8-Day Midrange Mara River Great Migration Safari

Overview

This 8-day Tanzania safari is perfectly timed to witness the world-famous Great Migration as it reaches the northern Serengeti and faces the dramatic challenge of the Mara River crossing (July–October). With expert guides by your side, you’ll journey through Tanzania’s most iconic parks: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, and the Mara River region — experiencing jaw-dropping wildlife action, rich landscapes, and unforgettable moments, all crafted for the peace of your mind.

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Day to Day Itinerary

Touch down at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport, where you’ll be greeted by a warm smile from the Shafino Wildlife Safaris team. Settle in at your Arusha lodge or hotel, rest up, and soak in the excitement ahead.

🍽 Meals: At own expense
🏨 Accommodation: At a selected midrange lodge or hotel in Arusha

Drive to Tarangire National Park, a stunning reserve known for massive elephant herds, ancient baobab trees, and the lifeline Tarangire River. Here you might spot giraffes, bushbucks, hartebeests, lions, and elusive leopards, alongside over 500 bird species.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: At a selected midrange lodge or camp in Karatu

Journey through the lush Ngorongoro Conservation Area to enter the Serengeti’s heart. Along the way, stop to admire Ngorongoro Crater’s breathtaking rim. Once in the Serengeti, look out for buffalo, hippos, crocs, and the big cats that roam these legendary grasslands.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: At a selected luxury tented camp in Serengeti (Seronera)

Today, travel north through the Serengeti, following the tracks of the Great Migration as the herds push toward the Mara River. Along the way, marvel at endless plains dotted with wildlife, from zebras to antelope and beyond.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: At a selected midrange tented camp near the Mara River

Spend a full day exploring the northern Serengeti and the dramatic Mara River crossings, where wildebeest and zebra brave crocodile-infested waters and lurking predators. This is one of Africa’s most thrilling wildlife spectacles — unforgettable and raw.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: At a selected midrange tented camp near the Mara River

After breakfast, begin your journey southward back to central Serengeti, keeping your eyes peeled for one last glimpse of the migration and the predators following the herds.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: At a selected luxury tented camp in Serengeti (Seronera)

Wind your way from the Serengeti into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Descend into the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, where lions, elephants, hippos, and endangered black rhinos thrive amid lush grasslands and shimmering lakes.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: At a selected midrange lodge or camp in Karatu

Your final safari stop brings you to Lake Manyara National Park, where dramatic landscapes, flamingo-dotted lakes, and tree-climbing lions await. Enjoy a final game drive and picnic lunch before heading back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport, carrying home a heart full of safari memories.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
🏨 Accommodation: Not included (end of tour)

What’s Included

  • National park fees and permits
  • Professional English-speaking driver-guide
  • All game drives and safari activities (non-optional)
  • Midrange lodge or camp accommodation (as per itinerary)
  • All road transportation in a private 4x4 safari vehicle
  • Roundtrip airport transfers
  • Meals as specified (including bottled water, one beer per adult per day, plus white or red wine)
  • All government taxes and VAT

What’s Not Included

  • International flights to/from Tanzania
  • Additional accommodation before or after the safari (can be arranged)
  • Tips and gratuities (suggested $15–$20 per adult per day)
  • Personal items such as souvenirs, travel insurance, and visa fees

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