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Home to one of the world's greatest concentrations of wildlife and the lion's share of the Wildebeest Migration, the Serengeti National Park is Tanzania's flagship conservation area. Thanks to the park's astonishing density of wildlife, a Serengeti safari is a spectacular experience no matter what time of the year you visit. But what are the best Serengeti safari tours and trips? And how do you choose a Serengeti safari that's right for you?
Based on our extensive safari experience since 1998, we've compiled a list of our best Serengeti safari tours – all tried and tested and completely customisable to suit your travel wishes:
1. Fly-in: Luxury Tanzania Migration Safari
Duration: 11 Days | Locations: 3
The first on our list of Serengeti tours, this 11-day itinerary introduces you to some of the best wildlife destinations in Tanzania, while staying at safari properties that take ‘glamping’ to a new level. You will also fly between camps maximising your time on safari. You’ll enjoy personalised service at top lodges plus a variety of experiences from guided walking safaris with Maasai warriors and yoga in the wild to enjoying exceptional bush breakfasts and lunches.
Highlights:
- Witness the Great Migration year-round
- Luxurious tented camps in dramatically beautiful settings
- Private safari guides and vehicles make it an exclusive safari sojourn
- Incredible game viewing of elephants in Tarangire & the Serengeti’s big cats
- Guided walking safaris in the Serengeti
- Fly to each camp and spend more time on safari
Best Suited For:
- Families, couples & honeymooners
2. Tanzania’s Tarangire, Highlands & Serengeti East
Duration: 11 Days | Locations: 3
An 11-day Serengeti tour for the traveller who is keen to experience as much as possible, this safari has the advantage of more nights than usual on this route. Your professional driver-guide provides a wealth of information as you travel through an ever-changing landscape. The itinerary takes in the classic wildlife destinations of Tanzania’s Northern Circuit.
The Ngorongoro Crater is most famous for its concentrations of wildlife and is the world’s oldest intact volcanic caldera. See the open plains of the Serengeti where you are on the lookout for migrating wildebeest herds in season and their predators.
Highlights:
- Well-paced, comprehensive northern circuit safari
- Sophisticated and intimate tented camp accommodation
- Excellent for game viewing, the seasonal Wildebeest Migration and the Big 5
- Great photographic opportunities
Best Suited For:
- First-time safari travellers
- Families
- Groups
- Couples
3. Kenya & Tanzania’s Wildebeest Migration
Duration: 10 Days | Locations: 4
No need to worry about choosing when to go on a Wildebeest Migration safari: this tour takes in both a Serengeti safari and Masai Mara experience to assure you of an awesome Migration adventure. Flying between destinations means no long road journeys, and you’ll stay at authentic tented camps that offer wildlife viewing with plenty else to choose from, such as optional cultural visits, hot-air ballooning and guided walking safaris.
Highlights:
- Full-day Big 5 safari in Ngorongoro Crater
- Explore both the Serengeti and Masai Mara – double your experience!
- Almost guaranteed wildebeest sightings; excellent for predators
- Fly-in comfort and convenience
- Luxurious tented suites
Best Suited For:
- Wildlife enthusiasts
- Families
- Groups
- Couples
4. Year-round Wildebeest Migration Safari
Duration: 10 Days | Locations: 4
If seeing the Great Wildebeest Migration is a non-negotiable item on your bucket list, then this Serengeti safari tour is perfect. You’ll stay at mobile camps in both the Serengeti and Masai Mara, each set up on the path of the migrating herds. Add a day’s Big 5 viewing in the Ngorongoro Crater, guided walks and a visit to Lake Manyara and you have a comprehensive wildlife experience with all the finer details; optional luxury spa treatments, romantic tented camps and time to discover the local culture, too.
Highlights:
- Superb Wildebeest Migration viewing
- Great for predators especially big cats like lions, leopards and cheetahs
- Full-day Big 5 safari in Ngorongoro Crater
- Guided walks and cultural encounters
- Fly-in comfort and convenience
Best Suited For:
- Wildlife enthusiasts
- Families
- Groups
- Couples
5. Secret Serengeti, Ruaha & Nyerere
Duration: 11 Days | Locations: 4
Of all the Serengeti tours on this list, this safari itinerary takes you into three of Tanzania’s hidden gems – yes, the Serengeti has little-known pockets too! Your journey begins in charming Arusha for a relaxing overnight. Next is Namiri Plains, a beautiful, tented camp in the central Serengeti National Park. It’s a prime spot for exceptional wildlife encounters including some of the best cheetah-viewing in the region.
You’ll then continue into Tanzania’s best-kept secret, Ruaha National Park, where you will experience Africa at its wildest – home to some of the biggest herds of elephants in East Africa. You’ll end in Nyerere National Park where you will enjoy luxury accommodation in Africa’s biggest game reserve.
Highlights:
- Three hidden gem locations in Tanzania
- Sensational wildlife viewing all year round
- Fantastic predator sightings in the Serengeti’s central Seronera, especially cheetah
- Game drives, guided walks, river safaris & bush dining
- Exclusive and luxurious tented camps
Best Suited For:
- Families
- Couples
- Honeymooners
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6. Luxury Fly-In Manyara, Crater & Migration
Duration: 9 Days | Locations: 4
This 9-day, fly-in itinerary takes you on a journey through Tanzania’s unrivalled wildlife destinations – Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the fabled Serengeti – to deliver a dramatic and diverse big game safari. Game viewing is superb all year round, but if you have timed your safari with the wildebeest migration, you can expect mass herds and plenty of predator action.
