Chasing the Migration: A Northern Tanzania Safari
Tarangire National Park
Lake Manyara National Park
Ngorongoro Crater
Serengeti National Park
- Duration
- 9 days
- Main destinations
- 4
Tarangire National Park
Lake Manyara National Park
Ngorongoro Crater
Serengeti National Park
This 9-day safari pushes all the way into the far north of the Serengeti, along the Mara River, for a shot at witnessing safari's single most dramatic spectacle: hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra plunging across crocodile-infested waters during the Great Migration. Along the way you'll cover the full northern circuit — Tarangire's elephant herds and baobabs, Lake Manyara's tree-climbing lions, and the Big Five of the Ngorongoro Crater — before three full nights deep in Mara River territory.
Kilimanjaro Airport > Arusha
Tarangire National Park
Lake Manyara National Park > Karatu
Ngorongoro Crater
Northern Serengeti (Mara River)
Serengeti > Arusha
Tarangire National Park is famous for its massive elephant herds and picturesque landscape dotted with ancient baobab trees. The Tarangire River is the park's only permanent water source, drawing wildlife from across its 1,096 square miles of protected grasslands — wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elands, gerenuks, lions, and leopards all pass through. It's also a haven for birdlife, with over 500 species recorded, including yellow-collared lovebirds, rufous-tailed weavers, and kori bustards. Less crowded than some of Tanzania's more famous parks, Tarangire rewards visitors with a genuine sense of wilderness.
Lake Manyara National Park is famed for its tree-climbing lions and huge troops of baboons roaming its groundwater forest. The park sits beneath the dramatic Rift Valley Escarpment and surrounds a vast soda lake, home to buffalo, warthogs, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, and flocks of flamingos. Its shallow Hippo Pool offers excellent chances for hippo sightings, and the surrounding views over the Rift Valley are some of the most spectacular in northern Tanzania. Manyara is also an easy park to combine with cultural activities, like a visit to the nearby village of Mto Wa Mbu.
Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. Its fertile crater floor supports a permanent, high-density population of wildlife — prides of lions, herds of Cape buffalo, elephants, zebras, Thomson's gazelles, and spotted hyenas roam freely, while the elusive Black Rhino gives visitors a genuine shot at completing the Big Five. Hundreds of bird species gather around the crater's small lakes, and the surrounding rim offers breathtaking views over this natural amphitheater of wildlife.
The Serengeti is Africa's ultimate safari destination, and nowhere captures its drama better than the far north, along the Mara River near the Kenyan border. This is the stage for the Great Migration's most famous spectacle — hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra plunging across crocodile-infested waters, typically between July and October. Beyond the river crossings, the region's rolling savanna, riverine woodland, and acacia-dotted plains support year-round populations of lion, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, and gazelle, with excellent birdwatching and the option of dawn hot air balloon safaris over the plains.
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Met by your driver-guide, arranged through Ganza Adventure's trusted partner operators on the ground, and transferred to your accommodation in Arusha.
Check in, freshen up, and overnight after your long-haul flight.
Dinner at the lodge.
Breakfast, then depart for Tarangire National Park for a full-day game drive.
Known for the winding Tarangire River, the park's only permanent water source, Tarangire draws wildebeest, elephants, zebras, gazelles, elands, gerenuks, lions, and leopards across its grasslands.
Enjoy a hot bush lunch experience in the park — a freshly prepared three-course meal served in the wilderness.
Continue to the lodge, with time to unwind.
Breakfast, then a further full-day game drive in Tarangire, with a picnic lunch to maximize time in the park.
Optional (indicative price, not included): Tarangire Hot Air Balloon Ride ($530 per person) for aerial views over the park's landscapes.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Breakfast, then drive to Lake Manyara National Park en route to Karatu — elephants, baboons, and (if you're lucky) tree-climbing lions, plus buffalo, warthogs, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, and flamingos around the soda lake.
Visit the shallow Hippo Pool for hippo sightings and views of the Rift Valley Escarpment.
Enjoy a local lunch and a tuk-tuk ride through the village of Mto Wa Mbu.
Continue to Karatu and check in to your lodge for the night.
Early breakfast, then drive to Ngorongoro Crater with a picnic lunch to maximize game-viewing time.
Full-day game drive on the crater floor — lions, Cape buffalo, wildebeest, Thomson's gazelles, elephants, golden and black-backed jackals, zebra, and spotted hyena.
Optional (indicative price, not included): Visit a traditional Maasai village ($60 per vehicle) to learn about daily life and culture, traditional dwellings, bush food, and medicine.
Late afternoon: ascend the crater rim and drive back to your lodge in Karatu for dinner and overnight.
Breakfast, then transfer to Lake Manyara Airport for a scheduled morning flight to Kogatende in the Northern Serengeti.
Met on arrival by your driver-guide for a road transfer to camp, with a game drive en route.
The Northern Serengeti is the hub of the Great Migration — vast rolling savanna, riverine woodland, and views along the Mara River, with buffalo, zebra, gazelle, impala, giraffe, lion, and leopard regularly spotted.
Lunch, check-in, and time to settle into camp.
Full-day game drive across the Northern Serengeti, tracking wildlife along the Mara River and the surrounding plains.
Optional (indicative price, not included): Serengeti Hot Air Balloon Ride ($580 per person) for aerial views over the plains at sunrise.
Return to camp for dinner around the campfire and overnight.
