Tanzania's Great Migration

Day 1

Arrival in Arusha

Welcome to Tanzania. Upon arrival in Arusha, a local representative will be waiting at the airport to transfer you to your comfortable hotel, set in the grounds of a coffee plantation in the foothills of Mount Meru. Here you can visit Shanga, a social enterprise that employs Tanzanians with disabilities to make gifts from recycled materials. The rest of the day is free to relax ahead of your safari adventure. Overnight at Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge.

Day 2

Arusha & Tarangire

After breakfast, drive for 2.5-hours to Tarangire, Tanzania’s sixth-largest national park. The landscape is a mix of woodland, lakes and swamps and is covered in striking baobab trees. Tarangire is home to Tanzania’s largest population of African elephants and you’ll discover them in a 4x4 safari vehicle with your own guide. Your base for the next two nights is a luxury tented camp perched on an elevated rocky outcrop. The views across the grasslands below are sensational, particularly from the bathtub on your private deck. In the afternoon there’s an optional visit to Olasiti Maasai village, for a cultural experience hosted by the village chief. Overnight at Lemala Mpingo Ridge.

Day 3

Tarangire

Today you’ll explore the national park on a game drive. Tarangire is most famous for its vast elephant population, but the park is also home to all kinds of animals, from herds of zebra, impala and gazelle to big cats and rare species like oryx, gerenuk and wild dogs. Also keep an eye out for the park’s tree-climbing lions. Back at camp enjoy a dip in the infinity-edge swimming pool and safari sundowners around a blazing campfire. Overnight at Lemala Mpingo Ridge.

Day 4

Tarangire & Ngorongoro

Drive for 3-hours to Ngorongoro, where your lodge sits directly on the rim of the crater. From here you’ll descend 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater, an ancient volcanic amphitheatre that’s home to over 30,000 animals. Within the steep walls of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, there’s the opportunity of spotting big cats, spotted hyenas, giant-tusked elephants or even endangered black rhinos who thrive here. You’ll make the most of this unique location with a game drive including a lovely picnic lunch on the crater floor. Overnight at Lemala Ngorongoro.

Day 5

Ngorongoro & Serengeti

Take a scenic 3-hour drive to the world-renowned Serengeti National Park, arriving at your camp in the Seronera Valley in time for lunch. Serengeti is one of the most prominent national parks in Africa, filled with an abundance of varied wildlife with a particularly high concentration of big cats. The park also boasts some of the richest birdlife in the region with over 500 species including ostrich, hornbill, African fish eagle and the secretary bird. You’ll spend the afternoon on a game drive exploring the open plains of the Central Serengeti, before returning to camp for dinner. Overnight at Lemala Ewanjan Camp.

Day 6

Serengeti

Today you’ll enjoy a full day game drive in the Serengeti, but first there’s the opportunity to take a thrilling hot-air balloon safari to gain a whole new perspective of the Serengeti. Wake early and watch as the balloon is prepared, then take flight and drift upwards as the sun rises. The bright pink-orange haze is visible for miles across the vast savannah, as wildlife roam below. After breakfast, head into the national park in search of the big cats, rhino, buffalo and giraffe that inhabit its vast open plains. You’ll enjoy a delicious picnic lunch while admiring the monumental panorama and seemingly endless horizon. Overnight at Lemala Ewanjan Camp.

Day 7

Serengeti

Depending on the timing of your visit, today you’ll either head north or south into the less accessible and quieter reaches of the Serengeti. Between June and October, your base will be Lemala Mara Camp in a sublime location in the heart of the best game viewing area of the Northern Serengeti. It’s very close to the Mara River, where wildebeest mass along the steep banks during their frantic crossing on their way to the Maasai Mara. Here you’ll enjoy remote wilderness and terrific game viewing with practically no crowds. Between December to March, you’ll stay at Lemala Ndutu Camp, right at the epicentre of the annual migration that sees over a million wildebeest journey across southern Serengeti. Ndutu is all about spotting wildebeest, zebra, lion and rhino on the grassy plains, as well as flamingo, ostrich and eagle owl on world-famous Lake Ndutu. This seasonal base is also a prime spot for the calving and rutting season, particularly in February. Overnight at Lemala Ndutu or Lemala Mara (depending on the season).

Day 8

Serengeti

Today you’ll enjoy a full day game drive, exploring the remoter corners of the region in the company of expert Maasai guides. Your exact location will be driven by the migration itself and the current movement of the wildlife. Overnight at Lemala Ndutu or Lemala Mara (depending on the season).

Day 9

Serengeti & Departure

After breakfast, drive to either Ndutu or Kogatende Airstrip for a light aircraft flight back to Arusha, then connect for your flight back to the UK or onward travel.

Extend your holiday

Zanzibar