10 Day Luxury Great Migration Safari
A ten-day luxury safari that follows the Great Migration through the Serengeti, staying in mobile camps positioned near the herds, with Tarangire and Ngorongoro.
- Duration
- 10 days
- Route
- Arusha – Tarangire – Ngorongoro Crater – Central Serengeti – Migration area (Ndutu, western corridor or Kogatende) – fly to Arusha
- Start / end
- Starts and ends in Arusha (pick-up at Kilimanjaro Airport; ends with a flight from the Serengeti to Arusha)
- Best time
- The migration is in the Serengeti ecosystem year-round; January to March is usually best for calving, and July to October for river crossings, while April and May fall in the long rains.
- Trip style
- Fully private 4x4 Land Cruiser with senior driver-guide. Luxury lodges and seasonal luxury mobile tented camps on a full-board basis.
Tour overview
The Great Migration is one of the planet's greatest wildlife spectacles: around two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle moving in a vast loop through the Serengeti ecosystem. This ten-day luxury safari is designed around it, with your final camp chosen according to where the herds are expected to be when you travel.
From roughly January to March, you stay near Ndutu for the calving season, when tens of thousands of calves are born and predators are never far away. Around June the herds usually pass through the western corridor, and from July to October they typically reach the northern Serengeti near Kogatende, where dramatic Mara River crossings take place. Luxury mobile camps move with the migration, so you wake up close to the action.
Before the migration you warm up with Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater and the central Serengeti, making this a complete and unhurried northern Tanzania safari for travelers who want the best of everything.
Highlights
- Three nights in a luxury mobile camp positioned near the migration
- Calving season at Ndutu or Mara River crossings, depending on the month
- Two nights on the Ngorongoro Crater rim
- Central Serengeti big-cat country
- Tarangire's elephants and baobabs
- Return flight from the Serengeti to Arusha
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Arrival in Arusha
Welcome to Tanzania. On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, your guide meets you and drives you about 1 hour to your luxury hotel in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, relax by the pool, enjoy a massage or take a short stroll through the gardens with views of Mount Meru. In the evening your guide briefs you on the days ahead over dinner, explaining where the migration herds are expected to be and how the itinerary is set up to reach them.
Day 2Arusha to Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, drive about 2 hours to Tarangire National Park for your first game drives. The park's giant baobabs and the Tarangire River set the scene for large elephant herds, and lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras and buffalo are regularly seen. Enjoy lunch at your lodge, where the treehouse-style rooms look out over a marula forest, then head out again in the afternoon. Return in time for sundowners as the elephants come down to drink.
Day 3Tarangire to the Ngorongoro Highlands
Enjoy a final morning in Tarangire, then drive west through Mto wa Mbu and up the Rift Valley escarpment to the cool Ngorongoro highlands, about 3 hours away. In the afternoon you may visit a coffee farm near Karatu or take a guided walk along the forested crater rim. Your lodge sits right on the rim, offering breathtaking views of the caldera from your suite. Dinner is an elegant affair, with a crackling fire to ward off the evening chill.
Day 4Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater at dawn for a game drive on the crater floor, which is limited to about 6 hours. The caldera is home to black rhino, large lion prides, hyenas, elephants with impressive tusks, and herds of buffalo, wildebeest and zebras, with flamingos on the soda lake. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the crater, then return to your lodge on the rim for a relaxed afternoon. Take a spa treatment, read on your terrace or watch the clouds drift across the caldera.
Day 5Ngorongoro to the Central Serengeti
Leave the highlands after breakfast and drive down onto the Serengeti plains, passing Maasai settlements and, in the green season, the edge of the migration's southern grazing grounds. After a picnic lunch at Naabi Hill, continue into the central Serengeti on a game drive, about 4 to 5 hours in total. The Seronera area is excellent for lions, leopards and cheetahs year-round. Arrive at your luxury tented camp in the late afternoon for sundowners and dinner.
Day 6Central Serengeti and Optional Balloon Flight
Begin the day with an optional sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the Seronera valley, followed by a bush breakfast. Alternatively, set off on an early game drive in search of the big cats that make the central Serengeti famous. Spend the afternoon exploring kopjes and river valleys, with time to watch hippos at the Retima pool or look for leopards along the Seronera River. Return to camp for a hot shower, drinks around the fire and a three-course dinner.
Day 7Into Migration Country
Today you move to the luxury mobile camp positioned near the herds. From roughly January to March this means a scenic drive south to the Ndutu area, from May to June usually a drive west toward the Grumeti and the western corridor, and from July to October a short light-aircraft flight or long game drive north to Kogatende near the Mara River. Your guide plans the route around the latest herd movements. Arrive at camp in time for an afternoon game drive among the wildebeest.
Day 8Following the Great Migration
Spend a full day with the migration. In the calving season, you may see newborn wildebeest taking their first steps while lions, cheetahs and hyenas hunt across the plains. In the dry season up north, your guide positions you at the Mara River and waits patiently for a crossing, when thousands of animals plunge into the water past waiting crocodiles. Crossings are never guaranteed, but patience is often rewarded. Picnic lunch in the field, and dinner back at camp.
Day 9Another Day with the Herds
A second full day in migration country lets you explore at a slower pace and follow up on yesterday's sightings. Head out early to catch predators at their most active, or stay out all day with a picnic lunch to cover more ground. Away from the main herds, you may find elephants, giraffes, topi and eland, as well as smaller wildlife like bat-eared foxes and serval cats. In the evening, celebrate your final night on safari with a special dinner at camp.
Day 10Morning Game Drive and Flight to Arusha
Enjoy a final early-morning game drive and breakfast at camp before your guide drives you to the nearest airstrip. Board a scheduled light-aircraft flight back to Arusha, with superb views over the plains and the Ngorongoro highlands. The flight usually takes about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the airstrip and stops. On arrival in Arusha you are met and transferred to your hotel, or to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your international departure.
What is included
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and senior English-speaking driver-guide
- All park entry and conservation fees, including the Ngorongoro Crater service fee
- Nine nights in luxury hotels, lodges and seasonal mobile camps as listed
- All meals as listed, including bush picnics
- Selected house drinks where included by the camps
- Scheduled light-aircraft flight from the Serengeti to Arusha
- Unlimited bottled drinking water, binoculars and charging in the vehicle
- Private transfers from Kilimanjaro Airport and on arrival back in Arusha
- Government taxes and fuel
Not included
- International flights and Tanzania visa
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for your guide and camp staff
- Premium wines, spirits and champagne unless included by the camp
- Optional hot-air balloon flight
- Additional internal flights if requested
- Spa treatments, laundry and personal items
Good to know
- Herd movements depend on rainfall and vary from year to year; we confirm the best migration camp location closer to your travel date.
- Light-aircraft flights usually carry a soft-bag luggage limit of around 15 kg (33 lb) per person including hand luggage.
- From July to October, the north-bound transfer to Kogatende is often done by light aircraft to save time.
- We recommend booking 9 to 12 months ahead for the peak migration months, when mobile camps fill quickly.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for this safari?
It depends on what you want to see. January to March is usually best for calving and predator action around Ndutu, while July to October is typically the time for Mara River crossings in the north.
Are river crossings guaranteed?
No. Crossings depend on the herds' behavior, and waiting is part of the experience. Spending three nights in the north greatly improves your chances, and your guide will position you at the most active crossing points.
What is a mobile camp?
Mobile camps are luxury tented camps that relocate a few times a year to stay close to the migration. They offer en-suite tents, comfortable beds, hot showers and excellent food, with a more intimate feel than permanent lodges.
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