Serengeti wildebeest migration Tanzania safari
Tanzania Safari

7-Day Serengeti Migration: Track the Great Migration

Follow millions of wildebeest and zebra across the Serengeti plains. Witness dramatic river crossings, predator action, and Africa's greatest wildlife spectacle.

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Tarangire - Serengeti - Ngorongoro

7-Day Serengeti Migration Safari

Great Migration Circuit 7 Days / 6 Nights Arusha / Arusha 2-8 guests 4x4 Safari Land Cruiser

Introduction

The Great Migration is nature's greatest wildlife spectacle — over 1.5 million wildebeest, 500,000 zebras, and countless gazelles move across the Serengeti ecosystem in an endless search for fresh grazing. This 7-day safari places you right in the heart of the action. From the elephant-rich baobab forests of Tarangire to the sweeping plains of Central Serengeti, the dramatic Mara River crossings in the north, and the wildlife-packed Ngorongoro Crater — every day delivers front-row seats to Africa's most extraordinary wildlife event.

7 Days
Duration
Tanzania
Destination
1 Country
Countries
Mid-range
Accommodation
2-8
Group Size
Jun-Oct, Dec-Mar
Best Time
Easy
Difficulty
Migration Safari
Safari Type
Arusha
Starting Point
Arusha
Ending Point
English
Language
4x4 Safari
Transport
Full Board
Meals

Why This Safari?

Great Migration Front Row

Follow over 1.5 million wildebeest across the Serengeti plains. Witness river crossings, calving season, and predator-prey drama up close.

Mara River Crossings

The ultimate migration highlight — thousands of wildebeest and zebra plunging into crocodile-infested waters. A spectacle unlike any other.

Ngorongoro Crater

Descend into the world's largest intact volcanic caldera — a natural wildlife amphitheatre teeming with lions, elephants, rhinos, and more.

Expert Safari Guides

Our experienced Tanzanian guides know the migration patterns intimately, ensuring you are in the right place at the right time.

Tarangire's Giants

Explore Tarangire National Park, home to Tanzania's largest elephant herds and iconic ancient baobab trees.

Photographer's Dream

Endless golden plains, dramatic river crossings, big cat action, and stunning African light — every day is a photography masterclass.

Tour Highlights

Detailed Itinerary

Each day is carefully crafted to maximise your wildlife encounters while ensuring comfort and relaxation. Below you will find a complete breakdown of every day, from morning game drives to evening sundowners at your lodge.

Day 1

Arrive Arusha

Half Day Transfer: 30-60 min Accommodation: Arusha Lodge Meals: Dinner

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you will be met by your driver-guide and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. Settle in, relax, and prepare for the adventure ahead. Depending on arrival time, you can explore the local craft markets or enjoy a sundowner with views of Mount Meru.

Morning: Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) — approximately 45 km east of Arusha. Clear immigration and collect your luggage. Your professional driver-guide will be waiting outside the arrivals hall holding a sign with your name. The drive to Arusha takes 30-60 minutes through lush coffee plantations and rural Tanzanian villages.
Afternoon: Check in at your Arusha lodge. Enjoy lunch and take time to rest after your journey. Arusha sits at the base of Mount Meru (4,566 m) and is known as the "Safari Capital of Tanzania." If you arrived early, consider a visit to the Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre or the Maasai Market for handcrafted souvenirs.
Evening: Welcome dinner at the lodge with a comprehensive safari briefing from your guide. Review the migration tracking strategy, check your safari gear, and get excited for the days ahead. Recommended early bedtime — your safari starts at sunrise!
Airport Transfer Arusha City Mount Meru View
Day 2

Arusha → Tarangire National Park

Full Day Drive: ~2.5 hrs Accommodation: Tarangire Area Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, drive to Tarangire National Park, famous for its massive elephant herds and ancient baobab trees. Enjoy a full day of game drives through the park's diverse habitats, from riverine forests to open savannah. Tarangire is also home to lions, leopards, and over 550 bird species. Overnight near Tarangire.

