11 Days Great Migration Safari (Northern Serengeti First)

Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi – Welcome, Briefing & Easy Evening

On arrival in Nairobi (NBO), our representative meets you for a private transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time and energy level, you can keep the afternoon simple: a hot shower, an early dinner, and rest to reset your body clock—or a light city orientation to pick up essentials and stretch after the flight.

In the evening, we run a practical safari briefing focused on migration realities: what drives crossings (pressure, wind, water levels, predator presence), how to position ethically at the river, and how to plan your photography (lens choices, dust protection, battery strategy, and clean-light windows). Your guide also confirms departure times, border documents, and the plan for each driving day so the trip starts smoothly and confidently.

Overnight: Nairobi (hotel as per your selected category) • Meals: Bed & Breakfast (or as booked)

Day 2: Nairobi to Amboseli – Elephants, Swamps & Kilimanjaro Views

After breakfast, you head south toward Amboseli. The landscape opens into wide pans dotted with acacias, and wildlife often appears before you even enter the park boundaries. Amboseli’s magic is its scale: elephants moving in family columns, hippos and waterbirds around spring-fed swamps, and—on clear days—Mount Kilimanjaro rising like a backdrop painted onto the horizon.

You arrive for lunch and a short reset, then head out for a golden-hour game drive. The late afternoon is ideal for portrait work: elephants in soft light near water, giraffes silhouetted on the horizon line, and lions using open ground for visibility. Your guide prioritizes quality time with a sighting (behavior, interaction, composition) rather than rushing from one radio call to another.

Overnight: Amboseli area lodge/camp • Meals: Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Amboseli to Lake Naivasha – Rift Valley Scenery & Freshwater Birdlife

Start with an early Amboseli loop while the air is cool and predators are still active. You then begin your drive toward the Great Rift Valley, passing viewpoints and changing ecosystems as you climb and descend across Kenya’s dramatic interior. By afternoon you reach Lake Naivasha, a freshwater lake known for its birdlife, hippos, and calm, green shoreline scenes that contrast beautifully with the dustier savannah days.

If you’d like, add a boat safari for close encounters with hippos and fish eagles—excellent for eye-level photography and slow, relaxing wildlife watching. Otherwise, enjoy time at the lodge grounds where small wildlife often wanders through, and the sunset reflections on the water can be spectacular.

Overnight: Lake Naivasha area lodge • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara – Into Predator Country

After breakfast, drive toward the Masai Mara—Kenya’s most iconic wildlife reserve and a global symbol of safari. You arrive, check in, and head out for your first game drive. The Mara is defined by open plains and river lines that support high predator density: lions on termite mounds, cheetahs scanning from raised points, and leopards often found near thicker riverine vegetation.

Your guide works the day strategically: looking for behavior rather than just sightings—stalks, interactions, territorial movement, and hunting patterns—while also positioning you for the best light. Evenings can deliver dramatic skies and dust-lit scenes that feel cinematic on camera.

Overnight: Masai Mara area lodge/camp • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Full Day Masai Mara – River Loops, Big Cats & Optional Maasai Culture

A full Mara day gives you the freedom to stay with action longer. You can focus on river loops and short-grass plains, tracking predator stories that unfold across hours rather than minutes. If migration herds are present, your guide monitors movement and pressure points where animals gather before crossing. If not, the Mara still delivers consistently: resident wildlife, strong cat sightings, and classic savannah atmosphere.

Midday can be used for a relaxed break (often the hottest part of the day), then you return for late afternoon when animals become active again. Optionally, add a Maasai village visit for cultural context—kept respectful and informative—without disrupting your best wildlife hours.

Overnight: Masai Mara area lodge/camp • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Masai Mara to Northern Serengeti – Border Crossing & River-Crossing Zone

Today is a big, important transition—and it’s why this itinerary works. You depart early with packed lunches and drive to the Isebania border. Our team supports the process so formalities are handled efficiently. Once across, you continue into Tanzania and push toward the Northern Serengeti, positioning near the Mara River where crossing attempts are most likely during the season.

If timing allows, you start game viewing in the late afternoon along classic river loops, scanning for herd build-up, nervous milling at the banks, and crocodile presence in deep channels. Even without a crossing, the north offers excellent wildlife: elephants, giraffes, resident predators, and incredible open-space feeling.

