Tanzania travel landscape
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS · SAMPLE ITINERARY

10-Day Luxury Great Migration Safari

A seasonal journey that follows the herds north toward the Mara River, with exceptional guiding and remote camps.

Overview

A seasonal journey that follows the herds north toward the Mara River, with exceptional guiding and remote camps. 10-day route through Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Central Serengeti, Northern Serengeti, with your own guide and vehicle and accommodation chosen for location and atmosphere.

This is an inspirational sample itinerary. Every journey is tailor-made — route, pace and accommodation can all be adjusted to suit you.

Duration
10 days / 9 nights
Destinations
Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Central Serengeti, Northern Serengeti
Ideal for
Wildlife enthusiasts traveling between July and October who want time in the remote north.
When to travel
Designed for roughly July to October, when herds are often in the northern Serengeti. Between December and March we reroute it toward Ndutu for the calving season. Movements depend on rainfall and are never guaranteed.
DAY BY DAY

The journey.

Wildlife sightings, migration movements and river crossings depend on nature and are never guaranteed.

  1. Day1
    Arusha

    Arrival in Tanzania

    You are met at Kilimanjaro International Airport by a Bush Guides Safaris representative and transferred to your accommodation on the outskirts of Arusha, set among gardens with views toward Mount Meru on a clear day.

    The afternoon is yours to rest. In the evening your guide meets you for a short briefing on the journey ahead.

    Stay: Boutique lodge or coffee-estate retreat near ArushaMeals: Dinner
  2. Day2
    Tarangire

    Tarangire National Park

    After breakfast, drive west to Tarangire, a landscape of ancient baobabs and the seasonal Tarangire River. The park is known for large elephant herds, especially in the drier months, along with giraffe, zebra and a rich variety of birdlife.

    Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. Picnic lunch is taken in the park, and you continue exploring until late afternoon before reaching your accommodation.

    Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  3. Day3
    Ngorongoro

    Ngorongoro Crater

    Descend early into Ngorongoro Crater, a vast caldera with grassland, swamp and a seasonal soda lake. Its permanent water supports buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, hippo and lion, and black rhino are occasionally seen, though no sighting is ever guaranteed.

    Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. A picnic lunch is enjoyed in the crater before you ascend in the afternoon.

    Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  4. Day4
    Serengeti

    Into the Serengeti

    Cross the Ngorongoro highlands and descend to the plains, with an optional stop at Olduvai Gorge, one of the world’s most significant paleoanthropological sites. The landscape opens out as you enter the Serengeti.

    Game drive on the way to your camp, arriving in time for sundowners.

    Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  5. Day5
    Central Serengeti

    Serengeti Plains

    Spend the day exploring the central Serengeti around the Seronera River, an area with resident wildlife year-round. Rocky kopjes, river woodland and open grassland support lion, leopard, cheetah and great herds of plains game.

    Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. Choose between a full day out with a picnic lunch or returning to camp for a midday rest.

    Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  6. Day6
    Northern Serengeti

    North to the Mara Region

    Drive north through changing scenery, or take a light-aircraft flight, to the remote northern Serengeti near the Mara River. This wilder region is quieter for much of the year.

    Game drive en route. Your camp is chosen for its location and peaceful atmosphere.

    Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  7. Day7
    Northern Serengeti

    Mara River Region

    A full day in the northern Serengeti. Between roughly July and October herds may gather near the Mara River, and crossings can happen. They are unpredictable and never guaranteed, so your guide reads conditions patiently.

    Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. Away from the river, the northern plains offer superb scenery and their own resident wildlife.

    Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  8. Day8
    Northern Serengeti

    Northern Plains & Lamai

    Explore beyond the river toward the Lamai area and the Kogatende plains, where rolling hills and quiet valleys offer opportunities to see resident lion, elephant and plains game alongside any seasonal herds.

    Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. A long picnic lunch under a shade tree breaks up the day.

    Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  9. Day9
    Northern Serengeti

    A Final Day by the Mara

    One last full day in the north, with the freedom to return to wherever conditions look most promising. Patience is rewarded here: sometimes the quiet hours between sightings are the most memorable.

    Your private guide keeps the day unhurried, with time to linger wherever the moment deserves it. A sundowner on a rise overlooking the plains closes your time in the north.

    Stay: Upscale tented camp or lodge with refined serviceMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  10. Day10
    Serengeti – Arusha

    Departure from the Serengeti

    Enjoy a final early game drive before a scenic light-aircraft flight back to Arusha, watching the plains give way to the highlands below.

    You are transferred to a day room or straight to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward flight.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Included

  • Private safari vehicle and professional English-speaking guide
  • Accommodation as described in upscale camps and lodges
  • Meals as indicated, with drinking water on safari
  • Park entrance, crater and conservation fees
  • Airport and in-country transfers
  • Domestic light-aircraft flights where shown in the itinerary
  • 24/7 in-country support

Not included

  • International flights
  • Tanzania visa
  • Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Optional activities such as balloon flights unless agreed
  • Gratuities for guides and lodge staff
  • Personal expenses and premium drinks

Customization note

Change the length, swap a park or upgrade a stay. We will shape this journey around you.

Explore the places on this route
TarangireNgorongoro CraterSerengetiMigration by Month
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