6 Day Serengeti Migration Safari
Begin with Tarangire's elephants, explore a Serengeti migration region matched to your dates and finish with a Ngorongoro Crater game drive.
Plan This Safari6 Days / 5 Nights / Private Safari / Arusha Return
River country, migration plains and crater wildlife.
Start in Arusha and travel through northern Tanzania, with the migration camp and transfers confirmed for your season.
Tarangire
1 park night and your first wildlife drive among river and baobab habitats.
Serengeti
3 nights in the selected migration region, with 2 full wildlife days.
Ngorongoro
1 crater-rim night before your scheduled descent the following morning.
Arusha Return
Crater wildlife viewing, then a road transfer to your agreed drop-off.
Let the season shape the Serengeti stay.
Long lines of wildebeest, grazing herds and predators moving through the same landscape make migration viewing more than a search for a river crossing. Spend 3 nights in the Serengeti ecosystem, with Tarangire and Ngorongoro adding different wildlife settings at either end.
Begin in Tarangire National Park , where your first game drive explores river, woodland and open-country habitats. Stay inside the park before continuing towards the Serengeti ecosystem.
The Great Wildebeest Migration changes location through the year. A central Serengeti camp is not a base for every stage of the migration. We match the overnight region to your dates and explain the transfers before you book.
Ang'ata Seronera Camp is an option for a central Serengeti safari . Southern, western or northern migration viewing may require another camp and a revised driving or flight plan. The northern river-crossing region needs special attention within this short itinerary.
A sunrise balloon safari is included where a suitable service operates for the confirmed camp. Finish with a night on the Ngorongoro rim and a crater game drive before returning to Arusha. Our Tanzania safari packages offer longer routes if you want more time in the migration area.
Safari Highlights
Begin with elephants and baobab landscapes in Tarangire.
Spend 3 nights in the Serengeti ecosystem.
Match the migration camp to your travel season.
Take a sunrise balloon safari over the selected region.
Search for resident predators alongside the moving herds.
Finish with a guided Ngorongoro Crater wildlife drive.
The migration safari, day by day.
1 Tarangire night, 3 migration-area nights and 1 Ngorongoro night. The route below suits an overland central Serengeti arrangement. Other migration regions require a date-specific camp and transfer plan.
Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Meet your BLS Safaris driver guide in Arusha after breakfast and leave for Tarangire National Park . Allow around 2.5 to 3 hours to the park area, depending on traffic and stops.
Enter for your first game drive, exploring the river corridor and surrounding habitats. Watch elephants feeding, moving between water sources and interacting in family groups.
Pause for a picnic lunch as arranged, then continue wildlife viewing. Your guide will stop for animals and birds encountered along the route before taking you to Tarangire Safari Lodge.
Travel to Your Serengeti Migration Base
Leave early for the journey through the Ngorongoro highlands towards the Serengeti. For a central Serengeti route, expect a long transfer, often around 7 to 9 hours including park procedures and stops.
Continue with wildlife viewing along the final approach when daylight allows. Keep the main priority on reaching camp without an unnecessarily late arrival.
Check into Ang'ata Seronera Camp when central Serengeti is the selected base. If the migration focus calls for another region, your quotation names the replacement camp and explains the transfer arrangements.
Full Day Migration-Area Game Viewing
Leave early with packed meals for a full wildlife circuit around your selected region. Your guide considers current herd locations and road conditions when planning the day.
When migration herds are within reach, spend time watching their movement and grazing behaviour. Look beyond the largest groups for predators and other animals using the same landscape.
If the main herds have moved elsewhere, concentrate on accessible wildlife rather than spending the whole day chasing distant reports. Return to camp within the permitted operating hours.
Sunrise Balloon Safari and Wildlife Drive
Depart before dawn for the booked launch site. Meet the pilot and crew for the briefing before your balloon flight. Bring a warm layer for the early transfer.
Rise above the landscape as daylight spreads across the plains. The flight follows the wind, so the route and wildlife below vary from day to day.
After landing, enjoy the arranged breakfast and meet your safari guide. Continue wildlife viewing in the selected region, with the route shaped by conditions and the time available.
Final Serengeti Viewing and Transfer to Ngorongoro
Check out with your luggage and begin the journey towards Ngorongoro. Enjoy wildlife viewing along the route where it fits the day's travel.
A central Serengeti departure is much closer to Ngorongoro than a far northern camp. Your confirmed itinerary allows for the actual starting point rather than using one transfer estimate for every migration region.
