Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport – Arusha

Overnight in Arusha

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by your safari driver and transferred to your hotel in Arusha. The journey takes approximately 45–60 minutes, depending on traffic and your hotel’s location.

After checking in, you will have time to rest following your international flight. If you arrive early, you can relax at the hotel, enjoy the gardens or swimming pool, and take in views of the surrounding area.

Later, your safari guide will brief you on the journey ahead, including the route, wildlife viewing, daily schedules and what to expect during the calving season. Dinner will be served at the hotel, followed by an overnight stay in Arusha.

Accommodation: Kibo Palace Hotel or Arusha Serena Hotel, or a similar property depending on your selected package.

Meals: Dinner.

Day 2: Arusha – Tarangire National Park

Overnight in the Tarangire area

After breakfast, depart Arusha for Tarangire National Park, a journey of approximately two hours. The park is known for its large elephant herds, ancient baobab trees, open grasslands and wildlife concentrated around the Tarangire River.

On arrival, begin your game drive through different sections of the park. Your guide will help you search for elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, wildebeest, impalas and warthogs. Lions may also be seen resting in the shade or moving through the grass in search of prey.

Tarangire is particularly interesting for its birdlife and varied landscapes. Depending on the season, animals may gather around the river and other available water sources, providing excellent opportunities for wildlife photography.

Enjoy a packed lunch at a designated picnic site before continuing the afternoon game drive. Later, leave the park and travel to your camp or lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Tarangire Tortilis Camp, Tarangire Elephant Springs or a similar property.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 3: Tarangire – Ndutu Calving Grounds

Overnight in Ndutu

After breakfast, leave Tarangire and travel towards Ndutu through the scenic landscapes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The journey takes approximately five hours, depending on road conditions and stops along the way.

As you approach the southern plains, the scenery changes to open grassland, scattered acacia trees and seasonal lakes. During the calving season, these plains attract large numbers of wildebeest because the short grass provides nutritious grazing for pregnant females and newborn calves.

After lunch, head out for your first game drive in the Ndutu area. Your guide will look for the migrating herds, newly born wildebeest, zebras and the predators that follow them. Lions, cheetahs, hyenas and, occasionally, leopards may be encountered during the drive.

This first afternoon introduces you to the main purpose of the safari: following the migration and observing wildlife in its natural environment. The number of animals you see will depend on where the herds are grazing on that particular day.

Return to camp in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Nyikani Migration Camp, Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge or a similar property.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 4: Full-Day Game Drive in Ndutu – Wildebeest Calving Season

Overnight in Ndutu

Today is dedicated to exploring Ndutu and the surrounding southern Serengeti plains. An early breakfast is followed by a morning game drive, when wildlife is often active and the light is ideal for photography.

The Ndutu area is one of the most important locations for the Great Migration during the calving season. Large herds of wildebeest gather across the short-grass plains, and many calves are born within a relatively short period. You may see newborns attempting to stand, staying close to their mothers or joining the herds as they move across the grasslands.

Predators are also an important part of the experience. Lions may be found near the herds, while cheetahs often use the open plains to scan for prey. Spotted hyenas may patrol the area, and other scavengers can be seen following the movement of the animals.

Your guide will adjust the route according to recent wildlife sightings and the location of the herds. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed during the day, allowing you to spend more time in the field instead of returning to camp.

Continue exploring the seasonal lakes, open plains and acacia woodland in the afternoon before returning to camp around sunset.

Accommodation: Nyikani Migration Camp, Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge or a similar property.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 5: Ndutu – Central Serengeti National Park

Overnight in Central Serengeti

After breakfast, depart Ndutu and continue towards Central Serengeti. The drive takes approximately 1.5 hours under suitable road conditions, although wildlife stops and the chosen route can extend the journey.

Along the way, you will pass open grasslands, scattered acacia trees and rocky outcrops known as kopjes. These granite formations provide shelter and resting places for wildlife, particularly lions, which often use the rocks to watch the surrounding plains.

On arrival in Central Serengeti, enjoy a game drive through one of Tanzania’s most famous wildlife areas. The central region supports resident wildlife throughout the year, including lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes and several antelope species.

Your guide may also take you to a hippo pool, where hippos gather in the water during the day. Crocodiles may be present in suitable habitats, and numerous birds can be seen around the water.

Stop for a picnic lunch before continuing your afternoon game drive. The central Serengeti is particularly rewarding because its varied habitats support a wide range of animals, even when the migration is moving elsewhere.

Arrive at your camp or lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Serengeti Tortilis Camp, Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge or a similar property.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Overnight in Central Serengeti

Spend another full day exploring Central Serengeti, giving you more time to search for wildlife and enjoy the landscape without rushing between destinations.

After an early breakfast, set off for a morning game drive. Your guide will choose the route based on recent sightings, animal activity and the condition of the tracks. You may explore the plains, river valleys and kopjes, each of which offers different wildlife viewing opportunities.

Lions are among the main attractions in this region, and you may see them resting, interacting within their pride or moving through the grass. Cheetahs are sometimes spotted in open areas, while leopards tend to favour trees and rocky habitats. Elephants and giraffes may be encountered along the woodland edges, and large herds of plains game provide further opportunities for observation.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the bush before continuing the afternoon drive. Your guide can also explain animal behaviour, predator-prey relationships and the seasonal movement of wildebeest and zebras.

As the afternoon light softens, return to your accommodation. Spend the evening relaxing at camp, sharing photographs and enjoying dinner after another day in the Serengeti.

Accommodation: Serengeti Tortilis Camp, Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge or a similar property.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Optional activity: A hot-air balloon safari may be arranged in advance at an additional cost, subject to availability and suitable weather.

Overnight near https://www.ngorongorocrater.org/

Enjoy breakfast before leaving Central Serengeti for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. A final morning game drive may be included, depending on departure time and the route selected.

The journey takes you through changing landscapes, from the open Serengeti plains towards the Ngorongoro highlands. Along the way, there may be opportunities to spot wildlife before reaching your accommodation near the crater.

After lunch, enjoy time to relax at the lodge or take in the highland scenery. The Ngorongoro Crater is a vast volcanic caldera with grasslands, woodland, wetlands and a central lake. Its rich habitats support a remarkable variety of wildlife, making it one of the most rewarding places for a game drive in northern Tanzania.

Your guide will explain the plan for the following morning, when you will descend into the crater for an extended wildlife viewing experience.

Dinner and overnight will be at a lodge or tented camp near the crater rim or in the surrounding highlands.

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp, Ngorongoro Lion’s Paw Camp or a similar property.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater – Kilimanjaro International Airport

Safari ends

Start the day with an early breakfast before descending into Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive. The descent follows a steep road through the forested crater wall before opening onto the broad crater floor.

Spend the morning searching for wildlife across the grasslands and around the wetlands and lake. Animals commonly seen include zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, warthogs, hippos and several antelope species. Lions are frequently encountered, while elephants may be found in woodland areas. With luck, you may also see the endangered black rhinoceros.

The crater is not fenced off from the surrounding ecosystem, but its natural boundaries and varied habitats support a high concentration of wildlife. Your guide will select the route according to sightings and the time available.

Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated site before leaving the crater and beginning the drive towards Kilimanjaro International Airport. Allow approximately five hours for the road transfer, with the actual duration depending on traffic, road conditions and stops.

If your international flight departs on this day, schedule it sufficiently late to allow for the crater visit and road transfer. For an early departure, an additional overnight stay may be necessary.

Accommodation: Not included on this final day unless an extra night is requested.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch.

Duration

8 days, 7 nights

Main destinations

Arusha, Tarangire, Ndutu, Central Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater

Main wildlife highlights

Wildebeest calving, zebra herds, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, elephants and the possibility of seeing black rhinos

Recommended travel period

Late December to March, with January and February often offering excellent calving-season viewing