(Posted 10th June 2026)

Breakfast in the Mara, Lunch in Serengeti

A journey that was once a logistical puzzle is now one of East Africa’s most thrilling and seamless safari transitions delivered to you by AirKenya and Regional Air. There is something quietly magical about leaving the Maasai Mara in the morning and finding yourself deep inside the Serengeti by lunchtime. This is not a fantasy, it’s a reality.

Here is exactly how it works.

The Morning – Mara to Migori

At 08:05am, your AirKenya flight lifts off from the Mara to Migori, a flight that takes place daily. In just 20 minutes, you have landed at Migori Airstrip.

The Transfer –  Migori to Tarime

At Migori Airstrip, AirKenya’s own fleet of air-conditioned shuttle buses is ready and waiting. These air conditioned buses are all equipped with charging ports and a cooler with bottled drinking water and friendly ground staff to make your transition nothing short of smooth. Your bags are loaded, you settle into a comfortable seat, and the drive begins.

The route takes you from Migori Airstrip through to the Isebania border crossing, approximately 30 minutes into the journey, where you arrive at the Sirare One Stop Border Post. Here, the process is orderly and well-managed: a brief security check, port health clearance, and then both Kenya and Tanzania immigration, all handled at a single facility designed to make cross-border movement as efficient as possible.

Once cleared, the bus continues onward to Tarime Airstrip in Tanzania. The full shuttle journey, from Migori Airstrip to Tarime, including the border crossing, takes between one hour and one hour fifty minutes depending on border flow. It is the kind of transfer that gives you enough time to absorb the changing landscape, the subtle but distinct sense that you have crossed into a different country, without ever feeling like you are losing precious safari time.

The Final Leg – Tarime to the Serengeti

Upon arrival at Tarime Airstrip, Airkenya’s Tanzanian sister airline, Regional Air, seamlessly takes the reins. Their aircraft and attentive crew are already on ground, ready to whisk you away on a scenic flight into the very heart of the Serengeti.

Regional Air loops through seven distinct airstrips across the Serengeti ecosystem: Kogatende, Lobo, Grumeti, Seronera, Sasakwa, Fort Ikoma, and Lamai.  Depending on the airstrip, you can expect to touch down around 12:30 pm, just in time for a welcoming lunch at your lodge.  And the greatest wildlife show on earth is about to begin its performance, with you in the front row.

The Full Journey at a Glance

Why this route is special

This is not just a transfer. It is a genuine crossing from one iconic safari ecosystem to another, through the kind of East African borderland that most safari travellers never see. The bus ride through southwestern Kenya and into northern Tanzania offers a window into a quieter, less-visited slice of the region, local towns, border life, the steady rhythm of East African commerce, before the wild enormity of the Serengeti swallows everything else.

AirKenya has managed this crossing long enough to know every detail that matters. The buses are owned and operated by the airline. The border process is familiar and well-navigated with staff on hand to assist and guide our guests. And the handover to Regional Air at Tarime is coordinated so that the journey flows without interruption.

For tour operators building multi-destination Kenya to Tanzania itineraries, this route offers a cross-border connection that is operationally reliable, experientially rich, and bookable as a single seamless journey.

The reverse journey from the Serengeti back to the Maasai Mara is engineered to be just as seamless. Departing the Serengeti at 08:00 am, you will glide across the border to touch down in the Mara at 01:00 pm, perfectly timed for your afternoon game drive.

*** To make this itinerary as a single booking, contact our Reservations Team at +254 (0) 20 391 6000 or resvns@airkenya.com.

Travel Requirements and Documents

1. Yellow Fever vaccination is checked in at the One Post Border Post by the Health Authorities. It is a requirement to have this vaccination for travel within East Africa.
2. Kenya Visa: Travellers to Kenya are required to possess an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before arrival in the country. For more information visit https://etakenya.go.ke/.
3. Tanzania visa: To avoid delays, congestion or any inconvenience at the One Stop Border post, we recommend travelers acquire their e-visa ahead of travel. For more information visit https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/.