9 Days Big Five & Great Migration Safari
Tarangire, Ndutu, Southern Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater during the birthing spectacle.
SAFARI OVERVIEW
9 Days Big Five & Great Migration Safari
Experience the ultimate wildlife adventure on this 9-Day Big Five & Great Migration Safari, an unforgettable journey through Tanzania’s most iconic national parks. This carefully designed itinerary combines exceptional Big Five game viewing with the world-famous Great Wildebeest Migration.
From the giant elephant herds of Tarangire National Park to the endless plains of the Serengeti and the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, every day promises unforgettable experiences, stunning landscapes, and luxurious accommodations.
Guided by an experienced professional safari guide in a private 4×4 Land Cruiser, you’ll enjoy outstanding game drives, breathtaking scenery, and authentic Tanzanian hospitality throughout your safari.
SAFARI AT A GLANCE
9 Days / 8 Nights
100% Private Safari
Tarangire National Park · Central Serengeti · Northern Serengeti (Mara River) · Ngorongoro Crater
Mid-Range – Luxury lodges & tented camps
Day by Day
Arrival in Tanzania
Upon your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you will be warmly welcomed by your professional safari guide and transferred to the luxurious Gran Meliá Arusha. Situated amidst beautifully landscaped gardens with spectacular views of Mount Meru, the hotel offers the perfect place to relax after your international flight. Depending on your arrival time, you may unwind at the swimming pool, enjoy the spa facilities, or simply relax before your safari adventure begins. In the evening, your guide will provide a comprehensive safari briefing, explaining the itinerary and answering any questions before you enjoy dinner and your first overnight stay in Tanzania.
Gran Melia Arusha
Lunch & Dinner
Arusha → Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, depart Arusha for Tarangire National Park, a scenic drive through rural villages and Maasai landscapes. Famous for its towering baobab trees and some of the largest elephant herds in East Africa, Tarangire offers outstanding wildlife viewing throughout the year. Upon entering the park, enjoy an exciting game drive across its diverse habitats, where you may encounter elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeests, impalas, elands, and numerous bird species. The Tarangire River serves as a vital water source, attracting wildlife from across the region, particularly during the dry season. After a picnic lunch inside the park, continue your afternoon game drive before heading to Tarangire Elephant Springs for dinner and a relaxing overnight stay surrounded by the African wilderness.
Elephant Springs Tarangire
Full Board
Tarangire → Central Serengeti
Following breakfast, depart Tarangire and journey through the spectacular Ngorongoro Conservation Area toward the world-famous Serengeti National Park. Along the way, enjoy breathtaking views of the Ngorongoro Highlands, traditional Maasai villages, and the expansive plains that make northern Tanzania one of Africa’s greatest safari destinations. Upon entering the Serengeti, begin an afternoon game drive while making your way toward Central Serengeti, the wildlife-rich heart of the park. This region is home to abundant resident wildlife throughout the year, including lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, hippos, crocodiles, and countless herbivores. Depending on the season, you may also encounter the Great Wildebeest Migration as thousands of animals move across the plains. Arrive at Kubukubu Tented Lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight
Kubukubu Tented Lodge
Full Board
Full Day Central Serengeti
Spend the entire day exploring the remarkable landscapes of Central Serengeti, widely regarded as one of Africa’s finest wildlife destinations. The famous Seronera Valley supports an extraordinary concentration of resident wildlife, making it one of the best locations to observe predators throughout the year. Your experienced safari guide will follow recent wildlife sightings to maximize opportunities for unforgettable encounters with lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, hyenas, jackals, and numerous antelope species. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a scenic location within the park before continuing your afternoon game drive across open grasslands, rocky kopjes, river systems, and acacia woodlands. Return to Kubukubu Tented Lodge in the evening for dinner and another relaxing overnight stay.
Kubukubu Tented Lodge
Full Board
Central Serengeti → Northern Serengeti
After breakfast, depart Central Serengeti and continue north toward the legendary Northern Serengeti, home to one of the most dramatic stages of the Great Wildebeest Migration. As you travel through the park, enjoy continuous game viewing while passing through changing landscapes that support an incredible diversity of wildlife. During the migration season between July and October, enormous herds of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles move toward the Mara River, where they face the challenging river crossings while avoiding large Nile crocodiles and predators waiting along the riverbanks. Throughout the journey, your guide will stop whenever exceptional wildlife sightings are encountered, allowing ample time for photography and observation. Arrive at Mara Mara Tented Lodge in the late afternoon for dinner and overnight.
Mara Mara Tented Lodge
Full Board
Full Day Great Migration Safari in Northern Serengeti
Today is dedicated to exploring the Northern Serengeti, one of Africa’s most extraordinary wildlife destinations during the Great Migration season. After an early breakfast, set out for a full-day game drive in search of the famous Mara River crossings, where thousands of wildebeests and zebras attempt to cross crocodile-filled waters while predators wait nearby. Although river crossings are natural events and cannot be guaranteed, your experienced guide will position you in the best possible areas based on recent wildlife movements. Beyond the migration, the Northern Serengeti also supports healthy populations of lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, hyenas, topis, elands, and numerous bird species. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush before continuing your afternoon exploration and returning to Mara Mara Tented Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Mara Mara Tented Lodge
Full Board
Northern Serengeti → Ngorongoro Conservation Area
After breakfast, enjoy a final morning game drive as you depart Northern Serengeti and begin your journey south through the Serengeti ecosystem toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Continue searching for wildlife along the way while enjoying spectacular scenery across the endless plains. Passing through the Naabi Hill Gate, ascend into the cool highlands of Ngorongoro, where lush forests and rolling hills create a striking contrast to the open savannah. Arrive at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge in the late afternoon, where breathtaking panoramic views over the Ngorongoro Crater provide the perfect setting to relax before dinner and overnight.
Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Full Board
Ngorongoro Crater Safari & Return to Arusha
Following an early breakfast, descend approximately 600 meters into the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater for a full-day game drive. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to one of Africa’s highest concentrations of wildlife and offers one of the best opportunities to spot the Big Five in a single day. Explore the crater floor’s grasslands, forests, freshwater springs, and soda lakes while searching for black rhinos, lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, hippos, hyenas, jackals, zebras, wildebeests, flamingos, and countless other species. Enjoy a picnic lunch near the famous Hippo Pool before continuing your afternoon game drive. Later, ascend the crater walls and drive back to Arusha, where you will check in at Gran Meliá Arusha for your final overnight stay.
Gran Meliá Arusha
Half Board
Departure
After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely morning at the hotel before checking out. Depending on your international flight schedule, you may have time to relax, purchase souvenirs, or enjoy lunch in Arusha before your transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). As your unforgettable safari comes to an end, you will depart Tanzania with incredible memories of the Big Five, the Great Wildebeest Migration, breathtaking landscapes, and some of Africa’s finest wildlife experiences.
Breakfast
Price Selector
All prices per person
Per Person
Per Person
Everything covered
- Meet and greet at Kilimanjaro International Airport
- Airport transfers
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Accommodations
- Professional Tour Guide
- All national park entrance fees
- Full-board accommodation during the safari
- Picnic lunches
Please plan for
- International flights
- Tanzanian visa fees
- Optional activities
- Personal expenses
- Tips and gratuities
