The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife events. Every year, huge herds of wildebeest move across the Serengeti ecosystem in search of fresh grass and water, often travelling alongside zebras and gazelles. Their movements also attract predators, creating exciting opportunities to observe wildlife in its natural environment.
This 8-day private safari is planned around the seasonal movement of the migration. Depending on your travel dates, we can focus on the northern Serengeti, where wildebeest may gather near the Mara River between July and October, or the Ndutu area in the southern Serengeti ecosystem, where calving commonly takes place from around December to March, with the wider seasonal pattern sometimes extending into April and May.
Your journey begins in Arusha, where your safari guide will welcome you, introduce you to the trip, and explain how the route has been planned around the season. You will then travel into the Serengeti for several days of game drives, giving you time to explore different areas and follow recent wildlife sightings rather than rushing between destinations.
Throughout the safari, your professional local guide will help you understand the migration, animal behaviour, predator-prey relationships, and the landscapes that support this wildlife. The journey finishes with a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater, where you can explore a different ecosystem and look for a wide range of animals.
Why Choose This Safari?
The migration is not a single event that happens in one place. The herds move throughout the year, responding to rainfall, grass growth, and water availability. Choosing the right area for your travel dates can make a real difference to your experience.
This safari is designed for travellers who want to spend meaningful time in the Serengeti instead of visiting too many places in a short period. With several days dedicated to the migration region, your guide has more flexibility to respond to wildlife movements, recent sightings, and changing conditions.
A private safari also gives you more personal attention. You can ask questions, spend longer observing an interesting sighting when conditions allow, and learn about the animals and environment from someone who knows the region. Domestic flights can be included where practical to reduce long road transfers and give you more time for the safari itself.
The final visit to Ngorongoro adds another dimension to the journey, with crater walls, open grasslands, wetlands, and a variety of wildlife in a relatively compact area.
- Highlights
What makes this journey unforgettable
- Follow the Great Migration in northern Serengeti or the Ndutu area
- Experience the Mara River wildebeest crossings from July to October
- Witness the wildebeest calving season around Ndutu from December to May
- Fly directly into the Serengeti to maximise your time in the bush
- Enjoy full-day private game drives and migration tracking
- Explore the wildlife-rich Central Serengeti
- Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a full-day game
- Stay in carefully selected lodges and camps throughout the journey
- Finish your safari with a return to Arusha for your onward flight
- Day-by-Day Itinerary
Your journey, day by day
- Day 1
Arrive in Arusha – A Gentle Start to Your Safari
Arrive in Arusha, Tanzania’s safari gateway, where you will be met by our team and transferred to your accommodation. Depending on your arrival time, the rest of the day is free to relax after your journey or enjoy a quiet introduction to Tanzania.
You may stay at Zandela or Amani Farmhouse, depending on availability and your selected safari package.
This first night is intentionally relaxed, giving you time to rest before heading into the wilderness the following morning.
- Meals: Dinner
Click to see the lodge description and photos in Amani Farmhouse.
- Day 2
Fly to the Serengeti – Enter the Migration
Today your safari begins in the heart of the Serengeti.
Your route will depend on the season. From July to October, you will fly towards Northern Serengeti, where the wildebeest migration can be found around the Mara River. This is the region known for dramatic river crossings, although the timing and location of crossings are naturally unpredictable.
During the December to May calving season, the journey instead focuses on the Ndutu area in southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where large herds gather to give birth.
After landing, your safari continues with a game drive towards camp. Your guide will begin looking for wildlife immediately, so even the journey to your accommodation becomes part of the safari experience.
- Meals: All meals
Click to see the lodge description and photos in Nyuki Migration Camp (Ndutu Or Kogatende)
- Day 3
Full-Day Great Migration Experience
Wake up in the heart of the migration country and prepare for a full day in the wilderness.
During the July–October season, your guide will follow the migration in the Northern Serengeti, particularly around the Mara River area. The day may involve searching for herds gathering near the river, watching animals moving across the plains and, if nature allows, witnessing a river crossing.
During Ndutu’s December–May calving season, the experience is different. You may see thousands of wildebeest spread across the open plains, with newborn calves, protective mothers and predators such as lions, cheetahs and hyenas nearby.