Morning: Early breakfast at 6:30 AM. Depart for Tarangire National Park (2.5-hour drive through Maasai landscapes). Enter the park and begin your game drive along the Tarangire River, the park's lifeline. This is the best place in Tanzania for large elephant herds — groups of 100+ individuals are common. Look out for baobab trees that can live over 1,000 years. Photography tip: the morning light filtering through baobab branches creates spectacular compositions.
Afternoon: Picnic lunch at a designated site inside the park, surrounded by wildlife. Continue game driving through the park's diverse habitats — acacia woodlands, seasonal swamps, and open grasslands. Tarangire is famous for its high density of wildlife including lions, leopards, cheetahs, lesser kudus, and over 550 bird species. The park is also known for its massive python sightings in the ancient baobab trees.
Evening: Exit the park and check in at your lodge near Tarangire. Enjoy sundowner drinks overlooking the Maasai steppe. Dinner and overnight. Your guide will brief you on tomorrow's migration tracking strategy.
Elephant Paradise Baobab Forest Big Cat Sightings
Day 3

Tarangire → Central Serengeti — Migration Tracking

Full Day Drive: ~4 hrs Accommodation: Central Serengeti Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast, depart for Central Serengeti (Seronera area), the heart of the Serengeti ecosystem. En route, stop at the Olduvai Gorge — one of the most important archaeological sites in Africa. Enter the Serengeti and begin tracking the migration herds. Evening game drive in the Seronera Valley. Overnight in Central Serengeti.

Morning: Early breakfast and departure from Tarangire. Drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area en route to the Serengeti. Stop at the Olduvai Gorge viewpoint — known as the "Cradle of Humankind" where the Leakey family discovered some of the earliest hominid fossils. Your guide will provide a fascinating overview of the site's significance.
Afternoon: Enter Central Serengeti (Seronera) via the Naabi Hill Gate. Begin tracking the migration herds with your expert guide. The Central Serengeti is the year-round hub of wildlife activity with abundant predators. Game drive through the Seronera Valley, known for its high concentration of lions, leopards, and cheetahs. The Seronera River attracts wildlife throughout the year — expect to see large herds of zebra, wildebeest (depending on season), and their predators.
Evening: Check in at your Central Serengeti lodge or tented camp. Enjoy dinner under a canopy of stars. Listen to the sounds of the African bush at night — the roar of lions, whoop of hyenas, and rustle of nocturnal animals around camp.
Olduvai Gorge Stop Serengeti Entry Migration Tracking
Day 4

Full Day Serengeti — Migration Herds

Full Day Game Drives: 6-8 hrs Accommodation: Central Serengeti Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A full day dedicated to following the Great Migration. With morning and afternoon game drives, your guide will track the movement of wildebeest and zebra herds across the vast Serengeti plains. Witness predator-prey interactions as lions, cheetahs, and hyenas follow the herds. Picnic lunch in the bush. Overnight in Central Serengeti.

Morning: Pre-dawn tea or coffee at 5:30 AM, then depart for an early morning game drive. This is the best time to see predators returning from their night hunts. Your guide will use radio communication and knowledge of the landscape to locate the migration herds. The Serengeti plains stretch as far as the eye can see — over 14,763 sq km of pristine wilderness. Watch as thousands of wildebeest move in long columns across the horizon. Photography tip: use a fast shutter speed (1/1000+) for action shots of running herds.
Afternoon: Picnic lunch at a scenic kopje (rocky outcrop) overlooking the Serengeti plains. Continue game driving as the herds move during the cooler hours. Visit the kopjes — ancient granite rock formations that are prime spots for lion and leopard sightings. Look out for prides of lions resting on the rocks, leopards draped over branches, and cheetahs scanning the plains from elevated termite mounds.
Evening: Sundowner drinks at a scenic viewpoint over the Serengeti. Watch the sunset paint the plains in shades of gold, orange, and red — one of the most beautiful sights in Africa. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Great Migration Predator Action Full Day Safari Photography
Day 5

Central → Northern Serengeti (Mara River)

Full Day Drive: ~3 hrs Accommodation: Northern Serengeti Camp Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Journey north to the remote Northern Serengeti and the iconic Mara River. This region is the stage for the migration's most dramatic act — the river crossings. Spend the afternoon tracking herds near the riverbanks, watching as thousands of wildebeest gather at crossing points. Overnight in Northern Serengeti.

