11-Day Great Migration & Big Five Luxury Safari
Witness the World’s Greatest Wildlife Spectacle
Welcome to Tanzania
Embark on an unforgettable luxury safari through Tanzania’s most iconic wildlife destinations during the peak of the Great Wildebeest Migration. This carefully designed itinerary combines breathtaking landscapes, exceptional wildlife encounters, luxury accommodation and authentic African hospitality.
From Lake Manyara’s lush forests to the endless plains of Serengeti National Park, the dramatic Mara River region, the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire’s giant elephant herds, this safari offers outstanding opportunities to search for the Big Five alongside one of nature’s greatest spectacles.
Safari at a Glance
| Day | Destination | Accommodation | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival – Arusha | Arusha Coffee Lodge – Plantation Room | Half Board |
| 2 | Lake Manyara National Park | Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge – Standard Room | Full Board |
| 3 | Central Serengeti National Park | Neptune Serengeti Luxury Lodge – Luxury Tent | Full Board |
| 4 | Northern Serengeti | Nimali Mara Camp – Tented Suite | Full Board |
| 5 | Northern Serengeti | Nimali Mara Camp – Tented Suite | Full Board |
| 6 | Northern Serengeti | Nimali Mara Camp – Tented Suite | Full Board |
| 7 | Central Serengeti National Park | Neptune Serengeti Luxury Lodge – Luxury Tent | Full Board |
| 8 | Central Serengeti – Ngorongoro | Crater’s Edge Lodge | Full Board |
| 9 | Ngorongoro Crater – Tarangire | Siringit Tarangire Camp | Full Board |
| 10 | Tarangire – Arusha | Gran Meliá Arusha – Deluxe Mount Meru View | Half Board |
| 11 | Departure | Departure | Breakfast |
Safari Highlights
- Peak Great Migration season in August
- Opportunity to search for Mara River crossings
- Search for the Big Five across Tanzania’s premier parks
- Luxury handpicked accommodation throughout the journey
- Lake Manyara Treetop Walkway experience
- Predator viewing in Central and Northern Serengeti
- Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Tarangire elephant herds and ancient baobab landscapes
- Optional sunrise hot air balloon safari
Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport – Arusha
55 km · Approximately 1 hour
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, your professional safari guide will welcome you and transfer you to Arusha, the gateway to Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit. Spend the remainder of the day relaxing after your international journey.
Arusha Coffee Lodge – Plantation Room
Meal Plan: Half Board
Nestled beneath Mount Meru and surrounded by coffee plantations, Arusha offers a peaceful introduction to your luxury safari.
Arusha – Lake Manyara National Park
125 km · Approximately 2.5 hours
After breakfast, drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a scenic game drive through groundwater forests, open grasslands and the lakeshore. Enjoy the Lake Manyara Treetop Walkway and a picnic lunch inside the park.
Why Visit Lake Manyara?
The park is known for tree-climbing lions, elephants, hippos, baboons, blue monkeys, seasonal flamingos and diverse birdlife. The Treetop Walkway offers a unique opportunity to explore the forest canopy from suspended bridges.
Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge – Standard Room
Meal Plan: Full Board
Set on the Great Rift Valley escarpment, the lodge offers panoramic views, luxurious accommodation and convenient access to Lake Manyara.
Lake Manyara – Central Serengeti National Park
Approximately 245 km · 4–4.5 hours
Travel through the scenic Ngorongoro Highlands to Serengeti National Park. Enjoy an en-route game drive towards Central Serengeti, including the productive Seronera Valley, known for lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes and other resident wildlife.
Wildlife to Look For
- Lions and leopards
- Cheetahs and hyenas
- Elephants and buffaloes
- Giraffes and resident herbivores
Neptune Serengeti Luxury Lodge – Luxury Tent
Meal Plan: Full Board
Located within the Serengeti ecosystem, the lodge combines elegant accommodation, spacious suites, dining and access to wildlife-viewing areas.
Central Serengeti – Northern Serengeti
Approximately 165 km · 4–5 hours including game viewing
Travel north across the Serengeti, with opportunities to observe wildlife along the way. Arrive in Northern Serengeti and explore the Mara River region in search of Great Migration herds, zebras and predators.
Great Migration Wildlife Highlights
- Wildebeest and zebras
- Mara River region and possible crossings
- Nile crocodiles
- Lions, leopards and cheetahs
- Elephants and buffaloes
Nimali Mara Camp – Tented Suite
Meal Plan: Full Board
The camp offers an intimate luxury safari experience and access to the Northern Serengeti and Mara River region.
Full-Day Great Migration Safari – Northern Serengeti
Full day of game viewing
Spend the day exploring Northern Serengeti and searching for the Great Migration. Your guide will adapt the route to wildlife activity and conditions around the Mara River. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the wilderness. August is a prime period for possible river crossings, although crossings cannot be guaranteed.
Great Migration Wildlife Highlights
- Wildebeest and zebras
- Mara River region and possible crossings
- Nile crocodiles
- Lions, leopards and cheetahs
- Elephants and buffaloes
Wildebeest movements are natural and Mara River crossings cannot be guaranteed. August is one of the prime periods to visit Northern Serengeti for the possibility of witnessing this spectacle.
Nimali Mara Camp – Tented Suite
Meal Plan: Full Board
Enjoy another night in the Northern Serengeti without relocating, allowing more time to explore the migration region.
Full-Day Great Migration Safari – Northern Serengeti
Full day of game viewing
Head out with your private safari guide to search for wildebeest and zebra herds, explore the Mara River, observe crocodiles and look for big cats. Enjoy a picnic lunch and continue exploring areas where wildlife activity is strongest.
