Zanzibar to Serengeti Great Migration Safari
For travellers who want the Indian Ocean and the Great Migration in a single trip, this is the Zanzibar-first way to experience the same July to October migration season as our Mara River Crossing Safari, just built around a beach start rather than a road departure from Arusha. July sees the migration building in the north, August is peak Mara activity and our most popular month, September remains excellent, and October is still rewarding as some herds begin drifting south.
If migration is your main priority, we recommend 6 days. If you want migration plus Ngorongoro Crater, 5 days is the balanced choice. If you have limited time, the 4-day fly-in/fly-out option gets you into the action fastest.
Trip highlights
- Direct flight from Zanzibar into the Northern Serengeti migration zone
- Mara River crossing search, Northern Serengeti wildlife, and Ngorongoro Crater on the longer options
- 3 real itinerary options built specifically around a beach-and-bush combination
What's included
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle (Land Cruiser) with pop-up roof, large windows and comfortable seats
- USB and Type-C charging, fridge, binoculars and safari radio on board
- Professional English-speaking safari guide
- Fuel, all game drives and vehicle running costs
- National park entrance fees and Serengeti / Ndutu conservation or concession fees
- Ngorongoro Crater fees where applicable
- Safari accommodation and meals per the accommodation plan
- Drinking water, driver/guide services and mandatory government and tourism charges
Not included
- International flights and Tanzania visa
- Travel insurance
- Tips and alcoholic drinks
- Personal expenses and laundry
- Hot-air balloon safari and other optional activities
- Extra nights before or after the safari, and flights not specifically listed in your quotation
Day by day
Day 1
Day 1: Zanzibar to Northern Serengeti: fly to Kogatende or a suitable airstrip, your guide meets you for an immediate game drive, overnight Northern Serengeti
Day 2
Day 2: The Great Migration, Northern Serengeti and Mara River: full-day game drive with a packed lunch, searching the river area if the herds are there, overnight Northern Serengeti
Day 3
Day 3: Northern to Central Serengeti: game-drive transfer south, overnight Central Serengeti
Day 4
Day 4: Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro: morning game drive then on to the highlands, overnight Ngorongoro / Karatu
Day 5
Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha: crater game drive with rhino, lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, zebra, giraffe and flamingos, then on to Arusha where the safari ends
Common questions
Yes. Every itinerary here can be extended with Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Zanzibar or a Ngorongoro Crater add-on. Tell us your dates and interests and we will adapt one of the options below or build a custom route.
No, and we would not trust an operator who claims otherwise. A wildebeest birth, a predator kill or a river crossing are wild, natural events controlled by rainfall, grass, water levels and animal behaviour, not by any company's schedule. We follow the migration, we do not make promises on behalf of nature. What we do guarantee is an experienced guide who reads the conditions, tracks and other vehicles' reports to give you the best realistic chance.
If migration is your priority, choose 6 days. If you want migration plus Ngorongoro Crater, choose 5 days. If you have limited time, choose the 4-day fly-in/fly-out option.
Both cover the same July to October migration season in Northern Serengeti. Our Mara River Crossing Safari is built primarily as a road safari from Arusha with an optional Zanzibar add-on, while this page is Zanzibar-first, designed specifically for beach-and-safari combination travellers.