Overnight: Northern Serengeti camp (migration-focused location) • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Full Day Northern Serengeti – Mara River Patrol & Crossing Attempts

This is your highest-stakes migration day. You dedicate the full day to reading the river: checking multiple entry points, watching herd pressure build, and interpreting cues (wind direction, vocalization, clustering, and the way animals “test” the bank). Crossings are wild and unpredictable—sometimes instantaneous, sometimes delayed for hours.

Your guide balances patience with smart repositioning, keeping you in the best possible area without disrupting the scene. When a crossing happens, the energy is unmatched: waves of wildebeest, zebra threading through turbulence, crocodiles holding position, and predators waiting on exit points. Even on quieter days, the north provides meaningful wildlife viewing and exceptional landscape photography.

Overnight: Northern Serengeti camp • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Northern to Central Serengeti – Scenic Drive, Kopjes & Seronera Predators

After a final morning circuit (if you’d like), you drive south through rolling savannah, granite kopjes, and open plains into Central Serengeti. This shift is deliberate: the Seronera region holds year-round water and resident prey, making it one of Tanzania’s most reliable areas for big cats—especially leopard and lion.

Arrive for lunch and a short rest, then head out for an afternoon game drive. Your guide works the river lines and kopje edges where predators hunt and rest, tracking movement for the best chance at active scenes rather than only resting animals. Sunset in Central Serengeti can be spectacular, with warm light across endless plains.

Overnight: Central Serengeti camp/lodge • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro – Long Drive with Wildlife Stops & Highlands Arrival

Start early for a short morning drive (if conditions are good), then begin your journey toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The route is scenic and often productive for wildlife sightings along the way, with time for photos and short stopovers. As you climb into the highlands, the air cools and the views widen—an ideal transition before your Crater descent.

You arrive in the Ngorongoro highlands with time to settle in, enjoy the viewpoint atmosphere, and prepare for an early start. We time this day carefully so you’re rested and ready for a full Crater game drive tomorrow.

Overnight: Karatu / Ngorongoro Highlands lodge • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive – Transfer to Lake Manyara Area

Today is one of the most iconic safari experiences in Africa. You descend into Ngorongoro Crater early, entering an ancient caldera with extraordinary wildlife density. The habitats shift quickly—short-grass plains, swamp margins, acacia woodland, and the soda lake—creating diverse sightings within a single game drive day.

Expect strong chances for lion, buffalo, hippo, hyena, zebra, and elephant. Ngorongoro is also one of the best places in Tanzania to search for black rhino. Your guide focuses on the most promising areas, balancing the best sightings with quieter pockets to avoid crowds when possible. After a picnic lunch inside the Crater, you ascend and continue to the Lake Manyara / Karatu area for the night.

Overnight: Lake Manyara / Karatu lodge • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11: Lake Manyara & Tarangire – Forests, Baobabs & Departure (JRO)

You finish strong with a final safari day that delivers contrast. Start with Lake Manyara’s groundwater forest—home to baboon troops, blue monkeys, and elephants moving through the shade—then transition to open lakeshore viewpoints where flamingos and waterbirds appear depending on the season. Afterward, continue to Tarangire, where ancient baobabs, wide valleys, and the Tarangire River attract elephant herds and attendant predators, especially during dry periods.

Your guide keeps the drive focused and rewarding, then transfers you to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your onward flight. If your departure is later, we can build in a comfortable meal stop or short shopping break, ensuring you reach the airport stress-free.

End of Safari.

Rate Per Person (USD)

Kenya + Tanzania • Private 4x4s • Migration-first routing • Seamless border handling

Language Guides Available

• ✓English-speaking guide (included)
• ✓French / German / Spanish / Dutch (on request — typically $50–$100 per day)
• ✓Other languages (on request)

Included

• ✓All park & conservation fees (Kenya & Tanzania, as per itinerary)
• ✓Private 4x4 safari vehicles with professional guide(s)
• ✓Accommodation as specified (or best available similar option)
• ✓Meals on safari (breakfast, lunch, dinner) as per lodge/camp plan
• ✓Bottled drinking water in vehicles
• ✓Unlimited game drives as scheduled in program
• ✓All ground transfers incl. airport meet & greet + cross-border support

Excluded

• ✗International flights & visas (Kenya & Tanzania)
• ✗Travel insurance (highly recommended)
• ✗Optional activities (balloon safari, Naivasha boat, Maasai village, etc.)
• ✗Tips for guides and lodge/camp staff
• ✗Personal items, alcohol, and anything not listed as included

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