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Tanzania's Great Migration
Tour Code: TZA05An 11-day safari to northern Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park, including five nights in the southern Serengeti timed to coincide with the annual migration of 1.2 million Blue Wildebeest.
£6,795 (Inc flights)
£5,895
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Every year the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is the stage for one of our planet’s great wildlife spectacles. In early November 1.2 million Blue Wildebeest, and hundreds of thousands of Plains Zebra, Thomson’s and Grant’s Gazelles, leave Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve, cross into Tanzania and then follow the rains south onto the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and neighbouring Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Here they gather in vast numbers between December and April filling this wide open landscape as far as the eye can see. In turn, these great herds are shadowed by prides of Lion and families of speedy Cheetah. Leopard take their cut too, as do ‘cackling’ clans of Spotted Hyena. To be within, and surrounded by, this vast sea of life — the greatest gathering of large mammals anywhere in the world — is an experience never to be forgotten and one central to the design and timing of this exciting holiday. Although one of the highlights of this 11-day tour will be the five nights we spend in the Ndutu region of the southern Serengeti short-grass plains (hopefully in the midst of the great herds) we will also visits the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater, one of the great natural wonders of the world!
- Visit the world famous Ngorongoro Crater
- Witness the Blue Wildebeest migration on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti
- Spend five nights in a tented camp in the heart of the short-grass plains
- Abundant birdlife
- Lion, Cheetah & Bat-eared Fox all likely
- Maasai Giraffe, Black Rhino, Elephant & Buffalo
- Explore Lake Manyara National Park
- Comfortable landcruisers with opening roof & guaranteed window seat for all
- Led by expert naturalist guides
Grading
Grade A. A traditional vehicular safari.
Every year the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania is the stage for one of our planet’s great wildlife spectacles. In October or early November, 1.2 million Blue Wildebeest, and hundreds of thousands of Plains Zebra, Thomson’s and Grant’s Gazelles, leave Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve, cross into Tanzania and then follow the rains south onto the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and neighbouring Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Here they gather in vast numbers between December and April, filling this wide open landscape as far as the eye can see, whilst feasting on the lush new growth of grass and giving birth to their young. In turn, these great herds are shadowed by prides of Lion and families of speedy Cheetah. Leopard take their cut too, as do ‘cackling’ clans of Spotted Hyena and the occasional pack of Wild Dogs. To be within, and surrounded by, this vast sea of life — the greatest gathering of large mammals anywhere in the world — is an experience never to be forgotten and one central to the design and timing of this exciting Naturetrek holiday.
The highlight of this safari will be the five nights we spend in the Ndutu region of the southern Serengeti short-grass plains, hopefully in the midst of the great herds. The animals are always on the move and wander continually back and forth across the vast grasslands of the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. A vista devoid of mammals in the morning could easily be carpeted by tens of thousands of braying wildebeest and zebra by the early afternoon! Ndutu Kati Kati Tented Camp — our base for our time here — is set in a prime location for wildlife-viewing and even if the herds are not right on our doorstep they are very likely to be within easy reach.
Our tour starts, however, with an overnight flight to Arusha in northern Tanzania and a night in the town. From here we transfer to a comfortable lodge close to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. En route we will take a game drive into Lake Manyara National Park in search of our first mammals which may include Plains Zebra, Masai Giraffe, Hippo and Blue Monkey, plus birds such as White-headed Buffalo Weaver, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and numerous iridescent Superb Starlings.
We will leave early the following morning for our day in the Ngorongoro Crater. Eight million years ago the cone of the then active Ngorongoro volcano suddenly collapsed forming a massive caldera, covering 260 square kilometres and creating one of the most scenic spectacles in all of Africa! Today, Ngorongoro is home to over 30,000 large mammals including Blue Wildebeest, Plains Zebra, African Elephant, Black Rhinoceros and plenty of Lions. It is also home to an abundance of birds including Grey Crowned Cranes, Kori Bustard, Rosy-breasted Longclaw and numerous migrating storks, waders, chats, hirundines and swifts. We will have a full day to explore the Crater before returning to our lodge for a second night.
Next, we retrace our steps back past the Ngorongoro Crater and then descend out of the highlands for our five nights within the southern Serengeti grasslands. We are likely to see our first herds of Blue Wildebeest, Plains Zebra and gazelles before arriving at camp for lunch. Ndutu Kati Kati Tented Camp is a small temporary camp set up close to the border of the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area between December and April. It features 10 large, very comfortable, tents with king or twin beds and private bathrooms. The camp is very well appointed and surrounded by panoramic views of open grassy plains dotted with acacia trees, small islands of woodland and rocky kopjes. In addition to the huge herds of ungulates and attendant predators — Lions, Cheetahs and Spotted Hyenas, we will be looking for a variety of other mammals such as Bat-eared Fox, Golden Jackal, Kirk’s Dik-dik and Masai Giraffe. Flocks of Lesser Kestrels are a common sight overhead, whilst stately Secretarybirds stalk the grasslands alongside numerous other species including Martial Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture and the endemic Rufous-tailed Weaver.