Morning: Early breakfast and check out from Central Serengeti. Depart for Northern Serengeti (3-hour game drive en route). The landscape changes dramatically as you move north — from open plains to rolling hills and riverine woodlands. Game drive along the way with frequent stops to observe wildlife. The drive itself is a safari, with opportunities to see hartebeest, topi, giraffe, and elephants.
Afternoon: Arrive at the Mara River area — the stage for the Great Migration's most dramatic act. Check in at your camp and enjoy lunch. Afternoon game drive along the Mara River, tracking wildebeest and zebra herds that have gathered near crossing points. Watch as herds build up courage to cross the crocodile-infested waters. The atmosphere is electric — you can feel the tension as thousands of animals prepare to make their move. Photography tip: position yourself upstream of crossing points for the best action shots.
Evening: Sundowner drinks overlooking the Mara River. Listen to the sounds of the herds and the distant roar of lions. Dinner and overnight at Northern Serengeti camp.
Mara River River Crossings Northern Serengeti Crocodile Action
Day 6

Serengeti → Ngorongoro Crater

Full Day Drive: ~4 hrs Accommodation: Ngorongoro Area Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early game drive in the Northern Serengeti, travel south to the Ngorongoro Crater. Descend into this UNESCO World Heritage Site — the world's largest intact volcanic caldera. Enjoy a game drive on the crater floor, home to over 25,000 animals including the endangered black rhino. The crater offers some of the most concentrated wildlife viewing in Africa. Overnight on the crater rim.

Morning: Early morning game drive in Northern Serengeti to catch the early action. Breakfast at camp, then check out and depart for Ngorongoro (4-hour scenic drive south). The drive crosses the Loliondo area and passes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with panoramic views of the Great Rift Valley.
Afternoon: Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater — 600 metres deep with a floor covering 260 sq km. The crater is a natural wildlife amphitheatre with an astonishing density of animals. Game drive on the crater floor searching for the Big Five — lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and the endangered black rhino. The crater is also home to hippos in Lake Magadi, massive herds of zebra and wildebeest, spotted hyenas, and the rare serval cat. Photography tip: the crater rim provides incredible wide-angle landscape shots.
Evening: Ascend from the crater and check in at your lodge on the crater rim. Enjoy panoramic views of the crater from your lodge terrace. Sundowner drinks with the most spectacular view in Africa. Dinner and overnight on the Ngorongoro rim.
Ngorongoro Crater Big Five Safari UNESCO Site Black Rhino
Day 7

Ngorongoro → Arusha — Departure

Half Day Drive: ~3.5 hrs Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast with a view over the Ngorongoro Crater, drive back to Arusha. Stop for lunch en route and enjoy one last taste of Tanzania. Arrive in Arusha in the afternoon — you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight. End of tour.

Morning: Final breakfast at the lodge overlooking the Ngorongoro Crater — a view you will never forget. Check out and depart for Arusha (3.5-hour drive). The route winds through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and past Maasai villages, offering final glimpses of this unique landscape. Stop at a Maasai market for last-minute souvenir shopping if time permits.
Afternoon: Lunch en route at a restaurant near Arusha. Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight. End of tour. We recommend booking flights departing after 4:00 PM to allow ample time for the drive. You will leave Tanzania with memories of the greatest wildlife spectacle on Earth — the Great Migration.
Evening: Depart from Kilimanjaro International Airport. Karibu tena! (Welcome again in Swahili) — we hope to host you on another African adventure soon.
Scenic Drive Airport Drop-off Maasai Countryside

Destinations You'll Explore

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park

Known for its massive elephant herds and iconic baobab trees, Tarangire offers one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in northern Tanzania. The Tarangire River attracts animals year-round, making it a premier game viewing destination.

