Serengeti Safari Tanzania — 2026 Migration, Prices & Itineraries

There is no bad time to visit the Serengeti — the park delivers outstanding game viewing in every month. The two most popular windows are June to October, when the dry season concentrates wildlife around the remaining water sources and the Mara River crossings reach their peak; and January to February, when roughly 8,000 wildebeest calves are born each day in the southern Ndutu area and predator activity is at its most intense. The green season (November to May) is quieter, cheaper, and excellent for photography and birding. We send a custom recommendation by month once we know your travel dates.

A Serengeti safari with Safaris Tanzania starts from $1,456 per person on the 5-Day Northern Circuit (one Serengeti night, two adults sharing). A 7-day Serengeti-and-Ngorongoro combination is $1,872 per person; a dedicated 7-day Great Migration itinerary is $2,288 per person; and our 10-Day Ultimate Tanzania is $2,704 per person. All prices are all-inclusive: private 4x4 vehicle, expert guide, all park fees, all meals, accommodation, and Kilimanjaro Airport transfers. We are the direct operator — there is no broker markup, and you see a full cost breakdown before you pay anything.

Two nights (three days) inside the Serengeti is the minimum to feel the park's scale. For a Great Migration safari we recommend three to four nights — that gives you a full day in the Mara River valley, a morning in the northern woodland for leopards, and a buffer day in case a crossing doesn't fire on the first try. Our most popular itinerary is the 7-Day Serengeti & Ngorongoro, which includes three Serengeti nights plus a half-day descent into the crater.

The Serengeti hosts all of the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and black rhino (though black rhino are far more reliably seen in nearby Ngorongoro Crater, which is why we combine them). The park supports roughly 3,000 lions, more than 1,000 leopards, several hundred cheetah, and the highest density of large predators on the planet. Wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, hippo, spotted hyena, and more than 500 bird species round out the resident cast. The Great Migration adds an extra 1.5 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra on top of the resident wildlife.

Yes. The Serengeti is one of the safest protected areas in Africa. Game drives are conducted in closed 4x4 vehicles, all guides are TATO-licensed, and the park is managed by Tanzania National Parks Authority with radio-monitored ranger posts throughout. The main practical risks are the same as any outdoor trip: sun exposure, dehydration, and following your guide's instructions around wild animals. Safaris Tanzania has been operating in the Serengeti since 1978 without a serious safety incident.

Yes. The 5-Day Northern Circuit starts from $1,456 per person and includes one Serengeti night, a Ngorongoro Crater descent, and a full Tarangire day. The green season (November to April) brings 20–30% lower lodge rates with the same wildlife viewing — the migration is in the southern plains, predators are still active, and the parks are quiet. We publish every line item in your quote (vehicle, guide, park fees, accommodation tier) so you can see exactly where your money goes.

The Serengeti is 14,763 km² — almost ten times the size of Kenya's Masai Mara (1,510 km²). The two parks are linked by the same Great Migration, but most Mara River crossings happen on the Tanzanian side. Choosing the Serengeti over the Mara means more space, fewer vehicles at sightings, and the option to combine with Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire in a single northern circuit. For most travellers interested in the migration, the Serengeti is the stronger and more cost-effective base.

Yes. All game drives in the Serengeti are conducted in 4x4 vehicles — the tracks are unpaved, some sections turn to mud in the rains, and a properly equipped Land Cruiser is essential. All Safaris Tanzania vehicles are maintained in-house at our Arusha depot. We never subcontract transport. The pop-up roof on every vehicle is standard, so you can stand for photography at every sighting.

The Great Migration is in the Serengeti year-round — the question is which part. January to February is the southern Ndutu calving season (roughly 500,000 calves born in eight weeks). June to July moves through the central and western corridor, including Grumeti River crossings. August to early October is the peak Mara River crossing window in the northern Serengeti. October to December sees the herds drifting back south through the eastern plains. We match your travel month to the right sub-region so you don't fly home having missed the action.

Yes — and it is a popular pairing. The classic 10-Day Ultimate Tanzania itinerary adds five days of Serengeti and Ngorongoro onto the Marangu or Machame route up Kilimanjaro, with a recovery day on the mountain before the safari starts. Many of our guests climb first and safari second; a few do the reverse. We can also add a day at Tarangire or Lake Manyara if you want variety beyond the main two parks.

Every Serengeti safari includes: a private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, an expert TATO-licensed English-speaking guide, fuel for the entire route, all national park entry fees, all meals from arrival to departure, accommodation in tented camps or lodges (your choice of tier), Kilimanjaro Airport pick-up and drop-off, bottled drinking water, and 24/7 in-country support. Not included: international flights, travel insurance, visa fees, tips, and personal items. We send a clear inclusions/exclusions list with every quote.

Most guests fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), about 45 minutes from our Arusha base. From Arusha, the Serengeti is roughly 8 hours by road (long but scenic, with stops in Ngorongoro and the crater rim) or about 1.5 hours by bush flight to one of seven Serengeti airstrips (Seronera, Kogatende, Ndutu, Grumeti, etc.). Our 5- and 7-day itineraries use the road option so you can include the Ngorongoro descent; the 7-day Great Migration and 10-day Ultimate itineraries add a bush flight leg to keep the schedule comfortable.