Great Migration Wildlife Highlights
- Wildebeest and zebras
- Mara River region and possible crossings
- Nile crocodiles
- Lions, leopards and cheetahs
- Elephants and buffaloes
Optional Activity
Hot air balloon safari at additional cost, including a sunrise flight and champagne bush breakfast.
Nimali Mara Camp – Tented Suite
Meal Plan: Full Board
Remain close to the Great Migration region for another full day of wildlife exploration. Optional activity: sunrise hot air balloon safari with a champagne bush breakfast, available at additional cost.
Northern Serengeti – Central Serengeti
Approximately 165 km · 4–5 hours including game viewing
After breakfast, travel south through the Serengeti with an en-route game drive. Experience changing landscapes and look for wildlife as you return towards the Seronera Valley.
Neptune Serengeti Luxury Lodge – Luxury Tent
Meal Plan: Full Board
Central Serengeti provides a comfortable overnight stop before the journey towards Ngorongoro, with further opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Central Serengeti – Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Approximately 150 km · 3.5–4 hours
Enjoy a final morning game drive in Central Serengeti before travelling through the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Highlands to the crater rim. Ngorongoro is celebrated for dramatic scenery, abundant wildlife and the coexistence of wildlife and Maasai communities.
Why Visit Ngorongoro?
Ngorongoro is renowned for breathtaking scenery, exceptional wildlife density and the coexistence of wildlife and Maasai communities. The crater offers one of Tanzania’s most concentrated wildlife-viewing experiences.
Crater’s Edge Lodge
Meal Plan: Full Board
Located close to the Ngorongoro Crater rim, the lodge offers a forest setting and convenient access for the following morning’s crater descent.
Ngorongoro Crater – Tarangire National Park
Approximately 150–170 km including crater circuit and onward journey
Rise early and descend into Ngorongoro Crater for a morning game drive. Search for black rhinos, lions, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, hyenas, zebras and other wildlife. Enjoy a picnic lunch before ascending from the crater and continuing through Karatu towards Tarangire.
Crater Wildlife Highlights
- Black rhino
- Lions and elephants
- Buffaloes and hippos
- Hyenas, zebras and wildebeest
- Flamingos and other birdlife
Siringit Tarangire Camp
Meal Plan: Full Board
An intimate luxury safari camp with beautifully appointed tents and hospitality in the Tarangire ecosystem.
Tarangire National Park – Arusha
Approximately 120 km · 2.5 hours to Arusha
Enjoy an early morning game drive in Tarangire, known for large elephant herds, ancient baobabs, diverse birdlife and the wildlife-rich Tarangire River. After the game drive, travel to Arusha.
Why Visit Tarangire?
- Large elephant herds
- Ancient baobab trees
- Lions and other predators
- Diverse birdlife
- Giraffes, zebras and wildebeest
- Tarangire River and its wildlife
Gran Meliá Arusha – Deluxe Mount Meru View
Meal Plan: Half Board
A luxury hotel offering contemporary elegance, dining, wellness facilities and views of Mount Meru.
Arusha – Kilimanjaro International Airport
55 km · Approximately 1 hour
Enjoy breakfast before your private transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward international flight. Depart Tanzania with lasting memories of the Great Migration, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire.
Departure
Meal Plan: Breakfast
End of your Tanzania luxury safari.
Tour Cost
Accommodation Alternatives
Alternative accommodation options for the itinerary, subject to availability. Replace each image URL below with the relevant property's image URL.
Rivertrees Country Inn
Alternative: Mount Meru Game Lodge
Meal Plan: Half Board
Escarpment Luxury Lodge
Alternative: Manyara’s Secret
Meal Plan: Full Board
Lemala Nanyukie
Alternative: Nimali Central
Meal Plan: Full Board
Aurari Camp
Alternative: Lemala Kuria Hills
Meal Plan: Full Board
Ngorongoro Explorer by Elewana
Alternatives: Melia Ngorongoro or Laba Laba Ngorongoro
Meal Plan: Full Board
Elephant’s Lair
Alternative accommodation in the Tarangire area
Meal Plan: Full Board
Mount Meru Hotel
Alternative accommodation in Arusha
Meal Plan: Half Board
Included & Excluded
Included in Your Safari
- Meet and greet upon arrival
- Private airport transfers
- Accommodation as specified
- Meals as indicated: Half Board and Full Board
- Private 4×4 luxury safari Land Cruiser with pop-up roof
- Professional English-speaking safari guide
- Game drives as described in the itinerary
- All National Park entrance fees
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area fees
- Ngorongoro Crater service fee
- Bush lunch in Northern Serengeti and Tarangire National Park
- Concession fees where applicable
- Lake Manyara Treetop Walkway
- Bottled mineral water during safari
- Government taxes and VAT
- AMREF Flying Doctors Emergency Evacuation Cover
Excluded from Your Safari
- International and domestic flights unless otherwise specified
- Tanzania entry visa
- Travel and medical insurance
- Optional hot air balloon safari: USD 500 per person
- Alcoholic and premium beverages
- Laundry services
- Personal expenses
- Optional excursions not mentioned
- Tips and gratuities for safari guide and lodge staff
- Items of a personal nature
Important Safari Information
The Great Migration is a natural wildlife movement. Although August is a prime season in Northern Serengeti, specific Mara River crossings cannot be guaranteed. The optional hot air balloon safari costs USD 500 per person and is not included in the tour price.
Begin Your Tanzania Safari
Contact AMARÉA TRAVEL & SAFARIS to discuss your Great Migration luxury safari.
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