6-Day Western Serengeti Migration Safari with Grumeti River

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Game drive in Lake Manyara National Park
• 02 Half-day game drive inside Ngorongoro Crater
• 03 Explore the western Serengeti and the Grumeti River corridor
• 04 Chance to witness Grumeti River crossings in the right months
• 05 Stop at Olduvai Gorge, the "Cradle of Mankind"

This 6-day, 5-night safari from Arusha takes you through Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and the western Serengeti. The western corridor is the route the wildebeest take on their way north and is quieter than the central Serengeti, with Grumeti River crossings as a highlight in the migration months. Along the way, enjoy game drives in some of Tanzania's best wildlife areas and stay in comfortable lodges. The herds move through the year, and crossings at the Grumeti River are usually seen from about June to July, though sightings are never guaranteed.

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 6 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Arusha, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Arusha to Lake Manyara and Karatu

• Pick-up: Your driver-guide picks you up from your hotel in Arusha at about 8:00 AM.
• Drive: You drive about 2 hours to Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive.
• Game drive: You can see elephants, giraffes, hippos, baboons, and flamingos.
• Lunch: You have a picnic lunch.
• Drive: In the afternoon, you drive to Karatu.
• Dinner and overnight: Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

2

Day 02

Ngorongoro Crater Safari

• Breakfast: After an early breakfast, you drive up to the crater rim for views.
• Ngorongoro Crater: You go down into the crater (about 600 m deep) for a half-day game drive.
• Game drive: You can see lions, rhinos, hippos, hyenas, flamingos, and large herds of wildebeest and zebra.
• Lunch: You have a picnic lunch at the hippo pool.
• Return: In the afternoon, you return to Karatu.
• Dinner and overnight: Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

3

Day 03

Karatu to the Western Serengeti

• Drive: After breakfast, you drive through the Ngorongoro highlands into the Serengeti.
• Stop: On the way, you can stop at Olduvai Gorge, the "Cradle of Mankind".
• Game drive: You enter the park and start a game drive on the way to your lodge in the west.
• Lunch: You have a picnic lunch on the way.
• Dinner and overnight: Dinner and overnight in the western Serengeti.

4

Day 04

Grumeti River and Western Corridor Game Drive

• Game drive: After an early breakfast, you spend the full day with your guide, following the migration herds along the Grumeti River.
• Wildlife: You can see wildebeest, zebras, crocodiles, hippos, lions, and hyenas.
• River crossings: In the right months, you may see river crossings.
• Lunch: You have a picnic lunch in the park.
• Dinner and overnight: Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

5

Day 05

Full Day in the Western Serengeti

• Game drive: You spend another full day on game drive, looking for leopards, cheetahs, lions, and large herds.
• Optional: You can add an optional hot air balloon safari at sunrise (extra cost).
• Lunch: You have a picnic lunch in the park.
• Dinner and overnight: Dinner and overnight at your lodge.

6

Day 06

Western Serengeti to Arusha

• Drive: After breakfast and check-out, you drive out of the park and through the Ngorongoro highlands to Arusha.
• Duration: The drive takes about 7 to 8 hours, with a stop at the crater rim for views and lunch.
• Drop-off: You are dropped off in Arusha in the late afternoon, and the tour ends.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Pick-up and drop-off in Arusha
• Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
• English-speaking professional driver-guide
• Park entrance fees (Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti)
• Crater service fee and vehicle fees
• Accommodation for 5 nights
• Meals as listed
• Drinking water during the safari
• Government taxes and VAT

What's Not Included

• International flights
• Tanzania visa
• Travel and medical insurance
• Drinks (soft and alcoholic)
• Tips for driver and staff
• Hot air balloon safari in the Serengeti
• Personal items (laundry, phone, souvenirs)
• Optional activities not listed

What to bring

• Documents and money: Passport and Tanzania visa, insurance papers, flight tickets, small US dollar notes for tips
• Clothes: Light long-sleeve shirts and trousers in neutral colours (khaki, green, brown), warm jacket or fleece for cold mornings and the crater rim, light rain jacket, closed shoes, sun hat, sunglasses
• Safari gear: Binoculars, camera with extra batteries, power bank, sunscreen, insect repellent, reusable water bottle, small day bag
• Health: Personal medicine, anti-malaria tablets (ask your doctor), motion sickness tablets (the roads are long and bumpy), hand sanitiser, wet wipes
• Tips: Use soft bags, not hard suitcases. Bring a universal plug adaptor. Plastic bags are not allowed in Tanzania.

Know before you go

• Note: The herds move through the year. Crossings at the Grumeti River are usually seen from about June to July. Sightings are never guaranteed.
• Tips: Use soft bags, not hard suitcases.
• Bring a universal plug adaptor.
• Plastic bags are not allowed in Tanzania.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Arusha

Tour start

Arusha

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.