Overview
This 11-day safari covers the whole northern circuit, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, and adds a cultural day at Lake Eyasi. It is designed for travelers who want to see the full range of Tanzania's landscapes and wildlife with proper time in each place.
Four days in the Serengeti include two around Kogatende in the north, following the migration's river crossings, before you head south for a full day in the Ngorongoro Crater, one of the best places in Tanzania to find lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and the endangered black rhino in a single day.
The trip ends at Lake Eyasi with the Hadzabe, among the last hunter-gatherers in East Africa, and the Datoga blacksmiths, a human highlight that sets this safari apart from our other migration trips. Groups are small, with a maximum of six travelers. Get in touch to time your trip with the migration.
| Accommodation | Confirmed together with you — see the Rates tab for general comfort levels we work with. |
|---|---|
| Meals | Full board on safari days; meals as specified for any city/beach nights, per your final itinerary. |
Day by Day (11 days)
ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER TO ARUSHA
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) at any time. Get your tourist visa on arrival (US$100 per person for US and Canadian passport holders, paid in exact cash); you also need a yellow fever certificate and a passport valid for six months beyond your return with blank pages. Our representative meets you after immigration and drives you to your hotel in Arusha.
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
A game drive in Tarangire National Park, where the permanent river draws birds, giraffe, zebra, buffalo and above all elephants in the dry season. Lions and leopards are regularly seen too. Your lodge inside the park has a lookout for sundowners over the plains.
LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
You explore Lake Manyara National Park, a compact but varied park of lake, groundwater forest, grassland, hot springs and woodland below the Rift Valley wall, home to more than 350 bird species and famous tree-climbing lions. After a picnic lunch you return to your lodge.
OLDUVAI GORGE AND INTO THE CENTRAL SERENGETI
You head for the Serengeti, with the chance to visit Olduvai Gorge and its museum of early human finds made by Louis and Mary Leakey. After lunch you spend the afternoon on the plains dotted with acacias and kopjes, looking for resident giraffe, buffalo, elephant and predators such as lion, cheetah and leopard.
Overnight at a tented camp in the Serengeti.
MARA RIVER CROSSINGS AT KOGATENDE
A full day following the migration along the Mara River in the northern Serengeti, where resident wildlife is also abundant around Wagakuria. Herds may cross north one day and back south a few days later, but crossings take patience and luck. The kopjes, woodland and open plains here feel much like Kenya's Masai Mara.
Overnight at a tented camp in the northern Serengeti.
SECOND DAY AT KOGATENDE
Another day with a picnic lunch around Kogatende, following the herds and waiting for the next crossing, before returning to camp in the late afternoon.
Overnight at your northern Serengeti camp.
BACK TO THE CENTRAL SERENGETI
An early start gives you a full day in the park. Your guide picks the best areas for the season, from the hippo pool and lion prides to the migrating herds and the rocky kopjes that shelter predators. Look for elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, lion, and with luck leopard and cheetah, plus birds from secretary birds to ostriches.
Overnight at a tented camp in the Serengeti.
SERENGETI TO THE NGORONGORO RIM
After a last morning game drive in the Serengeti, you drive into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and up to the crater rim for the night.
FULL DAY IN THE NGORONGORO CRATER
A full day in the Ngorongoro Crater, where the Maasai graze their cattle alongside the wildlife. After driving along the rim, you descend to the crater floor, a natural sanctuary for lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and sometimes leopard; giraffe are absent because the walls are too steep. In the late afternoon you drive to your lodge.
LAKE EYASI WITH THE HADZABE AND DATOGA
A day devoted to a carefully guided visit around Lake Eyasi, where time with the Hadzabe can bring some of the most powerful and human moments of the journey. The emphasis is on respect and taking your time: observing quietly, photographing with care and letting real moments happen rather than rushing the encounter. Photography focus: environmental portraits, gesture, movement, connection, story and place.
DEPARTURE
Depending on your flight time, you are transferred to the airport for your flight home.
Rates Per Person
The Overview tab explains the accommodation and meal options. Send us your dates and group size for an exact price.
Next: Inclusions →Inclusions
Included
- Private vehicle with your own driver-guide
- Park entry and conservation fees
- Accommodation as specified in your itinerary
- Meals as specified per day (full board on safari days)
- Airport pickup and drop-off
Excluded
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Getting There
Tour Start & End
This trip starts in Serengeti National Park and ends in Olduvai Gorge.
Airport Information
Kilimanjaro International Airport or Mwanza Airport is the most common arrival point for this trip.
Transfer Information
We meet you at the airport and handle every transfer between destinations throughout your trip.
Accommodation Before/After
Want an extra night in Arusha, Moshi or Zanzibar before or after your trip? Just ask and we will arrange it.