7-Day Upscale Safari & Olduvai Gorge
Arusha Lake Manyara Serengeti Olduvai Gorge Ngorongoro Tarangire Arusha
From, per person$2,818
Tanzania safari
7-Day Northern Serengeti Migration Tour
Overview
Most of this week is spent where the migration actually happens: inside the Serengeti. You drive straight there on the first morning and stay four nights, two on the central plains and two in the north near the Mara River, where the wildebeest and zebra herds usually gather from about July to October and try to cross the water.
Only after that do you turn south. A night on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater sets up an early descent to the crater floor, and the trip closes with a game drive in Tarangire, the park of baobabs and big elephant families, before the road back to Arusha.
Tanzania Tourism Safaris books luxury tented camps and lodges for every night, travels privately in a 4×4 Land Cruiser with an English-speaking resident guide, and includes local drinks along with your meals. Because the herds move with the rain, your guide can shift the Serengeti nights to the central or southern plains if you travel outside the river-crossing months.
Tour highlights
- Four nights inside Serengeti National Park
- Two nights near the Mara River in the north
- River-crossing season, usually July to October
- Ngorongoro Crater floor with a picnic by a hippo pool
- A closing game drive among Tarangire’s baobabs
- Luxury tented camps and lodges, local drinks included
Day by day
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Day 1 Straight to the Serengeti Plains Stay Luxury tented camp or lodge in the central SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Your guide collects you in Arusha after breakfast for the longest drive of the trip. The road climbs through the Ngorongoro Highlands, with a stop or two for photos along the way, then drops onto the open grasslands of the Serengeti. Lunch is a picnic on the road so you reach the park in time for an afternoon game drive. Expect gazelles, zebras and, with luck, your first lions before you check in.
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Day 2 A Full Day on the Central Plains Stay Luxury tented camp or lodge in the central SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
With no driving to fit in, the whole day belongs to the central Serengeti. Head out after breakfast with a packed lunch and explore different corners of the plains at different times of day, when the animals are most active. The central area is known for big cats, so watch for lion prides, cheetahs and leopards in the trees, along with elephants, giraffes, buffalo, many kinds of antelope and plenty of birds.
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Day 3 North Toward the Mara River Stay Luxury tented camp in the northern SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, travel north, game viewing on the way. The drive takes about three hours, and the country changes as you go, from open grass to wooded hills and scrub that draw a wide mix of grazers. In the dry-season months this is where the migrating herds tend to collect. You settle into camp for two nights within reach of the Mara River and its crossing points.
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Day 4 Waiting at the Crossing Points Stay Luxury tented camp in the northern SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A whole day in the north gives you the best chance of seeing a crossing. Herds can mass on the bank for hours before the first animals jump, so your guide reads the movements and positions the vehicle with patience. Large crocodiles wait in the river, and lions and hyenas work the banks. Between crossings, the riverine bush holds elephants, giraffes and plenty of birdlife.
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Day 5 Early Game Drive, Then South to the Crater Rim Stay Luxury lodge or tented camp on the Ngorongoro Crater rimMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Start with a last early game drive in the northern Serengeti, when predators are often still active. After a picnic lunch, the long drive south begins, game viewing as you cross the park. Expect the journey to take most of the afternoon. You arrive on the forested rim of the Ngorongoro Crater by evening, where the air is cool and the crater floor lies far below.
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Day 6 Ngorongoro Crater Floor and on to Tarangire Stay Luxury tented lodge near Tarangire National ParkMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Eat early and descend into the crater for a morning among buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and lions, with a small number of black rhino present. Lunch is a picnic beside the hippo pool. In the afternoon, climb back out, game viewing as you go, and drive on toward Tarangire, about two hours away. Your last night is at a tented lodge close to the park.
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Day 7 Tarangire’s Elephants and the Drive to Arusha Meals Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, spend the day on a game drive in Tarangire National Park. Ancient baobab trees stand over the bush, and the Tarangire River draws elephants, giraffes, zebras and many birds, especially in the dry season. After lunch, leave the park and drive back to Arusha, which takes about an hour and a half, for your hotel or an onward flight.
Prices by season
Per person in US dollars. The price depends on when you travel and how many travelers share the trip.
| Season | 1 traveler | 2 travelers | 4 travelers | 6 travelers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low season 1 Mar – 31 May | $6,472 | $4,314 | $3,866 | $3,716 |
| High season 1 Nov – 20 Dec and 6 Jan – 29 Feb | $6,813 | $4,542 | $4,069 | $3,912 |
| Peak season Now 1 Jun – 31 Oct and 21 Dec – 5 Jan | $7,570 | $5,047 | $4,522 | $4,347 |
Tour price includes
- Airport meet and greet with private transfers
- Private 4×4 Land Cruiser (seats up to 7)
- English-speaking resident local guide
- Six nights in luxury tented camps and lodges
- Meals as listed for each day
- Local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
- National park and conservation area fees and taxes
- All activities in the itinerary
- Support around the clock while you travel
- Departs with just one traveler
Tour price excludes
- International flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Souvenirs and other personal items
- Optional extras such as a hot air balloon flight
Questions about this safari
When can I expect to see the Mara River crossings?
The herds usually reach the northern Serengeti from about July to October. Crossings happen on their own schedule, sometimes several in a day and sometimes none for a while, so two full nights in the north gives you a fair chance. No one can promise a crossing on a given date.
How does this compare with your 7-Day Great Migration Safari?
Both reach the Mara River. That safari starts in Tarangire and uses lodges in Karatu on two nights. This one drives straight to the Serengeti, keeps you inside the park for four nights, sleeps on the crater rim, saves Tarangire for the last day and uses luxury camps throughout, with local drinks included.
What happens if I travel outside the river-crossing months?
The migration follows the rain around the ecosystem, so we move the Serengeti nights to where the herds are likely to be, such as the central plains, or the southern plains around December to April. Tell us your dates and we will adjust the route before you book.
Before you go
Where you will go
Parks on this safari
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