Highlights:
- Tanzania’s top safari destinations
- Superb year-round game viewing
- Recommended as a migration safari
- Fly-in itinerary for more time spent on safari
- Perfect for honeymoons or celebrations
Best Suited For:
- Couples
- Honeymooners
7. Good-value Migration & Big 5 Safari
Duration: 9 Days | Locations: 4
Value for money doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort: this is a fly-in tour that takes in great lodges set in Tanzania’s top safari destinations. There’s the ‘land of giants’, Tarangire to discover as well as Lake Manyara and some of Africa’s most reliable Big 5 viewing in the Ngorongoro Crater. This Serengeti safari tour finishes at a camp that moves with the wildebeest herds, putting you in front-row seats over Migration season. Accommodation is intimate, the pace is easy, and the views magnificent: it’s a great romantic trip.
Highlights:
- Great game viewing at any time of year
- Diverse landscapes and wildlife plus excellent bird watching
- Stay at a specialist Migration camp for the November to June Wildebeest Migration
- Full-day Big 5 safari in Ngorongoro Crater
- Romantic accommodation
Best Suited For:
- First-time safari travellers
- Couples
- Honeymooners
8. Serengeti, Crater & Gorillas
Duration: 9 Days | Locations: 3
Tick off a few of East Africa’s gems from the comfort of luxury under-canvas accommodation on this 9-day adventure. Your journey begins with a bang in Uganda, trekking through the thick vegetation of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in search of the gentle giants that call the rainforest home. Gorilla trekking is one of the most sought-after wildlife experiences in the world, with most describing their time spent with the habituated primate families as a lifechanging experience.
From one safari giant to the next, Tanzania is the destination for the second leg of your trip. The seemingly endless plains of the Serengeti are home to magical safari experiences, the most exciting of which is the chance to witness the movement of a million-plus wildebeest and zebra on their migratory journey. Last but certainly not least is a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater – the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. A thrilling game drive on the crater floor offers plenty wildlife sightings, with roughly 30,000 animals inhabiting the area.
Highlights:
- Stay at Sanctuary’s luxury yet comfortable tented camps throughout
- Excellent wildlife viewing, including the Great Migration (in season)
- Gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Explore top safari destinations, like the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
- Game drives, forest walks & cultural experiences with indigenous tribes
Best Suited For:
- Active and adventurous travellers
- First-time safari-goers
9. Honeymoon in the Serengeti & Seychelles
Duration: 11 Days | Locations: 4
Spend 11 days exploring three of Tanzania’s most popular destinations and enjoying a private island in the paradisical Seychelles archipelago. You begin in the charming town of Arusha, where your journey starts off slow and relaxed on a working coffee plantation that boasts the most stunning views of Mount Meru.
Your safari really gets going in big game havens, Lake Manyara National Park and the Serengeti. Both destinations offer excellent wildlife sightings, which includes seeing the famous tree-climbing lions and the Great Wildebeest Migration. After a thrilling adventure in the bush, unwind in Mahé, a tropical island paradise that offers powder-white sand, turquoise water, and stunning vistas.
Highlights:
- Stay in elegant yet comfortable accommodation throughout
- Romantic safari and beach combination
- See the famous tree-climbing lions & Great Migration (in season)
- Excellent big game viewing in top wildlife destinations
- Luxury beachside stay at a private island resort
Best Suited For:
- Honeymooners
- Couples
10. Tanzania’s Culture & Wildlife Safari
Duration: 11 Days | Locations: 3
Tanzania is a favourite amongst first-timers and seasoned safari-goers alike, and this 11-day itinerary provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy some of the top destinations in the country’s Northern Safari Circuit. Start in Arusha, where you’re eased into the adventure with a relaxing stay at the luxurious Legendary Lodge.
Then it’s straight into the action. Witness some of nature’s most spectacular scenes, from tree-climbing lions in Tarangire National Park to the Great Wildebeest Migration in the Serengeti. Beyond thrilling game drives, you’ll also enjoy night drives, hot-air balloon rides, scenic helicopter flights, and guided nature walks.
The cherry on top of this fantastic adventure is that it supports local conservation and community initiatives. As one of our Trips With A Purpose itineraries, it provides more than just incredible safari experiences – it also leaves a positive impact long after you’ve left Africa. During your travels, you’ll have the opportunity to spend time and engage with the Maasai, Barabaig, Hadzabe and Datoga tribes and their traditional ways of life – experiences that promises to be soul-stirring, transformative encounters for any visitor.
Highlights:
- Stay at luxury lodges & camps throughout your trip
- Explore Tanzania’s popular Northern Safari Circuit
- Exciting wildlife viewing in Tarangire & the Serengeti
- See tree-climbing lions & the Great Wildebeest Migration (in season)
- Variety of activities on offer, including helicopter flights & hot-air balloon rides
- A trip with a purpose that supports local conservation & community initiatives
Best Suited For:
- First-timers
More Serengeti Safari Tours
The Serengeti is a pretty big area – slightly larger than Connecticut – and although we’ve mentioned a notable amount of our favourite trips above, there are still many fantastic Serengeti safari tours available.
Find your Serengeti Safari holiday.
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