7-Day Great Migration Safari | Tanzania’s Northern Circuit

A Detailed 7-Day Great Migration Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Prepare for Head-Spinning Adventures – But First, Some Rest!

• We will meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Overnight at Kahawa House or Hamerkop House or Arusha Coffee Lodge

A Kabira Safaris guide will greet you at Kilimanjaro Airport and provide you a cool towel, bottled water, and a cosy air-conditioned car. It takes about 90 minutes to get to Kahawa House and Arusha Coffee Lodge, or 60 minutes to get to Hamerkop House. You may enjoy the sights of the vibrant and busy town of Arusha while chatting with your driver about the local area.

When you get there, you can unwind by the pool with a refreshing beverage and a good book, or you can get a massage to ease the stress of your travel. Before you go to bed for a restful night’s sleep, all options’ in-house dining offers a large variety of regional and international cuisine to satisfy all palates.

Day 2: Bananas, Flamingos and Coffee Farms

• Drive to Karatu via Lake Manyara National Park
• Overnight Ngorongoro Farmhouse or Kitela Lodge or Neptune Ngorongoro Lodge

Your Kabira Safari driver-guide will meet you after breakfast to start the driving section of your safari if you choose the Comfort or Classic option. Leaving Arusha behind, you’ll travel west via small towns like Mto wa Mbu, where you’ll see bicycles carrying big bunches of bananas. You may become fully immersed in Tanzania’s jungle and animals by taking a game drive around Lake Manyara National Park. The park’s main feature is a sizable alkaline lake that draws a wide range of birds throughout the year, including pelicans, storks, herons, and greater and lesser pink flamingos from November to April. The grassy plains and the acacia forests are home to hippos, lions, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, zebras, and wildebeest. After enjoying a delicious picnic lunch in the shade, proceed on your way to Ngorongoro. From this point on, the road starts to climb, and before you reach Karatu, the elevation changes as you enter the Great Rift Valley’s sheer walls.

After breakfast, if you choose the Reserve option, a Kabira safari driver will meet you at the airport and take you to Arusha for your quick flight to Lake Manyara Airstrip. A guide from the Neptune Ngorongoro Lodge will meet you when you arrive and take you to Karatu town.

This vibrant town is surrounded by lovely, verdant farmlands and is situated beneath the shadow of the Ngorongoro Crater. Situated amid lovely gardens and encircled by coffee plantations, Ngorongoro Farmhouse, Kitela Lodge, and Neptune Ngorongoro provide a peaceful setting for relaxing while savouring fresh, locally grown cuisine. These lodges, which are well situated near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area entry gate, are ideal for an early morning start in order to escape the queue at the park gate.

Day 3: Experience the Magic of the Ngorongoro Crater

• Crater Descent & Game Drive
• Overnight Ngorongoro Farmhouse or Kitela Lodge or Neptune Ngorongoro Lodge

You want to be among the first cars entering the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and into the crater floor, so it’s an early start to the day. Once through the entrance gate, the steep road leads up the Ngorongoro Crater’s outer slopes through a dense, lush forest until you reach the crater rim road, which offers a breathtaking perspective of the crater. Admire this UNESCO World Heritage Site and snap a picture before moving on.

You have time for coffee and some breakfast foods once you reach the crater floor, which will help you get through the morning’s safari excursion. Black rhinos, lions, leopards, hippopotamus, and other wildlife can be found at the Ngorongoro Crater, a unique safari destination. You won’t soon forget being on a game drive at the foot of a dormant volcano. It will be time to begin the trek back up the caldera’s walls by mid-afternoon in order to reach the rim and the cosy comfort of your lodge. Before drinks and dinner in the dining area, take a massage or just unwind in your suite while telling other travellers about your safari adventures.

Days 4 – 6: Embrace the Vast Plains of the Serengeti

• Drive to Manyara Airstrip & Fly to the Serengeti
• Overnight at Pamoja Migration Camp or Nyumbu Migration Camp or Nanyukie Tented Lodge

It’s time to leave Karatu and drive back towards the Manyara Airstrip on the brink of the escarpment after a delectable breakfast. After bidding your Kabira safari driver-guide farewell, you take an aircraft to your mobile camp, which may be located in the north or south of the Serengeti, depending on the season. Your guide will meet you at the airport and take you to camp so you can be there in time for lunch.

Embrace your new surroundings and take in the sights from your veranda in the early afternoon. Early afternoon might be the hottest, so it’s a great time to read a book and sip on a refreshing beverage while lounging in the shade. A cup of tea or coffee and a sweet treat can be enjoyed as the afternoon wears on before going on a game drive across the Serengeti’s vast plains. Big cats, herds of elephants, wandering zebras, and of course the Great Migration are among the many species that can be seen here. There could be time for a sundowner in a picturesque location as evening draws near. Before supper, head back to camp to freshen up and unwind with a drink by the fireside under the glittering stars.

Usually, twice a day, in the early morning and late afternoon, game drives are conducted in shared cars. To cover more ground in a single day, you can go on safari for the entire day with a picnic lunch, depending on the other adventurers. Alternatively, if you want total control over how your day is organised, think about renting a private vehicle for your visit. This allows you to spend as much time as you like at animal sightings and choose your own pace with your guide, which is very beneficial if you have very specific wildlife interests. Consider going on a hot air balloon safari for a different viewpoint, and soar into the skies for a truly remarkable sunrise experience.

Day 7: Farewell to Paradise!

Flight to Kilimanjaro Airport

Proceed to the airfield for your flight to Kilimanjaro Airport following your last safari meal. After picking up and dropping off passengers at certain airstrips, the aircraft will probably make a few stops before arriving at noon. Get your bags and check in for your next trip when you get there.

End of the 7-Day Great Migration Safari Itinerary