01
Day 01
Arrive Kilimanjaro, overnight Arusha
Met at the airport and driven to Arusha, about an hour. An early night — the safari starts properly tomorrow.
- StayHotel in Arusha or Moshi
- MealsBed and breakfast
01 · Overview
About this safari
The migration is not an event with a date. It is close to two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle moving in a rough clockwise loop through the Serengeti ecosystem, all year, every year.
That means the useful question is not “when is the migration?” but “where will it be in my month?” — and the answer shapes this route. December to March the herds are on the southern short-grass plains and at Ndutu, calving. April and May they drift north and west through the central Serengeti. June and July the columns push into the western corridor and towards the Grumeti. From late July to October the northern Serengeti holds them, and the Mara River crossings happen there.
So the seven days below are written as a shape — arrival, two areas, the crater — and the Serengeti nights are placed where the animals are on your dates. Rainfall varies and so does their timing, by weeks and sometimes more. Anyone selling you a guaranteed crossing on a specific date is selling you something they do not control.
Tour length7 days / 6 nights
Start / endKilimanjaro Airport → Arusha
ParksTarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro
AccommodationHotel, highland lodge, tented camp
Meal planFull board on safari
Best monthsAll year — nights follow the herds
Vehicle4×4 with pop-up roof
Tour typePrivate, on your dates
Group sizeTo confirm
02 · The price
What the price covers — and what it doesn't
Included 7 items
- Park and conservation-area entry fees for every park on the route
- Government taxes and concession fees for those parks
- A 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, fuel and an English-speaking driver-guide
- Accommodation on the basis shown for each night
- Meals as marked on each day
- Drinking water in the vehicle throughout
- Transfers between Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha and your first night
Not included 6 items
- International flights, and internal flights unless a day says otherwise
- Tanzania visa, passport costs and travel insurance
- Tips for your guide, cook and camp or lodge staff
- Drinks, laundry and other personal spending
- Optional extras — balloon flights, night drives, spa treatments, private vehicle upgrades
- Anything not listed as included
03 · At a glance
Itinerary highlights
- Day 1Arrive Kilimanjaro, overnight Arusha
- Day 2Arusha to Tarangire
- Day 3Into the Serengeti, towards the herds
- Day 4A full day with the migration
- Day 5A second day, and a second chance
- Day 6Serengeti to the crater highlands
- Day 7The crater, and departure
04 · Prices
Prices and what moves them
Every quote is written for the dates and the number of people travelling, because park fees, season and vehicle sharing move the figure more than anything else. We itemise it: park fees, accommodation, vehicle, meals.
Mid-range
Luxury
Mid-range
Per person, sharing · international flights not includedSingle supplement: To confirm
| Group size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per person, 2026 | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm |
| Rooms | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3+ |
Luxury
Per person, sharing · international flights not includedSingle supplement: To confirm
| Group size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per person, 2026 | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm |
| Rooms | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3+ |
Children. Child rates depend on age, the camps and how rooms are shared. Child policy to confirm
05 · The route
The route, day by day
02
Day 02
Arusha to Tarangire
A full day in Tarangire on the way west: elephants along the river, baobabs, and big buffalo herds in the dry months. You sleep in the highlands near Karatu.
- StayLodge on the Ngorongoro highlands rim or in Karatu
- MealsFull board
03
Day 03
Into the Serengeti, towards the herds
Across the conservation area and into the park, driving towards whichever sector holds the migration in your month. From Naabi Hill onwards it is all game viewing.
- StayTented camp, positioned for the herds
- MealsFull board
04
Day 04
A full day with the migration
Out at first light and with them for the day. Predators follow the herds, so this is also when lion, cheetah and hyena are easiest — the whole system is concentrated in one place.
- StayTented camp, positioned for the herds
- MealsFull board
05
Day 05
A second day, and a second chance
Migration viewing rewards patience more than anything else. A second full day means you can sit at a river line or a column and wait, rather than driving from one report to the next.
- StayTented camp, positioned for the herds
- MealsFull board
06
Day 06
Serengeti to the crater highlands
A morning drive, then the long eastward leg to the Ngorongoro highlands, arriving in the afternoon.
