9 days / 8 nights
Tanzania Great Migration Safari: August to October
Arusha · Ngorongoro · Northern Serengeti · Central Serengeti
Experience the spectacular Great Migration in Northern Tanzania during the August-October season. This carefully designed 9-day safari focuses on the northern Serengeti, where vast herds of wildebeest and zebra move through the ecosystem and may attempt the dramatic Mara River crossings.
The itinerary also includes Ngorongoro Crater and extended time in the Serengeti, giving you more opportunities to follow wildlife movements and experience exceptional predator action.
Safari highlights
- Follow the Great Migration herds across the northern Serengeti
- Opportunity to witness seasonal Mara River crossings
- Excellent predator sightings, including lions, cheetahs and leopards
- Search for elephants, buffalo and other Big Five species
- Full-day wildlife experience in Ngorongoro Crater
- Experience the spectacular landscapes of Northern Serengeti
- Exceptional opportunities for wildlife photography
- Spend several nights in the Serengeti to maximise wildlife viewing
- Experience Tanzania during one of the most exciting periods of the safari calendar
Out on safari
Day by day
9 days, 8 nights
The route below is the standard version. Game drives follow the wildlife rather than a timetable, and your guide adjusts as the animals move.
- 1
Arrival in Arusha
Arrive in Arusha and meet your safari representative. Transfer to your hotel for relaxation and a detailed safari briefing.
- 2
Arusha to Ngorongoro Highlands
After breakfast, travel toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Enjoy the changing scenery as you enter the highlands and settle into your accommodation.
- 3
Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for an early game drive. Explore the crater floor, where wildlife concentrations are exceptionally high, with opportunities to see lions, elephants, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest and, with luck, black rhino.
After the crater experience, continue toward Serengeti National Park.
- 4
Northern Serengeti: Great Migration
Spend a full day exploring the northern Serengeti. During August-October, large herds may gather around the Mara River and surrounding plains.
Your guide will monitor recent herd movements and select the most promising areas for wildlife viewing.
- 5
Northern Serengeti: Mara River & Wildlife
Continue exploring the northern Serengeti. If the herds are positioned near crossing points, spend time observing migration activity around the river.
River crossings are natural events and cannot be guaranteed; the timing and location depend on rainfall, water levels and herd movements.
- 6
Northern Serengeti: Migration & Predator Action
Enjoy another full day of game drives. Large concentrations of wildebeest and zebra attract predators, creating excellent opportunities to observe lions, cheetahs, leopards and other carnivores.
- 7
Northern to Central Serengeti
Continue south through the Serengeti ecosystem with game viewing en route. The changing landscapes provide opportunities to encounter both migrating herds and resident wildlife.
- 8
Full-Day Central Serengeti Safari
Spend your final full day exploring the Central Serengeti. Search for resident wildlife and predators around the plains, kopjes and seasonal water sources.
Your guide will adapt the route according to current wildlife conditions.
- 9
Serengeti to Arusha
Enjoy an early morning game drive before beginning your journey back to Arusha. Depending on your departure schedule, a domestic flight from the Serengeti may be arranged at an additional cost.
Included
What the price covers
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking safari guide
- Private game drives throughout the safari
- 8 nights of safari accommodation
- Meals
- Serengeti National Park entry fees
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area and crater fees
- Drinking water during game drives
- Arusha transfers as specified
- All applicable government taxes and tourism fees
Accommodation options: Your accommodation will be selected according to your preferred comfort level, travel dates, availability and safari route. Exact properties will be confirmed in your personalised quotation
Not included
What you arrange yourself
- International and domestic flights
- Serengeti-Arusha flight unless specifically added
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance
- Tips for safari guide and lodge staff
- Alcoholic and premium beverages
- Laundry and personal expenses
- Hot-air balloon safari
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
- Souvenirs and personal purchases
- Any service not specifically mentioned under "Included"
Important Great Migration Note
The Great Migration is a natural, constantly moving phenomenon. Although August-October is one of the best periods to visit Northern Serengeti for potential Mara River crossings, no river crossing can be guaranteed. Herd locations depend on rainfall, grazing conditions, water levels and natural animal behaviour.
Our safari team monitors seasonal conditions and adjusts game-drive locations where possible to maximise your chances of encountering the migration.
Best for
Ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, couples, families and experienced safari travellers who want to focus on the Great Migration and the dramatic wildlife encounters of Northern Serengeti.
Accommodation levels
Choose the level, and we build the trip around it
The same route can be run four ways. The level you pick decides where you sleep, how far you drive to the wildlife each morning, and most of what the safari costs.
Budget
Clean, simple camps and small lodges. Everything you need after a day in the park, and nothing you do not.
Mid-range
Comfortable lodges and permanent tented camps with en-suite bathrooms, pools and full service. Where most safaris sit.
Luxury
High-end lodges and luxury tented camps in prime locations, with the shorter drives to the wildlife that come with them.
Premium
The best addresses in each park. Exclusive-use camps, private guiding and the quietest corners of the reserves.
Why there is no price on the page
A safari price that fits everyone fits nobody. Two people in a premium camp in August and a family of four in a mid-range lodge in April are different trips at different costs, on the same itinerary. Rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most people reading it, we price each trip properly.
Tell us your dates, your group and the level you want, and you get an accurate quote back with the accommodation named.
What the quote is built from
- Accommodation level and the type of camp or lodge
- Where you sleep: park rates differ, and so do the drives
- Travel dates, since low, high and peak seasons are priced apart
- Group size, and the ages of any children
- Safari style: private, shared, or tailor-made
- Length of the trip, the parks you enter and the activities you add
- Vehicle and transport arrangements
- Anything special: flights, transfers, honeymoon touches, dietary needs
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