10 Day Great Migration Safari to Serengeti – Dry Season
The 10-day wildebeest migration safari to Serengeti National Park from our Safari Tours to Africa Collection will blow your mind! This action-packed journey into the heart of Lion country will bring you face-to-face with Africa’s Big Five, Rhinoceros, Buffalo, Leopard. Elephant and the King of them all, Lions.
Safari in Kiswahili means journey and this will be the journey of a lifetime, travelling in our exclusive, stretch (air-conditioned) safari vehicles, you will journey deep into the Serengeti Savanna to various vantage points along the Mara River where you will witness The Greatest Living Spectacle on Earth.
We are a Tanzanian Maasai owned and operated business.
From $4,870.00 Per Person
Tour Available
Tour Start Dates
Season
Accommodation
The dry season Serengeti is a different world. The grass has burned to gold, the waterholes have shrunk, and every creature within a hundred kilometres knows where the water is. So do the wildebeest — and so does Joshua.
This ten-day safari is built around the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth, following the Great Migration through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem at the peak of the dry season, when the massive river crossings at the Mara bring thousands of wildebeest and zebra to the water’s edge — and the crocodiles are waiting. It then moves south through the central Serengeti, into the Ngorongoro Crater, and finishes in Tarangire, giving you a complete picture of Tanzania’s northern circuit across ten days of genuine wilderness.
This is the trip people spend years planning. It tends to exceed every expectation.
Your Journey
North Serengeti — Days 2 and 3
The safari begins with a short flight from Arusha to the North Serengeti airstrip, where your guide meets you and the wilderness begins immediately. The northern Serengeti between July and late October hosts the most dramatic phase of the migration — vast herds moving across open grassland, building in number at the Mara River before the crossings begin. When a crossing happens, nothing prepares you for the scale of it. The noise, the dust, the sheer mass of animals pressing forward into the water — it is overwhelming in the best possible way.
Two full days here, based at Mara Kati Kati or Nyikani tented camp, give you the best possible chance of witnessing a crossing. Joshua reads the herd movements with an accuracy that borders on instinct.
Central Serengeti — Days 4 and 5
The drive south to the central Serengeti passes through landscapes that shift constantly — open savannah giving way to kopje country, riverine forest, and the wide plains that make the Serengeti famous. The central Serengeti sits in a transitional zone that holds permanent water and resident wildlife year-round. This is big cat country — the highest concentration of lions, leopards, and cheetahs in any comparable area of Africa. Two days here rarely feel like enough.
Olduvai Gorge and Ngorongoro — Days 6 and 7
The route from the Serengeti to Ngorongoro passes through Olduvai Gorge — where Louis and Mary Leakey unearthed the fossilised remains of Zinjanthropus Boisei, one of the most significant palaeontological discoveries ever made. Stopping here is optional but worth every minute. The museum is small, the story is enormous.
The following morning descends into the Ngorongoro Crater — a collapsed volcanic caldera formed over 2.5 million years ago, now sheltering one of the densest wildlife ecosystems on earth. The crater floor holds lions, elephants, hippos, flamingos, and the critically endangered black rhinoceros. The dry season makes rhino sightings more challenging as they range widely, but Joshua knows the crater well and knows where to look. A full day inside the crater, lunch taken on the floor with the animals around you, is one of those days you will describe for the rest of your life.
Tarangire — Days 8 and 9
The safari ends in Tarangire — deliberately so. After the drama of the Mara crossings and the spectacle of the crater, Tarangire offers something different: slow, quiet, intimate game drives through a landscape of ancient baobabs and dry riverbeds, with elephant herds that number in the hundreds moving unhurried through the bush. The park holds over 500 bird species. The birdlife alone would justify the visit.
Two full days here, based at Tarangire Safari Lodge, give the safari a peaceful, unhurried close before the drive back to Arusha on Day 10.
What Makes This Different
The route itself is run by many operators. The experience depends entirely on who is guiding it.
Joshua Monah has spent his life in this ecosystem. His understanding of migration patterns, predator behaviour, and the rhythms of the dry season Serengeti is not something that can be replicated in a training course. He knows when the crossings are likely to happen, where the big cats are denning, and when to stop the vehicle and wait. That knowledge is the difference between a good safari and an extraordinary one.
The camps — Mara Kati Kati, Nyikani, Kati Kati, Ang’ata, Tarangire Safari Lodge — are chosen for their position in the landscape as much as their comfort. You are always close to the action.
This package is quoted at mid-range level. Luxury and higher-end accommodation options are available — contact Joshua directly for a quote.