Our tour ends with a short, but spectacular, flight back to Arusha from where we must sadly leave the wide open vistas and abundant wildlife of northern Tanzania and connect with our international flights home.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
We stay in a comfortable safari lodge near the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and a small luxury tented camp (Ndutu Kati Kati Tented Camp) close to the border between the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. All rooms have private facilities.
- Food:
All meals are included in the price, except for lunch and dinner on Day 2 and dinner on Day 10.
Dates & Prices
2025
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Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.
Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours
Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.
Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
Bargain mammal selection
We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Safari Holidays – Experience Earth’s Greatest Continent for Wildlife
Why choose Africa for wildlife safaris?
When people think of visiting Africa, safari holidays are regularly at the top of the list. Riding in an open-top jeep along dusty tracks and looking out across sun-baked savannahs teeming with big game is arguably one of life’s best experiences.
For the nature enthusiast, Naturetrek’s African safari holidays offer unparalleled opportunities. Africa is the world’s greatest continent for wildlife, being home to many of the planet’s most iconic mammals and birds.
Many of these animals are relatively easy to observe and exist in scarcely believable abundance, guaranteeing that our African safari tours are always full of amazing sightings.
From the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to Namibia’s Etosha National Park and the superb Kruger National Park in South Africa, our African wildlife safaris will take you to all the continent’s most unmissable destinations.
Classic African safari holidays
We offer classic safari-style packages to Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Namibia.
On these African safari tours you will stay in or very near the prime game-rich areas such as national parks and reserves, heading out daily for wildlife watching in vehicles. There will usually be additional chances to join night drives and look for nocturnal species.
On the majority of our African wildlife safaris, even those in our bargain range, we are able to use superb accommodation, including in remote locations. Tented, fully serviced camps with private facilities are the norm.
Expert naturalist guides
All of our African safari tours are led by expert naturalist guides. Most of our tours are led by superb local guides (the quality of guiding in many parts of Africa is second to none), while some of our longer tours are joined by a UK leader.
What wildlife might I see?
Africa is the best place in the world for seeing large concentrations of big game such as African Bush Elephant, Lion, Cape Buffalo, Giraffe and Blue Wildebeest. On Naturetrek’s African safari tours we visit some of the world’s most famous national parks and reserves, such as the Serengeti, Kruger and Okavango Delta, as well as some less well known regions, in search of a full range of the continent’s most spectacular mammals, from Hippos, Wild Dogs and White Rhinos to Leopards, bushbabies and African Wildcats.
The birdlife is equally staggering, with an enormous variety of charismatic species found across the continent, from bee-eaters and hornbills to finches, weavers and a stunning diversity of birds of prey. Naturetrek’s African wildlife safaris offer a chance to search for a superb variety of species and avian spectacles, such as flamingo-lined lakes in the Rift Valley, bizarre Shoebills in Uganda’s swamps, and giant Ostriches strutting across endless savannahs.
See our list of the best African Safari Holidays
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer a superb choice of expert-led African safari holidays ranging from 9-day bargain tours in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to a 17-day birdwatching and mammal-viewing safari through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. For those who have previously enjoyed a traditional safari, I would recommend our ‘South Africa’s Rare Mammals’ tour, which targets some of the continent’s most rarely seen creatures, such as Aardwolf, Black-footed Cat, Cape Porcupine, African Wildcat, Brown Hyaena and the iconic Aardvark
Paul Stanbury – Operations Manager
Big Cat Safari Holidays
Big cats are among the most admired and sought-after mammals on the planet, and we are proud to offer a broad and comprehensive range of big cat safari holidays. We offer inspiring and truly memorable wildlife tours to enjoy sightings of all of the world’s iconic species in their natural habitats, including Tigers in India and Nepal, Jaguars in the Pantanal, Pumas in Chile and Snow Leopards in India and Mongolia and we certainly do not neglect the smaller cats either.
We offer a range of itineraries around Africa and encounter the continent’s high-profile species like Lions, Cheetahs and Leopards and also the lesser known species such as Caracal, Sand Cat, Black-footed Cat, Serval and African Wild Cat. We also have wildlife holidays that catch sightings of the Asiatic Lion in India and the elusive Leopard in Sri Lanka.
We also offer a pioneering tour to try to see the most difficult of all big cats the Sunda Clouded Leopard in Borneo with Leopard Cat, Marbled Cat and Flat-headed Cat all having being seen on our Borneo holidays. Closer to home, we offer holidays in Europe to go in search of Wildcat and both Eurasian and Iberian Lynx.
We have run these holidays for many years with great success, working with the best local contacts and guides and staying at the very best locations with carefully crafted itineraries which allow the optimum amount of time to achieve sightings.
Our specialist recommends...
Tom Mabbett - Operations Manager
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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