Luxury 6-Day Luxury Serengeti & Ngorongoro Safari from Arusha
$4,311 / personPrivate · lowest rate, US$, subject to availability
View itinerary
Tanzania
7-Day Luxury Serengeti Migration Safari
A private safari built around the Great Wildebeest Migration, with four or more nights following it through the Serengeti.
Duration7 days6 nights
From$4,853per person, US$, lowest date and party-size rate. Estimate, subject to availability
Trip overview
A private luxury safari created around the Great Wildebeest Migration, with an extended focus on the Serengeti. The route combines Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater with four or more nights in the Serengeti, beginning in the Central Serengeti where big cats are often seen and continuing north to wherever the migration is positioned at the time of travel.
The safari finishes in the remote northern Serengeti, with an onward air transfer available from there, or the route can be redesigned to return to Arusha by road.
Departures run on any day subject to availability, and the trip suits solo travellers and children of all ages.
CountryTanzaniaLake Manyara · Ngorongoro · Central Serengeti · Northern Serengeti
Duration7 days6 nights
ArrangementPrivateyour own vehicle and guide
Starts & endsArushaEnds Northern Serengeti
From$4,853Per person in US dollars, from $4,853 up to $5,836 depending on travel dates and party size. Subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
Map route
The route, stop by stop
1
Arusha
Day 1 · Departs Arusha
2
Lake Manyara
Day 1 · 1 night
3
Ngorongoro
Day 2 · 1 night
4
Serengeti
Days 3 to 5 · 2 nights
5
Northern Serengeti
Days 5 to 7 · 2 nights
What you are likely to see
Elephant
Lion
Buffalo
Zebra
Giraffe
Wildebeest
Hippo
Rhino
Solid tone means often seen on this route. Outline means possible, and worth the patience. Sightings vary with season and luck, and nothing wild is guaranteed.
Gallery
The ground this safari covers
Day by day
7 days, in order
Each day lists the route, the meals included and the lodge for that night. Ask us for the expected driving time on any day.
01
Arusha to Lake Manyara
Arusha to Lake Manyara
Arusha is left behind as the road runs west and down into the Great Rift Valley, and the first stop of the safari is Lake Manyara National Park, set against the towering wall of the escarpment. It makes a fine introduction: a lush groundwater forest full of baboons and blue monkeys, a lake shore where elephant, giraffe and buffalo graze, and a wealth of birdlife.
The night is at Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge, perched high on the escarpment, where the view over the park and the lake below is something to linger over at sunset.
First safari experienceAll meals
Day 11 photo
Accommodation
One night
10 photos
Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge
Rift Valley escarpment near Mto wa Mbu, above Lake Manyara Lodge · 10 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge is perched on the rim of the Great Rift Valley near Mto wa Mbu, looking down over Lake Manyara and the surrounding mountains. On a clear day, the views can stretch as far as Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. The lodge sits outside the national park but is well placed for […]
02
Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro
Ngorongoro Crater
The road climbs from Manyara into the green, misty Ngorongoro highlands, and then drops two thousand feet down the crater wall onto the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater. The whole day is spent inside its walls.
It is an extraordinary place: an enclosed world of grassland, swamp and soda lake that holds one of the densest concentrations of wildlife on earth. Lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo and rhino live among the great herds of zebra and wildebeest, and everywhere the crater walls rise around the scene. The night is at Ngorongoro Lion's Paw Camp, on the rim.
Full day crater safariAll meals
Day 22 photos
Accommodation
One night
10 photos
Ngorongoro Lion’s Paw Camp
Eastern rim of Ngorongoro Crater Tented camp · 10 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Ngorongoro Lion’s Paw Camp, part of Karibu Camps and Lodges, is set on the eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, about ten minutes’ drive from the descent road. This position means guests are often among the first vehicles down onto the crater floor in the morning. The camp has a traditional safari character, with canvas […]
03
Central Serengeti National Park
Central Serengeti
Leaving the highlands, the road drops west onto the Serengeti, and the land opens into grass that runs to every horizon. Two nights in the Central Serengeti begin here, in one of the best areas in Tanzania for big cats.