Elephant Paradise Baobab Forests 550+ Bird Species
Central Serengeti

Central Serengeti (Seronera)

Africa's most famous wildlife sanctuary and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Endless savannah plains teeming with wildlife — the stage for the Great Migration and home to Africa's highest concentration of big cats.

Big Cat Capital Migration Hub Endless Plains
Northern Serengeti Mara River

Northern Serengeti (Mara River)

Africa's most famous wildlife sanctuary and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Endless savannah plains teeming with wildlife — the stage for the Great Migration and home to Africa's highest concentration of big cats.

River Crossings Mara River Remote Wilderness
Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa's most spectacular natural wonders. This 260 sq km volcanic caldera hosts 30,000 large mammals and offers the best chances to see the endangered black rhino in the wild.

Big Five Guaranteed UNESCO Heritage Crater Floor Safari
Included
  • All Park Permits
  • Mid-range Accommodation
  • Professional Driver
  • Ground Transport
Excluded
  • Visa
  • Insurance
  • Personal Spending
  • Tips
Transport
  • Travel With 4x4 Safari Vehicle

Tanzania Wildlife

The Serengeti ecosystem is home to an extraordinary diversity of wildlife. Here's what you can expect to see.

Photo Gallery

Location

What Our Travelers Say

Join thousands of satisfied travelers who have experienced the Great Migration with us.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to see the Great Migration?

The best time is June to October for river crossings at the Mara River, and December to March for calving season in the southern Serengeti. However, the migration is a year-round phenomenon and there is always excellent wildlife viewing.

How many days do I need for a Serengeti migration safari?

7 days is the ideal duration to cover all the key areas — Tarangire, Central Serengeti, Northern Serengeti (Mara River), and Ngorongoro Crater — at a comfortable pace.

What is the Great Migration?

The Great Migration is the annual movement of over 1.5 million wildebeest, 500,000 zebras, and 200,000 gazelles across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem in search of fresh grazing and water.

Do I need a visa for Tanzania?

Yes, most visitors require a Tanzania visa. You can obtain it on arrival at the airport or apply online before travel. Visas are not included in the tour price.

What should I pack for a Serengeti safari?

Pack lightweight neutral-coloured clothing for game drives, a warm jacket for early morning drives, comfortable walking shoes, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars, and a camera with extra batteries and memory cards.

Is the tour suitable for solo travellers?

Yes, solo travellers are welcome. You can join a group tour or book a private trip. Single supplements may apply for private accommodation.

What type of accommodation is included?

Mid-range lodges and tented camps with en-suite bathrooms, hot showers, and comfortable beds are included. Upgrades to luxury lodges are available upon request.

Is Tanzania safe for tourists?

Yes, Tanzania is a very safe and welcoming destination for tourists. The safari circuit is well-established with professional guides, secure lodges, and excellent infrastructure.

Can I see the Big Five on this safari?

Yes, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater offer excellent opportunities to see all Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and black rhino (Ngorongoro).

How much does this safari cost?

Please contact us for a personalised quote. Prices vary based on group size, accommodation level, and season. We offer mid-range and luxury options to suit your budget.

What is the accommodation like?

Mid-range lodges and tented camps with en-suite bathrooms, hot showers, and comfortable beds. Upgrades to luxury lodges with swimming pools, spas, and fine dining are available.

Can children join this safari?

Children aged 6 and above can join the safari. Family-friendly itineraries with age-appropriate activities can be arranged on request.

How do I book this safari?

You can book by contacting us via WhatsApp, email, or our website booking form. A deposit secures your dates, with the balance due 30 days before departure.

What is the group size?

Our groups range from 2 to 8 guests, ensuring a personalised experience with dedicated attention from your guide.

Do I need travel insurance?

Yes, comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory. It should cover medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and personal belongings.

Ready to Track the Great Migration?

Book your 7-day journey through Tanzania's greatest wildlife destinations and witness nature's most spectacular event.