Arrive at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge on the crater rim. Settle in and prepare for the following morning's early descent. Crater views depend on cloud and visibility.
Ngorongoro Crater Safari and Return to Arusha
Begin early and descend into Ngorongoro Crater for your final wildlife drive. Explore the permitted tracks through grassland, wetland and wooded habitats.
Search for grazing herds, predators and black rhinos, keeping binoculars ready for distant sightings. Stop for your packed lunch at an authorised site as the programme allows.
Complete the crater visit within the booked access period, ascend and continue by road to Arusha. Your guide will drop you at the agreed hotel or departure point.
A Kilimanjaro International Airport transfer must be included in the final arrangements. Avoid an early onward flight after the crater visit and road journey. An Arusha overnight can be added separately.
Safari Inclusions and Exclusions
What's Included
- 5 nights of lodge or tented camp accommodation as confirmed.
- Meals from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 6 as listed in your quotation.
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof.
- Professional English-speaking driver guide.
- Agreed Arusha pickup and drop-off.
- Road transfers listed in the confirmed route.
- Tarangire entry and scheduled game viewing.
- Entry and conservation fees for the selected Serengeti ecosystem route.
- Private game drives in the booked migration region.
- 1 scheduled balloon safari per traveller, subject to operator requirements and operating conditions.
- Balloon launch transfers and arranged post-flight breakfast.
- Ngorongoro entry and vehicle descent charges for the scheduled crater visit.
- Bottled drinking water during safari drives and road transfers.
- In-country safari coordination.
What's Not Included
- International flights.
- Domestic flights unless specifically included in the confirmed seasonal route.
- Tanzania visa charges where applicable.
- Travel and medical insurance.
- Airport transfers not listed in the confirmed quotation.
- Alcoholic, soft and premium drinks unless stated.
- Optional community visits and other unlisted activities.
- Tips for safari guides, balloon crew and accommodation staff.
- Laundry, souvenirs, telephone calls and personal expenses.
- Meals outside the confirmed programme.
- Additional nights or route extensions unless quoted.
- Accommodation before or after the safari.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your travel dates determine the migration region and the transfer plan.
When is the best time for this migration safari?
The answer depends on the migration stage you want to experience. Southern calving areas, western movements and northern river country are visited at different times. Our Great Wildebeest Migration guide explains the seasonal pattern. Exact herd locations vary with rainfall and grazing.
Will we stay at Ang'ata Seronera Camp?
It is an option when central Serengeti suits your dates and route. It is not used as a base for every migration region. Your quotation identifies the selected camp before booking.
Can the 6-day route reach the northern river-crossing area?
Yes, with a revised travel plan where needed. The northern Serengeti is much farther from Tarangire and Ngorongoro than central Serengeti. Flights, extra nights or changes to the other stops may be needed and are quoted separately.
Are river crossings or calving sightings guaranteed?
No. The herds follow changing conditions, and individual events cannot be scheduled. A camp in the right region improves access, but no booking can guarantee a crossing or a particular animal encounter.
How much Serengeti time is included?
The programme includes 3 nights, with 2 full days on Days 3 and 4. Day 2 is mainly the arrival transfer, while Day 5 combines departure with wildlife viewing where the route allows.
Is the balloon safari included?
Yes, 1 scheduled balloon safari is included in this programme. We check that a suitable launch service operates near your selected camp. Weather, passenger requirements and availability apply, with cancellation terms confirmed when booking.
Does the package include the Ngorongoro Crater descent?
Yes. The scheduled visit includes the applicable entry and vehicle descent charges. Wildlife viewing takes place within the booked access period before the road journey to Arusha. Read our Ngorongoro Crater guide for destination details.
Can I fly home on Day 6?
A suitably late departure may work, subject to the confirmed crater programme and airport transfer. Share your flight details before booking. An Arusha overnight is a better fit when the connection leaves little time for delays.
Related Safaris and Migration Guides
Wildlife Guide
The Great Wildebeest Migration
Understand the seasonal movement before deciding where and when to travel.
Read the Guide
8 Days
8 Day Tanzania Northern Circuit Safari
Allow more time for a wider northern Tanzania wildlife journey.
Explore This Safari
4 Days
4 Day Tarangire and Ngorongoro Safari
Focus on Tarangire and the crater with a shorter Arusha-based route.
Explore This SafariPlan around the season. Explore beyond the herds.
Send your preferred dates, group size and main wildlife interests. BLS Safaris will match the camp region, transfers and activities to your journey.