Your guide will adjust the route according to wildlife movements and current conditions rather than following a fixed route.
- Meals: All meals
Click to see the lodge description and photos in Nyuki Migration Camp (Ndutu Or Kogatende)
- Day 4
Another Day Following the Migration
Today gives you another full day to experience the migration without rushing.
The Great Migration is constantly moving, and having more than one full day in the area gives you a better opportunity to follow the herds and explore different parts of the ecosystem.
In Northern Serengeti, your guide will continue monitoring the migration around the Mara River and surrounding plains. The exact location of the herds changes from day to day, and river crossings cannot be guaranteed.
In Ndutu, you will continue exploring the calving grounds, where the concentration of young animals creates a particularly active wildlife environment.
There will also be opportunities to see resident wildlife including elephants, giraffes, zebras, antelopes and big cats.
- Meals: All meals
Click to see the lodge description and photos in Roho Maji Lodge.
- Day 5
Migration Country to Central Serengeti
After breakfast, begin your journey towards Central Serengeti.
Rather than treating today’s drive simply as a transfer, you will continue with a game drive through the Serengeti. The landscape changes as you travel, from seasonal migration areas towards the central plains around Seronera.
Central Serengeti is home to wildlife throughout the year. Its permanent water sources attract large numbers of animals, while the rocky kopjes provide excellent areas for spotting lions and other predators.
Arrive at your lodge or camp later in the day and enjoy a relaxed evening surrounded by the sounds of the African bush.
- Meals: All meals
Click to see the lodge description and photos in Roho Maji Lodge.
- Day 6
Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro
Enjoy a morning game drive in Central Serengeti before beginning your journey towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
This is another scenic day of safari, with opportunities to see wildlife along the way. As you leave the Serengeti behind, the landscape gradually changes from open plains to the highlands surrounding Ngorongoro.
By late afternoon, arrive at your accommodation on or near the Ngorongoro Crater rim. The cooler temperatures and elevated setting provide a welcome change after several days on the Serengeti plains.
If the weather is clear, the crater views around sunset can be a beautiful way to end the day.
- Meals: All meals
Click to see the lodge description and photos in Eserian Ngorongoro Lodge or Ang’ata Ngorongoro.
- Day 7
Ngorongoro Crater Morning Safari & Lodge Leisure
Start before sunrise and descend about 600 metres through the crater wall, reaching the crater floor as the morning mist begins to clear. Enjoy a morning game drive through the Lerai Forest, around the Munge Stream and near Ngoitokitok Springs, looking for lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos and the crater’s black rhinos.
After a full morning of wildlife viewing, we drive back to the crater rim and return to the lodge in the mid-afternoon. The pace now slows completely. Take a refreshing swim, enjoy a hot shower, relax with a drink while taking in the views, or settle beside the fire as the afternoon light changes across the landscape. It is a peaceful and well-earned afternoon to rest and enjoy the lodge.
- Meals: All meals
Click to see the lodge description and photos in Endoro Lodge.
- Day 8
Ngorongoro – Arusha and Departure
Enjoy breakfast before beginning your journey back towards Arusha.
Depending on your departure flight time, you may have time for lunch in Arusha, some last-minute shopping or a relaxed afternoon before continuing to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home.
If your international flight departs later in the evening, we can arrange a comfortable day-use option in Arusha. Your safari ends with memories of Tanzania’s wildlife, landscapes and the extraordinary journey of the Great Migration.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
No Accommodation
- What's Included
- Private safari with an experienced English-speaking driver-guide
- Government taxes and service charges
- Airport transfers in Tanzania
- All accommodation as per the selected comfort tier (Mid Range)
- All meals as indicated in the day-by-day itinerary
- Drinking water in the vehicle on every game drive
- Park and conservation area fees
- Personalised welcome pack and 24/7 on-trip support
- What's Excluded
- International flights and visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance (strongly recommended)
- Tanzania mandatory inbound travel insurance, where applicable
- Personal expenses — laundry, phone calls, alcoholic and soft drinks
- Tips and gratuities for your guide, porters and lodge staff
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary (e.g. hot-air balloon, spa, scenic flights)
- Items of a personal nature and any pre/post-tour accommodation
- Any additional accommodation before or after the safari
- Tour Price Sharing Per Pax