A further full-day game drive across the Northern Serengeti — prime territory for river crossings during migration season, plus year-round sightings of the region's resident wildlife.
Dinner and overnight at camp.
Breakfast, then check out and transfer to Kogatende airstrip for your scheduled flight to Arusha, with game viewing en route.
Met by your driver-guide on arrival at Arusha Airport and transferred to an Arusha lodge near the airport for lunch and day room use.
Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward international flight.
Nestled in the heart of Arusha on 4.5 acres of lush gardens with views of Mount Meru, Arusha Planet Lodge offers African village-styled accommodations built around a peaceful pool and garden setting. Consistently rated one of the top hotels in Arusha, it's a favorite first or last stop for travelers heading to or from safari, known for warm hospitality and generous breakfasts.
Villa Maua (“House of Flowers”) is a small-scale, Cape Dutch-inspired boutique hotel tucked into one of Arusha's historic residential areas, just minutes from the city center. With only nine spacious garden rooms, each with a private veranda, air conditioning, and satellite TV, it offers an intimate, homely alternative to larger hotels, with a restaurant, courtyard, and small swimming pool on site.
Set on a working coffee farm on the outskirts of Arusha, Lake Duluti Lodge pairs contemporary African-styled chalets with genuine privacy and an infinity pool overlooking the surrounding countryside. A short walk from the shores of Lake Duluti itself, the lodge is consistently ranked among the very best properties in the wider Arusha area, with guests praising its home-cooked meals, warm service, and relaxed, romantic atmosphere.
Tucked deep in Tarangire's Silale Swamp area, three hours from the main gate and far from day-tripper crowds, Oliver's Camp is an intimate 15-tent property built around walking safaris and night game drives — rare offerings inside the park. Its understated canvas tents keep “the bush the star of the show,” while guests consistently praise the warm, attentive staff, the camp's gourmet cooking, and the genuine sense of wilderness immersion.
Perched among the treetops eight kilometers from Kuro Airstrip, Tarangire Kuro Treetops Lodge pairs 25 tree-top tented rooms with luxury bedding and both indoor and outdoor showers. It's one of the highest-rated properties in the wider Tarangire area, with guests consistently praising its immaculate cleanliness, standout cuisine, and attentive service, alongside an “extraordinary location” that puts elephants right at the doorstep.
Set on 100 acres within the Randilen Wildlife Management Area just outside Tarangire's gate, Mwamba Lodge Tarangire is an intimate eight-room property built around an infinity pool with sweeping wilderness views. Guests consistently praise its uber-luxury finishes, on-site Maasai cultural experiences, and deeply personalized service, and the lodge holds a Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice award — one of the very best-reviewed properties in the entire Tarangire area.
The Retreat at Ngorongoro is set within landscaped grounds featuring a working herb garden and orchard, with much of its food grown on-site. Guests consistently rank it among the very best properties in Karatu, praising its spacious cottages, attentive staff, and peaceful, resort-like atmosphere just outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area gate.
Set in landscaped gardens on a hilltop just outside Karatu, The Plantation Lodge occupies a beautifully renovated colonial-era farmhouse and has operated as a lodge since 1997, with individually decorated rooms and suites scattered through the grounds. Its farm-to-table restaurant, wine cellar, and owner-run, personal style of service have made it one of the most highly rated lodges in the area, conveniently placed for both Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara.
Set at 1,600 meters within a 1,500-acre coffee estate on the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, The Manor at Ngorongoro pairs Cape Dutch-style architecture with 20 rooms across nine cottages, each with a wood-burning fireplace. Guests can ride horses through the estate, tour the coffee plantation, or unwind at the spa, and consistently praise the impeccable, personalized service and the kitchen's Michelin-quality tasting menus.
Set on the Lamai Wedge overlooking the Mara River in the far north of the Serengeti, Lamai Serengeti is a rustic-luxury tented camp from Nomad Tanzania, positioned for front-row access to the river crossings during migration season. It's one of the most highly reviewed properties in the entire park, with guests consistently praising its dramatic setting, knowledgeable guides, and warm, personal atmosphere despite its simpler, back-to-basics style.
Set in the far north of the Serengeti with sweeping views across the plains, Sayari Retreat is an intimate wing of Asilia's flagship Sayari Camp, offering the same boutique, upscale tented style with private decks and large windows for wildlife viewing. Guests enjoy a rim-flow pool, spa treatments, and twice-daily game drives, with staff consistently singled out for exceptional, personalized service — a well-placed base for the Mara River crossings.
A mobile luxury camp that shifts seasonally to stay with the migration, Nyuki Migration Camp offers 12 spacious, beautifully furnished tents with private balconies, hot water, and plated (rather than buffet) dining. It's one of the top-rated properties in the wider Ngorongoro-Serengeti corridor, with guests consistently praising the personalized service, turndown care, and the camp's genuine commitment to eco-tourism and local artisans.
Your transport will be either a Toyota safari van or a Toyota Land Cruiser, depending on the price option you choose.
The Toyota safari van is a safari minivan that can accommodate up to 6 passengers. The Toyota Land Cruiser is a 4x4 SUV that is ideal for 7-8 passengers. Both vehicles are equipped with pop-up roof, fridge, charging ports and AC. The vehicles are well maintained and have a professional driver. They are also equipped with a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
To ensure a comfortable and enjoyable trip, we recommend packing the following items: