The annual migration of the wildebeest represents the single largest movement of wildlife on planet earth. Dramatic, awe-inspiring, comic and tragic alike, it has been dubbed ‘The Eighth Wonder of the Natural World’ and the ‘Greatest Wildlife Show on Earth.’ Neither title does full justice to the enormity and grandeur of an event that sees multiple herds of 20,000 and more wildebeest careering across the glory of the African savannah in great galloping chains of blue-black creatures.

The Migration: An ever-revolving cycle of birth, life and death, the 800 km path of the migration is dictated by the hunt for fresh grass and consequently covers both the Serengeti National Reserve of Tanzania and the Masai Mara National Reserve of Kenya. For this, exceptionally focussed safari, however, our progress is dictated by the movement of the migration itself. As a result, we follow over a million wildebeest, half a million zebra and an accompanying cast of predators through some uniquely different eco-spheres. Firstly, we travel through the enchanted realm of Tarangire National Park. Next, we journey down into the vast basin of the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater, where we stay in a stone-built lodge that clings high on the very crater’s rim. Finally, having taken in a visit to the birthplace of mankind at Ol Duvai Gorge, we arrive on the endless plains of the Serengeti, where we spend six glorious days in the exploration of this vast yet uniquely diverse wilderness arena. Thereafter, the direction the safari takes depends on the time of year at which you join us.  If you arrive in SEPTEMBER, we travel NORTH to follow the herds as they plunge across the Mara River. In either case, this safari travels by road and is accompanied by our experienced driver guides of the highest proficiency

Wildlife Highlights: wildebeest, lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, cheetah, hippos, crocodiles, zebra, antelope, gazelle, impala, waterbuck, topi, eland, plains game, giraffe, black and white rhino

Accommodation: Mt Meru Hotel, Tarangire Acacia Luxury Camp, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Baobab Serengeti Camp

Tanzania Migration Special Schedule

Day 1:                     September                           Arrival in Arusha

Arrive at Arusha’s Kilimanjaro International Airport and meet your customer service representative. Transfer to Arusha situated at the foot of Mount Meru for check-in at your hotel in the city’s outskirts, nestled against one of the most majestic backdrops of the picturesque Mount Meru, sister peak to Africa's highest summit, Mount Kilimanjaro. 

Dinner (not included) can be taken at the hotel. Overnight at Mount Meru Hotel

Day 2:                     September-Drive to Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, drive to the Tarangire and arrive at the Tarangire Acacia Luxury Camp (or similar camp)

Acacia Tarangire Luxury Camp is a luxury thatched camp in the heart of Maasai nation and an inaccessible corner of the Tarangire, in total privacy amongst giant acacia trees and looking out yonder the plat savannah. Not only we offer guests unique safari accommodation but spectacular views of the Tarangire National Park, just located near Kuro Airstrip. Each room has super wide windows that offer panoramic views of the Tarangire National park. Enjoy your afternoons spotting wildlife from the sun deck before enjoying dinner under the African Sky. You can also look forward to Night game drive, game walks, and picnics in the bush.

The camp is one of the few luxuries, vintage safari camps in the park. With twelve fully furnished, deluxe tents, each tent has its own en-suite facilities with a shower, hand basin, and washing facilities. Soaps, shampoos and insect repellents are supplied, as well as a hairdryer. There are plug points at your disposal to charge equipment. Bathrobes are supplied in each tent, as well as ponchos with hoods and warm lining – to protect from both rain and cold weather. There are large chests on each property with lock and key for safekeeping of valuables

The Camp runs almost entirely on solar energy, thus dramatically allow having access to electricity 24 Hours. Expert guiding and superb cuisine all come together to create an experience that is completely different to any other.

Early lunch and in the afternoon take a game-drive through the Tarangire National Park, which is second only to the Ngorongoro Crater as a dry-season sanctuary for vast herds of migratory creatures. Dinner at the camp.

Distance/drive time: 175 km / 3½ hours

Day 3:    September- Drive to the Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, depart and drive to the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area often referred to as ‘the eighth wonder of the world’ the Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s best-known wildlife arenas.

A World Heritage Site, it is also one of the largest volcanic craters in the world (almost 20 kilometres wide, 610-760 metres deep and covering a total area of 264 square kilometres). An utterly unique biosphere, the Crater harbours grasslands, swamps, forests, saltpans, a freshwater lake and a glorious variety of birdlife, all enclosed within its towering walls. 

Descent straight down the crater which offers one of the finest locations of all the crater-rim lodges, lying on its southern rim directly above the yellow fever trees of the Lerai Forest.  Enjoy an afternoon game drive with picnic lunch on the crater floor, until sunset when you ascend and proceed for check-in at your lodge.

Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

Distance/drive time: 150 km / 3 hours

Day 4:     September- Drive to the Serengeti National Park Seronera/Central area

After breakfast departs and drives via the Olduvai Gorge, one of the World’s most important Paleolithic sites.   Proceed to the Serengeti to check in for lunch at Baobab Serengeti Camp(or similar camp)

The Baobab Serengeti Camp is your oasis and an ideal starting point in the central part of the Serengeti National Park. The camp is beautifully located on the Orangi River. During the colonial times, the place where it stands was first a German and then a British gold mining station. In the midst of breathtaking nature, you can enjoy pure tranquillity.

With a capacity of only 8 double tents (triple occupancy possible) and two family tents, privacy is maximized at the camp. The tents are equipped with cooling double roof construction, which provides optimal protection even in the rain

Covering 14,763 sq km of endlessly rolling savannah plains, the Serengeti is Tanzania’s first-established, largest and most famous park wherein tens of thousands of hoofed animals roam in a constant and unremitting search for the fresh grasslands upon which their survival depends. The million-plus wildebeest are the predominant herbivore and also the main prey of a huge cast of large carnivores, principally lion and hyena. Whilst the annual migration is the Serengeti’s most famous attraction, the Park is also renowned for its lion, many of which have been fitted with radio-transmitter collars so that their movements may be tracked, and additionally for its wealth of cheetah, zebra, giraffe, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle, eland, impala, klipspringer, hippo and warthog.

Thereafter enjoy an afternoon game drive until sunset time to return for dinner and overnight at Baobab Serengeti Camp(or similar camp)

Distance/drive time: 185km / 4 hours

Days 5 & 6:            September-On safari in the Serengeti (Central)

Two full days on safari in one of the world’s most famous reserves. The Serengeti, whose Maasai name ‘Siringet’ translates as ‘the endless plains’, offers unparalleled ornithological opportunities and an unrivalled natural arena wherein the glory and harmony of nature can be appreciated as nowhere else on earth.

Days 7, 8 & 9: September On safari in the Serengeti North

After the first phase of our experience in the central Serengeti, we move to Northern Serengeti areas in February and September respectively as we explore these migration spots for chances with the best experiences of part of the greater migration.

Meals and overnights

Day 10:  September Serengeti to Kilimanjaro and departure

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the local airstrip for a scheduled domestic flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport (flight included) where you will connect to your onward international flight

About the wildebeest migration

During this all-year-round phenomena, over one and a half million wildebeest accompanied by half again as many zebras and gazelles, migrate from the short-grass plains of the Serengeti to fresh pasture in the grasslands of the Mara; thus, creating one of nature’s grandest spectacles. Moving in groups of up to 20,000 at a time they thunder across the plateau hesitating only briefly to cross the Mara River, where many falls prey to the waiting crocodiles. Towards the end of October, they begin crossing back into Tanzania. The actual timing of the migration, however, is dictated by the weather and does not always run to schedule.