Tanzania: the iconic migration
Ten nights following the herds
Ten nights, following the herds north. You start gently in Arusha, move through Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, then spend five nights in the Serengeti: two on the central plains and three in the far north by the Mara River. This journey is at its best from July to October, when the herds are in the north. Travelling between January and March? Tell me, and I would move the Serengeti nights south to Ndutu, where the calving is.
Night 1
Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge, Arusha
1 night · Arusha · Best for: landing softly
Your guide meets you at Kilimanjaro airport and drives you to a quiet lodge outside Arusha. There is nothing to do but arrive: an afternoon by the pool before the safari properly begins.
- Met at the airport by your private guide
- An easy afternoon by the pool
- Optional coffee farm and village visit, or a waterfall hike
Optional extra night: If your flight lands late or you arrive tired, add a second night in Arusha so you can rest before the safari begins.
Nights 2 and 3
Mpingo Ridge Tented Lodge, Tarangire
2 nights · Tarangire National Park · Best for: elephants and baobabs
Two nights, so there is time for a full day in Tarangire with a picnic lunch and a second, slower day. The park is dotted with baobab and acacia trees and cut by the Tarangire River, and it is known for its huge herds of elephants.
- Full-day game drive with a picnic lunch
- Large elephant herds along the river
- Buffalo, giraffe and big cats
Why it is here: Tarangire is my personal favourite park in Tanzania. It is underrated, and you can happily watch a herd of elephants for hours.
Night 4
Ziwani Lodge, Lake Manyara region
1 night · Lake Manyara · Best for: a change of scenery
A shorter, gentler day at Lake Manyara, where groundwater forest gives way to the soda lake. It is quite unlike the open plains you will see later in the trip.
- Game drive through forest and along the lake shore
- Hippo pools, and flamingos when they are breeding
- The shy tree-climbing lions, if you are lucky
Night 5
Entamanu Ngorongoro, Ngorongoro Crater
1 night · Ngorongoro Conservation Area · Best for: the crater floor
You descend the crater walls after breakfast to a wide floor with some of the densest wildlife in Africa. It is one of the few places where there is a real chance of seeing a black rhino.
- Game drive on the crater floor
- Black rhino, lion and large herds
- Flamingos when the soda lake is breeding
Nights 6 and 7
Nanyukie Tented Lodge, Central Serengeti
2 nights · Central Serengeti · Best for: cats on open plains
You drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the Serengeti. The central plains are open and easy to read, with cheetah, lion cubs and leopard, and sundowners at the lodge in the evening.
The second day is yours to shape: one long drive, or a morning and an afternoon drive with a hot lunch at the lodge in between.
- Cheetah, lion and leopard
- Sundowners at the lodge
- Optional sunrise hot air balloon
Nights 8 to 10
Kuria Hills Tented Lodge, Northern Serengeti
3 nights · Kogatende, Northern Serengeti · Best for: the Mara River
You drive north to Kogatende, where the herds gather along the Mara River. Three nights give you time to wait for the crossings, and to spend the rest of the day with the lions, cheetah, leopard, crocodiles, giraffe and elephants of the north.
No one can promise a crossing on a particular day, because the herds decide. Three nights give you the best chance, and the north is worth the time either way.
- Game drives along the Mara River
- Time to wait at the crossing points
- A hot lunch at the lodge between drives, if you prefer
Optional finish: on the last morning, after a final game drive, you can fly from the Serengeti straight to Zanzibar for a few nights on the beach, or back to Arusha for your flight home.
Journeys like this start from US$1,500 per person per night.
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