5-Day Great Migration Budget Safari

Early morning departure from Arusha. Drive through the Ngorongoro Highlands with a brief crater rim viewpoint stop. Enter the Serengeti through Naabi Hill Gate and begin tracking the migration herds. Your guide will have the latest intelligence on herd positions. Afternoon game drive following the wildebeest and zebra. Camp in the Serengeti.

A full day dedicated to the Great Migration. Your guide will drive to the area where the herds are currently concentrated — this changes with the seasons. During June-October, head north towards the Mara River for dramatic crossings. During January-March, the southern Serengeti hosts the calving season where thousands of wildebeest calves are born daily. Big predators follow the herds — expect lion, cheetah, hyena, and crocodile at the crossings.

Explore the central Serengeti and Seronera Valley — the park's wildlife crossroads. The Seronera River attracts hippo pods, crocodiles, and the big cats that hunt along its banks. Look for leopards in the sausage trees and cheetahs on the open plains. Afternoon drive to the kopjes (granite rock outcrops) where lion prides rest and survey their territory.

Final morning game drive in the Serengeti — one last chance for migration sightings and predator encounters. Depart midday for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Drive up to the crater rim and set up camp at Simba Campsite. Enjoy a spectacular sunset over the caldera with dinner at camp.

Dawn descent into the Ngorongoro Crater for a morning game drive. The crater floor is home to over 25,000 large mammals including all of the Big Five. This is your best chance to spot the endangered black rhino. Packed lunch at the hippo pool. Ascend from the crater and drive back to Arusha, arriving late afternoon.