Extended game drives follow the wildlife across the changing landscape, from the open plains to the granite kopjes and the lines of trees along the rivers. The night is at Meliá Serengeti Lodge.
Extended game drivesAll meals
Day 32 photos
Accommodation
Night 1 of 2
10 photos
Meliá Serengeti Lodge
Nyamuma Hills, central Serengeti National Park Lodge · 10 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Meliá Serengeti Lodge sits in the Nyamuma Hills inside Serengeti National Park, placing guests within the park itself rather than outside its gates. That means game drives start the moment you leave the lodge, across a landscape known for big cats, vast herds and, in season, the movement of the great wildebeest migration. The lodge […]
04
Central Serengeti National Park
Central Serengeti
The second day in the Central Serengeti ranges further. The kopjes, granite outcrops scattered across the plains, are where resident lion prides hold territory, often sprawled across the warm rock. Out on the open grass, cheetah are regularly seen hunting in daylight.
The wooded Seronera valley draws leopard into its riverine trees, where they rest along the branches through the heat of the day. With lion, cheetah and leopard all in one area, this is one of the most reliable big cat circuits in Tanzania.
Extended game drivesAll meals
Day 41 photo
Accommodation
Night 2 of 2
10 photos
Meliá Serengeti Lodge
Nyamuma Hills, central Serengeti National Park Lodge · 10 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Meliá Serengeti Lodge sits in the Nyamuma Hills inside Serengeti National Park, placing guests within the park itself rather than outside its gates. That means game drives start the moment you leave the lodge, across a landscape known for big cats, vast herds and, in season, the movement of the great wildebeest migration. The lodge […]
05
Northern Serengeti
Northern Serengeti, migration country
The safari turns north, toward the migration. The road crosses the Serengeti's northern reaches, a landscape of rolling hills and rocky outcrops, to Kogatende, near the Mara River.
The night is at Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp, a mobile camp that moves through the year to stay close to the herds of wildebeest and zebra. When the migration is in the area, the northern Serengeti offers the chance of the most dramatic sight in African wildlife: the river crossings.
Migration game drivesAll meals
Day 51 photo
Accommodation
Night 1 of 2
4 photos
Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp
Serengeti, mobile: Kogatende and the southern Serengeti/Ngorongoro area Tented camp · 4 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp is a seasonal tented camp that relocates during the year to stay close to the great wildebeest migration. For part of the year it is set up at Kogatende in the northern Serengeti, within reach of the dramatic Mara River crossings, and for the rest it moves to the short grass […]
06
Northern Serengeti
Northern Serengeti, migration country
A full day of game drives works the plains and river lines around Kogatende, where the land opens into the wide grassland the migration crosses on its way north. When the wildebeest and zebra are massed near the Mara River, the crossings can happen within sight of camp: the herds gathering on the bank, the hesitation, and then the rush into the water past the waiting crocodiles.
When the herds have moved on, the same ground still carries strong numbers of resident predators, and the northern Serengeti, far from the busier central areas, feels wonderfully remote.
Migration game drivesAll meals
Accommodation
Night 2 of 2
4 photos
Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp
Serengeti, mobile: Kogatende and the southern Serengeti/Ngorongoro area Tented camp · 4 photos
View lodge & photosClose
Nasikia Mobile Migration Camp is a seasonal tented camp that relocates during the year to stay close to the great wildebeest migration. For part of the year it is set up at Kogatende in the northern Serengeti, within reach of the dramatic Mara River crossings, and for the rest it moves to the short grass […]
07
Northern Serengeti
Northern Serengeti to onward destination
A last game drive covers the northern plains in the early light, and then comes the short transfer to the airstrip. The flight lifts off directly from this remote corner of the Serengeti, closing a journey that followed the migration rather than a fixed plan.
The route can also be arranged to return to Arusha by road instead.
Final morning game driveOnward air transferBreakfast and lunch
The price
The price, in full
Written plainly so there are no surprises at the airport. Anything optional can be added to the quote before you pay.
Included
Already in the price you see.
