We often help our clients plan their safaris to East Africa to coincide with the Great Migration and dry season from June to October. Given that the millions of wildebeest and zebra rely on rainfall to determine exactly when to head from Tanzania to Kenya, makes things tricky

with regards to timing a safari. It seems the obvious choice therefore to visit both Kenya and Tanzania especially during July, which is the usual month of transition from the Serengeti (Tanzania) to the Mara (Kenya).
But crossing between the Serengeti and the Mara is a lot simpler for the animals, even in their millions. They don’t need passports and they don’t have to bother with border posts and officials. All they have to contend with are the hungry crocodiles lying in wait over the river crossings. And despite having to avoid powerful jaws snapping at their hooves, it sometimes seems as if they actually have an easier journey than us humans!
Why is it So Difficult to Cross From the Serengeti to the Mara?
The crossing between the two national parks is much more complicated than it looks on the map because of politics. The Tanzanians claim they don’t want Kenya’s mass-tourism policies sully their Serengeti eco-system by flooding the area with hordes of people in mini-buses. They may have half a point, but these are the same folks planning to build a highway through the Serengeti, so we’ll take it with a pinch of salt. Regardless, the result is that there is no easy way to get across by land.

Are There any Options to Cross from the Mara to the Serengeti by Road?
Yes, a tiny border post at Isebania does offer the possibility to cross by land. However, it is not an easy journey on either side, and will often require an overnight in Mwanza, Tanzania if you are traveling from the Serengeti. It’s an additional bumpy 5-6 hour drive from most of tented camps in the Mara, to Isebania. Once there, you would cross the border on foot and meet with your Tanzania guide/driver on the other side.
From the Tanzanian side, it’s usually another 5-6 hour drive to get to camp as well. This is by no means a time-saver, or even necessarily a money saver. It is possible to hire a charter plane to take you close to Isebania on both the Tanzanian and Kenyan sides, to avoid the long drives, but it still requires some airport – border post transfers, and the same walk through at the border post.
Border posts such as Isebania also frequently experience delays as trucks are making their way through and need to be inspected and so on. So as a tour operator, we are never quite sure about the timing for our clients, which makes it somewhat complicated to arrange guides and drivers to pick you up at either end, and take you to your next camp. As we are dealing with two different countries, safari vehicles are registered to operate in their country alone – hence the need to switch companies/drivers on each side of the border. As we prefer to minimize any chance of “losing our clients” as they make their way on foot, you can imagine why we might also suggest simply flying from Nairobi to Arusha to simplify the whole journey.

Flying from Serengeti to the Mara Via Nairobi/Arusha
Given the above scenario, it becomes clear that while geographically it makes us sigh to have to force our clients to backtrack through either Arusha or Nairobi to cross a border, it’s really the best option out there. And luckily, it is no less expensive to do so, and flights are also reliable, frequent and connect very well. You can enjoy an early game drive in the Mara, and be in the Ngornogoro or Serengeti by the afternoon for a sundowner. The airports are also more efficient at handling visas and immigration procedures than the land borders.
We do recommend our clients get their Kenya and Tanzanian visas in advance, especially if they are flying on Safarlink and arriving at Wilson airport in Nairobi. It makes for a more efficient immigration experience and you run a lower risk of delays and possibly missing your onward flight to the Mara.
Are There Any Land Borders That We Recommend Between Kenya and Tanzania?
If you are visiting Amboseli National Park in Kenya, in combination with a northern Tanzania safari, then the one border that is quite efficient is at Namanga. Namanga is more accessible than Isebania, the roads are better on either side of the border as well, which helps reduce delays. You still have to cross the border on foot to meet your Kenyan or Tanzanian driver, but it is easier to coordinate. It takes just two hours or so from the border to get to Amboseli in Kenya, or 2 hours to get to Arusha from the border in Tanzania.