8-Day Great Migration & Wildlife Enthusiasts Safari
Follow the rhythm of Tanzania’s Great Wildebeest Migration on an 8-day safari designed for travellers who want more time in the wilderness. Instead of rushing between destinations, this journey gives you extended time in the Serengeti and follows the seasonal movement of the herds. During the northern migration season, the safari focuses on Kogatende and Northern Serengeti, while the calving season takes you to Ndutu and Southern Serengeti. Along the way, experience Tarangire, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara, with expert guiding, full-day game drives and opportunities for unforgettable wildlife encounters.
Highlights
Itinerary
JRO → Arusha | 55-60km | 1–1.7 hrs | Dinner | Kutoka Lodge
Your migration adventure begins with a warm welcome at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport. Enjoy a private transfer toward Arusha, passing local villages, cultivated landscapes and views of Mount Meru. The remainder of the day is kept relaxed so you can recover from your journey. Your guide will brief you on the safari ahead, including early starts and longer days in the wilderness. Enjoy dinner and a peaceful night before heading into Tanzania’s wild landscapes.
Approx. 105 km to Tarangire | About 2 hrs | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Eileen’s Tree Inn
After breakfast, leave Arusha and drive toward Tarangire National Park, the Land of Giants. Enter a landscape of enormous baobabs, acacia woodland and seasonal wetlands, where elephants gather around the Tarangire River. Spend the day searching for elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, birds and, with luck, lions. Enjoy a packed lunch at a designated picnic area inside the park before continuing your afternoon game drive. Later, exit Tarangire and travel approximately 95 km to Karatu for dinner and overnight at Eileen’s Tree Inn.
Approx. 240–250 km | About 5–7 hrs | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Tanzania Bush Camp
Rise early and travel through the Ngorongoro Highlands toward the Serengeti ecosystem. The scenery gradually changes from fertile highlands and volcanic landscapes to vast open grasslands, rocky kopjes and wildlife-rich valleys. Your journey is part of the safari, with scenic stops and opportunities for wildlife viewing along the way. The migration area is selected according to the season: Kogatende/Northern Serengeti during the northern migration period or Ndutu/Southern Serengeti during the calving season. Enjoy a packed lunch along the route before continuing toward camp and arriving in the late afternoon or evening.
Full-day game drive | 7–9 hrs | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Tanzania Bush Camp
Wake before sunrise and head into the wilderness for a full day dedicated to the migration. In Northern Serengeti, follow the migration corridors around Kogatende and, when conditions align, witness the dramatic possibility of wildebeest river crossings at the Mara River. During the Ndutu calving season, the focus shifts to the Southern Serengeti, where enormous herds gather with newborn calves and predators follow closely. Enjoy a packed lunch in the wilderness while your guide follows fresh tracks and wildlife activity. Return to camp in the late afternoon with the Serengeti sunset marking another unforgettable day.
Full-day game drive | 7–9 hrs | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Tanzania Bush Camp
Today gives you even more time to explore the Serengeti without changing camps. Follow the wildlife wherever the day's sightings lead, whether around the Mara River in the north or the short-grass plains of Ndutu during the calving season. The migration changes with rainfall, grazing conditions and animal movement, so your guide will adapt the route according to what is happening on the ground. Enjoy a packed lunch in the wilderness and take time for photography and observing natural animal behaviour. Keep watch for lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes and other wildlife. Return to camp in the evening for your final night in the migration zone.
120–170 km | About 4–5 hrs excluding wildlife stops | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Tanzania Bush Camp
After breakfast, head south toward Central Serengeti and the Seronera area. This is not simply a transfer your game drive continues along the way, giving your guide freedom to stop whenever wildlife activity appears. The landscape changes from the rugged northern hills and riverine areas to the open plains and rocky kopjes of Central Serengeti. The permanent water sources around Seronera make this one of the region’s richest wildlife areas. Enjoy a packed lunch at a suitable picnic area and continue exploring before arriving at Tanzania Bush Camp in the afternoon.
Approx. 140 km to Ngorongoro | About 3 hrs excluding game viewing | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner | Eileen’s Tree Inn
Rise early for a final morning game drive in the Serengeti before heading toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As the endless plains give way to volcanic highlands, the landscape offers a dramatic change of scenery. Descend approximately 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater, a remarkable wildlife sanctuary home to lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and hyenas, with a chance to see the endangered black rhinoceros. Enjoy a packed lunch inside the crater before ascending and continuing approximately 35–40 km to Karatu. Relax at Eileen’s Tree Inn and reflect on your incredible migration adventure.
Karatu → Lake Manyara: 24 km | 30–45 min
Lake Manyara → Arusha: 120–130 km | 2–2.5 hrs | Breakfast & Lunch Box After breakfast, begin your final wildlife experience with a short drive from Karatu to Lake Manyara National Park. Explore its diverse landscapes of groundwater forests, grasslands, wetlands and the Great Rift Valley. Search for elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, baboons, monkeys, hippos and abundant birdlife, with possible sightings of the park’s famous tree-climbing lions. Enjoy a packed lunch before completing your final game drive or exiting according to your departure schedule. Continue to Arusha, where your 8-day Great Migration and Wildlife Enthusiasts Safari comes to an end.
included
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking safari guide/driver
- 7 nights’ accommodation as per itinerary
- All park, conservation and crater fees
- Full-day and en-route game drives
- Packed lunch boxes on full-day and long transfer days
- Meals as indicated
- Drinking water throughout the safari
- Airport transfers
- Government taxes and service charges
excluded
- International and domestic flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Personal expenses and laundry
- Optional activities
- Personal items
- Any service not specifically mentioned under inclusions