebeest migration.
Governors' Balloon Safaris
Dawn hot-air balloon flight over the reserve, finished with a champagne bush breakfast.
Governors' Camp
Classic tented camp on the Mara River in Musiara, serving meals with hippos below the bank.
On this curated route
Where Maasai Mara → Serengeti sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Serengeti to Maasai Mara is the same 100 km in a straight line, heading north. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in September, when Serengeti averages highs 2°C warmer than Maasai Mara. Over a year, Maasai Mara gets about 170 mm more rain.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maasai Mara high | 28° | 30° | 29° | 26° | 25° | 25° | 27° | 28° | 29° | 29° | 28° | 27° |
| Serengeti high | 27° | 28° | 28° | 26° | 26° | 27° | 28° | 29° | 30° | 30° | 28° | 27° |
| Maasai Mara rain | 106 | 69 | 148 | 173 | 103 | 46 | 26 | 46 | 55 | 75 | 137 | 140 |
| Serengeti rain | 119 | 79 | 141 | 142 | 66 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 26 | 60 | 140 | 134 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Serengeti month guides.
Maasai Mara to Serengeti: questions travelers ask
How far is Maasai Mara from Serengeti?
Maasai Mara is about 100 km (62 mi) from Serengeti in a straight line, with Serengeti to the south. By road, we estimate 120–140 km (74–87 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Maasai Mara to Serengeti?
An estimated 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min, assuming 120–140 km of road at average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Maasai Mara to Serengeti?
Our Kenya & Tanzania Safari itinerary includes this leg. Kenya & Tanzania Safari runs about 11 days across 4 stops, best in Jun – Oct.
Onward from Serengeti
- Serengeti to Ngorongoro 122 km
Getting to Maasai Mara
- Nairobi to Maasai Mara 188 km
Guides for both ends
- Maasai Mara travel guide
- Maasai Mara weather best time to visit
- Serengeti travel guide
- Serengeti weather best time to visit
Serengeti by month
Plan Maasai Mara → Serengeti with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.