- StayLodge on the Ngorongoro highlands rim or in Karatu
- MealsFull board
07
Day 07
The crater, and departure
Six hours on the crater floor, lunch inside the caldera, then the drive to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport for an evening flight.
- StayNone — the trip ends today
- MealsBreakfast and lunch
06 · Camps
Where you stay
Camps are chosen for your month and your budget, and named in your quote. The kind of place and the area are fixed; the name follows the herds and availability.
Night 1 · Arusha
Hotel in Arusha or Moshi
Bed and breakfast, close to the airport road.
Nights 2 & 6 · Highlands
Lodge on the crater rim or in Karatu
Full board, cool nights, an easy start for the crater.
Nights 3–5 · Serengeti
Tented camp, positioned for the herds
Full board. Ndutu, central, western or northern, depending on the month.
07 · Add-ons
Optional add-ons
Not in the standard price. Arranged on request and priced in your quote.
Serengeti · sunrise
Hot-air balloon flight
An hour over the plains at first light, followed by breakfast in the bush.
After the safari
Zanzibar beach extension
A short flight from Arusha to the coast, for days with nothing to track.
On the route
Cultural visit
Time with a community near the route, arranged with people who welcome visitors.
Before the safari
An extra night in Arusha
Useful after a long-haul flight, so Day 2 does not start tired.
08 · The ground
Where this safari takes you
The big question
Will you see the migration?
You will almost certainly see wildebeest in numbers, because they are somewhere in the ecosystem all year and we place your nights accordingly. A river crossing is a different matter — see the 7-day crossings route for what can and cannot be promised.
Calving, southern plainsRiver crossings, northern SerengetiHerds on the move
This monthWhere the herds are
09 · Season
Best time to take this safari
Late Jan – mid Mar
For the calving
The herds on the southern short-grass plains and at Ndutu, with predators concentrated to match.
Aug – early Oct
For the river crossings
The northern Serengeti holds the herds and the Mara River lies across their path.
May · Jun · Nov
For fewer vehicles
The herds with fewer vehicles around them — and quieter camps.
10 · Flights
Flights
Arrive
Kilimanjaro International Airport
You are met at the airport on Day 1 and driven to Arusha, about an hour.
Depart
Kilimanjaro International Airport
Day 7 ends at Arusha or the airport in time for an evening flight. Flying back from the northern Serengeti in the crossing season saves the best part of a day — we quote both.
11 · Extras
Budget for these extras
Not in the package price, and worth planning for before you travel.
Most visitors need a Tanzania visa. What applies to your passport, and how to apply, is on our visas and vaccinations page.
Take a policy that covers medical evacuation from remote areas. More on our travel insurance page.
Tipping is customary but yours to decide. Our tipping guide sets out what is usual for guides, cooks and camp staff.
Water is provided in the vehicle. Other drinks at camps and lodges, laundry and souvenirs are paid locally.
12 · Why us
Why book this with us
01
Nights follow the herds
The Serengeti camp is chosen for where the migration is in your month, not fixed in advance.
02
Every quote itemised
Park fees, accommodation, vehicle and meals, line by line, for your dates and group.
03
Honest about crossings
We tell you what can be promised and what cannot — no guaranteed crossing dates.
04
Planned from Arusha
Ask on WhatsApp and you reach the people who plan the trip.
13 · Reviews
Reviews
Guest reviews for this route will appear here. To confirm
14 · Questions
Asked about this trip
For the calving, late January to mid-March. For the river crossings, August to early October. For the herds with fewer vehicles around them, May, June and November.
You will almost certainly see wildebeest in numbers, because they are somewhere in the ecosystem all year and we place your nights accordingly. A river crossing is a different matter — see the 7-day crossings route for what can and cannot be promised.
Not for this route, though flying between the northern Serengeti and Arusha in the crossing season saves the best part of a day. We will quote both.
Close. Vehicles must stay on tracks in the Serengeti, but the herds cross and stand beside them constantly. Switch the engine off and wait and they come to you.
