8-Day Big Five & Migration Explorer
Northern parks with enough Serengeti nights to hunt the river without dropping the crater.
Duration
8 days / 7 nights
Starts in
Arusha
Guiding
Private expert guide
From
$3,990 per person
Highlights
Tarangire to start, then several nights in the Serengeti shifted north in river months.
Balloon morning when we can lock a slot.
Ngorongoro floor before you go home, because a migration trip that skips the crater is a different holiday.
Overview
This is the trip our August photographs actually come from. It is longer than the 6-day river focus because we still want Tarangire elephant and a crater picnic, not only wildebeest. In July-October the Serengeti nights sit north. In February we rewrite the same skeleton around Ndutu and tell you so on the quote.
Fly one way if you hate corrugated roads. Bring a fleece for the rim and a buff for Tarangire dust. After eight days most people want a shower that is not a safari tent; we put them on a flight to Stone Town and Nungwi rather than adding a ninth park.
Tour facts
Difficulty
Easy
Group sizes
Private, Small group
Great for
All ages, 12+
Languages
English, Swahili
Start point
Arusha
Guest rating
4.9 / 5
Best months to travel
Day-by-day itinerary
- 1 Tarangire National Park Day 1
- 2 Lake Manyara National Park Day 2
- 3 Serengeti National Park Days 3-6
- 4 Ngorongoro Conservation Area Day 7
- 5 Arusha Day 8
Day
1
Arusha to Tarangire
Tarangire National Park
Arrive JRO the day before if you can. Today is elephant country and a lodge night near Tarangire.
Day
2
Tarangire to Manyara highlands
Lake Manyara National Park
Optional Manyara morning if time, then escarpment lodge. Some seasons we skip the park circuit and keep the hours for the Serengeti road.
Day
3
Into the Serengeti
Serengeti National Park
Naabi and on toward the sector we named on your voucher.
Day
4
Serengeti
Serengeti National Park
Full day with the herds or with resident game if the migration is a rumour that week.
Day
5
Serengeti, river or kopjes
Serengeti National Park
Second full day. Balloon if booked. We stay flexible on which drainage we work.
Day
6
Last Serengeti morning, toward the rim
Serengeti National Park
Morning drive, then the highland road to a crater-rim lodge.
Day
7
Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Full floor day. Overnight Karatu or rim, depending on rooms.
Day
8
Karatu to Arusha
Arusha
Leisurely drive to Arusha, airport for evening flights, or a town hotel if you fly the next day.
Photos from the trip
What’s included
- Park and conservation fees for the itinerary as written
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and a TeenVibe driver-guide
- Nights in the lodges or tented camps named on your quote, full board while on safari
- Bottled water in the vehicle
- Airport or hotel collection in Arusha at the start, and drop-off at the end
- AMREF flying-doctor evacuation cover while you are on this safari
Not included
- International flights and Tanzania visa
- Lunches on arrival and departure days in Arusha unless the quote says otherwise
- Balloon flight, Maasai boma visits and other extras not written on the day plan
- Drinks at the lodge, laundry, and tips for guide, cook and camp staff
- Travel insurance (required) and any COVID or medical tests
- Balloon (quoted on request)
- Zanzibar extension nights
Prices by season
Per person in USD, 2026 rates, based on 2 travellers sharing.
Migration high
1 Jul – 15 Oct
Early dry Best value
1 Jun – 30 Jun
Festive
20 Dec – 31 Dec
Travelling in a group? You save
Per-person price for the Early dry rate.
1 traveller
$6,065
--52%
2 travellers
$3,990
-0%
3 travellers
$3,870
-3%
4 travellers
$3,791
-5%
5 travellers
$3,711
-7%
6 travellers
$3,631
-9%
7 travellers
$3,591
-10%
8 travellers
$3,551
-11%
Frequently asked questions
Why eight days not six?
Can we make it private with children?
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