9-Day Great Migration Safari

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where your personal guide welcomes you with a warm “Karibu Tanzania!” Transfer to Arusha, the safari hub nestled at the base of Mount Meru. Depending on your arrival time, relax at your lodge or explore the town’s vibrant markets and coffee culture. Your safari briefing will be given in the evening, preparing you for the adventures ahead. Overnight stay in Arusha surrounded by lush gardens and African charm, setting the perfect tone for the journey.

After breakfast, drive to Tarangire, a gem famous for its ancient baobabs and vast elephant herds. The park offers diverse landscapes, from rolling savannahs to seasonal swamps that attract wildlife. Here you’ll encounter zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffes, and predators following the herds. Tarangire’s river acts as a lifeline during the dry season, making it a hotspot for sightings. Enjoy an extended game drive before heading to your lodge or camp within or near the park, where the sounds of the bush accompany your night’s rest.

Today’s adventure takes you to Lake Manyara National Park, a small but scenic haven lying beneath the Great Rift Valley escarpment. Known for its tree-climbing lions, pink flamingos, and large troops of baboons, Manyara is full of surprises. The soda lake attracts pelicans, storks, and other birdlife, making it a paradise for bird enthusiasts. Explore woodlands, savannah, and groundwater forests on a game drive, while also keeping an eye out for elephants and hippos. Later, head to your lodge in Karatu for dinner and overnight surrounded by highland views.

After breakfast, set off for Serengeti National Park, Tanzania’s crown jewel. En route, pass through the Ngorongoro highlands with breathtaking views. Upon entering the Serengeti, game viewing begins immediately, with endless plains home to lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and great herds of herbivores. The Central Serengeti, especially the Seronera Valley, is renowned for predator activity and year-round wildlife. Enjoy an afternoon game drive before settling at your lodge or camp, where the vast night sky glitters above you as the wilderness hums with life.

Journey northward into the remote reaches of Serengeti, where the Mara River winds through dramatic landscapes. This region is a seasonal hub for the Great Migration, with thousands of wildebeest and zebras attempting daring river crossings while crocodiles wait below. Even outside migration season, Northern Serengeti offers superb game viewing with elephants, giraffes, and large predators thriving in the area. Spend your day immersed in this pristine wilderness, before returning to your camp or lodge near the Mara River for an authentic safari experience.

Dedicate a full day to exploring Northern Serengeti. Begin with an early morning drive, when predators are most active and the light is magical for photography. Depending on the season, you may witness the awe-inspiring river crossings—a dramatic spectacle of survival. Your guide navigates prime areas where cheetahs scan for prey, lions patrol territories, and hippos wallow in the Mara River. With a picnic lunch in the bush, you’ll maximize your time in this rich ecosystem before returning to camp for a fireside dinner under the stars.

Today, journey back south toward the Central Serengeti, enjoying game viewing along the way. The route offers chances to spot roaming elephants, hartebeest, and prides of lions resting on kopjes. Central Serengeti is known for its year-round abundance of wildlife, making it an excellent base for game drives. Arrive at your lodge or camp in Seronera, where you can relax, savor a hearty dinner, and enjoy the tranquility of the bush. Overnight in the heart of Serengeti, where nocturnal sounds remind you of Africa’s wild spirit.

Begin your day with a final morning game drive in the Central Serengeti, soaking up the last moments in this iconic wilderness. The early hours often provide spectacular sightings of predators finishing their nightly hunts or herds moving across the plains in the golden light. Afterward, start your journey toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way, enjoy more game viewing and the shifting scenery as grasslands give way to volcanic highlands. By late afternoon, arrive at your lodge perched on the crater rim, where sweeping views of Ngorongoro Crater create an unforgettable setting for dinner and overnight.

After an early breakfast, depart Serengeti and descend into Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The crater floor, a unique micro-ecosystem, shelters the Big Five and countless other species, including black rhinos, lions, and herds of wildebeest. Lakes, forests, and grasslands provide stunning scenery and unmatched wildlife density. Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the crater before ascending and driving back to Arusha, arriving in the late afternoon or to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight back home. This marks the end of your safari, filled with incredible memories of Tanzania’s wild wonders.