What’s Included
- Nine nights accommodation — Kahawa House Arusha (Day 1), Mara Kati Kati or Nyikani tented camp (Days 2–3, North Serengeti), Kati Kati or Nyikani tented camp (Days 4–5, Central Serengeti), Ang’ata tented camp or Tloma Lodge (Days 6–7, Ngorongoro), Tarangire Safari Lodge (Days 8–9)
- Bed and breakfast on Day 1, all meals included from Day 2 through to lunch on Day 10
- Flight from Arusha to North Serengeti airstrip on Day 2
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle with roof hatch throughout
- All park fees and conservation levies
- Airport transfers
- Expert Maasai guiding throughout
Optional Extras
A visit to Olduvai Gorge museum on Day 6 can be arranged at a small additional cost. A guided walk in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on Day 7 afternoon is also available — worth considering if you want to experience the landscape on foot rather than from the vehicle.
This Safari Is Right For You If
You have been planning a Great Migration safari for years and want to do it properly. You want to be in the northern Serengeti during peak crossing season rather than chasing the migration from a distance. You value a guide who has spent a lifetime in this ecosystem over one who has learned it from a manual. You want ten days that cover the full northern circuit — migration, crater, and Tarangire — rather than rushing through in five.
The dry season Serengeti between July and October is, for many people who have been on multiple African safaris, the finest wildlife experience on the continent. This itinerary gives you the best version of it.
Ready to start planning? Contact Joshua directly — he will build your dates around the migration and your travel window.
Day 1: Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport
After arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport and completing immigration formalities, meet Joshua or one of his guides at the arrivals lounge. A short drive of around an hour brings you to Kahawa House in Arusha, where you will be briefed on the days ahead over dinner.
Overnight — Kahawa House. (Bed and breakfast basis.)
Day 2: Arusha to North Serengeti
After breakfast, a short drive to Arusha Airport for your flight to the North Serengeti airstrip. Your guide meets you on arrival and the safari begins immediately. The northern Serengeti between July and late October hosts the peak of the Great Migration — vast herds gathering on the grassland and building at the Mara River ahead of the crossings. Lunch taken in the bush, then the afternoon drive continues until the light fades.
Dinner and overnight — Mara Kati Kati or Nyikani Tented Camp. (All meals included.)
Day 3: North Serengeti
A full day in the northern Serengeti, starting early with a packed breakfast in the bush. The migration herds are the main event, but the northern ecosystem is rich in its own right — big cats, hundreds of bird species, and the kind of dramatic open landscape that makes the Serengeti unlike anywhere else on earth. Lunch somewhere in the middle of nowhere. The afternoon drive continues until the light drops.
Dinner and overnight — Mara Kati Kati or Nyikani Tented Camp. (All meals included.)
Day 4: North Serengeti to Central Serengeti
After breakfast, the drive south to the central Serengeti. This transitional zone holds permanent water and year-round resident wildlife — it is among the best areas in Africa for big cat sightings, with lions, leopards, and cheetahs all present in exceptional numbers. Lunch in the bush on the way, arriving at camp by late afternoon.
Dinner and overnight — Kati Kati or Nyikani Tented Camp. (All meals included.)
Day 5: Central Serengeti
A full day in the central Serengeti. The park covers 14,763 square kilometres — the size of Northern Ireland — and every corner of it holds something. The wildebeest and zebra that have not yet moved north in the migration cycle are present throughout, drawing predators in large numbers. Lunch at camp, a rest during the hot midday hours, then back out for the late afternoon drive.
Dinner and overnight — Kati Kati or Nyikani Tented Camp. (All meals included.)
Day 6: Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro
After breakfast, the drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a packed lunch. The route passes through Olduvai Gorge — where Louis and Mary Leakey discovered the fossilised remains of Zinjanthropus Boisei, one of the most significant finds in the history of human evolution. The small museum here is worth the stop. Lunch at the gorge, then on to the lodge on the crater rim by late afternoon.
Dinner and overnight — Ang’ata Tented Camp or Tloma Lodge. (All meals included.)
Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater
An early departure with a packed breakfast for a full day inside the Ngorongoro Crater. Technically a caldera — formed over 2.5 million years ago when a vast volcano collapsed inward — Ngorongoro now shelters lions, elephants, hippos, flamingos, and the critically endangered black rhinoceros within its walls. In the dry season rhinos range more widely and sightings require patience, but they are here. Breakfast taken inside the crater when the appetite calls, lunch at the lodge, and an optional guided walk in the Conservation Area in the late afternoon for those who want to experience the landscape on foot.
