I'm planning a brief trip to East Africa. I have 8 days and would like to do a safari and a couple of beach days. I initially wanted to go to Tanzania for the Crater, Serengeti, and Zanzibar. I have now heard that Kenya would be better due to the migration.

Is the Serengeti really that much worse than the Masai Mara during August?
Are the beaches in Kenya comparable to Zanzibar?
Should I go back to TNZ when I have more time instead?

Any advice would be very much appreciated!!

I am also looking to go on safari at the beginning of August, so if you decide to come TZ, I would like to spend about $500 and see Ngorongoro, the Serengeti and a Maasai village if possible. Let me know if you're interested!

We just got back from TZ & had a great trip. First, I think you may be pushing it in 8 days. I think it's going to take you the better part of a day to get from Arusha to Zanzibar & get settled, & the flights are between $100-200.
We did our safari with Into Africa (www.intoafrica.co.uk) & they were awesome. Their Tanzanian Explorer is a 7-day trip, but it includes a couple of cultural tours in addition to the safari. I thought those were very enjoyable & without them I don't feel I would have seen the "real" Tanzania. But if you just want to do the safari they do custom itineraries as well.
When we were there the migration was heavy in the areas we visited. But my understanding - & you should check this out with someone more knowledgeable - is that the migration is mostly the zebras & wildebeest. You'll see them regardless, just maybe not as many - there were times when we could see thousands of these guys as far as we could see in every direction. They also attract predators, so we had good luck viewing lions & hyenas & such too.
Hope that helps!

Hope you would wish to have a lovely tyme. You can have a combined safari for both Kenya and tanzania.You need to have the real taste immigration in the maara river.
please contact CIRCLE LINE SAFARIS ON cirlak@lycos.com www.circlelinesafaris.net
.Enjoy your holiday

maish

Hi
The migration should be in the Mara in August, but you will still see plently in the Serengeti, a good place to look for reputable operators is TATO & KATO tour operators associations :-)