- Park fees for non-residents
- All activities unless marked optional
- All accommodation unless listed as an upgrade
- A professional driver-guide
- All transportation unless marked optional
- Air transfer
- All taxes and VAT
- Round-trip airport transfer
- Meals as specified
- Drinking water throughout the tour
Not included
Budget for these separately.
- International flights
- Additional accommodation before or after the safari
- Tips
- Personal items, souvenirs, travel insurance and visa fees
- Government-imposed increases in taxes or park fees
Rates by travel date
| Rate range | Per person |
|---|---|
| Published range | $4,853 to $5,836 |
Rates are per person in US dollars and exclude international flights. The final quotation depends on availability.
Before you book
Questions, answered
What travellers ask us most about a safari like this one. Anything else, ask below and a specialist in Nairobi replies within one business day.
Is this a private safari?
Yes. This safari is private: your own vehicle and guide for the whole trip, and we never merge your party with another to cut costs.
How do we book, and how much is the deposit?
Press Book this safari. You can hold your dates for three days without paying while a specialist checks availability with the lodges and parks, or pay a deposit of 30, 40 or 50 percent, or the full amount, by credit or debit card through Pesapal. You can also pay by bank transfer, or in person at our Nairobi office by card. The standard schedule is a 30 percent deposit to confirm and the balance 60 days before arrival; bookings made within 60 days of departure, and gorilla or chimpanzee permits, are paid in full at booking. Card details go to Pesapal, never to Volcan.
Will we see the Great Migration and a river crossing?
The herds usually reach the Maasai Mara around July and stay until about October, crossing the Mara River many times in that period. For the rest of the year they are in the Serengeti in Tanzania. The timing is set by the rains, so no operator can promise a crossing on a given day, but our guides follow the reports every morning and position you as well as experience allows.
Do we need a visa?
Tanzania: visas are issued online through the official immigration portal, visa.immigration.go.tz, and on arrival at some entry points. Rules depend on your passport and change from time to time, so check them before you book flights, and always apply through the official government portal, never a third-party agent. We tell you what applies to your route when we confirm your trip.
Which vaccinations and health precautions do we need?
See a travel clinic at least six weeks before you go. Malaria is present in most safari areas of East Africa, so ask about antimalarials, insect repellent and cover-up clothing for the evenings. A yellow fever certificate can be required depending on your route and where you arrive from.
What vehicle will we travel in?
A Toyota Land Cruiser from Volcan’s own fleet, in the company’s colours, with the same driver-guide from the first day to the last. It is yours alone for the whole safari, and every vehicle carries reusable water bottles.
Can children come on this safari?
Yes, and a private vehicle makes it easy to set the pace around them. Child rates depend on the lodges, and some camps and activities set minimum ages, so tell us the ages of everyone travelling and we confirm what applies before you pay anything.
What happens if we need to cancel?
Tell us in writing as early as possible. The cancellation charges for your trip are set out in your written booking confirmation. Gorilla permits, internal flights and non-refundable lodge deposits already paid on your behalf cannot be recovered, so they are charged in full. Refunds go back to the card or account the payment came from. The detail is in our Booking & Payment Terms.
Enquire
Plan this safari with us
Send your dates and who is travelling. A specialist checks availability with the lodges and parks and replies within one business day with an itemised price.
- Free, and no obligation
- Ask about changing the dates, lodges or pace
- Answered by the team in Nairobi who plan the trip
Availability
7-Day Luxury Serengeti Migration Safari
Dates are held for 72 hours without payment while you check flights. Nothing is charged until the itinerary is confirmed in writing.
From
$4,853
Per person in US dollars, from $4,853 up to $5,836 depending on travel dates and party size. Subject to availability. All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
Prices are for guidance and are confirmed against current lodge and park rates before any payment.
Similar safaris
You might also consider
Luxury 
Luxury 6-Day Luxury Kenya & Tanzania Safari
$3,440 / personPrivate · lowest rate, US$, subject to availability
View itinerary
Luxury 10-Day Luxury Kenya & Tanzania Safari
$4,840 / personPrivate · lowest rate, US$, subject to availability
View itinerary
All prices shown are estimates. Your final price is confirmed in your written quote.
