Great Migration & Mara River Crossing Safari (9 Days)

After breakfast, depart for Tarangire National Park, famous for its large elephant herds and ancient baobab trees. Enjoy a game drive along the Tarangire River, which attracts wildlife throughout the year. Common sightings include elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and a wide range of bird species. The park’s open landscapes and seasonal wetlands offer excellent wildlife viewing in a quieter safari setting. After the game drive, continue to your lodge or tented camp near Tarangire for dinner and overnight.

Travel toward Serengeti National Park, passing through changing landscapes and rural communities. As you enter the park, the scenery opens into vast plains rich with wildlife. Enjoy an en-route game drive through the central Serengeti, an area known for resident predators and large populations of plains game. Lions, cheetahs, and leopards are commonly found here year-round. Arrive at your camp in time to relax before dinner. Overnight in the central Serengeti.

Depart the central Serengeti and travel north toward the migration areas near the Mara River. This region becomes especially active between late July and early October, when large herds of wildebeest and zebras gather along the riverbanks. Enjoy game viewing en route, with opportunities to observe predators following the migration. Arrive at your northern Serengeti camp and settle into this remote and wildlife-rich area. Overnight in the northern Serengeti.

Spend a full day exploring the northern Serengeti, focusing on the Mara River region. This day is dedicated to tracking the migration, with the possibility of witnessing river crossings depending on herd movement and timing. Crocodiles, hippos, and large concentrations of wildlife create dramatic scenes along the riverbanks. Your guide positions the day around animal activity to maximize viewing opportunities. Return to camp for dinner and overnight in the northern Serengeti.

After breakfast, travel back toward the central Serengeti with game viewing along the way. This change of region offers a different perspective on the Serengeti ecosystem, with rolling plains and resident wildlife. Enjoy a relaxed game drive during the journey, stopping for sightings as opportunities arise. Arrive at your central Serengeti camp in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in the Serengeti.

Depart the Serengeti and travel toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive inside this unique volcanic caldera. The crater floor supports an exceptionally high concentration of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, and endangered black rhinos. Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the crater before ascending to the rim. Overnight at your lodge in the Ngorongoro area.

After breakfast, depart the Ngorongoro area and travel back to Arusha, then continue to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your outbound international flight. This marks the end of your Great Migration safari, combining northern Serengeti migration activity with classic northern circuit highlights.