Dinner and overnight — Ang’ata Tented Camp or Tloma Lodge. (All meals included.)
Day 8: Ngorongoro to Tarangire
After breakfast, the drive to Tarangire National Park — around two to two and a half hours. Covering 2,600 square kilometres, Tarangire holds the highest elephant density of any park on the northern circuit, and the dry season concentrates them around the Tarangire River in extraordinary numbers. Lunch in the park, then the afternoon game drive continues through baobab-dotted landscape until evening.
Dinner and overnight — Tarangire Safari Lodge. (All meals included.)
Day 9: Tarangire
A final full day in the bush, starting early. Tarangire holds over 500 recorded bird species — for birders, this day alone justifies the trip. The iconic landscape of acacia tortilis, umbrella acacia, and ancient baobabs provides the backdrop for game drives through variable habitats. The question Joshua asks every morning applies here too: is it an elephant? A cheetah? A lion? A leopard? The wilderness will answer. Lunch somewhere in the park, then the afternoon drive until the light fades on the last evening of the safari.
Dinner and overnight — Tarangire Safari Lodge. (All meals included.)
Day 10: Tarangire to Arusha — Departure
A leisurely final breakfast before the drive back to Arusha. Lunch and use of a day room at Kahawa House, then a late evening transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home. Ten days ago the Serengeti felt far away. Now it will feel like part of you.
THIS SAFARI PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Transportation in a safari-specific vehicle
- A professional English speaking driver/guide
- Park entry fees and conservancy fees where applicable
- Unlimited drinking water the entire trip
- Meals and accommodations as per the itinerary
- In-country travel and flights where applicable
- Unlimited mileage
- Binoculars in every vehicle
- Guide books and maps in every vehicle
THIS SAFARI PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- International flights/visa fees/personal travel expenses/baggage insurance
- Drinks (other than drinking water in vehicle)
- Tips for the driver guide and any porters at the lodges
- Unexpected increases in National Park/lodge fees by the relevant authorities
- Bank fee/charges in sending your money to Tanzania and getting USD cash out in Tanzania
Please read our Responsible Travel Policy
“On your safari we will focus on both big and small mammals, birds and insects, not only the big five. For the Ecosystem to thrive each creature plays an integral part on maintaining its genuinty. Our guides will be sharing information on how the different creatures play their part in maintaining the natural ecosystems. ” Joshua Monah
Why Does the Price Change With Group Size?
It’s a fair question, and the answer is straightforward once you understand how safari pricing works.
Every safari has two types of cost. The first are fixed costs — your guide, the safari vehicle, fuel, and food. These stay the same whether there is one person in the vehicle or six. The second are variable costs — accommodation and park fees, which are charged per person.
When we calculate your price, we divide the fixed costs equally among everyone in the group, then add the per-person costs on top. The more people sharing the vehicle, the smaller each person’s share of those fixed costs — which is why a solo traveller pays more per person than a group of four or six.
Think of it like sharing a taxi. The fare is the same whether one person gets in or four — but split four ways, it costs each person far less.
If you are travelling as a couple or a small group and the price feels high, it is worth getting in touch. Depending on your group size and travel dates, we can often negotiate better lodge rates and find ways to make the numbers work.
Travelling with children? Child pricing varies depending on age and group size — contact Joshua directly and he will work out the best option for your family.
Any questions at all about pricing or how your safari is put together — get in touch. There are no silly questions when you are planning a trip like this.
Where do I start!! Joshua is honestly the most knowledgeable person I have come to know! We had crossed paths while with a group in Africa. While on his tour... read more
30/11/2018
Joshua is a Maasai, a trained wildlife biologist and behavioralist, National Outdoor Leadership School alum and one heck of an amazing guide for our 8 day trek with him June/July... read more
01/07/2019
I met Joshua in 2011 on my first safari in Tanzania. He was my guide. Thanks to his knowledge, kindness and enthusiasm I was hook on Africa. He is very... read more
01/01/2019
You might also be interested in
-
5 DAY SAFARI TOUR TO AFRICA – SERENGETI AUTHENTICITY
From $2,790.00 Per Person -
9 DAY SERENGETI SAFARI & ZANZIBAR BEACH EXCURSION – HONEYMOON SAFARI
$4,650.00 Per Person -
8 DAY SAFARI TOUR TO TANZANIA – CAPTIVATING WILDERNESS
From $3,870.00 Per Person -
7 DAY GREAT MIGRATION AFRICAN SAFARI – GREEN SEASON
From $3,780.00 Per Person