The migration, the cats and the crater, in nine unhurried days
Elephants beside a game-drive vehicle in the Serengeti.
Nine days lets you do the north properly: a full day in Tarangire, two nights in the central Serengeti for the cats, two nights in whichever part of the park the herds are in, and the crater from a lodge on its rim.
Nights 5 and 6 move with the season: the southern plains around Ndutu from about December to March, the centre and west from about May to July, and the north from about July to October. Your guide follows the latest news on where the herds are.
All nights are in mid-range lodges and tented camps with private bathrooms.
Two nights placed with the migration herds
Two full days in the central Serengeti
First onto the crater floor from the rim
Four parks, no rushed days
Arusha → Tarangire National Park
We collect you from your Arusha hotel; about two hours later you enter Tarangire for an afternoon drive, then check in at your lodge in or near the park.
Tarangire National Park
Time to explore the whole park, from the river valley in the north, where elephants gather in the dry season, to the quieter swamps and woodland in the south, with a picnic lunch.
Tarangire → Ngorongoro highlands → Central Serengeti
Past Mto wa Mbu and Karatu, across the Ngorongoro highlands with a stop at the crater viewpoint, and down onto the plains for a game drive to your camp.
Central Serengeti (Seronera area)
A full day around the Seronera River and the granite kopjes, among the best places in Africa for big cats. Elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, impalas, wildebeest and hippos are common; lions often, leopards less so.
Central Serengeti → seasonal area
You move to a camp in the part of the Serengeti where the wildebeest and zebras usually are in your month, guided by the latest reports.
Serengeti (seasonal area)
Game drives among the herds with a picnic on the plains. The herds move with the rain, so their exact position can never be promised.
Serengeti → Ngorongoro Crater rim
A last morning in the Serengeti, then up into the highlands to a lodge on the crater rim, with views down to the floor at sunset.
Ngorongoro Crater → Karatu
From the rim you can be on the floor soon after it opens, when the light is soft and the animals active. Up to about six hours among buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, hippos and lions, with a picnic, then to a lodge in the green hills of Karatu.
Karatu → Lake Manyara National Park → Arusha
A morning in Lake Manyara's forest and along the shore, then the drive back to Arusha, arriving in the afternoon.
Lodges are named when we confirm your dates. A Mto wa Mbu village and bike tour can be added for about US$40 per person.
The line shows the order of the trip, not the exact road. Press ↻ to play it again.
| Season | 1 Person | 2 People | 3 People | 4 People | 5 People | 6 People |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High SeasonJune – October · 20 Dec – February | $6,580 | $5,050 | $4,545 | $4,290 | $4,135 | $4,035 |
| Low SeasonMarch – May · 1 Nov – 19 Dec | $6,190 | $4,660 | $4,155 | $3,900 | $3,745 | $3,645 |
High Season: June to October and 20 December to the end of February. Low Season: March to May and 1 November to 19 December.
Private trip for your group only: the more of you share the vehicle and guide, the lower the price per person. For 7 or more people we send a quote.
How booking works: a 30% deposit confirms your trip and the balance is paid on arrival in Tanzania, before the trip starts. We reply within 3 hours. Booking terms
Any month works, because the herds are always somewhere in the ecosystem. For calving go January to March; for river crossings, July to October.
All five are present on this route. Black rhino are mostly seen in the crater and leopards are shy, so nobody can promise them.
Yes. We can add a flight to Zanzibar after the safari.
The north in full, with two nights near the migration herds.
Two nights by the Mara River in the crossing season.
Four nights in the Serengeti, mid-range or luxury.
Tell us your dates, where you are staying and how many of you are travelling. We reply within 3 hours.
